May Close Coeur d'Alene Park - Spokane, WA
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 47° 39.216 W 117° 26.681
11T E 466607 N 5277896
In a neighbourhood known as Browne's Addition, Coeur d'Alene Park lies between Second and Fourth Avenues West and Spruce and Chestnut Streets South.
Waymark Code: WMJR90
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 12/22/2013
Views: 2
Occupying four city blocks and just under 10 acres, this is Spokane's oldest public park, having been established in 1891. Land for the park was donated to the city by A, M. Cannon and his wife Jennie (the south half) and J. J. Browne (the north half). This is a beautiful and fully mature old park set in an old neighbourhood, in its time the most desirable in the city. It came dangerously close to being closed in 1896. If one were to believe that vandalism is solely a contemporary problem, perhaps this news article, from the fourth page of the Spokane Daily Chronicle, published on March 18, 1896, will convince one otherwise:
May Close the Park
A Season's Work Ruined By Mischief Makers
The small boys had been there. They clambered over the barriers at the gates; they had pulled the pickets from the fence and crawled through; they had gone in anyway to get in. They had plugged the artisan little lake full of old books, retired shoes, deceased cats, and tomato cans with labels, long since out of print. They had carved their sweethearts' names in the bark of the big trees and had broken the little trees down and had hacked them off for switches and canes. The climbing vines which had been trained with so much care to cover the naked trunks of the big firs and lend a bit of brightness to their dignity had been cut off some six inches above the ground and left like malefactors to hang by the neck till dead.
From the Daily Chronicle
The article went on to list other acts of destruction and to point out the park commission's frustration at having to much labour, time and money seemingly go to waste. Fortunately, the park didn't close and instead the city built a bandstand, following that with flowers, two large flower pots from the Chicago World's Fair, lawn plantings, ornamental shrubbery, a fish pond and a beautiful onion domed band pavilion. That pavilion/gazebo did not stand the test of time, the present one being a replica of the original. It is a gorgeous pavilion/gazebo, though; it will be found in the centre of the park.
Though we're not certain that the old stone rest room building is original, it certainly has the proper appearance to suggest that it is as old as the park.
Amenities:
• Tennis Courts
• Basketball
• Splash Pads
• Picnic Tables
• Playground Equipment
• Restrooms
• Barbecue Area