History for chron

Spokane school officials announced they would pursue obtaining a field house, possibly from Farragut Naval Training Station near Athol, to serve as a venue to host sporting events.

School Board President George E. Fallquist said the 600-by-100-foot building would be the key for developing Spokane’s municipal auditorium near Howard Street and Boone Avenue.

“The possibilities of such a building are immense,” Fallquist said. “The field houses are large enough so they could be used to stage indoor sporting events – something sorely needed in the city.”

Moses Lake was under consideration by the U.S. Army Air Forces, which later in 1947 became the U.S. Air Force, for a new supersonic-engineering development center.

Maj. Gen. Curtis E. Lemay, the director of research, was looking for a location that was within 25 miles of a tremendous source of electrical power.

However, details of the program, expected to cost $1 billion, were to remain secret. However, officials from Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana were lobbying to host the site.