177 results for tag: Cheney history
County Jail in Cheney
This jail structure was built when Cheney became the Spokane County seat in 1880. The jail, at 4th and E [College Ave], was located on the opposite corner from the courthouse.
Even after the county seat was moved to Spokane, the jail stayed in use until the City of Cheney built a new city hall and jail in 1890. The structure was purchased by William Sutton who moved it to his farm and used it as a chicken coop. Even after the old building was demolished the old jailhouse door could be found inside the Sutton barn for many years.
Cheney’s County Courthouse
Named for a Native American word, Spokane, which means “Child of the Sun," the original Spokane County was merged into Stevens County in 1864. Cheney’s Daniel Percival and Spokan Falls’ John Glover didn’t realize the drama they were setting in motion when they championed a bill in the territorial legislature that recreated Spokane County in October of 1879.
Spokan Falls was designated the temporary county seat until there could be a vote of the people in November 1880. A committee of men representing the precincts of the new county met to discuss options. Cheney was seen as a good choice as it was easy to access by trails and the coming ...
404 1st Street
The Hubbard-Hansen buildings were erected in 1909 as a single front façade with two businesses. Our focus here is on the east half, 404 First Street.
What was here before 1909? Well, nothing, until after 1905 when a small wooden structure on part of the lot held the office of the Cheney Transfer Company, a "draying" or hauling business.
Here's a quick list of occupants:
1909-1910 Peter Monk's ladies and gents' furnishings and millinery
1911 - 1916 Jesse G. Campbell's Cheney Cash Store
1916 - 1929 E.N. Guertin's or Guertin's Cash Store.
1929 - 1948 W.J.H. Carr's Cash Store
1949 - 1968 Les Zimmerman's Ben Franklin
1968 - 1969 ...
Crunk’s Hill & Cheney’s First School
Located on the west side of North 6th Street near the corner of Mike McKeehan Way, Crunk's Hill was leveled to create sport fields. There is a plaque at the restrooms.
George W. Crunk came west from Tennessee. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War as a Private with the 20th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry, Company C. We don’t know when he came west, but by June 1878, he was farming this land with his wife, Annah, and their three children. The Crunk family did not stay long in the area, they moved to Oregon in 1883, but hill is remembered as part of Cheney lore because of an incident in the fall of 1878.
In 1915, Mary Cook Spangle spoke ...
WWI Letter Home – Mashburn
The Cheney Free Press published this letter from Roy Mashburn to his parents:
USS Texan
May 11, 1919
At Sea
My dear Mother:
Well, I suppose you will be surprised to hear from me, but being that today is mothers day I am going to surprise you and drop you a few lines. You never can guess what I might do, as you know that I am forgetful, but this is one time that I am not forgetting, ain’t you surprised?
Well Mamma, at this very minute I am on the Great Atlantic, somewhere off the coast of France. I think that we are about 800 miles off land, so we have only a few more days of water and then we will be able to see land, and let me tell you ...
WWI Letter Home – Roos
The Cheney Free Press published this letter given by the family of Richard Roos:
St Martin in view of Bellevue France, January 22, 1919
Dear Folks: Received your letter written December 23. We are still waiting here. Tomorrow we are due to parade before General Pershing. Whether we do or not you will find out next time I write if I don’t forget to mention it.
We have seen snow twice over here, but it did not stay on the ground. In fact, the grass and fields are green. I received the pictures ok.
I had a sickening hope that we would be mustered out in New York, that’s why I wanted that address, so I could pick up a couple of good feeds ...
WWI at Home, Pt 78
These men, of our districts or attending the Normal School also served during the war in Europe, but we have not discovered information. Can you add to their story?
Henry Allen
Arland E. Ableman
James Leighton Almack of Cheney
Eldon J. Belyea
William R. Bernard
Percy J. Burnell
Neil Caplinger (Navy)
Archie N. Dake
Jack Dowd (Navy)
Thomas Grier
Joseph W. Hueter
Neff Humbert
Arthur Jeffries
Oscar Jeffries
Edwin Kimball
Arden Lee of Amber
Orval Mast
Lewis Montford McCormick
Kenneth Melville
Wilbur H. Miller
Alfred Claude Morley of Tyler
Walter H. Powell
Glen Robinson (Army)
T. Price Saylor
John W. Scribner
Edward Splichal
J...
WWI at Home, Pt 77
Jim Bair, said his father, Everett Bair, was in New Jersey with the 12th Infantry, ready to be shipped out, when the Armistice ended the war, November 11, 1918. The 12th Infantry was to be deployed to Europe to protect the Trans Siberian Railroad.
WWI at Home, Pt 76
Chester Shepard joined the Army at age 16. He was born in Peoria, Illinois and came to Washington with his parents as a boy. His family homesteaded land near Fish Lake.
During the war, Shepard served in France. Returned to his home, marrying his wife, Berneice. The couple had three children Jeanine, Charles, and Richard.
Chester Shepard became a member of the Four Lake Grange and the Odd Fellows, serving as IOOF Noble Grand of the Cheney lodge. He was employed at the college until his death in January 1964.