Expo Art in the Spokane River
I don’t know what that thing represents but it is an art piece installed for Expo 1974. May, 2011.
Need a Spokane picture? Feel free to steal one (just try to cite this website). If you need something specific, probably simplest to run a search. New pictures are posted from time to time from SpokanePlanner’s library of thousands of pictures. Some pictures aren’t so great, some are pretty good. All photos are posted at 800 x 600 pixels (for the most part). If you’d like a full size image, feel free to contact SpokanePlanner via social media and I’ll send one your way.
I don’t know what that thing represents but it is an art piece installed for Expo 1974. May, 2011.
Dick’s Hamburgers deserves a post unto itself on this blog. When I entertain out of town guests, be them personal or professional, Dick’s is among the first places I take them. Order a Whammy, some fries, and a malt. Don’t forget to dip your burger and fries in tartar as you eat them. May, 2011.
Those condos on the left are among the first along the Spokane River. There’s not a lot of beachfront property left overlooking Spokane’s waterfalls but these residents have a front row seat to the best show in town. May, 2011.
One of the cardinal symptoms of a healthy downtown is enough street activity to motivate local entrepreneurs engage the market, albeit one person at a time. May, 2011.
This view of Riverfront Park shows three out of four iconic structures within it — the Pavilion, Imax, and power plant. The only one missing is the clock tower. May, 2011.
Artist David Govedare erected 40 life size statues in honor of Spokane’s annual Bloomsday race in 1986. May, 2011.
Spring is the best time to explore Spokane’s waterfalls. There are plenty of vantage points from Riverfront Park to take it all in. May, 2011.
Capturing The Essence Of Urban Spokane — These are the pictures that shape Spokane’s urban image, our best face. The View from Cliff Drive Gondolas from Post Street Bridge View of the Falls from Monroe Street Bridge Another View of the Falls from Atop Monroe Street Bridge View of Downtown from Kendall Yards Clock Tower and Pavilion in Riverfront Park Looking Down Post Street to River Park Square Descending Sunset Hill into Downtown
Spokane’s Clock Tower is taller than most trees in Riverfront Park. It stands 155 feet tall. May, 2011.
Up close and personal with Spokane’s Clock Tower, located in Riverfront Park. It stands 155 feet tall. May, 2011.
Mind your kids along the trails in Riverfront Park. A child can sprint well faster than 5-mph. I wonder if anyone has ever gotten a ticket? May, 2011.
The Centennial Trail through Riverfront Park is wide and inviting. May, 2011.
Spokane’s opera house directly abuts the Spokane River and Riverfront Park downtown. May, 2011.
The Spokane Opera House opened for Expo 1974. It’s 2,700 seat capacity hosts the metro’s top-tier performing arts tours. May, 2011.
The Imax Theater in Riverfront Park was constructed for Expo 1974. As of this post (October, 2016), the Imax is slated for demolition to construct park improvements via a $64-million bond issuance approved by voters in 2014. This photo was taken in May, 2011.
Canada Island splits the Spokane River at the upper falls. This is the fork to the north of Canada Island. May, 2011.
The view looking downstream from Spokane Falls upper drop. May, 2011.
The upper drop of Spokane Falls is easy to view from all the footbridges that span it. May, 2011.
This photo was taken in May, 2011, with the late spring water still robust. Water volume over Spokane Falls tends to peak in early April.
From the viewing stairs in Huntington Park below City Hall you can get up close and personal with the main drop of Spokane Falls. May, 2011.
This is the best stair case in the world, and it can be found just below City Hall in Spokane. May, 2011.
This picture shows the start of a wild ride down stream. It’s merely a spectator sport on the Spokane Falls. May, 2011.
This little guy must feel pretty lonely when high water comes. He can be found from a perch atop Canada Island. May, 2011.
There is no better view of Spokane’s waterfalls than from a gondola ride over them. Try to catch the Falls in early April or so, that’s when the run-off from winter snows is peaking. It’s a hell of a show. May, 2011.
