All Of Our Facts Come From This Little Book

The book, “Manito Park: A Reflection of Spokane’s Past” was written by Tony and Suzanne Schaeffer Bamonte.  It was published in 1998 by Tornado Creek Publications of Spokane.  The book is now out of print, but still available from collectors or at the library in your neighborhood.  Give it a read – it is 128 pages of very interesting facts about one of Spokane’s most beautiful and favorite parks.

Tornado Creek Publications has published many books about the Northwest areas and you can see all of their releases at the link below.  Click on the “Tornado Publications” link just below.

Tornado Publications

POLAR BEAR TAKES AN ARM AT THE MANITO ZOO!

On July 11, 1923, 9 year old Elizabeth Harris was visiting the Manito Zoo with her Nanny.  She put her hand, full of bread, into the Polar Bear enclosure and one of the bears pulled her arm into the enclosure while the other, smelling blood, attacked it.  Attendants immediately came running at the little girl’s screams, but as they pulled her away from the cage, her arm remained inside.

 

Little Elizabeth so loved all the Manito Zoo animals that she insisted on harm come to the bears over this.  Although her father was a prominent Spokane attorney, no lawsuits were ever filed.  Shortly after the accident, the family moved to Seattle where Elizabeth grew up, graduated from the University of Washington and later married George Spence, also a graduate of U of W.  They had one son, Richard Spence who is still living in Bellevue, Washington.

 

According to Richard, his mother’s life was full and rewarding and filled with acts of charity and kindness toward others.  She knew of no handicaps in spite of her accident many years earlier.  Elizabeth passed away in 1981 and was buried next to her husband in Arlington National Cemetery.

Our Series On Manito Park is Being Started Soon!

Keep watching here on www.ManitoPark.org News Reports for a new and continuing series of interesting and little-known facts about Manito Park, its history and growth throughout the years since its inception.

The first article will appear within the next few days and will be updated with a new chapter weekly.

Amaze your friends and neighbors! Read these little stories and know more than they do about Spokane History, and particularly about Manito Park's development throughout the years. You'll be the hit of the next neighborhood barbecue!

We will be publishing a little teaser on our Facebook page, but the articles will be appearing on www.ManitoPark.org. Be sure to pop in to our website and take a look.