Short List of Historic Places

DRAFT--This page is a draft. It is incomplete, not proof read and may contain research notes

Historic places and things within a short drive of Reardan (in order of time).

• 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark expedition. Nearest point is Lewiston.
• 1811 Spokane House established at the mouth of the Little Spokane River by the Northwest Company of Montreal. (Fort Vancouver wasn't built until 1824.
• 1838 Tshimakain Mission established near Ford. First white children born and first book published in Pacific Northwest. (The Whitman mission was established onlytwo years before in 1836.)
• 1853 Camp Washington on the Coulee Hite Road established as the first Capitol of Washington Territory.
• 1858 Battle of Pine Creek (or Battle of Steptoe Butte) US forces were over powered by Indians led by Yakima Chief Kamiahkin.
• 1858 Battle of Four Lakes US forces under Col. George Wright defeated Indian forces.
• 1858 Battle of Spokane Plains again US forces defeated Indian forces by hanging Qualchan and other Indians.
• 1860 Establishment of a ferry crossing for the Walla Walla-Colville Military Road at winding ford on the Spokane River about two miles above Long Lake Dam. This the first permanent settlement in present day Spokane county. The crossing is replaced with a toll bridge that became known as the LaPray Bridge which was used until flooded by the reservoir behind Long Lake Dam.
• 1878 First homesteaders arrive.
• 1881 Northern Pacific is open to Spokan Falls, enabling easier settlement
• 1882 Establishment of Capps Station post office on the Spokan Falls-Post Spokane (Fort Spokane) stage route about 1 mile north of Reardan.
• 1882 Fairweather was platted.
• 1888 Branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad reaches Reardan.
• 1889 Reardan was platted.
• 1910 Little Falls Dam completed with the largest turbines in production. First use of steel towers for transmission of electricity west of the Mississippi River.
• 1915 Long Lake Dam completed as the highest spillway dam in the world.
• 1940 Grand Coulee Dam completed as the largest dam in the word. It was upgraded in 1972 with the third powerhouse to regain that title.
• 1959-1969 Nike bases to protect Fairchild AFB were active at Deep Creek, Medical Lake, Cheney, and Airway Heights. The Deep Creek and Medical Lake sites were retrofitted to have nuclear warheads and an increased range of 75 miles.
• 1961-1965 Reardan Atlas E missile site was active with an intercontinental thermal nuclear warhead.

DRAFT--This page is a draft. It is incomplete, not proof read and may contain research notes