Central Cheney Historic District

Produced by the
Cheney Historic Preservation Commission
112 Anderson Road
Cheney, Washington 99004
Visit us on the web at: www.ci.cheney.wa.us

The Historic Preservation Commission would like to acknowledge

the generous support of the following organizations & individuals:

The Cheney Historic Preservation Commission presents

A Guide to the
Central Cheney Historic District

Eastern Washington University

John F. Kennedy Library Archives & Special Collections
Cheney Historical Museum
and the ladies of the Cheney Tilicum Club
Stephen Emerson, author of the
Central Cheney
National Register Historic District Nomination

This brochure has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park
Service, Department of the Interior administered by the Washington State
Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (DCTED) Office
of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP) and the City of Cheney. However,
the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the
Department of the Interior, DCTED, or OAHP.
This program received Federal funds from the National Park Service. Regulations
of the U.S. Department of Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in
departmental Federally Assisted Programs on the basis of race, color, national origin,
age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against
in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance
should write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240.

View of First Street, taken from F Street and looking northwest, circa
1905. Photo courtesy Cheney Historical Museum.

Central Cheney Historic District

Introduction:
The Central Cheney Historic District, listed on both the Washington
Heritage Register and the National Register of Historic Places, was
established in 2001. The District is located between the campus of Eastern
Washington University to the northwest, and the former Northern Pacific
railroad tracks to the southeast. This is where the initial town grew up,
geographically located between the two forces that largely defined the
early development of Cheney.
The Central Cheney Historic District is unusual in that it consists of a
wide variety of property types, including residential, educational, religious,
commercial, and industrial properties. The predominant style of the
commercial properties is vernacular brick commercial. Most of the
residential properties are representative of eclectic American vernacular
architecture, with elements borrowed from the Victorian and Arts and
Crafts styles. Some more distinctive architectural styles are represented
in the district, including Mission, Collegiate Gothic, Art Deco,
International, and Romanesque.
A defining characteristic of the district is the wide range of economic
levels represented by the various properties. This is indicative of the way
that Cheney developed. Most businesses located along the major First
Street axis, with cobblers and candy stores sharing the street with bankers
and doctors. Likewise, in the residential areas to the northwest of the
commercial center, the houses belonged to those from all walks of life.
No enclave for the wealthy ever developed, and neither were the homes of
the working class relegated to the fringes of town. Simple front-gabled
cottages were built within sight of two-story houses with Victorian porches.
The nearby presence of the college, built on the hill overlooking the
downtown, also added to the egalitarian nature of the district. Off-campus
housing for the students, as well as for the teachers, had to be modest
enough to be affordable.
By 1950, the nature of the district had changed. Much of the regional
economic wealth had shifted to other areas. Fewer of the towns influential
people lived in large houses in the center of town. The economy had
begun to shift, placing more emphasis on the college and its rapidly-

growing population of students than on farmers and railroad visitors.

During the subsequent years, many houses were modified for the lucrative
practice of rental to students. Many homes in the district suffered due to
the increase of long-distance ownership and the tendency to use only
expedient methods to protect and extend the life of the structure.
Additionally, older homes were often demolished to make room for the
more valuable multiple-unit apartments.
The business center of Cheney witnessed decay as Spokane grew as a
regional commercial hub and students failed to patronize many of the
local enterprises. Larger stores and gas stations were located outside of
the old commercial center, drawing traffic away from the sidewalks of the
downtown. Another major factor in this decline was, of course, the
reduction of passenger traffic on the railroads, which reduced the need for
hotels and restaurants. And in the late 1960s, construction of Interstate 90
caused most automobile traffic to bypass Cheney entirely, dealing another
blow to the vitality of the downtown.
Now, Cheney is again experiencing a revitalization in the downtown, and
many of the historic buildings are being restored. We invite you to explore
the history of Cheney as told in her buildings. The Central Cheney Historic
District is roughly bordered by Fifth Street on the northwest, C Street
on the northeast, Front Street on the southeast, and F street on the
southwest.

May Day Parade along First Street, circa 1925.

Photo courtesy Cheney Historical Museum.

Central Cheney Historic District

(1) 325-327 First Street Independent Order of Odd Fellows Building
(1904)
This two-story brick commercial structure was built by the Cheney Lodge
No. 21 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a nationally prominent
fraternal organization. Beginning in the early 1880s and for many years
afterward, the Cheney Odd Fellows could claim as members many of the
wealthiest and most influential men in the community. The interior floor
plan is still divided as originally designed, with commercial storefront space
below and a meeting hall above. Not only did the Odd Fellows conduct
their meetings on the upper level, but it was rented out for other functions
and was one of the busiest gathering places in Cheney.
This is one of only four surviving two-story brick commercial buildings in
Cheney. The location had been occupied by a blacksmith shop in the 1880s,
but had been vacant for over a decade when the Odd Fellows began
construction in 1904. Upon completion, the lower commercial space was
rented to H.H. Schultz and Sons, Clothiers. Some of the occupants include
E.E. Garbergs General Store (note the faded Garbergs on the northeast
side of the building), C.A. Abe Batoroffs Hardware, Roy S. Hansons
Hardware, and Safeway. One later tenant was a Sears Outlet store. In 1966,
Walter A. Shorty Goodwin opened a barber shop. One of Cheneys
longest-running businesses, the barber shop remained open until Mr.
Goodwins death on May 26, 2000, and has since been taken over by a
long-time friend of Shorty.
The Odd Fellows Building was listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1990.

(2) 401 First Street (ca. 1897)

Historic photographs of this building
indicate that it once featured a cutaway
corner entry with a round brick arch,
enclosing a starburst glass transom
light, and double wood and glass entry
doors. Note the foundation of basalt
rock. The secondary (south west) side
is largely intact, featuring a brick wall
with two round-arched window

1st & F Street, looking Northwest.

Photo courtesy Cheney Historical
Museum.

openings, but the interior has been extensively remodeled.. This small
brick building was constructed as a bank. (The reinforced section of the
floor which supported a large vault is still visible.) By 1905 it had been
converted into the local post office, which remained there for several years.
By 1916 the post office had been moved and the building housed a boots,
saddle, and cobbler shop. In the 1930s it was occupied by the Penny
Packer, a popular candy store.

(3) 404 First Street Hubbard-Hansen Building (1912)

This building was constructed at a popular corner location previously
occupied by wood frame structure which housed several businesses,
including a saloon, a general store, and a grocery. As early as 1885 this
prime corner location was occupied by the Ostroski, Breslauer & Co.
General Store, while the upper floor housed the Northwest Tribune, a 6page newspaper published by George F. Schorr. This varied commercial
use continued in the new brick structure, housing a general merchandise
store and a hardware/grocery store in 1916. The Cheney Tailoring
Company once occupied part of this space. For many years, into the 1970s,
it housed the Fonks Department Store. After this, it was the location of
the Book and Brush, the relocated rendition of the former Cheney News
Stand.
The interior retains its original ceiling of decorative pressed tin square
panels and an old hand-cranked freight elevator. The brick wall of the
front facade features several intact elements, including the brick
segmentally-arched door openings and several square casement windows
with brick segmental arches and brick sills.

