Neighborhoods in Spokane, Washington Hear

photo src: www.npchristian.org

Neighborhoods in Spokane, Washington are officially grouped by the Spokane City Council into three main city council districts: 1, 2, and 3. Each city council district contains multiple, official neighborhoods that are recognized with a neighborhood council. Informally, neighborhoods are colloquially grouped by local geographical, geological, cultural, or historical features (such as South Hill, North Side, Five Mile, Hillyard, South Perry, etc.) The list of neighborhoods below is organized based on the official designations by the City of Spokane. Unofficial neighborhoods and districts are listed within the official neighborhood in which they are located.

Neighborhoods in Spokane range from the late Victorian-era to the contemporary.

photo src: www.youtube.com

Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews

District 1 (Northeast)

The northeast side of Spokane extends roughly seven miles (11 km) north from Downtown Spokane into the suburban Mead area. It is bounded on the west by Division St., the city's north-south meridian, and is bounded on the south by Interstate 90. The northeast side is mostly residential, but contains several large retail districts as well as Gonzaga and Whitworth Universities. Retail centers such as the Northtown Mall and Northpointe Plaza lie along Division Street.

• Bemiss
• Chief Garry Park
• Hillyard -- Originally a city in its own right, it was later incorporated into the Spokane city limits. Downtown Hillyard, which runs along Market Street, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. Hillyard was named in honor of the Great Northern Railway magnate, James J. Hill. It is the poorest section of Spokane per capita. The construction of the new North Spokane Corridor freeway is expected to bring renewal to Hillyard's economy.

• Logan -- The Logan Neighborhood comprises the residential area just north of Gonzaga University in central Spokane. University students occupy many of the neighborhood's homes.

• Minnehaha -- Located along Upriver Drive on the north bank of the Spokane River about five miles (8 km) east of downtown Spokane, the area is known for the granite climbing rocks and hiking/biking trails of John H. Shields Park. The Centennial bike trail, and a series of small parks and swimming holes along the river make this a popular getaway for city residents. Homes tend to be older along the river, with some newer subdivisions appearing on the terraces and slopes above.
• Nevada Heights -- Nevada Heights was established in 2016 when the Nevada/Lidgerwood neighborhood was split at Francis Avenue. The neighborhood encompasses the south half of its predecessor neighborhood. This neighborhood in Northeast Spokane is home to Northtown Mall, which at one time was the largest mall west of the Mississippi. Many houses in this neighborhood were built in the mid-1970s, although new home construction is also common. Whitman Elementary School, Garry Junior High School and John R. Rogers High School are all located within the Nevada Heights neighborhood.
• Shiloh Hills -- This neighborhood was established in 2016 when the Nevada/Lidgerwood neighborhood was split at Francis Avenue. Shiloh Hills encompasses the north half of its predecessor neighborhood.
• Whitman

photo src: www.npchristian.org

District 1 & 2 (Northeast and South)

• East Central -- This neighborhood was bisected when Interstate 90 came through decades ago, and it is still recovering. The area sits at the foot of the South Hill, east of Downtown along the freeway. With plans for feeder lanes to be added to I-90, there will likely be further impact upon the neighborhood. What remains of the residential integrity of the area lies to the south of I-90, mostly in an area known as Liberty Park. The area north of the freeway and east of Hamilton has had little renewal since its original development in the early 20th century.

photo src: www.northpointewellness.org

District 2 (South)

The south side of Spokane is largely characterized Downtown, as well as Browne's Addition and the South Hill, which are home to Spokane's oldest residential areas. From Downtown, the view of the South Hill is dominated by evergreen trees and two large man-made features: Sacred Heart Medical Center, which is Spokane's largest hospital, and the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, and a magnificent example of modern English Gothic architecture.

• Browne's Addition -- A National Historic District west of Downtown, Browne's Addition was Spokane's first prestigious address, notable for its old mansions built in Queen Anne and early Craftsman styles, by Spokane's early elite. The area also is home to Coeur d'Alene Park and the Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC). A prominent feature of the MAC is the Campbell House, a turn-of-the-20th-century mansion designed by renowned architect Kirtland Cutter, and built by Amasa Campbell, a local mining magnate. His daughter, Helen Campbell, donated the house to the Eastern Washington Historical Society, which subsequently built a museum on the east lawn. The English Tudor Revival home retains most of its original decor and is a favorite tour destination.
• Cliff/Cannon -- Bounded on the north by Interstate 90, this neighborhood lies between Third and Fourth avenues. In the far northern portion are Sacred Heart Medical Center and Deaconess Hospital, which anchor Spokane's medical district. Sitting between the two hospitals is the historic Lewis and Clark High School. This portion of Cliff/Cannon is separated from the rest of the neighborhood by a steep hill., which in places is a sheer cliff of exposed basalt. Unofficially this hill marks the beginning of the multi-neighborhood region of Spokane known as the South Hill, the transition from the city center to residential areas south side of the city. On the western edge of Cliff/Cannon is another steep hill, this one carved by Latah Creek. The BNSF railroad and Inland Empire Way divide the Latah Valley neighborhood from Cliff/Cannon and the South Hill.

