Great Fire of Spokane destroys 32 blocks
- When
- 1889–1891
- Where
- Spokane Falls; Spokane
- Episodes
- 2
The Great Fire of Spokane, known locally as The Great Fire, struck downtown Spokane Falls on August 4, 1889. The blaze destroyed approximately 32 blocks of the commercial district, resulting in one death. Despite the catastrophe, the event spurred a significant building boom, leading to the city's reincorporation as Spokane in 1891.
Episodes
- The Great Fire of 1889
A fire began in downtown Spokane Falls on August 4, 1889, destroying 32 blocks and killing one person.
- Reincorporation of Spokane
Spokane was reincorporated under its present name in 1891 following the rebuilding of the downtown.
Background and detail
Background. Spokane Falls, the city's name at the time, experienced uninterrupted growth until August 4, 1889. The fire began just after 6:00 p.m., devastating the downtown commercial district. The blaze marked a pivotal moment in the city's development, and it is distinct from the Great Fire of 1910, which occurred nearby.
Destruction. The fire destroyed 32 blocks of Spokane's downtown core. One person was killed during the incident. The winds eventually died down, leaving the commercial district in ruins. The event is distinct from the Great Fire of 1910, which occurred nearby.
Rebuilding. Following the fire, Spokane experienced a building boom. The downtown was rebuilt, and many notable buildings in the commercial district were constructed in the Romanesque Revival style. The city was reincorporated under the present name of "Spokane" in 1891.
People involved
- Spokane Falls · Affected City
Sources
- Great Spokane Fire Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-24
- Spokane, Washington Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-12
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.