Welcome to The Westerners, Spokane Corral
The Westerners, Spokane Corral is dedicated to history.
Our Partners
Our Liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited being lost. Thomas Jefferson January 1786
Payment and Donations
The Spokane Corral of Westerners International is duly registered with Westerners International, an incorporated nonprofit in California, based at Canyon, Texas.
Guest Speakers
On January 20, Karina Berven will present "Washington's Complicated First Territorial Governor, Isaac Stevens."
The namesake of schools, highways, parks, and streets around the PNW, the first governor of Washington State (Territory) is usually covered in a sentence or two in history books. Isaac Stevens served as our region’s first governor from 1853-1857. For years, he was known for the sheer amount he accomplished in his short life: a true “go ahead” man of the Pacific Northwest frontier (he was killed at the Battle of Chantilly at 44 years old.). In addition to his position as the governor, Isaac Ingalls Stevens held two other positions simultaneously: he was the chief of the northern rail survey, and the Superintendent of Indian Affairs. In the latter position, he was charged with convincing dozens of Indigenous nations to move onto reserved land of his choosing. Stevens saw his hybrid role as the most powerful position in the west: not only was he the executive, but he also had the power and opportunity to obtain land for incoming settlers and provide a rail route for them to get there and open trade with Asia. However, as he plowed along the “Treaty Trail,” and as he set up the territorial government, Stevens showed himself to be vengeful, petty, and prideful, working outside the law to keep power, and setting in motion events that affect our region to this day.
The Pacific Northwesterner
see Publications/Journals section of this website for more information
Get Involved
The purpose of the Westerners is to bring together in warm fellowship men and women who have a common interest and zeal for discovering and disseminating knowledge and understanding of the American West.
To this end, Corrals generally meet on a monthly basis and are given a presentation on local or regional history, often times by a member of the Corral. Westerners encourage historical research and may popularize western lore and history though publications, awards, and preservation of archival records, documents, sites and other evidence of the Old West, which otherwise be lost to posterity.
Thank You
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or becoming a member, spreading our purpose through word-of-mouth, we thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.