s ▁Sp ok ane ▁House ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 0 . ▁This ▁trad ing ▁post ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁long - term ▁European ▁settlement ▁in ▁Washington . ▁Comple tion ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Pacific ▁Railway ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁brought ▁sett lers ▁to ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁area . ▁The ▁same ▁year ▁it ▁was ▁officially ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁a ▁city ▁with ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁Sp ok ane ▁F alls ▁( it ▁was ▁rein cor por ated ▁under ▁its ▁current ▁name ▁ten ▁years ▁later ). ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁gold ▁and ▁silver ▁were ▁discovered ▁in ▁the ▁In land ▁North west . ▁The ▁local ▁economy ▁dep ended ▁on ▁min ing , ▁tim ber , ▁and ▁agricult ure ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁Sp ok ane ▁hosted ▁the ▁first ▁environment ally ▁them ed ▁World ' s ▁Fair ▁at ▁Ex po ▁' 7 4 . ▁ ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁dow nt own ▁area ' s ▁older ▁Roman es que ▁Rev ival - style ▁buildings ▁were ▁designed ▁by ▁architect ▁K irt land ▁K else y ▁C utter ▁after ▁the ▁Great ▁Fire ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 9 . ▁The ▁city ▁also ▁features ▁River front ▁and ▁Man ito ▁par ks , ▁the ▁Smith son ian - aff ili ated ▁North west ▁Museum ▁of ▁Arts ▁and ▁Culture , ▁the ▁D aven port ▁Hotel , ▁and ▁the ▁Fox ▁and ▁B ing ▁C ros by ▁the aters . ▁ ▁The ▁C athedral ▁of ▁Our ▁Lady ▁of ▁L our des ▁is ▁the ▁seat