You can’t miss the Spokane County Courthouse (W. Broadway at Jefferson St.). Built in 1895 and modeled after a pair of French chateaux, the castlelike courthouse seems rather out of place in busy Spokane. Amazingly, this ornate masterpiece was designed by W. A. Ritchie, a 29-year-old man with no previous design experience; his architectural training came from a correspondence course.

Visit the magnificent sandstone St. John’s Cathedral (1125 S. Grand Blvd., 509/838-4277, www.stjohns-cathedral.org, free) to see an impressive example of gothic architecture, complete with stained-glass windows and stone carvings. Forty-nine-bell carillon concerts are held here Thursday at noon. Take a guided tour on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday noon–3 p.m.

Browne’s Addition, on the city’s west side along W. Pacific and W. 1st, boasts some of the city’s finest homes from the 1890s. Nearby you’ll find the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Campbell House, and the Glover Mansion (321 W. 8th Ave., 509/459-0000), built in 1888 for the “Father of Spokane.” The last of these is now on the National Register of Historic Places and serves dinners nightly.