- . I • Form No 10300 (Rev 10·74) UNITED ~TATES DI:PARTMI:NT O~ THE INTERIOR • FOR NPS USE•ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NA TIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS IINAME HISTORIC Bassett Spring ANDIOR COMMON -- ElLOCATION STREET & NUMBER Granite lake Road NOT FOR PUBLICATION CITY TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Four lakes -X VICINITY OF #5 - Honorable Thomas S. Foley STATE COOE COUNTY CODe Washington 53 Spokane 063 DCLASSIFICA TION CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS PRESENT USE _DISTRICT _PUBLIC _OCCUPIED _ -XAGRICULTURE _MUSEUM _BUllDING(SI .!PRIVATE X.UNOCCUPIEO _COMMERCIAL _PARK _STRUCTURE _BOTH _WORK IN PROGRESS _EOUCATIONAl _PRIVATE RESIDENce ~SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE _ENTERTAINMENT _RELIGIOUS _OBJECT _IN PROCESS _YES RESTRICTED _GOVERNMENT _SCIENTIFIC _BEING CONSIDERED _ YES UNRESTRICTED _INDUSTRIAL _TRANSPORTATION ~NO _MILITARY _OTHER DOWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Mrs. James Owen. Sr. STREET & NUMBER CITY TOWN STATE Four lakes JL VICINITY OF Washington DLOCA TION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC Spokane County Courthouse STREET & NUMBER W. 1116 Broadway CITY TOWN STATE Spokane Washington DREPRESENTA TION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Spokane Metropolitan Area Transportation Study DATE October 1970 _FEDERAL -STATE )LCOUNTY -lOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECOROS Spokane Ci ty Hall '" CITY TOWN STATE ) .... .:.!SP'-'o:..:.k:.::a.:..:n.::.e .:..:W.::.as:..:h:...;i~n~9.::.to:..:n-'---_ Ii'DESCRIPTION CONDITION • CHECK ONE • CHECK ONE _EXCelLENT _DETERIORATED .xUNALTERED ~ORIGINAL SITE _GOOD _RUINS -ALTERED _MOVED DATE _ .xFAIR _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE The Bassett Spring is a very old, natural up-welling of water in a small valley south of Spokane. For centuries the spring has watered animals and man upon the wooded plains of the Latah Formation surrounding the Spokane Falls. Four mineral lakes, Silver, Granite, Willow and Meadow, are about one mile north of the spring; Granite at one time was fed by its stream. Wright's Butte where the Battle of Four Lakes raged lies between three of the lakes and the spring. Lieutenant John Mullan described the site after the battle, "We found ourselves at four beautiful lakes in the Spokane Plain, skirted by open pine forests, which im- mediately suggested a name, and hence the colonel called his battle that of the 'Four Lakes' ... our camp was in good grass v/ith wood and water. The pine here growing, is tall and straight .•• ,,1 The spring flows from a low rounded hillside into a small catch basin; t~e water seeping out forms a small marsh area. Several small streaMS slip down the slope but are absorbed by the thick loamy soil. The main stream is presently carried underground to the farm below. The miniature marsh of tall reeds and slender cottonwood tr~es echoes with the noises of marsh birds and the quiet murmur of the spring. A fence seoarates the spring ~ from the plowed fields at the top of the slope and to the west. A dirt road at • a right angle to the east-west county gravel road, gradually disappears before it reaches the spring. To the west is tl,e gravesite of ··1innierlarie Bassett, Spokane's first white child and her brothers. TI,e grave is in the field but is marked by a stone and concrete wall as well as tile original stone narker (now set in concrete) placed by Wilbur :=iske i3assett.. The Bassett cabin has been moved from this site to the far-n about three-quarters of a mile distant; neither the grave nor the cabin form a part of this nomination. 1 Manring. Conguest of the Cour d'Alenes, p. 165. i-, D SIGNIFICANCE • • PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE·· CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW ~PREHISTORIC -.!ARCHEUlUGY PREHISTORIC _COMMUNITY PLANNING _LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _RELIGION ~1400 1499 -.!ARCHEOLOGY HISTORIC _CONSERVATION _LAW _SCIENCE ~1500 1599 ----AGAICUL TURE _ECONOMICS _LITERATURE _SCULPTURE 11.'600.'699 -ARCHITECTURE _EDUCATION XM1UTARY _SOCIAUHUMANITARIAN 11.1700 '799 -ART _ENGINEERING _MUSIC _THEATER X1800.1899 _COMMERCE KeXPlORATION/SETTlEM ENT _PHILOSOPHY _TRANSPORTATION _1900- _COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _OTHER (SPECIFY) _INVENTION SPECIFIC DATES BUILDER/ARCHITECT STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Bassett Spring, near Four Lakes, Washington, has long played a role in the history of the region. Animals used the site as a watering hole and feeding ground and even today the spring lies in the flight path of migrating water fowl. Indians found it to be a perfect site for camping since it was close to fresh water and good grass for grazing animals. For centuries the Inland Empire Indians used the spring as a