A surprising number of intriguing and entertaining small-town museums stand along the routes to the Inland Northwest’s hiking, biking and boating destinations. These museums offer the outdoor enthusiast a new perspective on the natural areas to which they travel.

The region’s human history dates back thousands of years and is inextricably tied to the natural world. Our forests, waterways, fish and wildlife have supported indigenous communities, settlers, adventurers, towns, and industries.

As a matter of fact, it would be surprising to visit anywhere in the region that does not already have a human story attached to it. Those stories, when known, add depth, meaning, and greater connection to our favorite places.

The museums listed below are all worth a stop. Displays are arranged chronologically and in categories (think arrow heads, baskets, typewriters, household implements, and farm tools). Dioramas are packed with artifacts – sometimes to overflowing.

In addition, on the grounds of the museums below you’ll find cabins, a one-room schoolhouse, fire lookouts, sawmills, a chapel, and a full-sized 1910 house filled with original furnishings and décor.

Keep in mind that these facilities are largely operated on a shoestring budget and managed by volunteers. Small town museums typically begin with family collections and grow largely by happenstance and generosity. Exhibits and labels are crafted over decades, often by local old timers or volunteers, and reflect their own unique perspectives, interests, outlooks, and sensitivities.

Visitors may choose to view exhibits as a starting point for understanding timelines, themes, and historical figures of our region’s history, then take a deeper dive by reading some of the many well-written and researched articles and books out there.

Pend Oreille County Museum Historical Society (Newport, Wash.)

On the way from Spokane to Schweitzer, Sandpoint, Priest Lake, and Lake Pend Oreille, this museum is operated by the Pend Oreille County Historical Society.

It includes artifacts and antiques representing the region’s lifestyles and industry including needlework, household implements, typewriters, cash registers, musical instruments, tools, machinery, and vehicles. There is also an impressive and comprehensive collection of tools used for cutting and managing ice.

Don’t miss the mockups of a sawmill, cabin, fire lookout tower, schoolhouse, and chapel, all of which are walk-in and hands-on.

The museum is located in the historic I. & W.N. Depot Building at 402 S. Washington Ave. in Newport, Wash. Admission is $5 per adult (children free), and hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday 1-4 p.m., and it’s open May 28 through September 5. More info at Pochsmuseum.org.

Wallace District Mining Museum (Wallace, Idaho)

This is a great stop on trips to Lookout Pass, the Route of the Hiawatha, Silver Mountain Bike Park, Fourth of July Pass, or adventures in Montana. The museum at 509 Bank Street is operated by the Wallace District Mining Museum.

Learn about mining history of the Coeur d’Alene Mining District (particularly the large silver mines), geology, methods used for mining over the past century, women and Black miners’ contributions, and the 1910 Big Burn. Cool artifacts include a mine “bicycle.”

Admission is $5 adults with discounts for families, and the museum is open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. More info at Wallaceminingmuseum.com.

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum (Spokane Valley, Wash.)

Visit this museum in the Opportunity Township Hall building at E. 12114 Sprague Ave. as part of a day-trip to the Dishman Hills, Iller Creek, Saltese Uplands, or Antoine Peak trailheads.

Learn about namesakes of some of the area’s popular hiking destinations and natural areas; Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe; the pioneer towns of Opportunity and Spokane Bridge that were razed to make way for I-90; military, and telecommunications, railroads, and early-1900’s school- and home-life.

Don’t miss the 1899 mud shoes fabricated by Peter Morrison for his horses to wear to keep them from sinking into the mud while dredging canals that drained Saltese Lake.

Admission is $6 for adults (discounts for military, seniors, and children), and hours run Wednesday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. year-round. More info: Spokanevalleymuseum.com.

Keller Heritage Center (Colville, Wash.)

Take a tour of this museum operated by the Stevens County Historical Society on your next trip to the Colville National Forest, upper Columbia River, or Canada.

Highlights include pre-inundation Kettle Falls and the first bridge crossing the falls; clothing, tools, and implements crafted and used by early indigenous people including regalia, baskets, and arrow heads; the Hudson’s Bay Company and its trapping history; military history including the early U.S. Army installation of Fort Colville; U.S. Border Patrol; regional agricultural, mining, and timber development; Colville’s early 1900’s civic, home, and town life.

Especially cool artifacts include a photo of eels hauled out on rocks of the pre-inundation Kettle Falls, a sturgeon-nosed canoe, and a Nez Perce woven corn husk bottle.

