The upstairs rooms of the Pomeroy building were originally numbered 409, but now 411 1st Street.

When the building was completed in 1891, the first tenants on the second floor were Dr. Pomeroy and dentist, Dr. J.B. Wells.


After a fire destroyed the original Normal school August 27, 1891, Pomeroy and Wells moved quarters to allow classes to be held in the upstairs rooms when school opened in September. Students continued to use the space for the next two years.
The original training school was organized here in January 1892 to give the Normal’s student teachers real classroom experiences.
Normal classes moved to the new Cheney Public School building in September 1893, located where the former Cheney High School, now Schoolhouse Lofts, is today.

In 1904, the Interurban Hotel opened as Normal school faculty lodging, run by Mrs. Cora Mitchell who also had a faculty boarding house on 4th Street across from Schoolhouse Lofts. Their dining room was downstairs, students also could rent lodging at the Interurban.

A newspaper article on January 21, 1915, announced,
“Mrs. Majors of Spokane has taken a lease of the upper floor of the Pomeroy building and intends opening a new hotel in this city. She intends to renovate the rooms, of which there are 10, and will install an entire outfit of new furniture.”
By 1920, Dr. Pomeroy, again had his office on the second floor along with new physician, Dr. Mell West. In a 1927 advertisement, attorney, J.S. McDonald listed his office as above Cheney Drug Company.

When the Moose lodge purchased the building in 1929, they converted the upstairs rooms to suit their organization’s needs for a hall. The lodge hall was used by several other organizations as well.


On August 22, 1940, Bob Watson opened a 4-alley duck-pin bowling alley upstairs in the Moose Hall.
The upstairs rooms were later converted into small apartments. Part of the upstairs space continues that use today.
Joan Mamanakis
