|
| |
|
Waikiki Token |
|
2010-12-23 |
Thursday, December 23, 2010 11:15:44 AM
Savvy metal detectorists know to be on the lookout for road names that could lead to a productive area to search. Road names such as 'Park Street', 'Grove Boulevard', or 'Schoolhouse Lane' could be a research clue that leads us to our next interesting discovery.
This time the table was turned because my research into the 'Waikiki Dairy' token I found led me to the history of a couple of interesting road names.
On the north side of Spokane, where Maple Street crosses Francis, Maple becomes Country Home Boulevard. Country Homes Boulevard wanders northeast a couple of miles, ending at north Division Street. Also on the north side, in this same neighborhood, another arterial changes names from Wall Street to Waikiki Road where it crosses Hawthorne Road.
John James Graves was one of Spokane’s early-day mining and railroad tycoons. His son, J.P. Graves, was the builder and president of the Inland Empire Traction Line, one of Spokane’s turn-of-the-last-century street car companies (keep this tidbit in mind.) However, one of J.P. Graves’ principal businesses was his famous, 1,000 acre cattle and dairy ranch, which he named Waikiki Ranch.
Waikiki Ranch was said to have had the largest herd of thoroughbred Jersey Cattle in the Pacific Coast region. The dairy was very well known throughout the world and breeding stock were shipped as far away as China. Graves purchased the land for his ranch in about 1904. The ranch originally included the land on which Whitworth College is presently located.
Graves was also a principal in the Country Homes Development Company, which, commencing in the 1920’s, sold home sites in the area. Hence the history behind the names of Country Homes Boulevard and Waikiki Road.
There are two versions of the origin of the name, " Waikiki". The popular version is that when the Graves family visited Hawaii in 1920, their son was struck by the beauty of the area. He stated that it was the most beautiful place on earth but since the second most beautiful place was the Graves home on the Little Spokane River, he suggested it be called "Waikiki". However, a May 14, 1911, Spokesman-Review feature refers to Waikiki Ranch, stating "Waikiki" as an Indian word meaning "lots of rushing water". Since there were 24 natural springs on the farm, the paper continued, Graves thought it an appropriate name.
J.P. Graves also lived and entertained in the fabulous mansion he constructed near the intersection of Country Homes Boulevard and Division Street. The Mansion was originally known as 'Waikiki' but is now known as the Bozarth Mansion and Retreat Center, owned by Gonzaga University. The mansion is one of several homes in Spokane designed by the famed architect Kirkland K. Cutter. The mansion was constructed at a cost of approximately $100,000 in 1911-1913. The famed Olmstead Brothers of Boston designed the mansion’s gardens and underground water system.
The Olmstead Brothers are well known as the fathers of the Spokane Park system and designers of the beautiful Manito Park on Spokane’s south hill. I also found a small uniform button in the same yard as the Waikiki Dairy token, which brings me back to that little tidbit I mentioned regarding the Inland Empire Traction Line.
Embossed on the button I found is the word 'Motorman'. It only takes a small stretch of imagination to tie the token and the button together. Perhaps the man of the house was employed by the Inland Empire Traction Line as a streetcar motorman. Being a loyal J.P. Graves employee, the motorman also purchased his family’s dairy products from his employer’s dairy, the Waikiki. Maybe the token was obtained as change in a small purchase or maybe as a reward for customer loyalty. In any case, the token was never redeemed, the uniform button was lost and both ended up in my pouch on a snowy December day.
|
|
home | detectors
| scoops | pans
| contact
Bowen's Hideout has been in business since 1966 featuring Garrett, Fisher, Minelab, Tesoro, and Troy Metal Detectors. We also handle Keene Engineering products - a manufacturer of portable mining equipment, Dredges, Sluices, Gold Pans, Classifying Sieves, and related tools and equipment. Not only do we supply you with equipment of your choice, we offer you continued instruction and help when needed. We pride ourselves on continuing the service after the sale.
BOWEN'S HIDEOUT
1917 E. Sprague Avenue - Spokane, WA 99202
509.534.4004 - 888.229.7089 - bowens@bowenshideout.com
To subscribe our email list, send a message to: news-subscribe@bowenshideout.com
To remove your address from the list, just send a message to: news-unsubscribe@bowenshideout.com
copyright © 2001 - 2012 Bowens Hideout
admin | mail | stats
|