(4) 405 First Street Bills Tavern (1902)

This building was built in 1902 on the site of a previous wood frame
structure that housed a general merchandise store. The new building
combined two business areas in an L-shaped configuration. The forward
section was originally used as a bank. The rear section was occupied by a
plumbing and hardware business. By 1916, the two sections had been
consolidated into a billiard hall which also offered tobacco, soft drinks,
and the services of a barber. The serving of soft drinks indicate that this

Central Cheney Historic District

type of business, usually referred to as a saloon and serving alcohol, was
operating during a dry period (Washington went dry in 1914, more than
five years before the national imposition of prohibition in 1920). By 1939,
prohibition had been repealed, but the saloon had ceased operating during
the interim and the building was in use as a storefront.
In 1940, it was purchased by Bill Lee, who opened a tavern. It has remained
in business as Bills Tavern ever since. Ownership has remained in the
family through the current owner, Dick Lee, the grandson of Bill Lee. The
interior furnishings and decor are largely representative of historic saloons,
but much of it has been replaced or altered over the years.

(5) 406-408-410 First Street (1912)

This one-story brick commercial building was originally designed to house
three separate businesses, a configuration it still retains. The upper portion
of the storefront faade remains intact. In 1916, three enterprises were located
in this building: a confectionery, with a candy factory in the back, a jewelry
shop, and a clothes cleaning business.

(6) 407-409-411 First Street Pomeroy Building, Moose Hall (1890)

This is one of only four two-story brick commercial buildings remaining in
Cheney. The interior of the southwest storefront retains a remarkable high
ceiling clad with square pressed tin panels that display a geometric design.
The Pomeroy Building was financed
by Dr. Francis A. Pomeroy, a surgeon
who also became a prominent
businessman in Cheney.
Dr. Pomeroy came to Washington and
located in Cheney in 1884,
immediately initiating his practice. In
1893-94 he went to London for further
postgraduate work in medicine and
surgery. Returning to Cheney, he
renewed his practice and established
a drug store. Dr. Pomeroy was also

The Pomeroy Building, built in

1890. Photo courtesy of Cheney
Planning Department.

one of the organizers of the Cheney Brick Co. and commissioned the noted
architect K. K. Cutter to design a new post office for Cheney in 1918. His
medical practice included being the surgeon on call for the Northern Pacific
and the SP & S Railways. He also served as mayor of Cheney for two terms
and as county physician for three years.
Remarkably, following the destruction of the original Cheney Normal School
building in 1891, college classes were held in the Pomeroy Building for
two years. In 1908, Pomeroys drug store was located in the southeast
storefront and the grocery/hardware store owned by E.E. Garberg occupied
the other storefront. In 1910 he moved his business to the Odd Fellows
Building and, by 1916, a restaurant occupied the space where his store had
been. The Pomeroy Building was purchased by the Moose Fraternal Lodge
in 1929 which subsequently used the upper floor for its activities and leased
the two storefronts as commercial space. During the last several decades
the upper floor has been used as rental apartments.

(7) 414 First Street (ca. 1900, 1910)

This property is composed of two historic one-story brick commercial
buildings that have been consolidated to house one business. The interior
of the building to the southwest retains an intact pressed tin ceiling, displaying
an elaborate design featuring cartouches and egg and dart. Some interior
brick and rock surfaces are also
visible, exposed by remodeling.
The original building was probably
constructed in about 1900, and was
built on a site that had been the
location of a confectionery, a meat
market, and a millinery shop. A
general store was located in this space
until about 1916 when a restaurant
and bakery moved in. It became part
of Showalters Tavern, a local
landmark, in the 1970s.

Interior of Frankies Drug Store,

1915. Photo courtesy of Cheney
Historical Museum.

Central Cheney Historic District

The building to the southwest was constructed about 1910. In 1916, this
space was occupied by a billiard hall that included a cigar and tobacco shop.
This building housed several businesses before being incorporated into
Showalters Tavern in the 1980s.

(8) 416 First Street Griswold Building (1883)

The Griswold Building is reportedly the first brick building in Cheney. The
use of brick became common in Cheney and other western towns as a
protection against the threat of fire. An historic photograph indicates that
the front once featured a tall second-story facade with a cornice composed
of an overhanging corona and brick corbeling. By the 1990s, the upper
level of the building had deteriorated to the point that it had to be removed.
The Griswold Building may have been a saloon storefront in 1884 with a
public meeting hall on the upper level. During the late 1890s, the Cheney
City Council met in the upper hall until the City Hall building was built in
1890. In 1916 the building was occupied by a drug store. The storefront
level became the Cheney Library in the 1960s.
May Day Parade, 1905, in front
of the Griswold Building (center
of
photo).
May
Day
celebrations included parades,
the crowning of a queen, and a
May Pole ceremony. Note the
top of Security National Bank
farther down the block. Photo
courtesy of Cheney Historical
Museum.

(9) 420 First Street (ca. 1890)

The earliest use of this building was as a general merchandise store. It was
subsequently occupied by a number of enterprises, including a soft drink
and billiard establishment (1905) and a hardware store (1908-1916). It was
the location of the Cheney News Stand in the 1960s and 1970s.

(10) 422 First Street (ca. 1920)

This brick building replaced a wood frame (1916) boots and saddle business.
The matching brick striations on this building and the adjacent Security
National Bank/Masons Hall building indicate that the smaller structure was
built to somewhat match the features of the other. During the 1960s and
1970s it was occupied by Mosmans Clothiers.

(11) 424 First Street Security National Bank, Masons Hall (1910 and
1924) Built by the Security National Bank, this was designed by the wellknown architectural team of Kirtland Cutter and Karl Malmgren. The result
was one of the more monumental and
impressive structures ever built in
Cheney. The sandstone for the
cornice and other design details was
quarried from a well-known quality
source near Tenino, Washington.
Local builder Ed Erickson put the
plans of Cutter and Malmgren to
practice and the bank was completed
in early 1911.
This property consists of two similar two-story buildings that were
constructed at different times to create an L shaped building with a cohesive
appearance. The large window at the northeast end is a former entry that

The Souvenir Booklet from tne Banks 10th Anniversary in 1916 calls attention
to the thoroughly modern nature of our quarters. A Burroughs ledger posting
machine enables us to furnish monthly statements with the utmost promptness,
this being one of the first country banks in the State to install one of these machines.
Loss by fire and burglary is provided against by a modern Manganese safe
equipped with time lock. Photos courtesy of Cheney Historical Museum.

Central Cheney Historic District

has been converted to a window. The adjacent, newer building, has only
one primary face, which looks onto E Street, now College Avenue.
Although the materials have probably been changed, this storefront retains
its original configuration of a central wood and glass door flanked by large
display windows. To the left of the store front entry is the door that accesses
the interior stairs to the lodge meeting hall. Set into the brick wall above
this entry is a block of sandstone with the logo of the Masonic Lodge carved
into it.
The main floor of the original building was devoted to the business of the
Security National Bank, while the Cheney Light and Power Company and
the Cheney Telephone Company occupied the basement level. The upper
floor was rented to medical and business professionals. In 1924, the local
Masons decided to erect a new building next to the bank that would be
joined to the older structure. Although they used less expensive materials,
installing a metal cornice instead of a sandstone one, for instance, they took
great care to replicate the design elements of the original building to create
a cohesive whole.
The Masons used the upper level of the new building for their ceremonies,
while the lower space was occupied by the Cheney Free Press. The Bunnell
Shoe Shop was also located in the building during the early years. In 1928,
the Security National Bank and the National Bank of Cheney merged, and
the new institution moved. The local Masonic Lodge continues to meet in
the upper portion of the newer building.

Pioneer Saloon in Cheney

1905; Across street from
railroad tracks, where all
saloons were located by
order of town. Note old
telephones, cash register
and clock. Bar Tender is
Henry Prehn.
Photo
courtesy of Alma Mullinix
& Cheney Historical
Museum.