• Comstock
• Grandview/Thorpe -- Two valleys mark the north and east sides of this neighborhood: on the east is the valley of Latah Creek and the neighborhood of Latah Valley; on the north is the less steep valley of Garden Springs Creek. I-90 separates Grandview/Thorpe from the West Hills neighborhood, however these two city designated neighborhoods share the unofficial Sunset Hill neighborhood. Grandview refers to the subdivision located in the upper part of the northern half of the neighborhood, which was developed starting in the 1980s. The vista includes much of the north and south sides of Spokane, Downtown Spokane, Krell Hill and the Latah Valley. Thorpe is a road that runs west-southwest from U.S. Route 395 thru a valley immediately south of that subdivision. The area immediately surrounding and to the south of Thorpe Road is less developed than the Grandview section.
• Latah/Hangman -- An expansive neighborhood which stretches from the Riverside Ave. bridge over Latah Creek in the north, technically on the north side of the street grid, to the extreme southern boundary of the City of Spokane. The geography of the neighborhood is divided into two distinct areas: the older Vinegar Flats neighborhood located on the valley floor in the northern portion; and the more recent developments of Qualchan and Eagle Ridge, located to the south on the western hillsides. Due to the expansive area of the neighborhood, combined with its bisection by U.S. Route 195, railroads and Latah Creek, there are smaller, isolated clusters of homes. The valley floor is located at approximately 1,800 feet above sea level and the surrounding hillsides rise to approximately 2,300 feet on the east and 2,200 feet on the west. The mouth of the creek at the Spokane River is located just beyond the neighborhood's northern border. To the east of the creek is a steep hill, undeveloped parkland except for railroad tracks in the northern portion, known as "the bluff". On the west side the hill is not as steep and is more developed. From the west Latah Creek receives Marshall Creek at approximately the intersection of Cheney-Spokane Road and U.S. 195. Garden Springs Creek flows through Latah Valley, entering immediately upstream of the I-90 bridge.

