Corbin Park Historic District - Spokane, WA - Washington Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

This district served as the Washington-Idaho Fairgrounds and Racetrack from 1886 to 1897. It was platted in 1899 by Daniel Corbin as a unique tree-lined residential neighborhood surrounding a central park. The original park plan was enhanced by the Olmsted Brothers, Landscape Architects, in 1909. Most of the 83 homes surrounding the Park were built before 1927 and represent the major architectural styles of the early 20th Century. The District is on the Local, State and National Registers of Historic Places.

As originally developed under D.C. Corbin's supervision, a double row of elm trees circled the park, one row on each side of the street. Presumably these trees were planted with the knowledge that they would arch across the roadways in a manner reminiscent of the elm-covered lanes Corbin knew as a boy in New England. Within the park there was a small creek and a pond, carriage roads, paths, lawn, trees, shrubs, and flower gardens. In 1902, Corbin deeded the park to the City of Spokane, and about 1909 a more formal design was adopted and carried out. This design was prepared by the Olmsted Brothers, Landscape Architects, of Brookline, Massachusetts.

The Olmsteds had a significant impact on the development of the park systems in the Seattle and Spokane areas. The time period during which these two cities were developing special areas as parks coincided with the active design period for the Olmsted Brothers.

The park today is primarily an expanse of lawn with a large assortment of tree species ranging from a native pine and other conifers to ginkos to the old elms. The assortment of trees is excellent for a park of this size. A silviculture plan is being implemented and many new trees are being planted to restructure the double ring of elm trees located originally on the outer perimeter of the park.

Scattered through the park now, in addition to the two original basalt buildings, are a park storage/bathroom facility, a wooden dumpster shelter, stationary barbeque braziers and park picnic tables, a baseball diamond, a basketball court, tennis court, and a wide assortment of playground equipment.

For the purposes of the nomination, Corbin Park Is considered a single contributing site, which contains two contributing structures (the historic basalt rest facilities) and one noncontributing structure (a nonhistoric restroom facility).

The remainder of the district includes 83 residences, of which 78 are contributing buildings and 5 are noncontributing buildings. Contributing buildings are those built during the period of significance that maintain basic integrity of form, fenestration, and general character. Noncontributing buildings are those built outside the period of significance or which have been so altered as to have lost their basic form, fenestration and general character.
From the NRHP Nomination Form