Spangle, Washington - An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington

An Illustrated History of Spokane County, State of Washington

The town of Spangle is located some eighteen or twenty miles south of Spokane and about three miles north of the divide whence the drainage is southward into the Palouse river. It is on the northern boundary of the great Palouse wheat belt. The country around is almost level and fringed with timber on the north. The supply of water at a depth of from twenty to thirty feet is abundant.. William Spangle, from whom the town takes its name, came to the location where the town now stands in the spring of 1872. At that time there were very few white people in the country. In and around and passing to and fro were a good many Indians, representing different tribes, as the Spokanes, Nez Perces, Cttur d" Alenes, Columbia river or Moses tribe, etc. These were peaceful and friendly, rarely causing any disturbance. The whites were engaged chiefly in raising and grazing stock, the native bunch grass furnishing rich and abmidant pasturage for horses arid cattle. It was then thought that the soil, especially that of the higher lands, could never be made profitable for cultivation. It is stated that a party surveying the country with reference to the location of the Northern Pacific Railroad reported the land worthless for farming purposes. In the fall of 1873 William Spangle erected a log house. 16x27 f^^'^- He cut and hewed the logs in a piece of pine timber some three miles distant, hauled the logs and, assisted by his two small boys, erected the building. Some time afterward this was weatherboarded and a good sized shed room added. It was first used as a farm house and afterward as a tavern or hotel. After this came to be somewhat advanced in years travelers and guests gave it the name of the "Old Castle," and the upper floor being all in one room, they called it the '"quarter section."' This house is still standing in the town and used as a tene- nient liouse. For several years before the town was platted, or there was any thought of having a town at that place, Mr. Spangle kept a stage station. The original town of Spangle was platted from a homestead quarter-section of land belonging to William Spangle, and hence took its name. Mr. Spangle also had the postoffice and in connection with this started a small hardware store and sold on commission such agricultural implements as were called for by the few farmers who were beginning to cultivate the adjoining lands. After a few years he relinquished this to others, who desired to conduct the business on a larger scale and to include dry goods and groceries. The first general store was conducted by E. M. Downing, ^vho afterward sold out to the Hinchless Bros. About this time James Matchett, J. T. Mc- Farling and J. M. Grant had stores for general merchandise. Some time afterward William A. Saunders bought out the Matchett stock of goods and conducted a general merchandise store. Other lines of business were gradually introduced into the town as demanded by additional settlements in the country around. D. E. Fisher started a drug store in 1886 and afterward sold out to L. M. Sanders. Later on Sanders moved his stock of drugs to Garfield. \\ . E. Hoxsey, who now conducts the only drug store in Spangle, opened his store in 1891. ]n the spring of 1885 J. H. Hoxsey, M. !)., located in Spangle and has since been the leading physician in the town and surrounding country. In the year 1882 or 1883, or about that time, C. \\'. Frick began the hotel business in Spangle. He erected the building known as the St. Charles Hotel and is still proprietor and landlord of this hotel. In the year 1887 E. T. Richardson started in the hotel business in Spangle and still owns and conducts the Sherman House. In the year 1886, when the Spokane & Palouse branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad was being constructed, an addition to the town was made from the land of William Spangle. Other additions were made about the same time and afterward from lands belonging to other parties (see records). The town is beautifully and advantageously located on both sides of the Spokane & Palouse Railroad and in one of the richest agricultural sections of eastern W'ashington. No town in the state has a more healthy location. It is surrounded by an intelligent and enterprising community. At present it contains two large general merchandise stores, one owned and conducted by R, W. Butler, the other by E. W. Whitney & Company; one grocery store, liy J. T. McFarling; two hardware stores, one by Lucas Brothers, the other by Heaton & Morse; confectionery and notion store, by T. Y. Richardson; two hotels, the St. Charles, by C. W. Frick, the Sherman House, by E. T. Richardson; several grain warehouses, one owned and managed by Lucas Brothers, another by D. U. Gildea; one machine and carpenter shop, by George Warbis; two saloons, by Knuth & W'eise and Joe Koelsch; one saddle and harness store, by W. S. Grant; two respectable-looking church buildings, the Baptist and the Christian ; one drug store, W. Emmet Ho.xsey, proprietor and pharmacist; one butcher shop, by Fred A. Bull; one livery stable, by S. F. Parker; one barber shop, by M. McCauley; photograph gallery, W. H. Green, photographer; one weekly newspaper, the Spangle Star, owned and edited by E. Drake; two blacksmith shops, by William Hart and G. A. Mentzel. Spangle is fully abreast of the age and up with the development of the county in the way of educational advantages. It has a fine, large, brick school building, situated on a beautiful elevation, convenient to the town, employs experienced and cultured teachers and has the school in session the full school year. At present Prof. J. W. Howe is principal of the school and he has able assistants i:i Mrs. Howe and ]\Iiss Jennie Soules, and as bright and wide-awake a lot of boys and girls for pupils as can be found in any town of its size in the state. The citizens of Spangle are hospitable and generous and take an active interest in wliatever contributes to the upbuilding of their town and the development of the country around. They read the daily papers and keep themselves well informed in all news of interest or importance, whether at home or from abroad. As the country around is developed the town will grow in population and as a business center and will improve in appearance and all advantages of an elevating nature. We are indebted to Dr. J. N. Allen for much information regarding Spangle. He is an intimate friend and pastor of the founder of the town.