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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Then & Now: Hardware was start of something big for outdoorsman

Present day: The American Legion Building, designed in the Renaissance revival style, was once the home of John T. Little Hardware, a dry goods and hardware dealer with an emphasis on hunting and fishing gear. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
Present day: The American Legion Building, designed in the Renaissance revival style, was once the home of John T. Little Hardware, a dry goods and hardware dealer with an emphasis on hunting and fishing gear. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)Buy a print of this photo

Few have left a bigger mark on Spokane County than John T. Little, a young man who arrived in Spokane in 1902 with just a few dollars in his pocket and an engineering degree from the University of Kansas.

Little gave up on engineering and worked in business for a few years, alongside Henry J. Kaiser, before opening John T. Little Hardware in 1909. His salesmanship and enthusiasm for outdoor sports made it a success and a hub for sportsmen. The store gave prizes for the biggest deer and fish each season.

Little sponsored turkey shoots and ice fishing derbies. He organized the annual Sportsmen’s Show from 1926 to 1940 to show off the region’s hunting and fishing opportunities. In 1920, he helped found First Federal Savings and Loan, later renamed Lincoln Mutual Savings, and served as its auditor for more than 50 years.

From his store, Little ran a fishing tackle company where he built split bamboo fly rods, tied flies and published Northwest Fishing, a monthly magazine for tackle dealers. In 1935, he built Littlebrook Farm, a log home on 5 acres in Colbert where he held a Christmas party for kids with food, games and gifts. In 1939, he filled a vacant seat on the Spokane County Commission and was elected in 1940.

Little sold his store in 1938 and the building in 1944, the same year he persuaded the commission to buy the current fairgrounds for $20,000. He ran war bond drives during World War II. He left the commission in 1947 but didn’t retire. When the Interstate Fair was resurrected in 1951, he became the president.

Little also served more than 50 years on the Salvation Army board. He gave $300,000 to the group in 1969, and the John T. Little Youth Center at Nora Avenue and Lidgerwood Street is named for him. He was active in the Elks, Masons, Shriners, Spokane Gun Club and Manito Country Club.

Little died in 1980 at age 98. Spokesman-Review reporter Dorothy Powers wrote of Little after his death, “Kids, families and what happened to them in this town concerned Little. He not only worked, but also gave to make their lives better through the Salvation Army.”

– Jesse Tinsley