On this day: S-R special section highlights ‘All-American City’

From 1975: The Spokesman-Review published a special section celebrating Spokane’s selection as an “All-America City.”

Columnist Dorothy Powers noted that this was just one of many “firsts” for Spokane:

• First of its size to stage a world’s fair.
• First in the nation to mount an international event in the Bicentennial Era.
• First American city to host a world’s fair since the U.S. joined the Bureau of International Expositions.

And now, “nationwide recognition with 1974-75 All-America City Award from the National Municipal League.”

Powers added that “Spokane’s civic momentum refuses to quit, now.”

From 1925: Thousands of holiday-goers engaged in an “early morning invasion” of Spokane businesses as they stocked up for an especially big celebration of the Fourth of July holiday.

The Fourth came on a Saturday, which meant that it would be a “double-holiday” celebration lasting through Sunday.

“Reports from the neighboring lake resorts tell of capacity reservations which will be taken up tonight, as the highways leading from Spokane to the various resorts become filled with hundreds of automobiles,” the Spokane Daily Chronicle wrote.

Huge fireworks displays were planned at Spokane’s Natatorium Park, Lake Coeur d’Alene and in many of the surrounding towns. Crowds were expected to jam the Northern Idaho Stampede Rodeo just across the Idaho-Washington state line at Alan.