THE MIGHTY SPOKANE RIVER

Use of the Spokane River as a source of hydropower began in 1885. By 1888, 24-hr electric service was available via this hydropower source... When the city of Spokane was in its infancy, there was a recognizable need for an adequate source of electricty for the growing population. The Edison Electric Illuminating Company sought a way to harness the power of the falls. In an ambitious plan, they sought funding from their backers in New York and were denied as their backers were skeptical of the value of water as a power supply. But in a move that would change history, ten of the stockholders took it upon themselves to see the plan through despite the obstacles and founded the Washington Water Power Company, financing the project through their own pockets.