Steam Plant Square in Neon - Spokane, WA - Artistic Neon Lights on Waymarking.com

It's done in green and white, with a fair amount of detail and is mounted on the north wall near the old restored workings of the original steam plant. Built in 1915 by the Merchants Central Heating Company, it was to supply heat and electricity from its steam powered generators, the heat being a by-product of the electricity generation. In 1916 it was sold to the Spokane Heat, Light and Power Company who ran it for only 2 years before going into receivership.

In April, 1919, Washington Water Power (WWP) purchased the steam plant, from receivership, to produce steam heat and electrical power. Soon thereafter WWP formed Spokane Central Heating Company. Spokane Central Heating Company operated it independently until 1939 when it became part of the WWP Spokane Division. WWP is now recognized as Avista Corp.

The steam heat produced from the plant served downtown Spokane until 1986. During its operation, fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and saw dust were used to produce from 150,000 to 370,000 pounds of steam per hour. In 1986, it was determined that the plant was no longer economically viable, for much of the internal piping needed substantial repair or replacement.

Todays's Trio
The three structures that comprise today's Steam Plant Square are the Central Steam Plant, Seehorn-Lang and Courtyard Buildings. The Courtyard is a newer structure. Construction began in 1996. It connects these historic buildings that are now listed on the National, Washington and Spokane Registers of Historic Places.

The recognized history of the Seehorn-Lang and Central Steam Plant adds a nostalgia to the technologically advanced infrastructure that meets the demands of today's businesses.
From Steam Plant Square