Having the need to look at the Spokesman for an article published back in 1921, I signed into www.Newspapers.com.......... And used up a whole hour just browsing! The paper was, I'd guess, a good 50% advertisements. No surprise; there was no TV for stores to get the word out. Sure was fun to browse those old ads.
First thing I noted was the header: “The
Twice-A-Week Farmer’s Family Newspaper.” Doesn’t that imply that Spokane was a
community primarily of farmers?? And do look carefully at the logo………… it’s all
about farming.
And yet, it was just seven years previously, in 1914, that our fabulous Davenport Hotel opened its doors! We know how luxurious that Old Lady was (and still is). Thinking about those two seemingly contrasting things really fired up my interest even more in Spokane's history.
** I have an 11x8 folder containing 14 pages of the history of the Davenport. It's not dated but I think it was a promotional handout of some sort published by the Friends of the Davenport. I did check with Anna Harbine at the MAC and they already have several copies of this. If any of you would like to have this, just let me know. Tiz up for grabs.
