This day in history: Auto club official suggested these 4 Eastern Washington landmarks to be made state parks

From 1975: Police were called to a report of “about a half-dozen youths” jumping from the footbridge on the north side of Canada Island in Riverfront Park.

They were splashing down into what was described as a “natural swimming hole,” but in a particularly dangerous spot.

“They must have been crazy to do it,” said one police officer.

Nobody was injured, but police informed the youths that entering the Spokane River between the eastern tip of Havermale Island and the Monroe Street bridge was banned.

From 1925: Eastern Washington was lacking in state parks, and Frank Guilbert of the Inland Automobile Association said he knew of four candidates for the honor.

He said Mount Spokane, Steptoe Butte, Deep Creek Canyon and the Grand Coulee were all obvious candidates.

He noted that Mount Spokane was already attracting 2,000 people a month and the Grand Coulee “presented the greatest geological history study or anecdote place in the world.”

Eventually, both Mount Spokane and Steptoe Butte would become state parks. Deep Creek Canyon would become part of Riverside State Park. The Grand Coulee is mostly covered by Banks Lake, but Steamboat Rock State Park towers above the lake.

Also on this date

(From onthisday.com)

1829: William Austin Burt patents America’s first typewriter, the typographer.

1995: Comet Hale-Bopp is discovered and becomes visible to the naked eye nearly a year later.