The Spokane River drops something north of 60-feet through downtown Spokane — the second largest urban waterfall system in America (next to Niagara). The final and most significant drop is pictured here while standing atop the Post Street Bridge. May, 2011.
Monroe Street Bridge is one of Spokane’s most iconic structures, and it just so happens to span the main drop of Spokane’s waterfalls. May, 2011.
The best way to see Spokane Falls is via a sky-ride over them. Our gondola line was built for Expo 1974 and remains one of Spokane’s most unique attractions. May, 2011.
There are a lot of kiddie rides in Riverfront Park. Here’s a few of them. May, 2011.
The Ferris Wheel next to the Pavilion in Riverfront Park, Spokane. May, 2011.
…just another view of the tour train in Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
This little guy will take you around most of Riverfront Park’s roughly 100 acres. May, 2011.
The view looking easterly at the Looff Carrousel in Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
Spokane’s Looff Carrousel was built in 1909. Today, it’s considered a work of art from multiple perspectives — mechanically, wood working, colors. It can be found in Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
The view from inside inside Spokane’s Looff Carrousel. May, 2011.
Kids love all the joy-rides beneath the Pavilion in Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
The Pavilion in Riverfront Park was a big tent structure for Expo 1974 activities. Locals joke that Seattle got the Space Needle, and Spokane got a big tent. May, 2011.
A nice view of the Pavilion at Riverfront Park. It was originally built as a tent for Expo 1974. May, 2011.
The shops beneath the Pavilion in Riverfront Park provide access to the IMAX and additional kids activities. May, 2011.
The view from inside the Pavilion at Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
Locals refer to the diagonalled INB Performing Arts Center by its given name — the Opera House. Both the Opera House and the Clock Tower are in Riverfront Park, downtown. May, 2011.
The big, brick Washington Water Power building, located in downtown Spokane, collects energy from the Spokane River. May, 2011.
Artifacts of Expo 1974, the Pavilion, Imax, and Clock Tower. May, 2011.
One of the many footbridges in Riverfront Park. This one places you directly above the upper Falls. May, 2011.
The view of the upper Spokane Falls from Canada Island in Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
The Upper Falls Power Plant harnesses the flow from the upper Spokane Falls in Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
A great view of the Monroe Street Bridge that gives perspective of the drop of the Spokane Falls. May, 2011.
The old Washington Water Power plant is still operational as it catches power from Spokane Falls. May, 2011.
When the Spokane River crests at high-flow, the footbridges around Canada Island in Riverfront Park are a perfect place to enjoy the show. May, 2011.
A close-up view of the main drop of Spokane Falls. May, 2011.
These dual bridges across the Spokane River look pretty cool atop a perch in Riverfront Park. May, 2011.
The boulevard on Riverside Avenue. March, 2011.
This statue (title and artist unknown) provides a great vantage point overlooking the main drop of Spokane Falls and a panoramic view of Downtown Spokane. It’s located in Riverfront Park. March, 2011.
…it looks a lot better with leaves on the trees and green grass. March, 2011.
The Bloomsday runner statues (formally titled “The Joy of Running Together”) was installed in 1985 to commemorate Spokane’s popular 12k timed footrace. The artist is David Govedare. March, 2011.
Lourdes Cathedral is the seat of Bishop, as well as some of the finest architecture in town. March, 2011.
The view looking northeasterly from Cliff Drive overlook. March, 2011.
The view looking due north from Cliff Drive overlook. March, 2011.
The view looking north-northwesterly from Cliff Drive overlook. March, 2011.
The view looking northwesterly from Cliff Drive overlook. That’s Sacred Heart Hospital. March, 2011.
The view looking west from Cliff Drive overlook. March, 2011.
The view from street level at the edge of the Monroe Street Bridge. March, 2011.
The view of Spokane Falls from the Monroe Street Bridge. March, 2011.
