Stefanie Pettit

Stefanie Pettit is a freelance columnist for the Voices neighborhood sections. Her columns include Landmarks, featuring historic buildings and sites, and Front Porch.

Contact Stefanie

Fax: 509-927-2175

Recent stories by Stefanie

Church founder and activist arrived in 1889

December 23, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S5 The headstone in the Civil War section of Greenwood Memorial Terrace contains just a date, the name P.B. Barrow and a line noting unit of service – a simple inscription …
Front Porch: Nesting wanderer bears a gift

December 16, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page V1 This is something of a Christmastime story that doesn’t really begin like one. Here goes: I ate an egg the other day, and it was delicious. It was just a …
Jolly old elf is holdover from Crescent display days

December 12, 2010 in Idaho Voices on Page I5 Technically, Santa is supposed to be up on the rooftop, but for the past 22 years, he’s stood proudly in the parking lot at the White Elephant store on East …
Front Porch: Choosing stress-free way to spend Thanksgiving

December 2, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page V1 I’d like to revisit Thanksgiving for a moment. I know, it’s already fading in the rearview mirror, even though it was just a week ago, and everyone is in the …
Pettit: A wet, cold hen would’ve been madder

November 18, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S1 It was time to find a new home for Chicken. This free-range barnyard bird who appeared in my yard nearly a year ago came through last year’s mild winter nicely …
Front Porch: We get campaigns we deserve

November 4, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page V1 Oh, thank the deity of your choice, the election is over. And now I must rant about it. While you are reading these words post-election, I’m writing them a few …
Front Porch: Cold brings decision time for Chicken

October 21, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page N1 What to do about Chicken. Chicken (so named because we couldn’t think of anything better) wandered into our yard from we-don’t-know-where 10 months ago and has been with us ever …
Wilson school has respect, partnership of neighbors

September 30, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S5 Wilson Elementary School on Spokane’s South Hill was declared the most modern school building in the city and “equal to any built anywhere,” according to a newspaper account in December … 1
Landmarks: Hale Block had many names

September 16, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page N5 Downtown Spokane is filled with wonderful old buildings having histories and stories dating to the city’s early days. Some of these structures are not in such great shape, but others …
Monument honors creator of Father’s Day, her dad

September 9, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S5 Lost a bit in the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Father’s Day in Spokane this June was the dedication of monuments to Sonora Smart Dodd, the …
Vacation is everything but restful

August 26, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S1 What I did on my summer vacation – actually, I’m still doing it – I went back home to see family and friends. If hurricanes remained offshore, I am now …
Indian art in Riverside State Park

August 19, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page V4 As people look for mini day trips to enjoy as the summer winds down, there’s an historic site in a most beautiful setting quite nearby that might just foot the …
Real life? There’s no app for that

August 12, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page N1 This is about e-mail and about texting, both of which are still really irritating me. A lot. True, I irritate more easily than I used to, but c’mon, some of …
Program gets students who are struggling up to speed

August 5, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page V1 Alexsis Schell was always a good student. Until she wasn’t. She routinely got good grades when she’d go to school, but then she stopped going. She didn’t get along with …
Walking back in time

July 29, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S1 Cemeteries have always interested Shirley Penna-Oakes, past president of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society. “I learned to drive in one,” she said. “That’s where my boyfriend at the time taught …
Strolling through history

July 22, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page N5 In the early 1900s the town of Valleyford, just south of Spokane, was thriving, with its own bank, two hotels, a school, newspapers, various businesses and a railroad depot. It’s …
English-only push begs extra care

July 15, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page V1 We’re getting pretty darned adamant about speaking English in America. Not going to touch the politics of that, but for Pete’s sake, if we’re going to speak the language, let’s …
Instructor, conductor puts spotlight on accordion’s versatility

July 8, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S1 When the Spokane Accordion Ensemble performs Friday night as guest artists at the Old Time Accordion Championships in Kimberly, B.C., it will be a happy and nostalgic event for Patricia …
Spokane policing pioneer honored

July 8, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page V5 As part of an ongoing historical remembrance project, each May the Fairmount Memorial Association commemorates Law Enforcement Week by erecting a monument to honor a law enforcement officer from Spokane’s …
Stefanie Pettit: Fame found in borrowed feathers

June 17, 2010 in Washington Voices on Page S1 Back by popular request – Chicken. I’ve written about her before and hadn’t planned on writing so soon again about this barnyard bird who appeared in our driveway around Christmas …