People climbing wooden stairs on a steep hillside toward a wooden observation tower - new deal and depression-era sites

Self-guided · metro area, Washington

New Deal and Depression-Era Sites in Spokane, WA

Lodges, lookouts, bathhouses and public buildings put up by the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.

Open the Washington map · All states

Photo: Jeffrey Eisen on Unsplash

History books cover the big events in a chapter each. The places those events touched are scattered across counties like this one. The Spokane–Spokane Valley, WA metro area has about 608,012 residents, ranking 97th in the country.

Men gathered around a campfire in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Group of loggers with a two-man saw in a forest - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: The Oregon State University Collections and Archives on Unsplash

Man and woman sitting on black wooden rocking chairs - new deal and depression-era sites — Photo: Aaron Thomas on Unsplash

On the record near Spokane, WA

The 12 nearest

58 listed sites on the record match new deal and depression-era sites within 200 miles of Spokane, WA, out of 135 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles.

Avery Ranger Station81 miles from the center of Spokane · District · Avery · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
Cougar Peak Lookout95 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Thompson Falls · listed 2018National Register of Historic Places
Mallard Peak Lookout102 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Avery · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
Brown's Creek CCC Camp Barracks113 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Weippe · listed 1984National Register of Historic Places
Hoodoo Ridge Lookout121 miles from the center of Spokane · District · Troy · listed 2015National Register of Historic Places
Chelan Butte Lookout122 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Chelan · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Kirkland Lookout Ground House (Guard Station)127 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Joseph · listed 1991National Register of Historic Places
Badger Mountain Lookout132 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · East Wenatchee · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Steliko Ranger Station137 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Ardenvoir · listed 1991National Register of Historic Places
Tyee Mountain Lookout142 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Entait · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Sugarloaf Peak Lookout144 miles from the center of Spokane · Building · Leavenworth · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Wallowa Ranger Station144 miles from the center of Spokane · District · Wallowa · listed 2009National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Spokane, WA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

New Deal Sites in Spokane, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Spokane, WA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Spokane, WA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Spokane, WA?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Spokane

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Spokane, WA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Spokane, WA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.