Fort Spokane, Military fort in Lincoln County, United States
Fort Spokane is a former military fort in Lincoln County, Washington, sitting where the Columbia and Spokane rivers meet. Four original structures remain on the grounds: a powder magazine, a guardhouse, a stable, and a reservoir.
The US Army built the fort in 1880 to act as a buffer between Native American reservations and the growing settlements near Spokane. After 1900, the military left and the site took on a new role as a school and later a hospital.
Starting in 1900, the buildings were used as a boarding school for Native American children from nearby reservations, which changed how every room was arranged and used. Visitors can still walk through the spaces that once served as dormitories and classrooms.
The site sits inside Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area and the grounds are open to walk around at your own pace. The former guardhouse now serves as a visitor center with free exhibits, making it a good starting point before exploring the rest of the fort.
From 1913 onward, the fort was used as a tuberculosis hospital and continued treating patients until it closed in 1929. This medical phase left fewer visible marks than the earlier military or school periods, yet it lasted over a decade.
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