November 28, 2011 in City

Historic stretch near courthouse still bustling

Then & Now photos: North Monroe

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1937: Monroe Street is pictured just north of the bridge. Thielman Locksmith and the O.K. Cigar Store are on the left, and Acme Furniture and Miller Cleaners are on the right.
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Despite the Great Depression, Spokane was growing and building to the north, up the corridors of Monroe, Washington, Howard and Division streets. The last of Spokane’s streetcars was retired in 1936, and people were taking buses or driving their Model A Fords downtown to shop and go to theaters. With the county courthouse nearby, offices for attorneys, spaces for restaurants and storefronts for bail bondsmen were in demand. Over the years, the few wooden buildings were replaced with brick. Today, North Monroe Street is known for antiques, both funky and functional. Stores are clustered between Broadway and the bridge, but they are sprinkled all the way to Garland Avenue.

On the Web: Find more historical photos with present-day comparisons at spokesman.com/then-and-now.

– Jesse Tinsley

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