This item just begged to be translated into a “Ken Burns” style panoramic movie - it’s a wide-angle image showing the Monroe Street Bridge under construction, with many details including a nearly-intact north bank, the bridge itself, and an amazing amount of newly-placed gravel backfill along the south shoreline. From the photo caption: “Construction of Monroe Street Bridge, Spokane, Wash., August 3, 1911.” (Image courtesy Libby Photography, Spokane)

Monroe panorama (4.5 Mb, Quicktime® movie)

Here’s one from our archives: In 2002, Spokane’s public radio station, KPBX, produced and aired a terrific summary of work then underway to complete the gorge area Conceptual Plan. Features interviews with local Olmsted researcher Sally Reynolds, landscape architect Mike Terrell, Spokane Tribal member Bryan Flett, FOF President Rick Hastings, Parks Department Director Mike Stone, City CFO Gavin Cooley and others. A great listen, produced by former KPBX legend Doug Nadvornik.

KPBX “On the Record” (MP3-compatible player required, runtime 22.14)

In 2001, the City of Spokane adopted comprehensive plan language supporting activities to restore and maintain the Spokane River Gorge as “one of our region’s greatest resources.” The link below opens a highlighted copy of the language, included in the Natural Environment chapter, as policy NE 11.5:

“Pursue the Spokane River Gorge as a natural area and maintain this place as one of our region’s greatest resources. Discussion: The Spokane River Gorge is a natural connection between Riverfront Park, Latah Creek, Indian Canyon, and Riverside State Park. The historical significance of the Gorge to native and early pioneering cultures should be emphasized in how the area is protected. Various historical and cultural experiences should be developed without harming the riparian habitat.”

Plan excerpt re: Gorge (116 Kb, Acrobat® file)

In 1908, the Olmsted Brothers, sons of the famous Fredrick Law Olmsted, submitted a report to Spokane’s first Board of Parks Commissioners regarding a wide variety of recommendations for the City. Though not published until 1913, this report - essentially a parks-oriented master plan for the community - formed the foundation of much of what we now enjoy as Spokane’s parks system, plus many other features including Northwest Boulevard and High Drive Boulevard. Their primary recommendation? The formation of four “large parks,” with the greatest, the “Gorge Park,” anchoring them all. Download and review Friends of the Falls’ transcription of the Olmsted Report, formatted to match the original published copy donated to the group.

Olmsted Report (1.2 Mb, Acrobat® file)