The Cathedral of St Johns had opened six years earlier in 1928.  It was a huge success. 

For the next six years the elegant church overlooking Spokane grew and grew. 

In January 1934 an anonymous donor gifted the Cathedral a...

The repeal of the Gin Marriage Law is happening.

That law  required 5 days "notice of intention".

The new law goes into effect on May 1st 1933. 

 The marriage industry in Kootenai County will be once again on a huge increase with a flourishing marital trade coming back to Coeur d'Alene.

Coeur d'Alene will once again regain its title as the Cupid Capital with a major flow from Spokane couples getting "hitched" quickly.

In 1932 there were only 65 weddings in the Lake City,.

For the first four months of 1933 it had started at 26.

In previous years when the Gin Marriage Law was unheard of, between 600 and 700 licenses had been issued annually.

After 1933 the number skyrocketed for the next 70 years.  Coeur d'Alene was once again recognized as the place to quickly marry.   A number of wedding chapels opened and they all did a brisk business.    After the turn of the century in 2000, the trade slowed down. 

By 2010 all the chapels had closed.

Business Suffers Double Crash

Next Saturday evening the Niagara Roller Rink not only shuts down for the season, but probably its doors will be closed to the amusement loving public forever.

The building, the largest in the city, was originally constructed specifically...

Early History

The Jesuits Catholic Order, founded in Rome, had decided by 1880 they wanted two new Catholic schools to be built in the western United States.   The first one was to be located in Californa. 

The decision for the second...

Wraights Five and Dime

Variety Store

Soda Fountain

Roast Turkey plate

All the trimmin's

20 cent a dinner

....

John Finch and William Cowles were lifelong friends and investment partners.

One man owned a mine and the other man owned a newspaper.   Hecla and the Spokane Daily Chronicle were both huge early risks

History

The Hecla, one of the most famous and...

1908

Fred Plechner is building a new three story brick building at 610 W 2nd Street.  He is a traveling salesman living elsewhere, but has seen many towns in his travels.  He thinks Spokane is the finest place to invest his...