Spokane from Above in 1915

The Bird's Eye Views of Merritt Dana Houghton

Join us for a local history presentation by Michael A. Amundson, Public History Director at Northern Arizona University, centered on early 20th century bird's-eye view drawings of Spokane County.

In 1907, 59-year-old Wyoming artist Merritt Dana Houghton moved to Spokane and until his death during the flu epidemic in 1919, made a half dozen pen and ink bird’s-eye view drawings of Spokane and its suburbs, including Five Mile Prairie, West Spokane, Sunset Farms, Greenacres, and a massive view of the entire city.  Drawn after careful study but without the aid of a balloon or a plane, such aerial views were a common way for communities to promote their resources and growth.  Today, they serve not only as visual reminders of the past but as important maps for historic preservation.

This heavily illustrated presentation is based on the presenter's 2023 book, The Art and Life of Merritt Dana Houghton in the Northern Rockies, 1878-1919, and will trace Houghton’s life from his birth in Michigan in 1848, to his time in college during the Civil War, and his move to Wyoming in 1878 to work as a teacher and photographer.  It will then focus on his nearly three decades in Wyoming where he made more than 150 sketches of ranches, mines, historic forts, and bird’s-eye views of towns in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho before relocating to Spokane.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase after the presentation.

This presentation will be hosted in the Inland Northwest Special Collections, located on the third floor of the Central Library. Attendees will have the opportunity to view several early bird's-eye view maps of Spokane, including Houghton's work, from the library's archive. 

About the presenter: Michael A. Amundson is a professor of history and the Public History Director at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff where he teaches courses on the American West, US Sports History, and Public History.  In addition to the Houghton book, he has published books on the atomic West, rephotography in Wyoming, and cowboy music played on wind-up talking machines.  He and his wife Lauren lived in Flagstaff with their dog Jewel and their cat Oscar.

By attending library programs, you are agreeing to potentially appear in photos/videos taken at our locations that may be used in promotional materials including social media.

We strive to make events welcoming for people of all abilities. To request accommodations (i.e. hearing assistance, ASL requests, or other ADA inquiries), email sday@spokanelibrary.org.

For all event information inquiries, email telref@spokanelibrary.org or call 509-444-5300.

Upcoming events