(12) 502 First Street (ca. 1890)

This building is part of a surviving block of three brick commercial structures
that have been at this location since about 1891 (502/ 504/ 506 1st Street).
The upper portion of the front storefront faade and the side of the building
facing College Street remain fairly intact, with a simple flat brick parapet, a
corbeled brick cornice line, and decorative rectangular panels of recessed
brick. This corner site was previously the location of a two-story Masons
Lodge meeting hall. The current building has seen many commercial uses
over the years, including a saloon, billiards hall, and boots/saddle shop. In
1885, George W. and William H. Rich operated the Rich Brothers Saloon
here. In 1939 it was a restaurant.

(13) 504 First Street (ca. 1890)

Like its neighbors on either side, this building is part of a surviving block of
three brick commercial structures that have been at this location since about
1891 (502/ 504/ 506 1st Street). During its early years, this storefront
successively housed several businesses, including a general merchandise
store, a drug and stationery store, a grocery and fruit store, and a moving
picture theater. In 1885, druggist Elijah B. Hendricks did business at this
location. In 1939, it was being used as a bus and truck staging business.

(14) 506 First Street (ca. 1891)

This building is part of a surviving block of three brick commercial structures
that have been at this location since about 1891 (502/ 504/ 506 1st Street).
For most of its history it has been divided into two separate storefront units.
By 1885, George W. Eastmans barber shop was located here. It has served
a number of different enterprises including a jewelry store, a hand printing
press, an electric printing press, and an ice cream manufacturing company.

(15) 513 First Street Old Cheney Post Office (ca. 1929)
Although this building was not constructed until about 1929, it appears to
have been built on a stone foundation that existed as early as 1891. Between
1897 and 1908 it was listed on a Sanborn map as simply abandoned stone
basement. Apparently this building project was never completed. The
original brick cladding of the front faade is visible above and to either side

Central Cheney Historic District

of the storefront, although the storefront has been extensively altered with
new windows, doors and siding. The building does have a full dirt basement
and a stone foundation. This building housed the Cheney Post Office until
the late 1950s

The small, square brick structure located behind this office building once
contained the electrical works for the mill.

(16) 601 First Street Martin Mill (1938)

F.M. Martin began his grain milling operation in 1907. This small but
fashionable building was constructed in 1938 as the office of the F.M. Martin
Grain and Milling Company. Martin became one of Cheneys wealthiest
and most well-known citizens through his activities in real estate, banking,
and agriculture, and his son, Clarence, was a notable supporter of the local
college. Clarence would later be elected governor of the State of Washington,
and the first governor from Eastern Washington.

(17) Behind 601 First Street Martin Mill

(1918-1997) This is a large complex composed of older and newer buildings.
On two sides of the tower, facing northwest and southeast, are molded
concrete shields enclosing the
capital letter M for Martin.
The buildings of this complex
contain milling equipment and
flour moving equipment such as
augers and bucket elevators.

The Martin Milling Company not only developed the capacity to store large
amounts of grain but also to mill it into wheat at the same location. The
nearby Northern Pacific Railroad tracks facilitated this operation. One reason
for Martins success was his courting of federal government agencies, such
as the United States Food Administration, as well as state institutions. In
1914, the company was awarded contracts to supply grain to eight state
institutions, the eastern and western hospitals for insane, the institution for
feeble-minded, penitentiary, reformatory and training school, soldiers and
veterans home.

Cheney had several grain storage

and milling facilities during its
early days and served as a
regional center for concentrating
supplies of harvested grain and
processing flour. Such activity
was a mainstay of the towns The three sons of Clarence Martin in front
of the mill: Bill, Frank & Dan. Photo
economy.

Construction of the first Martin

Mill, 1913. The wood structure
burned several years later. Photo
courtesy of Cheney Historical
Museum.

The Martin family operated the

business until 1943, when the
buildings and equipment were sold to
the National Biscuit Company, better
known as Nabisco. The interior of the
office retains original plaster walls and
a large walk-in vault with the words
National Biscuit Company printed
on the door. An interior office once
used by F.M. Martin retains its original
brick fireplace and wood mantel,
although the chimney has been
removed.

courtesy of Cheney Historical Museum.

As early as 1888, the Cheney

Flouring Mills and the Northern Pacific Elevator Company operated large
wood frame plants along the railroad tracks. Both of these facilities were
gone by 1905. In that year F.M. Martin owned a hay and grain warehouse
in a large wood frame building beside the railroad tracks. Mr. Martin began
his grain milling business in 1907 on this site.
This enterprise not only developed the capacity to store large amounts of
grain, but also to mill it into flour at the same location. The nearby Northern
Pacific Railroad tracks facilitated this operation. Harvested grain could be
brought to the storage elevators by train, milled into flour, and then shipped
to clients. At some point, the storage areas and the mill were expanded and
a three-story grain elevator (wood crib construction) was added, which
subsequently burned in the mid-1910s. Undeterred, Martin rebuilt on the

Central Cheney Historic District

same site, this time with fireproof reinforced concrete. The current flour
mill and the bank of grain elevators to the northeast were completed in
1918. Additional and larger concrete elevators were added in 1922 and
1923. Subsequent concrete structures were added to the plant between 1933
and 1954.

(18) 705 First Street Cheney Electric Light Works/Leifer Apartments

(1890)
The Cheney Electric Light Works was the first of its kind to be located in
town and was a sign of prosperity. The machinery for producing electricity
was in the basement in a semi-subterranean stone structure, with a fifty-foot
smoke stack behind it. Power was created by burning fuel, perhaps coal or
oil, and using the steam produced to turn two incandescent dynamos.

(19) 421 Second Street (ca. 1908)

This corner property began as two adjacent, one-story brick commercial
buildings, originally facing onto E Street, that have been consolidated to
house one business. In 1916 the northwest building was occupied by the
Cheney Post Office (first opened in 1908) and the southeast building was a
moving picture theater. A newspaper article indicated that the new postal
facility was modern and the service will now meet the demands of the
rapidly growing community.
The two buildings housed separate businesses for many years and may have
been consolidated during the 1960s, when Savage House Pizza occupied
the site. Fire damaged that enterprise in the 1970s and the interior was
remodeled. It was unused for several years before being recently reopened
as a movie theater, a use that has historic precedent.

The lower level of the main building

was designed for use as storage or
commercial space. The upper level
seems to have always been used as a
multiple-unit residential rental. In
1897 the upper floor was occupied
by tenements, while the lower
commercial spaces were used for
storage and a carpenter shop. This
continued at least until 1908. By
1916, the electrical works had moved
and the commercial spaces were
occupied by an undertaker and a picture framing business. In 1939 a soda
bottling company and the local telephone company used the space. The
building was used for a laundry in the 1940s, and in the 1950s it was
converted into apartments, for which it is still used today. It is now known
the Leifer Apartments.

(20) 505 Second Street Cheney Interurban Depot (1907)

This building was constructed as a branch of Washington Water Powers
interurban electric railroad system. In an era when automobiles and paved
roads were essentially nonexistent, transportation was limited to horse and
buggy. Travel was slow and dusty. Overnight stays away from home had to
be planned and freight loads were limited to the size of a buckboard. Of
course railroads helped ease long distance transportation problems but they
represented a huge expense and were
seldom used for short distance travel.
By the 1880s, electric trains or trolleys
began to replace the old horse-drawn
trolleys within the city of Spokane.
Finally, in 1903, a complex system of
interurban electric trains was begun
which eventually covered over 250
miles and connected many outlying
communities with Spokane at its hub.