Located at 700 N. Wynne St. in Colville, Wash., admission is $5 for adults with discounts for seniors, people with disabilities, children, and groups. Hours run daily May and September from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and June through August from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday–Sunday. More info at Stevenscountyhistoricalsociety.org.

Lincoln County Historical Museum (Davenport, Wash.)

On the way to Lake Roosevelt and the Channeled Scablands trailheads, Davenport’s small-town museum is operated by the Lincoln County Historical Society.

It includes early Native tools and implements, mammoth fossils, Pioneer Bottling Works, the story of outlaw Harry Tracy, grain farming then and now, Fort Spokane history and early 1900’s domestic life history, and railroad and bridge building. An especially cool artifact is the humongous horse-drawn thresher used to harvest crops.

Located at 600 7^th Street in Davenport, Wash., suggested admission is $4 for adults and hours run June 7 for the summer from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and Sundays by appointment. More info: Lincolncountymuseums.org.

Originally published as “Exploring the History of the Places Where We Play” in the July-August 2022 print issue.

Tabitha Gregory is a former director of a local history museum and has written about local history topics for Out There. She’s the author of the non-fiction book “Valdez Rises: One Town’s Struggle for Survival After the Great Alaska Earthquake.”

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Spokane Valley, Wash.

When Spokane Valley’s Cycle Celebration came to life in 2013, it was all about celebrating the freedom of being on a bicycle and riding around some of the Valley’s most scenic routes for the city’s 10th birthday. This past year taught us that getting outside and escaping on a bicycle is one of the best and easiest ways to improve mental health during a pandemic or anytime for that matter. We also learned how much we miss our friends and being outside with other people.

COVID-19 willing, and all signs suggest it will, Cycle Celebration will take its accustomed place on the calendar, the last Sunday in July, which is the 25th this year. Riders of all abilities are invited come enjoy a scenic ride with others.

Spokane Valley’s Cycle Celebration Origins

Cycle Celebration came to be when Spokane Valley City Councilman Bill Gothmann thought a group bicycle ride would be a great way to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the city. But they needed some riders to get things rolling. Enter Marc Mims, who was on Gothmann’s radar because of his local activism, which led to a “pedal with the politicians” themed ride led by bike shop owner John Abernathy and a couple others who rode out of The Bike Hub on Wednesday nights. Those Wednesday night, 2-hour, 25-mile, no-drop rides were all about strong, veteran riders encouraging less experienced riders. With the help of the Spokane Valleyfest crew, Cycle Celebration was born. Since the beginning, Cycle Celebrations has been about encouraging young riders to be confident in groups. The offers experienced cyclists a good ride but caters to occasional riders, kids, and families.

Cycle Celebration Has Three Rides to Choose From

Join the festivities on Sunday, July 25, at Mirabeau Point Park and select one of three-morning bike rides throughout the region. Option number one is a 50-mile “Hills Around the Valley” ride, which loops bikers as far north as Mead and includes a few challenging hills (starts at 8 a.m.). Then there is the 25-mile “Adventure Ride” with a route mostly south of Spokane Valley (9 a.m. start time). The third ride option is a 10-mile “Family Friendly” ride on an easy route that follows the Centennial Trail to the Barker Trailhead, and then back to Mirabeau Point Park. The Family Ride offers fabulous scenic views of the Spokane River (9:30 a.m. start). Read more about the ride routes.

All bike rides start at the North Centennial Trail Head across from Mirabeau Point Park at 13500 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley, WA.

Find details for this year’s ride and register at Cyclecelebration.com.

Learn how Cycle Celebration got started in this story from the OTO archives.

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Organizing a community bicycle event wasn’t on Bill Gothmann’s mind when he left office as a Spokane Valley City Councilmember at the end of 2011. He was just looking for a way to improve his health. But just a year later, he found himself in charge of the first ValleyFest Cycle Celebration.

Like most of us, Gothmann got his first bicycle as a gift.  His grandmother gave it to him when he was about 7 or 8 years old. He recalls that it was a big, heavy Schwinn with double braces and a speedometer. That bicycle took him on regular adventures with his brother, including expeditions from his family’s home up near York and Ash in Spokane all the way out to Fish Lake, a distance of about 14 miles one way. This was a kid undaunted by long distances and hard pedaling.

One day when he was about 11 years old and upset with his mom for one thing or another, he decided he ought to go visit his granddad, maybe to talk things out with another man. So he hopped on his bike and pointed it toward his grandfather’s home 32 miles away in Worley, Idaho.

