Liberty Park

Historic Origins

Tucked away in Spokane's East Central neighborhood, Liberty Park has been part of the city since 1897. The famous Olmsted brothers (yes, the same landscape architects behind NYC's Central Park!) put their creative touch on it around 1907, significantly reshaping the park's design. Back then, visitors would flock to enjoy the natural beauty and stunning eastward views from its terraced bluff.

One of the stranger chapters in the park's early history involves a geological mystery. The original park site contained a crater with a lake roughly 40 feet deep at its center - early theories held it was the remnant of an extinct volcano. By the 1960s, a more persuasive explanation had emerged: the Missoula floods at the end of the last ice age are thought to have diverted the Spokane River over a nearby cliff, gradually eroding the land into its crater-like form. The lake was filled in with non-burnable waste by 1949, but the crater can still be made out from Third Avenue just to the west of the current park.

Transformation Over Time

The 1960s brought major changes when Interstate 90 cut right through the original 22-acre park. While this split altered the landscape forever, it left behind fascinating ruins including basalt walls, staircases, and viewpoints from an original pergola. The Olmsted Brothers' 1908 plan had called for that stone pergola to be built on high ground overlooking the park's central lake - but when I-90 was built, the structure ended up on the wrong side of the freeway, cut off entirely from the park it was designed to complement.

These remnants - affectionately dubbed "Spokane's Stonehenge" by locals - are visible to anyone driving through the I-90/WA-290 interchange. Not willing to lose green space, the city expanded Liberty Park eastward to compensate for the freeway's footprint.

Modern Amenities

Today's Liberty Park blends historic charm with contemporary features. In 2021, a branch of the Spokane Public Library opened inside the park - built on the site of former tennis courts and surrounded by a growing pollinator-friendly meadow landscape. The library includes a cozy indoor play area that's well-suited for little ones on rainy days.

The park got another major upgrade in 2023 with a new 4,000+ square foot playground. The equipment was selected by neighborhood children, and it features a rubberized walking surface for safety. You'll find tall slides, challenging climbing structures, a net swing, and even a mini zip line that keeps kids of all ages entertained.

Recreational Features

Frisbee fans, rejoice! The park houses a 19-hole disc golf course that's ideal if you're just getting started or looking to sharpen your skills. The technical layout offers enough challenge without overwhelming newcomers.

Sports enthusiasts will appreciate the baseball field, basketball courts, and horseshoe pits. During summer months, the Liberty Aquatic Center becomes a neighborhood hotspot with its outdoor pool, water slides, and diving board - ideal for cooling off when temperatures climb.

Park Amenities and Natural Features

If you're planning a picnic, you'll find multiple picnic areas with tables scattered around the grounds, plus a large covered pavilion near the playground for shade on sunny days. The open grassy areas provide plenty of space for lounging with a good book or impromptu games of catch. Keep your eyes peeled for the park's wildlife residents, including a charming family of marmots that call this place home.

For those wanting to extend their outdoor adventure, the park connects to the Ben Burr Trail, offering additional walking or cycling paths that link Liberty Park to Downtown Spokane, the Gonzaga University campus, and the Spokane River Centennial Trail.

Liberty Park is open daily from 4AM to 11PM, giving you plenty of time to explore this blend of historical elements and modern facilities.