Name Change A Worthy Idea, Readers Say

Unpublished correction: The city’s name was officially changed from Spokane Falls to Spokane in 1891.

Maybe my suggestion that we change Spokane’s name back to the original Spokane Falls isn’t so half-baked after all.

Spokane Falls got an overwhelming thumbs-up from all but a few of 160 readers who voted on my name-change proposal.

Residents, out-of-towners, college professors, business people and even Shaw Middle School students believe that capitalizing on our colorful history and most spectacular feature could be the key to the city’s future success.

They said it again and again in telephone calls and letters and by sending e-mail.

“You are right-on with the Spokane Falls name,” wrote Jim Harless in a typical response. “We truly have a great treasure in the falls downtown.

“I grew up in the Midwest, near Wildcat Creek, which ran red with industrial goo from the steel mill. The river we have is truly a blessing.”

According to the city clerk’s office, putting a name-change proposal on the ballot is a simple, straightforward procedure. (More on the mechanics later.)

Two weeks ago, after a walking tour of the roaring Spokane River with avid falls booster Nate Grossman, I was struck by how shortsighted our city fathers had been in 1890.

That’s when they axed “Falls” from “Spokane Falls” - the name founder James Glover originally had bestowed on this burg about 10 years earlier.

Spokane residents back then “found the natural wildness of the falls distasteful,” writes Eastern Washington University history professor Bill Youngs in his book, “The Fair and the Falls: Spokane’s Expo ‘74.”

That attitude continued for years. At one low point in the 1950s, Youngs adds later, there was even a proposal to pave over the south channel of the Spokane River by Havermale Island.

“In the balance, however, not enough people cared about the original designation to preserve it,” writes Youngs.

“The falls suffered one more indignity as they were dropped from the appellation of the city they had nurtured.

“Spokane Falls became, officially, Spokane.”

Youngs sent me a copy of part of his wonderfully written manuscript as well as his enthusiastic vote for returning to the Spokane Falls name.

“At Eastern, some of my students are reading portions of the book. … Just yesterday, they had been reading a section called ‘Dropping the Falls’ (about forgetting the falls and changing the name of the city).

“Several of the students raised just the question you did: ‘Couldn’t we rename the city and get back the falls?’ I took an immediate vote, and by a margin of about 4-to-1, the students wanted ‘Falls’ restored.”

Many others feel the same way.

“I love it! Spokane Falls is great; it’s unbelievable that the name would have been changed,” wrote Rich Coleman. “I think Spokane is on the edge of having some very good things happen to it, and the change back to the original name can only be positive.”

Just like the electricity-producing river, tying a name change into downtown revitalization would generate 1 million watts of national publicity.

Randy Arndt of the Washington, D.C.-based National League of Cities says he can’t think of a single modern city the size of Spokane ever doing something so bold.

Tiny Eustis, Fla., (pop. 1,300) became Lake Eustis not long ago. Baker, Ore., with 10,000 residents, returned to its original Baker City name in 1987.

“Growing up in Baker, it was hard for me to get used to Baker City,” wrote Kathleen Winters in a letter. “But it works, and I really like the sound of Spokane Falls.”

The change in Baker City didn’t happen overnight. To avoid expense, the new city name gradually was added to signage, stationery and official documents as the old ones were used.

“In one way,” says Vicky Adams, “I don’t want to encourage more tourists to come to Spokane by renaming the town because they might decide to stay. But on the other hand, to keep the downtown vital, the promotion of the falls would be ideal.”

Linking our name to our river also would restate the commitment to the environment that we promoted globally with the Expo ‘74 world’s fair.

“I would vote in a heartbeat to restore Spokane’s original name to Spokane Falls,” says Maryellen Johnson, corporate contributions director for Metropolitan Mortgage.

All right. How could it happen?

If the idea is truly worthy, someone out there must step up to the plate and organize a petition drive. I’m just an idea guy. Political activism isn’t an appropriate role for a columnist.

The rules governing initiatives would have to be studied and followed. But basically, just more than 2,300 signatures of registered voters (that’s 5 percent of the votes cast in the last general election) would put the issue before the council, says City Clerk Terri Pfister.

Council members could then pass it or let the voters decide.

This grass-roots process worked a couple of years ago to set up a fund for spaying and neutering cats and dogs. Reclaiming the Spokane Falls name has more merit than that.

But don’t expect much support from City Hall. This is the kind of radical idea that gets politicians shaking in their shoes.

“I’m the kind of guy who likes to look to the future and not the past,” says City Manager Bill Pupo. “I’d rather see it stay the city of Spokane.”

Ditto, says City Attorney James Sloane. “The corporate identity of Spokane has been established. You’d have to have a very good reason to change it.”

How about the singular beauty of our foaming, always-beautiful falls? That was reason enough for James Glover.

History, just like the Spokane River, is fluid. The fact our falls once fell out of favor doesn’t mean they can’t be returned to their former place of honor.

“Welcome to Spokane Falls.” Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo