Spokane Flour Mill

The Flour Mill is a physical reminder of the centrality of water power in Spokane's history; nearly all of the early development of the city was directly related to the majestic falls of the Spokane River. The Spokane Flour Mill, built in 1895, was one in a series of mills built along the falls prior to 1900. It did not come into operation, however, until 1900 because the property became mired in a complex international lawsuit that was one of the most explosive and long-fought battles in the city's legal history. The mill was adaptively renovated as a shopping center in conjunction with preparations for the World's Fair that Spokane hosted in 1974. Shoppers and diners at the Flour Mill now enjoy a view of Riverfront Park, the legacy of Expo '74 and the centerpiece of the city. The Flour Mill stands as a unique reminder that Spokane's history and wealth began in the power of the falls and endured through the bounty of the surrounding countryside.