The sides and rear exterior walls of the building are clad with common red
brick, while the front faade is clad with brick that is covered with a stucco
veneer. Lines carved into the stucco create the appearance of concrete or
masonry blocks.

Carrying both passenger and freight traffic, the railway provided a significant
economic boost to the developing community. The original depot building
contained office space, a freight room, and a waiting room, and was
surrounded on three sides by wood loading docks and platforms. It included
a fruit storage basement for perishable freight.

Central Cheney Historic District

The interurban service was efficient, safe and pleasant. Closed cars and
heated seats kept passengers comfortable even in the worst weather. Small,
three-sided wooden shelters stood every mile or two along the route, giving
passengers a place to sit out of the weather while they waited for the trains
to come. Train excursions to outlying resort areas became a popular holiday
pastime. In 1905, when WWP built one of the first electric railroad lines
between Spokane and Medical Lake, eager Spokane tourists were lured to
the lake for swimming, boating, dancing, and medicinal mud baths which
formed the basis of Medical Lakes economy. And of course, it encouraged
people to come to Cheney, particularly commuting Cheney Normal students.
In 1922, the interurban line system was abandoned, largely as a result of the
rising dominance of the automobile. Subsequently, the depot served as a
passenger bus, or auto stage, station until at least 1939. For over twenty
years, during the 1960s and 1970s, the building was the site of a nursing
home for the elderly. The depot was then followed by a series of restaurants,
the present one being Fiesta Charra Restaurant.
The Cheney Interurban Depot was listed on the National Register of Historic
Places and the Washington Heritage Register in 1979.

(22) 604 Second Street (1889)

This wood frame building is a one-story house with a front gable and wing
plan. The front porch is a more recent addition. Although this house has
been extensively modified with cladding and additions, it retains its original
gable and wing configuration.

(23) 608 Second Street - Brown House (1907)

This wood frame house sports a front-gabled gambrel roof, a roof style rare
in Cheney. The front of the house features a nearly full-width porch with a
hip-roofed canopy supported by turned
wood posts. Directly below the canopy
eaves is a wood spindle work frieze.
There are multiple-pane casement
windows, and a secondary entry, located
on the northwest side, has a multiple-pane
glass and wood door with multiple-pane
side lights.

(21) 518 Second Street (1897)

This building has a central entry porch with two doors. Most of the wood
sash windows, including double-hung, casement, and picture, are intact but
are covered with metal storm windows. On the southwest elevation there is
a secondary entry, with an old wood and glass door with multiple-pane side
lights and a small gabled canopy.

This building has been in continual use

as a single-dwelling residence. Its simple
plan, a rectangular structure with an open
front porch has been retained, along with its architectural integrity. The
only changes have been the addition of the shed-roofed dormer, the removal
of a tall brick chimney in the rear, the replacement of the original latticework
front porch skirting, and the removal of some cookie-cutter detailing below
the spindle work of the porch. Early residents of this house were A. Brown
and Mattie Brown, of the local Brown and Holter car dealership.

This was originally built as a one-story single-dwelling residence. Since

then, additional sections have been added to create the present two-story
structure. Because of its size and multiple entrances, it is likely that it was
expanded for use as a multiple-unit residence, perhaps for college staff or
students. The first major addition was built in about 1916, when the southeast
portion of the house was constructed. By the 1930s, the current owners,
the Clevenaughs, were renting out upstairs rooms. Other less significant
additions have been made since 1939.

(24) 614 Second Street (1910)

This was the home of longtime Cheney residents Ted and Hannah Stahlborn.
The widely overhanging eaves of the roof feature exposed rafter ends, as do
similar eaves on the dormer roofs. A brick chimney is located to the back of
the roof crest. A corner front porch is situated beneath the roof, which is
supported at the corner by a square wood post. Windows are all original
wood sash and include large picture windows, casement windows, and

Central Cheney Historic District

double-hung windows. Behind this house is a small front-gabled garage
(1915) clad with tongue-and-groove horizontal wood siding. This garage
retains its original wood swinging vehicle entry doors.

(25) 616 Second Street (1880)

This saltbox style house is one of the oldest structures in Cheney. A small
back porch was added to the structure in about 1897 and a full-width front
porch, with hipped roof, square posts,
and a turned wood balustrade, was
added in about 1910. Between 1960
and 1963, owner Bob Falks moved the
house over one lot and built a new home
on the corner lot to the northeast. At
that time it was lifted off the original
basalt foundation, placed on a new
concrete block foundation, and the
front porch was removed.

(26) 413 Third Street (1903)

The original construction included a full-width open front porch. By 1939,
the enclosed back porch had been added. Between then and 1960, the gable
wing was added and the front porch removed, replaced with the current
vestibule. Windows of the front facade are wood sash double-hung, covered
with metal storm windows.

(27) 506 Third Street (1941)

This modest residence, probably built as a rental space for students of the
nearby college, is believed to have been built by Shoe Roos, an employee
at the flour mill. Interestingly, Shoe was the son of a local bakery owner.
The unusual configuration of the foundation indicates that this house was
built on the old stone foundation of a previously existing building which
had stood since at least 1905. The 1939 Sanborn map shows a different
structure on the site, indicating that the change probably occurred when the
current house was built in 1941.

(28) 522 Third Street (1917)

This bungalow-style house was built on a site that had been long occupied
by a Baptist church. As early as 1908, that structure was described as old.
The church was demolished in about 1915. Most likely this house was
originally built to house a single family, probably well-to-do economically.
Like other large houses in this
college community, however, this
house was eventually divided into
multiple-unit housing. By the
1930s, local farmers William and
Laurina Clute retired from their
180-acre farm on the Badger Lake
Road to this house. A subsequent
owner, Cyrus Phillips, was known
to rent rooms to college students.
Just south of the house is a poured concrete garage that has been excavated
into the ground. The face of this garage is built of rusticated concrete blocks.
The old wood swinging vehicle entry doors remain intact. This structure,
as well as a concrete retaining wall around the front lawn, was probably
built at the same time as the house.

(29) 413 Fourth Street (1910)

This single-family residence has remained unaltered except for asbestos
siding and the removal of a covered wraparound porch, the stone foundation
of which is visible. In contrast to many surrounding houses which have
been converted to rental units, this is still an owner-occupied home.

(30) 422 Fourth Street (1895)

The foundation of the main house is
unusual, consisting of basalt covered
with a stucco-like layer of plaster
which is etched with lines to appear
like concrete blocks. Adjacent to the
front bay window is the main gable
wing of the house. This juxtaposition

Central Cheney Historic District

creates an exterior niche, with double-hung windows practically looking
into each other. On the other side of the gable wing is small gabled wall
dormer piercing the eaves, with a double-hung window. Originally the
building had a covered front porch of only one story. There were two small
enclosed porches attached to the rear of the structure. In about 1915, a wide
covered porch was added to the back. The upper level of the front porch
was built after 1939. Except for changes to the rear, this house retains its
basic shape. Although it was first constructed as a single-family residence,
it has long been used as a multiple-unit rental, due to the increasing demand
for off-campus student housing.

(31) 519 Fourth Street (ca. 1882)

The house displays a variety of window shapes, including double-hung,
casement, and a diamond-shaped fixed sash window on the rear elevation.
The front porch has round turned posts with decorative cookie-cutter brackets
that support the canopy. The porch deck is bordered by a low open rail with
turned wood balusters. The front entry door is an old wood and glass type
with dentilated moldings around the panes of glass. On the northeast side,
this house is connected to the adjacent residence by a side-gabled breezeway.
The building has undergone surprisingly minimal modification over the
years. In 1885 it was known as the Court House, probably being called
after the name of the owners at that time.

