Landmarks: Pioneers built business empire and big Spokane home

The two-and-a-half story, Prairie-style home on the northwest corner of Hartson Avenue and Havana Street is hard not to notice.

It sits on a 3-plus acre lot and gleams white as it is surrounded by homes much smaller in size and architectural concept. Built around 1910 for the Ross family, it seems like it’s from another era – and indeed it is, a significant remnant of Spokane’s eastward development at the start of the 20th century.

The house features dark-stained fir trim and wainscoting, oak floors, beamed ceilings and extensive woodwork and built-in cabinetry. Some of the original leaded windows remain, as do many original features from its original construction, such as French doors leading from the family room to a deck.

According to historical records, it was built as a dream home for the Ross family and extended family, and included a carriage house, which still stands. It was associated with Oliver C. Ross and his son Edward and Oliver’s brother Andrew – descendants of people who served with George Washington at Valley Forge.

Coming to Spokane in 1884, the Ross family was involved with fruit and produce production on 160 acres in the area that would become platted as the Rossvale Addition, where the large family house now stands. The area east of downtown Spokane was at the time one of the most important fruit-growing areas of the state, only to be supplanted by central Washington once irrigation water was available there.

The family diversified into a number of other areas as well. Oliver Ross developed downtown properties and was one of the charter members of Grace Baptist Church at 1527 W. Mallon Ave., one of the first churches built on Spokane’s North Side. His brother Andrew purchased 480 acres on the northeast side of Spokane for development purposes, where he would eventually build a home for himself along the Spokane River; that area became known as the Ross Park.

Andrew Ross started a horse car line in 1886 and soon after joined with fellow pioneers A.M. Cannon and J.J. Browne in creation of the Spokane Street Railway, but soon sold his interest in it to his partners. In 1888, he, along with other investors in the Ross Park Electric Street Railway Co., built the first electric rail line in the area. He also formed the first fire company in Spokane and served on the crew. And he was vice president of the Exchange National Bank, which he founded. His wife was a key figure in establishing Spokane’s first free kindergarten system.

Edward Ross established the Ross Coal Co. and founded Ross Investment Co. Owner of extensive properties downtown, he served for a time as president of the Silverado Mining Co.

Members of the Ross family lived in the home at 4535 E. Hartson until World War I. But it was in 1929 that it began a second life when Mary Palmerio purchased it and turned it into Mary’s Italian Restaurant, a facility which, according to several references, earned both a regional and national reputation for good food. The kitchen was remodeled for commercial use. In addition, the original wrap-around front porch was closed in with casement windows and the second-story balustrade, formerly solid, was replaced with an iron railing.

In 1977, Irma and Jim Breesnee were looking for a wedding venue – a place that could accommodate a triple wedding, as three of their children were getting married at once. The restaurant, which was for sale at the time, was just perfect. They decided to buy the property the following year and have been living there ever since.

They have made some changes to the house, redoing the kitchen, bathrooms and back porch. They converted one of the four upstairs bedrooms into a laundry and sewing room, but other than a little upgrading and routine maintenance, the home remains filled with its 1910 qualities.

There are five additional buildings on the property, including the original carriage house, and all are used as rentals. The main house, known as Ross Place, was listed on the Washington Historic Register in 1996 due in large part to its association with the Ross family and its commercial and agricultural development of Spokane and Spokane Valley.