Yes! Spokane had a cable car line (actually two)!
When you think of cable cars, you probably think of San Francisco.
Well, you would be incorrect. Spokane should have been your first answer. Don’t feel bad. It’s almost comical how successful the cover up of this historical milestone has been.
It is true, however, that Spokane had two cable car lines. Not by design however, but due to a certain mainline railroad that was a big obstacle at the time.
The Northern Pacific Railway ran right through downtown Spokane at street level. Later, this rail line would be elevated to avoid foot, cart, car and railway crossing nightmares. Yep! It’s the elevated line through Spokane that you know and love today!
But in 1888-89, it was a problem, and forced the Spokane Cable Railway to build two lines that were bisected by the Northern Pacific.
A northern line that went north on Monroe, then took a left on Boone. The cable cars continued to the very end of Boone, and then took a bridge to cross the river to go to another real estate development (Twickenham).
The southern line started on the south side of the NP railway tracks on Monroe. And in true cable car fashion, would climb the steep grade up Monroe street, zip past Huckleberries, and then took a left around 14th. Depending on what year of maps is viewed, it's hard to tell if it actually went on 14th from Monroe, or if it took a “back way” over 12th?
Nevertheless, cable car operations was apparently a huge pain. The northern line cut back services (so that bridge they built crossing the River to get to this Twickenham development was not only unnecessary, but clearly an enormous waste of money!) and removed the cable in 1892.
3 years? That wasn't long. Initially horse drawn trolleys were used until electic poles could be installed.
The South Hill's cable cars (the line that began on the north side of the Northern Pacific tracks and went up Monroe) would operate for only about a year longer. The company went bust in 1894, and was acquired by the Spokane Street Railway.
Comments