After his mom was called and he was reported safe, arrangements to get him home were made. On his way to work in Wallace, his granddad dropped him off in Coeur d’Alene. From there, Gothmann rode his bike home to Spokane, where his wise mother didn’t say a word about his adventure.

Gothmann quit riding when he entered the military academy at about age 13, and it was about four decades later when he bought himself a used bike to get a little exercise. He quickly became a fairly regular rider once again.

In 2003, Gothmann was appointed to the first Planning Commission for the newly incorporated City of Spokane Valley. As a planning commissioner, Bill used his bike to ride around the city and familiarize himself with the areas that were topics of discussion by the commission  He found that riding his bicycle instead of driving through the neighborhoods gave him a different perspective. He also found that people were more likely to talk with him when he was riding his bike.

Several years later, he decided to run for office and joined the Spokane Valley City Council in January of 2006. No doubt Gothmann’s experiences on his bike influenced his support of the Council’s efforts to make the city more bike and pedestrian friendly. Those efforts appear to be paying off, as Spokane Valley was named by The League of American Bicyclists as the “Top city for women bicyclists” in 2013.

Being a creature of habit and a little at loose ends since being freed of his Council obligations, Gothmann decided to make biking a more serious habit.  He set goals for himself, slowly increasing the number of miles and days he rode each week.  He began losing weight, and was feeling healthier and happier.

He readily volunteered when invited to join the committee planning the 2013 celebrations marking Spokane Valley’s 10th anniversary of incorporation. During a brainstorming session, Gothmann suggested a bicycle event as part of the festivities, and so the ValleyFest Cycle Celebration was born. In its first year, it attracted over 200 bicyclists from around the region.

Now 76, Gothmann rides 10-12 miles a day most days of the week. He has lost between 55 and 60 pounds and no longer has to take medicine for acid reflux. His advice on bicycling for a happy and healthy life? “Do it!”

ValleyFest’s Cycle Celebration is a family-friendly event featuring 10, 25, and 50-mile rides through some of the most picturesque scenery in and around Spokane Valley, and takes place on the last Sunday in July. Full details at cyclecelebration.com.

Story originally published in the July 2014 print edition.

[Updated online May 2021.]

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• The alignment and location of the 12 ft. wide pathway;
• The types of landscaping desired in the surrounding Right-of-Way area;
• The location of convenient access points;
• Amenities to include such as benches, lighting, bike racks or others; and
• Making it a safe place for everyone to enjoy; and other considerations.

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Dishman Hills Natural Area Association has a lot to celebrate this year! It’s turning 45 and having great success in working with Spokane County to preserve the Dishman Hills Natural Area.

Join them at the Moran Prairie Grange to learn more about the 45 years of land conservation and what’s coming up in the next few months.

Celebrating 45 Years of Land Conservation is on Saturday, November 12th from 5-8 pm at the Moran Prairie Grange, 6006 South Palouse Highway. $10 suggested donation. 

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As we’ve mentioned before, the City of Spokane Valley will be preparing a Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan over the next year. Here’s the latest news:

The City was awarded funds to facilitate safety analysis, route location, and implementation from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Program.  City staff including planning, development engineering and public works will complete the remainder of the Plan. They’ll assess existing routes and facilities for safety and make a prioritized list of improvement projects.

Extensive public outreach will be a large part of the Plan, as the City wants to be sure it represents and addresses the desires and needs of all citizens.  To be added to the Planning Department’s contact list for updates regarding the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan, please contact Mary Swank at 509-720-5325 or at mswank@spokanevalley.org.

Preliminary information will be presented at an open house to be scheduled for the first quarter of this year.  Information regarding the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan will be available on the website as it is developed, so check back often. They’ve already posted some cool maps and a work program.

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The USA Cross Country Championships are in Spokane Valley this year — on February 13th at Plantes Ferry.Top runners from across the nation, competing for the opportunity to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.  Over 600 elite, masters and junior competitors are expected, including past USA Olympic team members.

Before the race, the Spokane Regional Sports Commission is hosting the Erik Anderson 4k Community Run.  The race is open to runners of all ages and proceeds will benefit the Erik Anderson Memorial Fund.

For information on the USATF Cross Country Championships, visit usatf.org.

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Fresh Abundance has closed its Spokane Valley store due to zoning problems, according to the Spokesman-Review. When she sought to expand the building, owner Eden BrightSpirit Hendrix was informed the property is not zoned for the store — although the location has housed a store for over fifty years, according to Hendrix.

Hendrix has plans to move the store and adjacent farm, but OTM wonders: if they can change zoning for a big box store why can’t they do it for local farm and organic grocery?

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