Francis H. Cook, the Father of Manito Park–Part 14

Our story about Francis Cook continues here with chapter 14.  According to the book, “Manito Park: A Reflection of Spokane’s Past”, Francis Cook’s last significant venture was the development of Mt. Spokane.  In 1909 he sold his farm on the Little Spokane to raise funds to pursue his cherished dream.  He devoted the remainder of his life to the development of Mt. Spokane as a public recreation area, which he envisioned would eventually come under municipal ownership.  Although it was never owned by the City of Spokane, it did become a state park.  An article in the July 18, 1915 SpokesmanReview describes Cook’s relationship to the mountain:

He Fell In Love With The Mountain and Now Wants All Spokane for Rivals

As the father of 10 [11] children, owner of a section or so of land on the Little Spokane not far north of town and in the 58^th year of his age F.H. Cook took on a new sweetheart…Mount Spokane.  She was generally known as “Old Baldy” when first wooed by Cook, but he rechristened her Carlton, and later improved that to Spokane, with Governor Hay present to attend to the final baptism.  Not only did Mr. Cook take the entire mountain into his affections, but more particularly did he take the 160 acres of summit to himself, to have and to hold as a property as well as sentimental claim.  He was able to buy the mountain top as agricultural land… [A condition for acquiring some designations of government land at the time involved agricultural purposes.] and Mr. Cook will ask you to produce anywhere another peak 6000 feet high which bears a summit of similar distinction.  He has strawberries in bloom up there now.

Still, he didn’t fall in love with Mount Spokane…in an agricultural sense.  That was simply an incidental that gave him a place in the sun on its summit.  It helps along what…he proposes to do in adoration of the mountain, that others may feel something, at least, of what the might and majesty of the mountain has meant to him.  That others, he hopes they may be counted in the thousands, may share this, he has spent seven of the few remaining years of his life on the mountain whenever the seasons permitted, weaving a highway from base to summit.

…Mr. Cook passed two preliminary summers in surveying the road up the mountain. The result is a road open to automobiles up to within three miles of the summit at what the builder figures an average five percent grade.  He is now working on an extension to his mountain home at the 5000-foot elevation…Less than a mile climb remains, and Mr. Cook is certain that an automobile highway could be constructed to the top.

In this respect, the mountain is remarkable, Mr. Cook declares…It is clothed in luxuriant soil to the peak.  The bald spot visible from Spokane is heavy grass.  Had he put stock on it Mr. Cook believes he would have had a ready source of revenue.  This is certainly pasture enough for herds all summer.  The mountain lover doubtless would deem such use desecration.  He wants people there.  Nothing less than the best human appreciation is the mountain’s due.

That is why he is everlastingly grubbing away to build a road through the mountain’s thick forest.  Although alone now, he announces that he will build the roads as surveyed if it takes him 10 years…He thoroughly believes it offers the finest view, the most satisfactory reception and leaves the finest impression on any mountains of all the mountains in the world.

In 1913 the name of Cook’s beloved mountain was officially changed from Mt. Carlton to Mt. Spokane.  Among those present for the event at the summit of the mountain were Governor Marian E. Hay, Marguerite Motie – the first “Miss Spokane” – and Francis Cook.  (Of note, Hay was Washington State’s 8^th governor and the only one to ever reside in Spokane.  He moved to Spokane in 1909, the year he took office, and lived at 930 East 20^th.  He died November 1933, and was buried in the Riverside Memorial Park Mausoleum.)

Cook continued to work on his road to Mt. Spokane.  By this time, his residence was a modest home at 614 East Wabash, which he purchased in 1910.  Much of his time was spent at his cabin near the summit of Mt. Spokane.  Although the opening of Mt. Spokane was the major achievement of his later years, his earlier influence on the development of the Manito Park area was his greatest contribution to the city of Spokane.