Spokane (/ s p oʊ ˈ k æ n / ⓘ spoh-KAN) [8] is the most populous city in and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States.

From the Spokanes, we get our name, which means “Children of the Sun.” Spokane became an incorporated City on Nov. 29, 1881, encompassing 1.56 square miles. Back then, the City was known as Spokan Falls and had 350 residents. The “e” was added to Spokane in 1883, and “Falls” was dropped in 1891.

The history of Spokane, Washington in the northwestern United States developed because Spokane Falls and its surroundings were a gathering place for numerous cultures for thousands of years.

The 1920s and 30s also brought Spokane the Chronicle Building, the Montgomery Ward Building (City Hall), the Fox Theater, and the Rookery Building. Much of Spokane's historic buildings have been preserved and are currently still in use. In fact, over 50% of Spokane's downtown buildings are historic.

View a timeline of Spokane County's history with some support maps and documents.