Museum features first territorial governor

The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum just opened a new exhibit about Isaac Stevens, the first governor of the Washington Territory.

Stevens’ resume includes serving as a U.S. congressman and a brigadier general in the Union Army during the Civil War. He served as territorial governor from 1853-1857.

“We decided to do a series of exhibits focusing on early, local history,” said Jayne Singleton, director of Spokane Valley Heritage Museum.

A local, anonymous collector lent Stevens’ desk to the museum where it’s now the centerpiece of the exhibit, Singleton said.

Singleton said Stevens’ connection to Spokane Valley is obvious.

“The only place to cross the river was at Plantes Crossing, what’s now Plantes Ferry Park,” Singleton said. “We know he traveled through here a lot.”

This exhibit is up until late June, Singleton said, when it will be replaced by an exhibit about the time from 1858 to 1870.

Singleton said that’s a time when many different cultures interacted in Spokane Valley.

“You had tribal members, Catholic missionaries, farmers and packers,” Singleton said. “It was a very interesting time in our local history.”