▁In ▁n ortheast ▁Sp ok ane , ▁the ▁H illy ard ▁neighborhood ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁as ▁the ▁chosen ▁site ▁for ▁James ▁J . ▁Hill ' s ▁Great ▁Northern ▁Railway ▁yard , ▁placed ▁outside ▁Sp ok ane ▁city ▁limits ▁to ▁avoid ▁" bur dens ome ▁tax es ". ▁The ▁dow nt own ▁H illy ard ▁Business ▁District , ▁located ▁on ▁Market ▁Street , ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Sp ok ane ▁neighborhood ▁listed ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁town ' s ▁houses ▁were ▁built ▁to ▁house ▁rail road ▁workers , ▁mainly ▁imm igr ant ▁labor ers ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁yard , ▁who ▁gave ▁H illy ard ▁an ▁independent , ▁blue - col lar ▁character . ▁H illy ard ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁home ▁for ▁much ▁of ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁growing ▁Russian , ▁Ukrain ian , ▁and ▁S out heast ▁Asian ▁communities . ▁ ▁Architecture ▁ ▁Com mer cial ▁and ▁public ▁buildings ▁ ▁Sp ok ane ▁neighborhood s ▁contain ▁a ▁patch work ▁of ▁architect ural ▁styles ▁that ▁give ▁them ▁a ▁distinct ▁identity ▁and ▁illustrate ▁the ▁changes ▁throughout ▁the ▁city ' s ▁history . ▁Most ▁of ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁notable ▁buildings ▁and ▁land marks ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁R ivers ide ▁neighborhood ▁and ▁the ▁dow nt own ▁commercial ▁district , ▁where ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁buildings ▁were ▁re built ▁after ▁the ▁Great ▁Fire ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁in ▁the ▁Roman es que ▁Rev ival ▁style . ▁Ex amples ▁include ▁the ▁Great ▁Northern ▁clock