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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Then and Now: Spokane Street Railway

The Spokane Street Railway, powered by horses, was the first streetcar line in Spokane, starting up in April 1888.

A.J. Ross, partnering with businessmen Anthony Cannon and J.J. Browne, built 4 ½ miles of line for $43,000. It was a hit with Spokanites, who could cross town for a nickel without owning and caring for a horse.

The streetcar service converted to electricity in 1891. And the businessmen helped found Twickenham Park, later called Natatorium Park, to promote ridership. The railway also built a large brick car barn north of the Post Street Bridge where cars were stored and repaired.

Browne and Cannon bought out Ross and operated the business at a loss until selling the railway and Natatorium amusement park to Washington Water Power, which was acquiring streetcar lines quickly during that era to use plentiful hydropower. The young power company’s planners also saw that streetcar electric poles could be used to string up residential power.

WWP, now Avista Utilities, also bought the C and C Milling plant on the south end of the Post Street bridge and built the Post Street substation, which controls the flow to the Lower Falls generating plant, now under Huntington Park.

In 1900, the shops and car barn were demolished to make room for tracks coming from the Great Northern depot on Havermale Island. The tracks remained until 1971, when they were dismantled for Expo ’74. Until the tracks were removed, trains passed noisily close to diners at the Polynesia restaurant, which was built in 1965. It is now the home of Anthony’s at Spokane Falls.

– Jesse Tinsley