This day in history: Bell that warned Spokanites their city would soon burn to ground was up for sale. Excited crowds gathering for explosive rock fest

Thu., June 4, 2026

By Jim Kershner The Spokesman-Review

From 1976: Crowds were beginning to gather for “Nor’wester ’76 – A Rock and Rollin’ Storm.” This was a rock festival planned over three days at the Northwest Speedway in State Line, Idaho.

This event already had been controversial for months. When the promoters couldn’t get a permit to stage it in Liberty Lake because of safety concerns, they moved the venue just over the state line into Idaho.

The promoters said they expected about 10,000 people to attend. Campers were already pitching their tents.

The lineup looked impressive, at least on the advance posters. Some of the headliners included Blue Oyster Cult, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Heart, Blackmore’s Rainbow and Firefall.

However, nothing turned out as planned.

The day before the event, promoters said they had “no problems out of the ordinary.” Yet the whole event would soon unravel in astounding fashion. Watch this space over the next several days for more details.

From 1926: The historic bell that “sounded the alarm” of Spokane’s Great Fire of 1889 was now on sale to the highest bidder.

It was currently in the tower of Chewelah City Hall, but Chewelah no longer had any use for the relic, which would be replaced by a siren.

The nearly one-ton bell rang out in a Spokane tower during the Great Fire, but the tower burned down and the bell ended up on the ashen ground, slightly damaged.

It was taken to the city supply yards and sat there, mute, for about 20 years. Then it was purchased by Chewelah and used only for sounding curfew for several years. It was not an ideal fit for the Chewelah City Hall, since it “rocked the hole building when it was rung.”

If no one offers a bid on the grand old bell, “it will be stored” by the city of Chewelah, said the Spokane Chronicle.

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