(32) 520 Fourth Street Old High School, Fisher Building (1931)
This two-story brick school building was originally Cheney High School.
It is an excellent example of institutional architecture employing elements
of the Collegiate Gothic Style. Indicators of that style visible on the building
include castellated parapets, pointed arches above the entry doors, brick
pilaster wall buttresses, and decorative window tracery. The central terra
cotta detail at the top features an open book and torch motif.
The massive terra cotta door surround at the entry features shield and ribbon
designs in the upper panel, and a high recessed Tudor arch. The upper
space within the arch is filled with windows framed with wood tracery that
defines multiple pointed arches. Many historic elements of the interior
remain, including terrazzo floors, hardwood plank floors, and plaster walls.
It contains a theatre/auditorium and a central gymnasium with mezzanine at
the second floor.

The Cheney High School building was

constructed on a site previously
occupied by the Cheney Public School
(originally completed in 1893). The
older building was the site of college
classes for three years after fire
destroyed the Normal School. In 1896,
the older building returned to its original
purpose of educating all Cheney
students. In about 1910, a new high
Detail of entryway, Old High
school was built, temporarily alleviating
School Building.
crowding. The increasing population of
school children outgrew these facilities, and in 1931 the old Public School
building was demolished and the present structure was built.
The new High School building was designed by prominent Spokane architect
George Rasque, who at the time was the favored builder of public structures
in Washington State. When the high school was once again moved in 1967,
this building became the Cheney Junior High School. At present it is used
for administrative purposes (since 1974) as the Fisher Building, after long
time Cheney High School principal George Fisher. Although additions have
been attached which obscure some exterior surfaces, it retains excellent
overall architectural integrity and remains a good example of institutional
structures of the time.

Construction crew at
the Cheney High
School, 1914. Fritz
Steiner is the tall man
in a suit; S. H.
Thorsnes, Carpenter
Foreman.
Photo
courtesy of Cheney
Historical Museum.

Central Cheney Historic District

(33) 523 Fourth Street Dr. Pomeroy House (ca. 1910)
Construction was reportedly financed by prominent Cheney business,
professional, and civic leader Dr. F.A. Pomeroy, who was instrumental in
the early development of Cheney. The
original plan of the house has not been
significantly changed since its
construction. Although the side porch
deck has been removed, the original
canopy is still intact. This house retains
excellent architectural integrity.
The old wood and glass entry door is
flanked by the closed half-wall rails of the
porch. On either side of the main entry
are single wood sash double-hung picture windows. The upper sections are
divided into decorative shapes by lead came, a slender grooved lead bar
used to hold together the panes in stained glass or latticework windows.
The upper level is a sleeping porch with multiple-pane wood sash casement
windows. Below this is an enclosed front porch area with two rows of fixed
wood sash windows. The southwest elevation has only a few windows and
faces the adjacent house, to which it is connected by a gabled breezeway.

(34) 419 Fifth Street Philena Apartments (1929)

This building is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture.
The Philena is one of the earliest apartment buildings to be built in Cheney
and has been the home of numerous faculty members of the college. It was
designed by Spokane architects Archibald Rigg and Roland Vantyne to
provide a home for college
faculty members. It was built by
prominent local businessman
and soon-to-be Washington State
Governor Clarence D. Martin
(son of F.M. Martin, banker and
owner of the Martin Grain &
Milling Company), who named
the building for his mother,
Philena.

Above the entry doors is a terra cotta panel with

the word Philena inscribed into it. The doors
are flanked by concrete pedestals which support
decorative wrought iron lamp posts.
The interior of the Philena Apartments includes a
storefront area, individual apartments, hallways,
office space, and a central foyer and stairway.
Decor of the interior is low-key. Most of the
hardwood plank floors are covered with carpeting,
and painted wood wainscoting denotes the
hallways. The central stairway foyer is lit by the
exterior round-arched windows. Some interior foyer doors are of the
multiple-pane French type. An old hexagonal wrought iron light fixture
hangs from the highest point of the stairway foyer. The original room
configuration of the Philena remains largely intact.
This building retains a remarkable degree of architectural integrity in both
its interior and exterior appearance. It has continuously served as a multipleunit residence since its construction, maintaining a close association with
the nearby college. It is currently owned by a student fraternal organization.

(35) 524 Fifth Street Cheney Christian Church (1915)

The Cheney Christian Church traces its beginnings to the first congregation
of the Disciples of Christ, or Church of Christ, to be established in Spokane
County. The idea of creating the church was championed, in 1885, by Mrs.
J.A.C. Merriman, a staff
member at the recently
founded Cheney Academy.
As a result of her efforts, a
missionary evangelist, A.W.
Dean of Colfax, was sent to
Cheney where the new
church was formally
chartered on March 28, 1886.
Rev. Dean also served the
surrounding communities of
Tyler and Medical Lake. In

Central Cheney Historic District

1889, the congregation purchased the lots for $125, and a small, white,
wood-frame building was built. By 1911, the membership of the
congregation had grown to several hundred, which prospered during the
next few years. The old wood structure was sold and moved. The present
building was begun in 1914 and completed in 1915.
The church was built by S. V. Mackey, a Cheney-area master builder/
carpenter and reflects the American Craftsman movement. The Cheney
Free Press in 1918 noted that Mr. Mackey supervised the construction with
a force of Cheney workmen, and reported the cost of construction to be
$12,000. The triangular knee braces used at the roof wall junctions, and
wide eave overhangs and gabled roof are typical elements of Craftsman
structures. The overall impression conveyed by the building is one of
restraint. It is not highly decorated, and materials are used sparingly.
Filled with optimism, the church was built with a maximum seating capacity
of 300 persons. It included a large dining room and kitchen in the basement.
The Cheney Free Press described the new church as a place of beauty
conducive to reverent worship. In 1918, several war veterans who had
been stricken by the deadly flu epidemic of 1918-1919 were housed in the
basement of the building and successfully nursed back to health.
Construction caused the congregation to incur heavy debt. This, coupled
with the Great Depression (1929), led to numerous difficulties which the
church members and leaders had to overcome. At one point, membership of
the congregation had fallen to only 48. Subsequently the church rebounded
and experienced a revival of evangelistic ardor. The mortgage for the
building was finally burned in 1943.
The windows are original to the building. Simple stained glass windows in
a geometric craftsman-style predominate. A large memorial window located
on the north end commemorates the Cook family. This is the only window
which has pictorial representations. Windows on the east and west sides
use simple geometric forms in a pale green color. Each bears an inscription
from the Ladies Aid Society, students of the Normal School, and Christian
Womens Bible Mission.

The church retains excellent architectural integrity, both in interior and

exterior design, and was listed on the Cheney Register of Historic Places in
2001.

(36) 202 D Street Kelly House (ca. 1890)

This building retains much of its original plan and most of the original wood
sash windows, including both casement and double-hung. A number of
additions have been made to the original cruciform plan, but most of these
alterations occurred at an early date. Reportedly, the property was purchased
by local minister Joshua Herron
and his wife Amanda in 1880.
Herron built several wood frame
structures on the lot, including an
office for the Northwest Tribune,
an early Cheney newspaper.
Between 1890, when the house
was first built, and 1916, several
porch-like additions were
attached to the original structure.
The attached garage had been built by 1939.
The house was purchased by local businessman and civic leader Ruby Kelly
and his wife Agnes in 1917. The next year, Mr. Kelly shot and killed one of
three men who attempted to rob him on the porch of this modest residence.
The Kelleys lived here for 65 years. Recently the house was extensively
remodeled, including the closure of the vehicle entry bay of the garage,
which then became a part of the house interior.

