Nine Mile Dam

Nine Mile Dam is a hydroelectric facility that spans 18 feet (5.5 meters) high across the Spokane River, built with cyclopean masonry and featuring a powerhouse situated on a basalt bluff. The structure creates the Nine Mile Reservoir and continues operation under Avista management.

The facility was built in 1908 by the New York engineering firm Sanderson & Porter to supply power for the Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad interurban lines. This early hydroelectric development was part of regional railroad expansion.

The ten brick cottages built in 1928 show Craftsman and English Cottage design with large front porches that define the village character. These homes reflect how workers and their families lived during the early industrial period around the facility.

The site is most easily reached from the main road through Nine Mile Falls, with visible access to the dam and surrounding cottages. Visit in clear weather to best see the reservoir and surrounding landscape.

Each worker cottage contains three bedrooms arranged along a tree-lined road that leads to the powerhouse. This planned layout reveals how companies systematically designed worker settlements during this industrial era.

Location: Spokane County

Architectural style: bungalow

GPS coordinates: 47.77580,-117.54600

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:41