Jim Kershner’s This Day in History

From our archives, 100 years ago

A new Congregational Mission Church, a “church for colored people,” was established in the Lidgerwood Park area. Spokane already had established churches for the black community, but this one served people in the north part of the city.

It was at the corner of Gordon and Standard streets and the minister was the Rev. E.E. Sims.

From the parks beat: The $1 million parks bond issue, which changed the face of Spokane to this day, passed by an even narrower margin than first reported.

A recount showed that it passed by only 15 votes, not 18 as the first count showed. Yet pass it did – and Spokane has thousands of acres of parks and open space as a result.

From the entertainment beat: Otis Skinner, one of America’s top actors, was appearing in “Your Humble Servant” at the Auditorium.

A local critic reported that Skinner knocked ’em dead and was “forced to respond to a curtain call.” He is best remembered today as the father of Cornelia Otis Skinner, an actress, humorist and author.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1945: Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Rheims, France, ending its role in World War II.