Davenport Art Deco Leaded Glass etching
August 4, 1889. The Great Fire of Spokane started just after 6pm. Due to technical problems with a pump station, there was no water pressure in the city when the fire started. The fire quickly spread through the downtown.
In a desperate bid to starve the fire, firefighters began razing buildings with dynamite. Eventually the winds died down and the fire extinguished.
Virtually all of Spokane's downtown was destroyed.
3 days after the fire with two tents and salvaged furniture. Louis Davenport establishment what was one of the most renowned restaurants in the Northwest.
In 1914 Louis added the Davenport hotel. The hotel was designed by local up and coming architect Kirtland Cutter.
The hotel was the gem stone of the great Inland Pacific Northwest. Featuring an opulent lobby and new amenities like air conditioning.
Fast forward 109 years.
A visit to the states archives department revealed a large collection of preliminary architectural drawings of the hotel by Mr. Cutter (circa 1906)
One of which was a detail drawing of a wall that featured an art deco leaded glass door.
A simple sketch
but beautiful.
This artwork is a reproduction of that sketch.
Made from recycled plate metal (6” wide by 10” long by 1/8” thick), etched and polished to a mirror finish.
Btw, they never determined the actual cause of the fire. Some say a small lodging house and restaurant caught caught fire.