The city of Spokane was settled in 1871 and officially incorporated as a city in 1881. The city’s name is drawn from the Native American tribe known as the Spokane, which means “Children of the Sun” in Salishan. Spokane’s official nickname is the “Lilac City”, named after the flowers that have flourished since their introduction to the area in the early 20th century. Completion of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1881 brought major settlement to the Spokane area.
With a population of 208,916, according to the 2010 Census, Spokane is the second largest city in Washington, and the third largest in the American portion of the Pacific Northwest, behind Seattle, and Portland, Oregon, and is the 100th largest city in the United States. Spokane is the principal city of the Spokane Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is coterminous with Spokane County. As of 2010, the county had a population of 471,221. The most recent population figures from the U.S. Census of 2010 show the Spokane, Wa./Coeurd’Alene, Id. Metropolitan area to have 609,000 residents.
For more local information, visit…
City of Spokane Official Website
Welcome to the Official Web Site of the City of Spokane.
Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and Business Center serves the greater Spokane Valley area including the cities of Spokane Valley, Millwood and Liberty Lake. The chamber also serves Eastern Spokane County.