January 16, 2012 in City

Photos Then and Now: Bright city night

The lights stretch farther in a new view of Spokane
 
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1966: To create this panoramic view from Cliff Drive looking north across Spokane, Spokane Chronicle photographers “stitched” four photos together. Division Street is the line of lights at top right.
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When a Spokane Chronicle photographer made a nighttime photo of South Stevens Street curving into West Ninth Avenue in 1966, Spokane was a bustling business center. Aluminum, timber products, chemicals, mining, banking, insurance, trucking, railroads and agriculture dominated. Spokane International Airport had just opened. Troops from Spokane were serving in Vietnam, and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation was turning its mission to “the peaceful atom.” The city of Spokane’s population was 180,000, compared with today’s 209,000.

Web extra: Find historic photos and recent comparisons at spokesman.com/then-and-now.

– Jesse Tinsley

Two comments on this story so far. Add yours!
  • westerly on January 16 at 7:16 a.m.

    Wow 50 years and Spokane hasn’t changed much at all……..a little more color in newer shot….

  • misjustice on January 16 at 9:59 a.m.

    I really like the feature that allows a viewer to switch from the older photo to the more recent one; it helps in the comparison of the two shots.

    I agree with westerly, not much has changed in 50 years; at least in that part of Spokan’t. Not sure if that’s good or bad?

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