camp while on the yearly migration to the camas ground in central and southern Washington. Bassett Spring was first noted by the white man during Colonel Geqrge Wright's punitive campaign against the Inland Empire tribes in 1858. Using it as his base during the Battle of Four Lakes, Colonel Wright and his men camped at the spring for four nights. The area continued to be used as an Indian campsite for many years thereafter. In 1827, Wilbur Fiske Bassett, ~an adventurous pioneer, moved from the village of Spokane Falls to the spring which would bear his name. • The massive defeat of Colonel E. J. Steptoe in May of 1858, by the various Indian tribes of the Inland Empire, caused the Army to send out a punitive expedition under the command of Colonel George Wright. The defeat had occurred near present day Rosalia, and it was expected that the Indians would mass near the Spokane Falls. A two pronged move~ent was planned to split the Indian forces. A small force of some 300 men under Major Garnett deflected Yakima Chief Qualchan, one of the leaders of the uprising, to a site near Wilbur, in June of 1858. In July, 700 men under Colonel Wright left Walla Walla guided by some 60 Nez Perce scouts. The sight of the uniformed Nez Perce particularly enraged the Palouse, Coeur d'Alenes, and Spokane warriors. The two forces finally came into contact in an area of small lakes, that George ~lright called "Four Lakes". The long, hard march from Fort Walla Walla had tired the men and horses. Wright had been anxious to camp after an eight mile march of July 31, but had been forced to travel for ten more miles to reach a site with water. The long march had been particularly tiring after the two deaths of soldiers the evening of the 30th from eating poision roots, and the first sighting of the enemy. A small spring was found close to Granite Lake, the. farthest south of the lakes .. The Four Lakes had such heavy mineral content that the water was undrinkable. Plenty of firewood and tall grass was available aRd Wright intended to remain at the spring for a full day to rest his weary men for battle. "My men and animals require rest; I shall remain here tomorrow; I have a good camp, with an abundance of wood, water and grass."Z But the massing of Indians forced a change in plans. "The Indians, in considerable numbers, have been assembled on a high hill about three miles distant ever since we encamped, about 4 p.m. until now, 7 p.m. when they have §etired. I shall look after them tomorrow, after my men have had a night's rest." ;. \ Form No 10300a (Rev 10 74) • • LJf',ITLD~TAH:.~ DLPARl ~ll:i'lTO~ 1 HI: 11'11 RIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVED NA TIONAL REGISTER OF IDSTORIC PLACES , ' DATE ENTERED" INVENTOR Y -- NOMINA TION FORM CONTI NUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 2 -- The Indians upon the bluff would have had an excellent position to command but Wright's men quickly drove them from the high ground on September 1. It has been suggested that the Indians were shocked to discover that Wright's men had long rifles, unlike the previous expedition under Steptoe. As the Indians retired down to the plain, Lieutenant Lawrence Kip, adjutant of the artillery batallion, described the scene: On the plain below us we saw the enemy. Every spot seemed alive with the wild warriors we had come so far to meet. They were in the pines on the edge of the lakes, in the raV1nes and gullies, on the opposite hillsides, and swarming over the plain. They seemed to cover the country for some two miles. Mounted on their fleet, hardy horses, the crowd swayed back and forth, brandishing their weapons, shouting their war cries, and keeping up a song of defiance. Most of them were armed with Hudson Bay muskets, while others had bows and arrows and long lances;. .. They were in all the bravery of their war array, gaudily painted and decorated with their wild trapp1ngs. Their plumes fluttered above them while below sk1ns and trinkets and all kinds of fan- tast1c embellishments flaunted in the sunshine. Their horses, \ too, were arrayed 1n the most glaring finery. Some were painted, and with colors to form the greatest contrast the white being I smeared w1th crimson 1n fantastic figures, and the dark colored streaked w1th white clay. Beads and fringes of guady colors were hanging from their bridles, while the plumes of eagle feathers, interwoven with the mane and tail, fluttered as the I breeze sweP over them, and completed their wild and fantastic appearance. 4 I The super10r fire power of Wr1ght's men proved pre-eminent as the battle moved to ! the plain. The howitzers and the newly developed minie balls broke up the Indian ! I tact1c of racing forward for a quick shot and retreat. The dragoons forced the . I Indians down the foothills onto the plain and finally into the hills beyond where- I upon the army retired from the field for the day.