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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Yuletide wrapped in historic charm

The Campbell House is decorated for the holidays and features dresses from the 1890s through 1920s from the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture collection. The plum dress in the middle belonged to Mabel Cotter Williamson, who grew up in Butte and married a Spokane man. The dress was made by a New York designer and features two different bodices. (Photos by CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON / The Spokesman-Review)
Simone Ramel Correspondent
The Campbell House is decorated for the holidays and features dresses from the 1890s through 1920s from the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture collection. The plum dress in the middle belonged to Mabel Cotter Williamson, who grew up in Butte and married a Spokane man. The dress was made by a New York designer and features two different bodices. (Photos by CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON / The Spokesman-Review)

With the reopening of the Fox Theater, one can’t help but reflect on the other elegant icons of Spokane’s past. One remnant of Spokane’s “Age of Elegance” is architect Kirtland K. Cutter, and many of the now-historic homes designed by Cutter are still standing. One of the most notable is the Northwest Museum of Arts and

Culture’s Campbell House.

Built in 1898 for Amasa and Grace Campbell, the house is one of Spokane’s treasures. Campbell made his fortune in mining. The couple’s daughter Helen (then Mrs. W.W. Powell) donated the home to the Eastern Washington Historical Society after her mother’s death in 1924.

The Campbell House estate includes the beautiful home, a service wing and a carriage house. According to curator Patti Larkin, “It’s a great case study of the time period.”

From its English Tudor Revival exterior to the rich, varied styles of the interior, Campbell House shows us what a wealthy family’s home was like in the late 19th century.

Holiday décor will include a traditional tree decorated with Victorian hand-blown glass ornaments. Also on display will be 19 historic dresses – period dresses of the 1890s to 1920s.

There will be baking demonstrations for the two weeks around Christmas, and recipes for Mrs. Campbell’s Cream Puffs and Good White Cookies will be available.

For the children, there are optical illusion toys called Phaumatropes, as well as jigsaw puzzles the children can assemble and color themselves.

Guests will be serenaded by performances on the Chickering Upright Piano. Entertainment will be provided by the Spokane Music Teacher’s Association.

It’s interesting to note that the original decorator’s plan by William Otis still exists and includes authentic fabric swatches and recommendations.

Larkin states that this has been extremely helpful since the goal is to restore the house to its previous state.

The dining set and photographs are all part of the home’s history, and other period items have been collected over the years to help the restoration efforts.

Self-guided tours of Campbell House are available only during the Christmas holiday. Guided tours are available the rest of the year.