(37) 213/215 D Street (1891)

This residence was a simple gable with wing dwelling, lacking the current
porches and canted bay window. By 1897 the plan had been expanded to
include the bay window, the front porch, and the rear gabled addition. By
1905 several small additions had been made to the rear of the house. This
configuration was maintained until at least 1939. In recent years new
cladding has been applied, a new addition and attached garage were added,
a tall brick chimney was removed, and the front porch was rebuilt. This
former single-dwelling residence is now a duplex.

Central Cheney Historic District

(38) 214 D Street (1926)
This modest house of simple rectangular plan has never been altered, but
cladding and window materials have been replaced or covered over. This
house may have been constructed as a rental for college students and is
currently in use as such.

(39) 217 D Street (1910)

This modest house has a large picture window to the right of the wood and
glass front entry door. The only change to the simple rectangle and front
porch plan was the addition of the enclosed back porch, which probably
occurred shortly after 1939. Recently the house has been re-shingled and
vertical metal siding applied over the original horizontal wood siding. As
part of that work, an original brick chimney was removed, leaving one other
chimney intact. This was the home of longtime Cheney plumber Elmer
Davis.

(40) 220 D Street (1927)

This modest dwelling has not been modified since construction. It is typical
of small rental houses in Cheney. In the years following the Korean War,
owner Stan Chestnut rented out the
basement for $50 per month. The
old wood and glass front entry
door is sheltered by a small gabled
canopy supported by decorative
wood brackets. A full-height
brick chimney is attached to the
northwest side of the house. A
small front-gabled garage, with
swinging wood vehicle entry doors
is located behind the house.

(41) 310 D Street (ca. 1920)

Shotgun houses such as this were a common sight in western working-class
neighborhoods of the early 1900s. A narrow rectangular plan and simple
room configuration are defining characteristics. The front facade is typical
with the door on one side and a single window on the other. The full-width

front porch is another common feature. This modest house has been rented
to students of the nearby college for many years. It was likely originally
constructed for this purpose.

(42) 111-115 College (E) Street Old City Hall (1890, 1955)
After the previous city hall building burned in 1883, the city council met
for several years in the upper level of the Griswold Building. This 1890
building was designed to house the
City Council chambers and
municipal offices on the upper floor
and the Cheney Fire Department, and
its hose cart, on the lower level. By
1897 a separate one-story jail, inside
a fenced compound, had been built
behind the building, as well as a fire
bell tower. A few years later this jail
was removed and a new brick jail was
built onto the back of the city hall
building. The fire bell tower was moved to the corner rooftop of the original
structure. The Cheney Fire Department had acquired new equipment by
1916, including another hose cart and a chemical truck on wheels which
was probably pulled by either horses or firemen.
By 1939, a small office and a
barbershop had been built to either
side of the front facade of the City
Hall. The Cheney Fire Department
then possessed motorized hose,
chemical, and hook and ladder trucks.
This building remained relatively
unchanged until the early 1950s,
when the City Hall, jail, and the fire
department were moved to new
quarters. In 1955 the newer one-story
Members of the Fire Department,
addition was built. At some point,
1913, standing near the Interurban
either prior to or during this
Depot which was adjacent to the
construction, the facade of the old
City Hall. Photo courtesy of
city hall was demolished and rebuilt
Cheney Historical Museum.
at a greater distance from the street.

Central Cheney Historic District

This property consists of a two-story building (1890), and a one-story
building that was attached to the front and side of the earlier structure in
1955. The lower level is obscured by the new construction and an addition
to the adjacent Cheney Interurban Depot. The interior of the older structure
has been extensively modified for reuse as storage space and, on the upper
level, apartments. The longest tenant of the newly refurbished structure
was the Inland Empire Telephone Company.

(43) 114 College Avenue (E Street) (ca. 1931)

This building is a one-story brick commercial structure that seems to have
originally been designed as two separate units, one deeper than the other. It
is conceivable that they were built at different times. The two primary
storefront sections are divided by a brick pilaster. The storefront facades
have been compromised by installing newer doors and display windows.
The recessed entry on one storefront has been retained, however. This
structure has been occupied by a number of storefront business enterprises
over the years. The current owner, American Legion Post No. 72, has been
in the building for several decades.

(44) 215-217 College Avenue (E Street) (ca. 1910)

The eastern portion of this house
was built between 1908 and 1916
and was first used as a photography
studio. A. A. Ames was a wellknown local photographer, and the
Cheney Historical Museum
contains
much
of
his
documentation of the fires that
struck the Normal School. By
1939 the other section had been
attached to create a duplex. The
addition was probably made to take
advantage of the opportunities for
rental to college students, which is
still the primary function of the
building.

Interior of the A. A. Ames

Photography Studio on Normal
Avenue, now College Avenue. Photo
courtesy of Cheney Historical
Museum.

(45) 220 College Avenue (E Street ) (ca. 1897)

This house was originally built as a
single-family residence. Its size and
appearance indicate that it was built for
well-to-do owners. When first
constructed it consisted of the basic
central square section with wings and
an enclosed back porch. The
wraparound front porch was added in
about 1905. Other additions were made
to the rear elevations in about 1916.
Most likely the front door was moved, sometime prior to 1959, from the
original corner location under the pediment to an adjacent location that was
formerly occupied by a window. Despite alterations, this house retains the
striking historic appearance of its primary facades as viewed from the north.
It is currently occupied by a student fraternal organization.

(46) 221 College Avenue (E Street) (1904)

This one-story wood frame house has a simple front-gabled rectangular
plan with a cutaway porch at the west corner. Original wood sash doublehung windows have been retained although covered with storm windows.
An iron coal chute door is still visible on the northwest side.
Sanborn Maps do not show this house until 1939, indicating the house was
either moved from another location or was built later. Whatever the case,
the basic plan has not been altered since 1939 and the original appearance
remained intact until at least 1960
when siding was added, which has
significantly altered the appearance.
This modest house was probably
originally built as a single-family
dwelling. The owners in the 1930s,
the Leedlofts, also owned the Sweets
& Eats Confectionery and Restaurant
located downtown.

Central Cheney Historic District

(47) 302 College (E) Street Dr. Johnson House (1915)
This large bungalow was built in 1915 in a design typical of Arts and Crafts
style with elements such as a steeply pitched roof, wide eaves with exposed
rafter ends and beams, and the wide front porch. The small front dormer to
the right is a former sleeping porch/balcony that has been filled in. The roof
over the front porch is supported by battered square wood posts which rest
upon massive basalt piers. The central front door is flanked on either side
by large wood sash window panels.
This house retains much of its original historic appearance and materials
except for the attached modern dental office. However, the office is
associated with Dr. Oscar Johnson, a dentist who was perhaps the houses
longest occupant and practiced out of the office for a time. The office building
itself was constructed in 1959 and elongated by an extension in 1973.

(48) 317 College (E) Street (1940)

This building has a surprisingly modern appearance despite its early
construction date of 1940. It displays elements of the International Style,
including flat roof, rounded exterior corners, and horizontal rows of metal
sash windows. Although not a particularly beautiful structure, it retains
excellent architectural integrity and is one of few buildings in Cheney that
reflect this architectural style. Its size indicates that it was probably always
a multiple-unit rental, one of the earliest built in Cheney. It was remodeled
in 1969 for use as fraternal organization housing, when common dining
facilities were created and other room configuration changes made. A more
recent remodel gave the building classical stylistic elements that emphasize
its use as a residence for a fraternal organization, including round columns
and pedimented window lintels. This treatment diminishes the International
Style appearance of the building, but reinforces the association with its
current and longtime function.

