The Cowley School is a finely crafted vernacular example of a small schoolhouse with Collegiate Gothic-style elements identified in a stepped parapet, brick exterior wall cladding, and a Tudor-Gothic entry arch with sculpted tracery embellishment. The school building is the only public school ever constructed in Peaceful Valley and is one of few historic public schools remaining in Spokane. The building was named for Reverend Henry T. Cowley, one of Spokane’s most accomplished leaders and one of the first pioneers to arrive in 1874 when settlement of the town was just beginning. Cowley’s business and civic contributions span a wide range from missionary work with the region’s Spokane Indian tribes to Presbyterian church organization and leadership, real estate development, and the establishment of the Spokane Daily Chronicle.

The Cowley School is a contributing property in the Peaceful Valley Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places 4/19/1984.

Management Agreement