Little Spokane River farm on historic list

A historic farm along the Little Spokane River dating back to the late 1800s had been approved for listing on the Spokane Register of Historic Places.

The Montvale Farmhouse was built in 1898 as a small fishing lodge and later became home for one of Spokane’s most important park leaders.

Spokane County Commissioners approved the nomination unanimously last week.

Aubrey L. White, who was instrumental in building parks in Spokane and the surrounding area, began living at the farm in 1928 years after marrying the daughter of its original owner, business and civic pioneer, Judge John W. Binkley. The couple received the Montvale Farm as a gift from Binkley.

Binkley purchased more than 300 acres of land in the vicinity of Rutter Parkway and the Little Spokane River in 1897-98, according to the historic nomination. He built a four-room cabin as a fishing lodge on the north side of the river and entertained luminaries of the day there.

The building was enlarged in 1914 to contain 3,400 square feet of space under a Colonial Revival architectural style.

White helped found the Spokane Park Board and was elected its first president. He brought the nationally acclaimed Olmsted Brothers firm to Spokane to write a park master plan. He promoted a $1 million bond measure for park acquisition. He founded the “City Beautiful Club” in Spokane, which was part of a nationwide beautification movement. He led efforts to create public parkways out of some 1,500 parcels along the Spokane River. He also helped obtain state ownership on Mount Spokane, among numerous other accomplishments, according to the nomination.

Aubrey L. White Parkway along the river is named in his honor.

Subsequent owners of Montvale Farm granted a large portion of the acreage to the state parks system in 1986. The historic farmhouse on 13 acres is owned by Michael C. and Ronda S. Weaver, family members of the grantors. The Weavers sought the local register listing.