(49) 320 College (E) Street (1902)

The unusual plan features a central hip-roofed section with two gabled
extensions. The original wood horizontal siding has been covered with
aluminum horizontal siding that replicated the historic appearance. The
most striking feature of this residence is the central tower, above the front
entry, with its steeply-pitched four-sided pyramidal turret.

The entry itself features a multiplepane wood and glass door as well as
multiple-pane side lights. Above the
low brick porch of the entry is a
canopy, with a broken bed pediment,
supported by square wood posts.
Windows of the house are mostly
wood sash double-hung with multiplepane upper sections. To the rear, a hiproofed enclosed back porch is attached
to the house.
This house, which features a rather elaborate plan, was probably built for a
well-to-do single family. At some time it has been associated with Mr.
Holter, of the local Brown and Holter automobile dealership. Although
new materials have been applied to the roof and walls, the building retains
much of its historic style and appearance. The design works well, but is
actually the result of several alterations. The house originally had a
wraparound front porch, which was removed prior to 1939 and replaced by
a small enclosed front porch. The impressive turret and entry pediment
were constructed at a later date.

(50) 113 F Street (1925)

The combination of concrete and wood frame construction here is rare in
Cheney, as is the application of Art Deco design elements. A mild Art Deco
effect is achieved in the full-height pilasters and central triangular parapet
of the front facade, the vertical concrete wall buttresses of the sides, as well
as the diamond-shaped appliques below the plain cornice of the front parapet.
The storefront has been extensively modified but retains the central recessed
entry configuration.
This building has seen use by various business enterprises, including a bakery,
a pawn shop and, according to some accounts, a moving picture theater.
The upper level has been converted to apartments.

Central Cheney Historic District

(51) 213 F Street (1902)
This house was built in 1902 as an identical twin to its adjacent neighbor at
219 F Street. The plan and materials of both these buildings have been
altered over the years. Both have had original canted bay windows of the
gable front removed, and both have had additions attached to the rear.
Additionally, both originally had open front porches, along the side gable,
that were enclosed some time after 1939. This house has seen a number of
different wall cladding materials, including horizontal wood siding, stucco,
asbestos panel, and the current wood panel siding. The doors and most
windows have been replaced, most notably the multiple-pane wood sash
casement windows of the side gable have been replaced by the current large
picture windows. The garage in the back was built in 1922 and is mostly
intact.

(52) 216 F Street Rosenzweig House (ca. 1895)

The old wood and glass front entry door has a segmentally-arched hood. A
transom space above the door has been filled. Above the porch, on the side
gable is a small gabled wall dormer with a double-hung window that
penetrates the roof eave. A similar wall dormer and window is visible on
the southwest wall, as are two segmentally-arched double-hung windows.
The story of this house is intertwined with its neighbor to the northwest.
The original builder is unknown, but both were obviously designed by the
same person. Real estate records indicate that these houses were built in
1886, while family records indicate construction may have begun as early
as 1881. They do not appear on Sanborn Maps, however, until 1897.
Nevertheless, these buildings were among the earliest brick houses to be
built in Cheney. The brick was reportedly fired at the local plant that once
operated on part of the grounds of Eastern Washington University. These
vernacular style houses are excellent examples of early brick making and
design employing common, or red, brick. The bricks were known locally
as Cheney adobe bricks.
In 1928, these houses were acquired by the Rosenzweig family and have
been occupied by their descendants ever since. The original footprints of
these houses were identical gable and wing plans. The newer portions have
been modified over the years, but the original brick portions retain remarkable
architectural integrity.

(53) 219 F Street (1902)

This was originally the home of Harmon and Love Davis. Harmon was a
miller at the Martin Flour Mill, and Love did hemstitching and tailoring for
local families. This house was built as an identical twin to its adjacent
neighbor at 213 F Street. The plan and materials of both these buildings
has been altered over the years. Both have had original canted bay windows
of the gable front removed, and both have had additions attached to the rear.
Additionally, both originally had open front porches, along the side gable,
that were enclosed some time after 1939. The garage behind the house was
built in 1950.

(54) 220 F Street - Rosenzweig House (ca. 1895)

Carl Rosenzweig, Sr., was a local
farmer and butcher in the Rock
Lake area. When the Great
Depression struck in 1929, the
Rosenzweigs moved to town and
Carl took work as a custodian at
the junior high school to support
his family. This is a two-story
brick house that is nearly identical
to its neighbor to the southeast.
Three wood sash double-hung
windows are located in the front gable face. These have segmentally-arched
hooded drip molds and sills of brick headers. The old wood and glass front
entry door also has a segmentally-arched hood. A glass transom light is
located over the door. A design feature that differentiates this house from
the similar adjacent structure is a distinctive cornice line, just below the
eaves, created by alternately indented bricks.
The historic context of this house is identical to the neighboring brick
residence at 216 First Street. Both structures retain excellent architectural
integrity of both materials and design.

Central Cheney Historic District

(55) 303 F Street (ca. 1910)
This one-story wood frame house has a rectangular hip-roofed plan, a
composition roof and a basalt foundation. Exposed rafters are visible beneath
the overhanging eaves. Asbestos panel
cladding has been applied over what was
probably horizontal wood siding. The
southwest and southeast sides of this
corner house have retained original wood
sash picture windows with the upper
sections divided into smaller decorative
shapes by lead cane. Most of the other
windows are wood sash double-hung.
Real estate records indicate that this house was built in 1903, but the building
does not show up on Sanborn maps until 1916, denoting a later construction
date. This house has always served as single-family residence. The original
plan has largely been maintained and, aside from the application of asbestos
siding, this house retains a high degree of architectural integrity.

(56) 306 F Street David Lowe House (1904)

This house, constructed in 1904, is considered one of the best examples of
Queen Anne architecture in Washington State. Despite interior alterations
undertaken to facilitate its use as a multiple-unit dwelling, this house has
retained a high degree of architectural integrity both of appearance and
materials. It was originally built as a single-family residence for semi-retired
farmer David Lowe and his wife Bessie. The many rooms in the upstairs
were used to house servants. Behind the house is a gabled, one and onehalf story former carriage house with a composition roof and horizontal
wood siding.
David Lowe maintained a 400 acre farm on the outskirts of Cheney, just off
the Spokane-Cheney Highway, southwest of Fish Lake. He was a popular
and kindly man who enjoyed playing horseshoes and socializing at one of
the local blacksmith shops. During his retirement, when he built and lived
in the Lowe House, he was an active member of the Masonic Lodge, he
pursued his real estate interests, and cared for the horses he kept in his small
carriage barn. He also worked for the humanitarian cause of raising relief
funds for victims of the San Francisco earthquake through his active

membership in the local commercial club. Bessie Lowe was also socially
active and was at one time treasurer of the Cheney Eastern Star. She was a
small, frail, genteel lady with a taste for highly ornate styles. She was often
seen enjoying her porch swing. The Lowes were childless, but they enjoyed
the company of children and young people. They invited several students
from the surrounding rural areas to live with them while attending school in
Cheney.
David Lowe died in 1935 and was followed in death by Bessie two years
later. Her sister, Helen Ware, who had lived with the Lowes in their later
years, inherited the house, converting it into a boarding house for young
ladies in order to supplement her income. Such multiple use has continued
in varying degrees throughout the buildings later history. Although this
has resulted in numerous modifications of the interior, the house has also
seen several attempts to restore
original interior features such as
the wood work. The exterior
has been well-maintained and
retains much the same
appearance as displayed in
early photographs. At present
the Lowe House is occupied by
the Alpha Phi sorority,
continuing its long association
with the students of the college.
The Lowe House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and
the Washington Heritage Register in 1983.

