5 minute read
Three Spokane Parks You Probably Didn't Know Existed
BY JOSH MORRISEY, SPOKANE PARKS & RECREATION
SPOKANE'S "SECRET" GARDEN
Tucked away in Edwidge Woldson Park, next to the historic Corbin Art Center, is Spokane's hidden gem—the Moore-Turner Heritage Garden.
After purchasing property on 525 West Seventh Avenue in 1889, Frank Rockwood Moore and his wife, Sarah Frances Sherlock Moore, installed the initial Victorianinfluenced garden with hillside terraces and basalt rock retaining walls to go along with their Kirtland Cutter-designed home.
Unfortunately, their time with the garden was shortlived as Mr. Moore died in 1895, and new owners, U.S. Senator George Turner and his wife, Bertha Dreher Turner, purchased the property in 1896. In 1911, the Turners added new structures and Arts and Crafts style features, including a two-tiered pergola, arbor, tea house, and water features.
After Mr. Turner died in 1932, the bank acquired the property, the 2.5-story home was eventually demolished, and the gardens were left to nature. In 1945, the property, along with the adjoining Daniel Chase Corbin property, was purchased by the Spokane Park Board to form Pioneer Park, which has been operated by Parks & Recreation ever since.
Thanks to grant funding and community donations, including an astonishing $1.2 million donation by local philanthropist Myrtle Woldson, the gardens were restored to their 1911-era greatness in 2007. In 2011, the surrounding park was renamed for Woldson's mother, Edwidge Woldson. While some historic plants survived, new plants were reintroduced based on historical research.
A visit to this regal hillside garden with its pergolas, water features, basalt-faced terraces, and stone staircases makes one feel like they've traveled back to a Gatsby-esque time and place.
LOCATED JUST WEST OF THE CORBIN ART CENTER AT 507 W 7TH AVE.
THE PARK INSIDE A PARK
If you live in or have visited the Perry District of Spokane’s South Hill, you probably know about Grant Park. But did you know that inside Grant Park is another older park named Stadacona Circle?
A quick Google Map view of Grant shows an unusual bump-out along East 11th Avenue with larger trees than you’ll find in the rest of the park. That bump-out goes around half of the oval-shaped Stadacona Circle.
Donated by the Citizens’ National Bank and Fred and Ella Grinnell in 1905, Stadacona Circle is a 1.3-acre park described by famed landscape architects the Olmsted Brothers in their 1908 Report to the Park Board as a “small breathing spot for the neighborhood.”
In that Report, the Olmsted Brothers recommended that the Park Board purchase lots facing the park and join them. This vision eventually became true, but not as soon as anyone expected and not under the circumstances anyone suspected.
When the construction of I-90 made its way through Spokane between 1965 and 1971, it cut right through one of Spokane’s premier parks— Liberty Park. Nineteen of its original 21 acres were sold to the Department of Transportation for $630,000. At that time, the Park Board recommended, and the City Council voted to purchase land facing Stadacona Circle and join it to the nearby U.S. Grant Playground (now occupied by Grant School), becoming the 13.6-acre park you know today!
LOCATED AT 1015 S ARTHUR ST.
THE HIDDEN MYSTIC FALLS
Tucked away in Indian Canyon Park is one of Spokane's best-hidden secrets: Mystic Falls. Sometimes just a trickle, sometimes a full-on gusher, and sometimes even frozen over, these falls are a great place for solitude and reflection.
The Indian Canyon area was so named because it was once home to several Native Americans, including Chief Spokane Garry, who was forced to live out the last of his days there after having his farm stolen by white settlers. A heritage marker for Spokane Garry can be found on the main trail north of the falls.
The Mystic Falls can be accessed by hiking south from the parking turnout halfway up the hill on West Greenwood Road. The main trail loops around the top of the falls while secondary "goat trails" will lead off the path toward the water where you can make your way to the base of the falls. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes or boots as you visit this historic area as the terrain is quite rugged.
LOCATED AT COORDINATES: FALLS 47.648948, -117.482242; PARKING 47.655064, -117.479297
ABOUT SPOKANE PARKS & RECREATION
Spokane Parks & Recreation is a division of the City of Spokane. It offers a diverse range of outdoor and indoor activities across its 87 parks, ensuring fun and engagement for residents and visitors of all ages. From the scenic Riverfront Park to numerous sports facilities, pools, and community centers, Spokane Parks & Recreation provides ample opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and community events for the Spokane community.
