Circa 1890–1892, Spokane Falls (now Spokane), Washington
Crisp detail of the Romanesque façade and early street scene
Photographer imprint on mount; clean reverse
Beautiful early Spokane architectural view
Rare and historically significant photograph of Hotel Spokane, symbol of the city’s rebirth after the Great Fire of 1889.
Subject: Hotel Spokane
Photographer: Bailey, 410 Spokane Falls, Spokane, Wash.
Medium: Albumen cabinet card photograph
Date: circa 1890–1892
Location: Corner of Riverside Avenue and Post Street, Spokane Falls (now Spokane), Washington
This original Bailey cabinet card photograph depicts the magnificent Hotel Spokane, completed shortly after the Great Spokane Fire of 1889. Constructed of red brick with stone trim, it stood as one of the city’s first major fireproof buildings and became a centerpiece of Spokane’s reborn downtown.
The hotel’s elaborate Romanesque Revival façade features arched windows, decorative stonework, and a prominent entrance canopy. Signs for “The Spokane” can be seen atop the structure, confirming its identity. The broad, dusty streets and early power poles further date the image to the early 1890s, when Spokane was rapidly rebuilding from devastation into a modern commercial hub.
The Hotel Spokane quickly became a social and business center for travelers, dignitaries, and mining investors visiting the growing Inland Empire.
Front: Crisp architectural detail; minor age toning; overall very strong contrast.
Mount: Excellent with only faint edge wear; “Bailey, 410 Spokane Falls, Wash.” imprint in gold at left margin.
Back: Blank and clean.
Grade: Excellent (EX).
Built in 1890–1891, the Hotel Spokane was among the first grand hotels in the Inland Northwest and one of the finest west of the Rockies at the time. It reflected Spokane’s confidence after the Great Fire — a symbol of both recovery and ambition.
Bailey, an early Spokane photographer, documented key post-fire landmarks, and his cabinet cards are among the rarest surviving photographic records of the city’s rebirth.