• Lincoln Heights -- Lincoln Heights is a middle-class neighborhood that occupies most of the eastern side of the South Hill, from Southeast Boulevard (Perry Street, north of 29th Avenue) to the city limits. 37th Avenue is the southern border of the neighborhood, which stretches north to a ridge that overlooks the valley of the Spokane River. The neighborhood is centered on the intersection of 29th and Regal. The area around the intersection is one of the major commercial districts on the South Hill. Apartment complexes are common around the intersection, whereas the rest of the neighborhood is dominated by single family homes.
• Manito/Cannon Hill -- The boundaries of this area are considered to be approximately from Arthur Street to Lincoln Street in the east-west direction, and from 14th Avenue to 37th Avenue in the north-south direction. Best described as the area immediately surrounding Manito and Cannon Hill Park, on which it is centered, this neighborhood covers a fairly large area. At one time, the park was a zoo with a number of "exotic" animals calling it home. Exhibits included an owl barn, penguins, and large cats of various species. The neighborhood feeds many local elementary schools, including Wilson, Roosevelt, Hutton, and Jefferson. There is also the Cataldo Catholic School one block north of Cannon Hill Park. Most elementary students move on to Sacajawea Middle School and then Lewis and Clark High School. This neighborhood is populated mostly by middle-class families and features homes from many eras, from Mid-Century Modern to Victorian to Arts & Crafts bungalow-style homes. Manito and Cannon Hill Park each have a boulevard running nearby which features many of the remaining Craftsman bungalow-style homes built, in some cases, as early as 1904.
• Peaceful Valley -- A quaint, residential neighborhood descending into the Spokane River Gorge just west of downtown, Peaceful Valley is now undergoing change due to upscale development in the surrounding neighborhoods of Browne's Addition, Kendall Yards and West Downtown. Still, the Valley remains one of the quietest, greenest, most affordable neighborhoods, within easy walking distance of the city's core. A few luxurious riverfront homes mix with a greater number of small bungalows and apartments, some of which are tucked below the Maple Street Bridge. People's Park and Latah Creek bound the neighborhood to the west. In many ways, Peaceful Valley seems little changed since the film Benny & Joon was filmed here in 1993.
• Rockwood -- An older residential neighborhood with many homes on the Spokane Register of Historic Places, Rockwood is part of the master plan of Spokane commissioned by the Olmsted Brothers, sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the designers of Central Park in Manhattan. The Olmsted Brothers recommended curving streets with a central boulevard winding through the heart of the neighborhood. Many street names in the neighborhood help illustrate the topographical profile of Rockwood. Along with the namesake boulevard, streets such as Overbluff, Upper Terrace, Highland, Plateau, Pinecrest, and Woodcliff all include a reference to their geographic setting. Half of Rockwood is perched on a winding hillside, where the valley carved by the Spokane River rises rather abruptly to the elevation of the Columbia Plateau. In places the elevation change is so dramatic that streets are cut off; for example, on Perry Street a staircase, rather than paved road, connects Overbluff with 20th Avenue. Above the hillside the terrain is relatively flat. This change in elevation results in numerous basalt outcroppings within the neighborhood. Along with the exposed rocks this old neighborhood is full of mature trees, making Rockwood a very literal street name. There are many large homes in the neighborhood, especially along Rockwood Boulevard and the surrounding hillsides. The rest of the neighborhood is generally composed of smaller single-family homes. Notable exceptions include the Spanish Colonial Hutton Elementary School at 24th Ave. and Plateau Rd., the Gothic Revival St. John's Cathedral at 12th Avenue and Grand Boulevard, and the business district stretching north, from the cathedral, along Grand.
• Southgate -- Located in the extreme south east of the city, it is bounded on the north by 37th Avenue, on the west by Perry Street, and the city limits to the south and east. Southgate is experiencing growth in both population and area due to its location. Development extends beyond the city limits, and the city of Spokane is slowly annexing those areas. Annexations expanding the Southgate neighborhood have occurred in 1991, 2001 and 2006. Regal Street is the main commercial district in the neighborhood, particularly around 43rd Avenue. Ferris High School, which serves the eastern portion of the South Hill, is located in Southgate at Regal and 37th. Ferris is currently undergoing a massive renovation but was formerly a stylistic anomaly in Spokane. Ferris was made up of multiple buildings surrounding a central courtyard that were connected only by covered walkways. Spokane's climate during the winter is cold and snowy, which make crossing an outdoor campus between classes unpleasant. Southgate is arguably Spokane's television capitol. KREM and KSPS-TV, the CBS and PBS affiliates respectively, are headquartered in Southgate. The Ferris High School baseball field is all that separates the two stations. KHQ-TV, the NBC affiliate, was located directly across Regal Street from KREM until 2001 when it moved downtown to create an all digital facility. Along with the television studios numerous transmitters and towers are located within the neighborhood.
• Riverside -- Spokane's central business core boasts recently revitalized shopping, housing and entertainment, with major projects recently completed and more underway. As with most river cities, Spokane's history revolves around its river, which tumbles through downtown in a series of rapids and falls known as Spokane Falls. Along the river is Riverfront Park (site of the 1974 World's Fair), the Inland Northwest Bank Performing Arts Center, the newly remodeled and expanded Convention Center, and the River Park Square shopping mall. Nearby one finds the Davenport Hotel, the growing Davenport Arts District, numerous shops, pubs and restaurants, and much new urban housing on the way, displacing many of the low-income residents and businesses that dominated downtown during the 1980s and '90s.

photo src: technicalgroup.net

District 3 (Northwest)

• Audubon/Downriver
• Balboa/South Indian Trail -- An arterial runs along what was once a major Native American thoroughfare in the northwestern part of the city, along the edge of the Spokane River Gorge. Today, the area is dominated by suburban homes, many of which were built from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Stands of native Ponderosa Pine cover the hills and flatlands surrounding this neighborhood.
• Emerson/Garfield -- Originally named in honor of two elementary schools (historic Emerson was razed in 1981; the site is now Emerson Park), the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood is a predominantly residential area consisting largely of early 20th century Craftsman-style homes. Its irregular southern border falls in close proximity to centrally located landmarks like the Lincoln Center, Spokane Civic Theatre and Spokane Arena. To the east it is bordered by North Division, a commercial arterial, and its western edge is roughly delineated by North Belt. The North Hill Neighborhood lies directly to its north. The neighborhood is bisected by the North Monroe business corridor, which specializes in antique, retro and vintage retailers. Census data indicates that the population in recent decades has remained fairly constant at around 9,500 residents. In addition to Emerson Park, the neighborhood is also home to Corbin Park.

