Spokane Valley Heritage Museum (Opportunity Township Hall)
Introduction
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Opportunity Township Hall is an historic building in Spokane Valley, Washington. Built in 1912, it is now the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, which opened in 2005.
Ribbon cutting ceremony in 2005.
Backstory and Context
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The museum is dedicated towards collecting, preserving, and exhibiting the history and culture of Spokane Valley. It contains records spanning over 150 years and also houses an archives in the back of the building where one can find photographs, maps, newspapers, yearbooks, and other records. The museum is continuously adding records to its online searchable database. The building was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Architect C. Harvey Smith designed the hall in the Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival Style. It was built on the earliest commercial block of the township. It served as the township's legal and civic administration building, but over the years it saw many other uses as well. It hosted library services, church services, weddings, civic organization meetings, rummage sales, bingo games, and movies. It was expanded in 1948. When Opportunity Township was disorganized in 1974 (due to financial reasons), it continued to be open for public use. Spokane County took over the building in 1990 and later turned it over to County Parks and Recreation Department. It remained vacant for a time until an art and framing gallery opened in 2000. In 2004, the Spokane Valley Legacy Foundation acquired it for the purpose of opening the museum.
Sources
Bainbridge, Clark. "Opportunity Township," National Register of Historic Places. 3-15-05. http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/nrhp/text/05000190.PDF http://www.valleyheritagecenter.org/about_us.html