(57) 309 F Street Reuter House (1903)

This house was once occupied by the family of Frederick Wilhelm Reuter,
owner of a local creamery and cheese factory. The porch of the Reuter
house features wrought iron canopy supports, a wood deck, concrete steps,
an old wood and glass entry door, and a small multiple-pane wood sash
casement window. Note the unusual gable designs. This house retains its
original plan, except for the hip-roofed rear addition which was built in
1964. A concrete patio and a garage behind the house were built in 1963.

Central Cheney Historic District

Frederick Reuter was born in the small German community of Avoca,
Wisconsin in 1871 to immigrant parents. Until he started school at age 6,
Frederick spoke only German. At age 14 he ended his school career and
began learning cheese and butter making, and in 1892 he graduated from
the University of Wisconsin with a life diploma in dairying.

Milling Company, and his son

Clarence, who rose to prominence as
governor of Washington State during
the 1930s.

In 1896 Frederick spent a year as head instructor in the Wisconsin Dairying

School in Madison. The following year he taught butter making at the
University of Idaho in Moscow. While representing Idaho at a dairying
convention in Spokane, Frederick met Frank Martin, who hired him to take
charge of the Cheney Creamery owned by Martin and Hubbard. It was one
of the largest creameries in the state at that time, processing 35,000 pounds
of milk daily.

(59) 319 F Street (ca. 1910)

This one-story wood frame house
was built between 1908 and 1916,
and was owned by Cheney pioneers Sam & Flora Webb. Sam was born in
Pony, Montana in 1876. His father, a successful mining man in Alder Gulch,
Montana, moved on to Illinois where he farmed for a few years. In 1882
Webster Webb purchased a number of purebred Clydesdale horses and came
to Cheney, arriving on the first Northern Pacific train to reach town. Here
he farmed and bred horses. Sam was raised and educated in Cheney.

In 1899 Frederick married Nellie May Webb, daughter of Cheney pioneers

Webster and Annetta Web. They had 5 children, all born in Cheney: Ruth,
Dorotha, Fred, Gladys and Clarence. In 1903, Fred opened the Cheney
Cheese Factory as sole owner and proprietor. The business thrived and
became known far and wide for its superior cheese, although failing health
forced Frederick to give up the business
after just a few years. He then served
as Cheney Postmaster during World
War I for a total of 8 years, and later
worked for the Cheney Police
Department. The Reuters were active
in community organizations and
formed many close friendships,
enjoying evenings of whist or pinochle
with other local families in their
Cheney home.

(58) 318 F Street F.M. Martin House (1903)

The (first) F.M. Martin House is significant as a fine, intact example of an
upscale vernacular residence employing modest Queen Anne design elements
(similar to the neighboring Lowe House). Like the Lowe House, the Martin
house has a wraparound front porch, though less ornate. The gable faces
are distinguished by pentroofs and stained-glass casement windows. It is
also significant as the home of F.M. Martin Family of the Martin Grain &

In 1895 Sam married Flora Stroup,

whose parents were also early pioneers
in the Deep Creek area. She was his
devoted wife for 63 years. Their only
son, Carroll, was born in 1900, and died
at the age of 46.
Sam engaged in various business
ventures, all of which turned out well.
Among them was the first stage (bus) line he started in Cheney in the early
1920s. Sams ticket office and waiting room were in the Interurban Depot
building formerly used as a station by the electric train (corner of Second
and College Streets). The stage line did a brisk business in both freight and
passenger service. Both rooms were filled with house plants, for among his
varied interests, Sam was an avid gardener. There was always a profusion
of flowers in his yard and offices.
Besides being an astute business man, Sam tried his hand at politics. He
served in the Washington state legislature as Republican congressman from
the 4th District, and was a popular Spokane County Commissioner from
1930-1936. In the years after retirement, Sam was seen daily on First Street.
His quick wit, friendly banter, and hearty handshake made him unofficial
greeter to townspeople and visitors alike.

Central Cheney Historic District

In 1956, Floras rapidly failing health necessitated placing her in the Cheney
Nursing Home which was located in the same converted depot that had
housed the offices of Sams stage line. Although by this time Sam was
nearly blind, he was a daily visitor at her bedside. Flora died in 1958. Sam
passed away several months later in 1959 at the age of 83, having served his
community for 76 years.

(60) 506 Front Street Northern Pacific Railroad Depot (1929)

This Mission Revival Style railroad depot was built for Northern Pacific on
the site of a wooden depot from 1890. An 1885 city directory lists Percival
& Andrus, Real Estate, Loans and Railroad Land Agents, as tenants of the
original building. Harry Bonner, agent for the Northern Pacific, resided in
the building as caretaker, as did Harry Steward, a railroad telegraph operator.
The new structure contained three main areas: an express and baggage room,
a ticket office, and a waiting room. Original fenestration includes several
wood doors with multiple-pane windows and transom lights, and a number
of wood sash multiple-pane casement windows.
The railroad is of profound importance to the history of Cheney. Not only
did the first arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1881 provide the
economic impetus for a developing community, it led to the financing and
establishment of a college
of education here. It can
be said that the railroad
and the college, which
developed into Eastern
Washington University,
as well as the local graingrowing economy, were
the pillars upon which the
growth of Cheney was
founded.

The National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nations
cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national
program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify,
evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. The National
Register is administered by the National Park Service under the Secretary
of the Interior. Properties listed in the National Register include districts,
sites, buildings, structures and objects that are significant in American history,
architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. These resources
contribute to an understanding of the historical and cultural foundations of
the Nation.
The National Register includes:
all historic areas in the National Park System;
National Historic Landmarks which have been designated by the
Secretary of the Interior for their significance to all Americans; and
properties significant to the nation, state, or community which have
been nominated by the states, federal agencies and others and have
been approved by the National Park Service.
For more information about the National Register, contact:
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
PO Box 37127
Washington, D.C. 20013-7127
www.cr.nps.gov/places.htm

Central Cheney Historic District

The Certified Local Government Program

The National Historic Preservation Act established a nationwide program
of financial and technical assistance to preserve historic properties
buildings, structures, sites, neighborhoods, and other places of importance
in the historical and cultural life of the nation. A local government can
participate directly in this program when the State Historic Preservation
Officer certifies that the local government has established its own historic
preservation commission and a program meeting Federal and State standards.
A local government that receives such certification is known as a Certified
Local Government or CLG.
As a CLG, the City of Cheney has agreed to:

Survey local historic properties

Enforce state or local preservation laws

Provide for public participation

Other functions delegated or required by the state, such as the

enactment of historic preservation ordinances or zoning restrictions
Cheney has maintained CLG status and an active historic preservation
program since 1988. For more information on the Certified Local
Government Program, contact:
Washington State
Office of Archaeology & Historic Preservation
1063 S. Capitol Way, Suite 106
PO Box 48343
Olympia, WA 98504-838\43
Phone: (360) 586-3065
www.oahp.wa.gov

Central Cheney Historic District Walking Tour

Veterans' Memorial
Park

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Download the self-guided tour brochure

from the City's web site:
www.cityofcheney.org/site/history/tour
Rating: Easy (.7 miles, moderate hill)

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Eastern Washington
University