- Spokane is the largest city in Eastern Washington and the commercial hub for an interstate area known formerly as the “Inland Empire” and now as the “Inland Northwest.” After settlement in the 1870s, it quickly became the county seat of Spokane County and the regional center for mining, agriculture, timber, transportation, education, and medical services. Urban development has spread far beyond the 2005 population of 200,000 residing within the present city limits in a county of almost 430,000. Spokane, like many cities, has undergone periods of boom, bust, stagnation, and recovery. For well over 100 years, it has provided a welcome urban oasis in the less populated stretch of plains and mountains between the Mississippi River and Seattle.
- Leadbetter Point State Park (parks.wa.gov)
A small day-use park adjacent to the expansive Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, Leadbetter Point is full of natural wonders and abundant wildlife. Discover the dynamic beauty of Washington’s coast and inland forest while birdwatching or just exploring in this thriving preserved coastal forest habitat.