There’s a stretch of Riverside Avenue between about Monroe Street and 1st Avenue that creates a great street. This is part it. March, 2011.
The iconic Masonic Temple looking east down Riverside Avenue. In 2014, development plans were unveiled to redevelop the structure into a mixed-use project. March, 2011.
The Masonic Temple is one of Spokane’s most iconic historic landmarks. March, 2011.
This sidewalk adjacent to the Masonic Temple on Riverside Avenue is a slice of one of the best urban environments in Spokane. March, 2011.
These condos along the Spokane River have one of the best views in town. Downtown could use a few more projects like this. March. 2011.
These footbridges criss-cross the Spokane River throughout Riverfront Park. March, 2011.
Canada Island in Riverfront Park is a giant basalt outcrop that splits the Spokane River as it drops through Downtown. March, 2011.
The view of old Huntington Park from the Monroe Street Bridge. The land is now improved and beautified to provide a better viewing experience of the waterfalls. That white building in the background is Spokane City Hall. March, 2011.
A view of old Huntington Park before the land was beautified into an improved gathering and viewing location of Spokane Falls. March, 2011.
Not too many cities have water falls roaring through their downtown. Not too many cities offer gondola rides just above them. Spokane’s pretty dope. March, 2011.
The sidewalk along Spokane Falls Boulevard near River Park Square. March, 2011.
Outside the Apple Store on Main Avenue, Downtown. March, 2011.
Main Avenue is the chicest retail destination in Spokane, particularly near River Park Square. An area’s retail mix says a lot about the market it caters to. Downtown Spokane caters to a pretty healthy market. March, 2011.
There’s a lot of skywalks in Downtown Spokane. Here’s three of them over Wall Street. March, 2011.
The sidewalk outside the main entry to River Park Square. March, 2011.
Another view of Wall Street this time looking south. March, 2011.
The view of Mt. Spokane from Cliff Drive — the South Hill’s most popular make-out spot. That’s the University District in the foreground. March, 2011.
Wall Street in Downtown Spokane was refurbished as a pedestrian mall in the 1990s. June, 2004.
The gateway into Riverfront Park from Spokane Falls Boulevard. June, 2004.
The view of Howard Street looking south in Downtown Spokane. June, 2004.
In Canada, they call parking garages parkades. For a time, that’s what they called them in Spokane, too. This is the plaza behind Spokane’s historic parkade. June, 2004.
Riverside Avenue was once a hotbed for late night cruising in Downtown Spokane. Although the trend has died off for about two decades, word is it’s starting to make a comeback.
A view looking south along Post Street, Downtown. June, 2004.
This quiet Downtown setting was once an alleyway. Now, it’s a nice place to sip an espresso. June, 2004.
You want some nice pictures, or are you the holy type? Just a random back-alley in Downtown Spokane. June, 2004.
The protruding and curve-linear Spokesman Review Building is one of Spokane’s best architectural landmarks. June, 2004.
Riverside Avenue looking east in June, 2004.
Main Avenue in June, 2004, looking westerly. The building on the right is Macy’s.
This great wide sidewalk is on Spokane Falls Boulevard adjacent to Riverfront Park. That old brick pyramid fountain has since been removed. June, 2004.
At the date this picture was taken, Downtown had three spiral staircases leading up to its skywalk system (the third being just off picture left). One of them has since been demolished to make way for a real estate investment, and the final two (showed in this June, 2004 picture) are still pretty cool, nonetheless.
During the summer months, kids’ activities dominate the space beneath the Pavilion in Riverfront Park. June, 2004.
The Pavilion in Riverfront Park hosts a multitude of activities beneath it. It was constructed for Expo 1974. June, 2004.
These twin smokestacks are a prominent part of Spokane’s skyline. Once an operating steam plant that provided heat for the bulk of downtown, the operation was abandoned several decades back and the structure remained vacant and dilapidated until local developers revitalized the building. Today, an array of hipster tenants occupy the structure, known as Steam Plant Square. Picture taken June, 2004.
