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On October 24, 1890, citizens attended a ceremony placing the cornerstone, with a time capsule, for a new 2-story building to house the city hall, fire department and city jail. Fire equipment for the all-volunteer department was on the north side of the building with city offices on the south. The jail was at the rear of the building.

1890 Fire Department and City Hall

1890 Fire Department and City Hall

Fire Department document from Time Capsule

Fire Department document from Time Capsule

City Council document from Time Capsule

City Council document from Time Capsule

Key from the city jail

Key from the city jail

On October 24, 1890, citizens attended a ceremony placing the cornerstone, with a time capsule, for a new 2-story building to house the city hall, fire department and city jail.

Fire equipment for the all-volunteer department was on the north side of the building with city offices on the south. The jail was at the rear of the building.

The city’s first city hall was on the second floor of Calloway’s building at 1st & F streets. That building, and many of the city’s records, were destroyed in a fire that swept through part of downtown Cheney in February 1883. The city offices then located on the second floor of Cheney’s first brick business building at 416 1st, known as the Griswold building. The city used the Spokane County jail, then located on 4th Street. It is unclear where the volunteer fire department kept their equipment.

As the fire department and city outgrew 1890 building on College Avenue, various city functions spread into office spaces throughout town. In 1951, the city completed a modern city hall, auditorium, and electric department building at D & 2nd streets. The city hall and court still use this building.

The College Avenue building was significantly remodeled with an addition to the front in 1955, at which time the time capsule was retrieved. It has been occupied by physicians, the telephone company, offices, apartments, and retail since that time.

Northwest Tribune
Cheney Sentinel
1890 Time Capsule from building