▁the ▁region ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁trade ▁center ▁status ▁and ▁access ibility ▁to ▁rail road ▁infrastr ucture . ▁ ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁growth ▁continued ▁un ab ated ▁until ▁August ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁when ▁a ▁fire , ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁Great ▁Fire ▁( not ▁to ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁the ▁Great ▁Fire ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁which ▁happened ▁nearby ), ▁began ▁just ▁after ▁ 6 : 0 0   p . m ., ▁and ▁destroyed ▁the ▁city ' s ▁dow nt own ▁commercial ▁district . ▁Due ▁to ▁technical ▁problems ▁with ▁a ▁p ump ▁station , ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁water ▁pressure ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁when ▁the ▁fire ▁started . ▁In ▁a ▁des perate ▁bid ▁to ▁star ve ▁the ▁fire , ▁fire fig h ters ▁began ▁raz ing ▁buildings ▁with ▁dynam ite . ▁Event ually ▁the ▁wind s ▁and ▁the ▁fire ▁died ▁down ; ▁ 3 2   block s ▁of ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁dow nt own ▁core ▁had ▁been ▁destroyed ▁and ▁one ▁person ▁killed . ▁ ▁Despite ▁this ▁cat ast rop he , ▁and ▁in ▁part ▁because ▁of ▁it , ▁Sp ok ane ▁experienced ▁a ▁building ▁bo om . ▁The ▁dow nt own ▁was ▁re built , ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁rein cor por ated ▁under ▁the ▁present ▁name ▁of ▁" Sp ok ane " ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁According ▁to ▁historian ▁David ▁H . ▁Str at ton , ▁" From ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁to