Remembering the 'Nat'

Spokane’s Natatorium Park will be featured during this week’s Inland Northwest Milestones program, sponsored by the North Idaho Museum and Coeur d’Alene Public Library.

The free program will be held March 23 at 7 p.m. at the library, 702 Front Ave., in the Community Room.

Local historian Robert Singletary will talk about the famous “Nat,” in operation from the early 1890s to 1968.

Located at the end of Boone Avenue on the Spokane River, the “Nat” offered all kinds of entertainment, from a roller coaster to live entertainment by nationally known performers including the famous Sousa Band and Bing Crosby.

Nat Park featured a landscaped garden and picnic area, along with a lily pond and an elaborate outdoor fountain. New amusement rides were added over the years. People in the region still remember rides such as the Jack Rabbit and the Octopus.

Singletary will trace the history of the park back to the days when it was owned by the Washington Water Power Company and was reached by trolley from downtown Spokane. He will also present images of the park during its heyday in the 1920s. There will be an opportunity for audience members to share their memories of “Nat” Park.