These are Spokane’s two tallest buildings. The white one clocks in at about 24 stories (243 feet), while the grey one clocks in at about 29 stories (288). Both were built and completed in the early 80s. Photo taken June, 2004.
With the right vantage point down Riverside Avenue, one can capture two of Spokane’s most iconic structures: the Spokesman Review Building and Lourdes Cathedral. June, 2004.
The Davenport Hotel from Sprague Avenue. June, 2004.
The Davenport Hotel from Riverside Avenue. June, 2004.
Judging by this streetscape, the Davenport Hotel spares no details. June, 2004.
That little building must be original, huh? June, 2004.
This June, 2004, picture illustrates well how low the Spokane River runs in high summer.
Most downtowns don’t have a Nordstrom. But most downtowns aren’t Downtown Spokane. June, 2004.
A placid June, 2004, day on the Spokane River just east of Riverfront Park, Downtown.
Coeur d’Alene Park is the natural heart and soul of Browne’s Addition. June, 2004.
The intersection of Pacific and Cannon is the commercial heart and soul of Browne’s Addition. June, 2004.
The Manito Duck Pond (in Manito Park) was once a popular place to feed the ducks but overfeeding has led to contamination of the pond (seen in this June, 2004 picture). Now, the City has prohibited feeding and has plans to restore and improve the pond.
The steps outside Spokane’s Opera House along the Spokane River. June, 2004.
This over-sized Radio Flyer is a popular play area in Riverfront Park. June, 2004.
The old Looff Carrousel in Downtown Spokane. June, 2004.
The Centennial Trail is a 40+ mile long pathway that stretches from Coeur d’Alene through Spokane. This stretch of the Centennial Trail in Riverfront Park is wide and inviting. June, 2004.
Downtown Spokane from Riverfront Park. June, 2004.
What is that thing? This art piece was installed for Expo 1974 outside the Opera House. June, 2004.
The sidewalk view outside of River Park Square. Downtown Spokane, June, 2004.
Dicks Hamburgers is a classic Spokane burger joint located on the fringe of Downtown. June, 2004.
Steps along the Spokane River adjacent to the Opera House. June, 2004.
The old YMCA building in Riverfront Park was demolished in 2011. This picture was taken in June, 2004.
Looking toward the South Hill from Downtown Spokane. June, 2004.
Historic and modern architecture in Downtown Spokane. June, 2004.
A lovely day to read a book along the Spokane River in Riverfront Park. June, 2004.
Spokane’s most classic urban scene — Downtown’s Pavilion and Clock Tower in Riverfront Park. June, 2004.
The sleek and modern Spokane Opera House along the Spokane River, Downtown. June, 2004.
Looks pretty dope. The Spokane County Courthouse, November, 2003.
The Burnham-esque Spokesman Review building on a rainy day in November, 2003.
Spokane River George beach-front property is now coveted. Not long ago, no one really cared to live there. November, 2003.
The Olmsted Brothers have a vision for this place — the Spokane River George looking west from the Monroe Street Bridge, Downtown. November, 2003.
Once known as Felony Flats, it’s in these fields above the Spokane River and adjacent to Downtown that Kendall Yards is being developed (and they are fields no longer). November, 2003.
Do you see the statue in the background? It’s just like the one in the foreground. These two gentlemen can be found on Monroe Street and Main Avenue, Downtown. November, 2003.
In late fall, even after the rains set in, the Spokane River is at it’s lowest flow of the year, as seen in this November, 2003 photo. The natural area on the right has since been converted into a park.
A couple of mansions perched atop the hill on Rockwood Boulevard in Spokane. November, 2003.
The skywalks come in pretty handy on those chilly wet winter days in Downtown Spokane. November, 2003.
Being 90 miles from Canada, there are times when Spokane can be somewhat of a dreary place. This is one of them. November, 2003.