• Five Mile Prairie -- A cliff-ringed butte five miles (8 km) north of downtown Spokane, Five Mile is one of Spokane's newer residential areas. Homes here tend to be more costly due to the views, and the fact that the area lies within the Mead School District. Sky Prairie Park, Prairie View Elementary School and the Five Mile Grange are community hubs. The butte's north and west slopes remain wild and forested. Although no retail business districts exist atop the hill, it overlooks the commercial centers of Francis Avenue to the south, Indian Trail Road to the west, Wandermere to the northeast and North Division to the east. Mead High School is one mile (1.6 km) north of the hill. Holy Family hospital lies two miles (3 km) southeast.
• North Hill

• North Indian Trail -- A suburban area in the northwestern corner of the Spokane city limits, North Indian Trail features homes overlooking the Spokane River Gorge. The area first began to develop in the 1970s with single-family subdivisions, and now features duplexes, apartment dwellings, and commercial areas. A shopping complex at the intersection of Indian Trail Road and Barnes Road serves surrounding communities including Five Mile Prairie, Rutter Parkway, Seven Mile and the rural areas beyond.
• Northwest -- A residential neighborhood composed of post-war houses in the northwest of the city, it features a large recreation and sports complex known as Shadle Park, as well as being home to Shadle Park High School. There is also the historical Drumheller Springs, the site of the first American-style school built in the Oregon Territory, circa 1830. Local Indians were taught here by Chief Garry, a chief of the middle Spokane people who preached Christianity and peace among the Native Americans that inhabited the Inland Northwest. The site is now managed by the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department as a natural area, and has been adopted by the Upper Columbia United Tribes, for whom it is a traditional campground. A trail that once led from downtown Spokane all the way to Canada still runs through the preserve.

• West Central -- This neighborhood includes Washington State's largest historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Nettleton's Addition. Like much of Spokane, West Central suffered from mid-century suburban flight, becoming known as "Felony Flats" to locals, but 2000 Census data showed improvements. In "Socio-Economic Changes in Spokane County Census Tracts from 1990 and 2000," the Spokane-Kootenai Real Estate Research Committee noted "... a distinct decline in poverty levels ..." in West Central. More recently, discussion of Kendall Yards, a large-scale development bordering the southern edge of West Central, has sparked renewed interest in this historic neighborhood.

• West Hills -- The West Hills neighborhood is located between Latah Creek and the Spokane River on the east and the city limits on the West. The topography of this neighborhood is very rugged, and as such it is essentially divided into two separate neighborhoods. Indian Canyon, the namesake of the public Indian Canyon Golf Course, has a 240-foot vertical drop, carved by a small creek. That creek joins Latah Creek within feet of Latah joining the Spokane River. Immediately north of Indian Canyon are large, old cemeteries that stretch from the river to beyond the city limits in some places. North of those is the new, in terms of development, section of West Hills.

• Sunset Hill - South of Indian Canyon is the Sunset Hill neighborhood. Sunset Hill is an old neighborhood, thanks to its proximity to the city center, especially when compared to the rest of West Hills. Located immediately west of Latah Creek from Browne's Addition, near to the east of Spokane International Airport, Sunset Hill features older neighborhoods with smaller houses, as well as new subdivisions; however, some of the lower parts of the hill are very poorly zoned areas with dirt roads, grass lots and very small, dilapidated homes. Sunset Hill is bisected by I-90 and Sunset Boulevard, which represents one of the remaining sections of the old U.S. Route 2, once the main road between Spokane and Seattle prior to the completion of Interstate 90. In fact, I-90 features one of the most striking views of the city and Mt. Spokane behind it in the distance, as seen by travelers heading east along the freeway upon reaching the crest of the Hill on their way down into the city. John A. Finch Arboretum, an expansive park filled with a variety of tree species and wildlife, is located on Sunset Hill. Those highways are located in a valley carved by Garden Springs Creek which runs down the middle of the arboretum. The grade carved by the creek is the least steep route from the Spokane River valley onto the Columbia Plateau, and is conveniently located just west of the city center. Interstate 90 is the city's official division between the West Hills and Grandview/Thorpe neighborhood, though the unofficial Sunset Hill neighborhood straddles that division.

Source of the article : Wikipedia