HISTORY OF IAFI CHENEY-SPOKANE CHAPTER

The history of the Cheney-Spokane Chapter began as the 2000 decade approached. Two Eastern Washington University faculty, geologist Gene Kiver and geographer Dale Stradling, plus other interested citizens including Tom Davis, Charles Dotson, Ruth Jordan, Dean Ladd, Jeff Gombowsky, Rhonda Elliott, Carol Schwartz, and Linda Kieffer began serious discussions about working toward a chapter affiliation with the non-profit Ice Age Floods Institute, established in 1995. These individuals created a provisional chapter structure, including promoting awareness and understanding of the Missoula Floods. Ruth Jordan, wife of Steve Jordan, President of EWU, became interim president. Volunteers became interim officers and committee chairs as the organization established itself by choosing the name “Cheney Palouse Chapter”, its tax ID-EIN, its bylaws, as well as its non-profit status in the State of Washington.

The first meeting of the Cheney Palouse Chapter was held January 14, 2004 and was held in the Science Building on the Eastern Washington University campus in Cheney. The Ice Age Floods Institute provided 120 email addresses of its members that lived in Cheney and Spokane. Invitations were sent to attend a meeting to learn about and become a part of the Chapter’s plans to promote awareness and understanding of the fascinating but little-known story of the Floods where they lived, worked and played.

By May 2004, there were 76 founding members dedicated to the Chapter’s purpose. Chapter structure became fully developed and at the first fall meeting on September 8, 2004, elections were held changing the provisional structure to a formal structure. Ruth Jordan became the first President of the Cheney Palouse Chapter.

On May 22, 2004, the first field trip scheduled by the provisional chapter “Follow the Floods Near Cheney” was led by Gene Kiver and Dale Stradling. An annual field trip was held every year thereafter as the membership grew and the chapter became an official chapter affiliated with the Ice Age Floods Institute. By the end of 2004, the Chapter had over 100 members and partnered with Eastern Washington University, the City of Cheney and Friends of Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge.
The Chapter began promoting the designation of an Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail across the four states of Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The trail would traverse 51 cities and towns creating a compelling content for science education, economic development and inquiry into geologic phenomena. Legislation for a trail was introduced to the Washington House of Representatives by “Doc” Hastings on January 28, 2005 and was introduced into the U.S. Senate on January 31, 2005 by Washington Senator Maria Cantwell. On March 30, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the enabling federal legislation, establishing the Trail linking numerous Floods features via a network of marked touring routes extending across four states. Lobbying for the 12 million dollar price tag continues toward making the Trail a reality.

The membership of the Cheney Palouse Chapter continued to grow and in 2008 the Chapter’s name was changed to Cheney-Spokane Chapter since more than 93% of its members lived in Spokane. Each year since 2004, at least four lectures and one day-long field trip were offered to members and guests led by outstanding speakers. Extensive field guides were written for each field trip and provided to field trip attendees. Three compendium books of five field trip guides each were prepared and are now available for sale.

In March 2020, the national Coronavirus emergency was announced and schools and many businesses closed. Events scheduled by the Chapter were cancelled, and instead, lectures were offered via Zoom that were recorded on a newly created Chapter YouTube Channel: iceagefloods-cheney-spokane. Hundreds of citizens watched these lectures when in-person lectures and field trips were not available. When the pandemic ended two years later, the Chapter began offering lectures at the Spokane Public Library’s The Hive, located on East Sprague Avenue. This is a non-traditional library that offered free public event space. Additional events were scheduled including hikes at Fishtrap Lake, exhibiting at STEM events at Jefferson Elementary School, and the Blue Waters Bluegrass Festival at Waterfront Park near Medical Lake, Washington.

On May 21, 2021, the regional Ice Age Floods Playground opened in Spokane’s Riverfront Park and is located on the north bank of the Spokane River. The playground tells the story of how the Ice Age Floods shaped the region. Its story was transformed into an exciting play environment that also offers rich, multi-dimensional learning opportunities. It provides a completely interactive and fun way for children, families and interested citizens to learn about our region’s unique geologic history. Prior to the opening of the Park, Cheney-Spokane Chapter president Melanie Bell contacted the Park Board with an offer to prepare the narratives for Floods’ interpretative signs in the Park and to ensure that the Floods story was accurately presented. Several board members worked tirelessly on this project including Linda McCollum, Gene Kiver, Melanie Bell and Consuelo Larrabee (deceased).

Since Ruth Jordan resigned in 2005, these individuals served terms as president: Tom Davis, Dave Daugharty, Gary Ford, Melanie Bell Gibbs, and Linda McCollum. Under their leadership, the Cheney-Spokane Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute has thrived and membership continues to grow. During their terms as president of the Cheney-Spokane Chapter, they serve as Ex-Officio Board members of the Ice Age Floods Institute.

Prepared by Melanie Bell Gibbs, June 2024