About the Rockwood Neighborhood Council
The Rockwood Neighborhood Council is dedicated to supporting a connected, vibrant, and livable neighborhood on Spokane’s South Hill. We bring residents, businesses, and community partners together to share information, identify priorities, and advocate for the needs of our neighborhood.
Our neighborhood is known for its strong sense of community, walkable streets, and access to parks, schools, and local services. Residents value the neighborhood’s balance of convenience and natural beauty- where you can walk to a coffee shop, bike along tree-lined boulevards, or explore scenic views along High Drive.
Our role as a Neighborhood Council is to:
- Serve as a voice for the community
- Provide input on city plans, policies, and projects
- Connect neighbors with city resources and opportunities
- Support community-building events and initiatives
A Neighborhood with Deep Roots
In 1913, the city of Spokane entered in to a contract with the Olmsted brothers, John and Frederick Jr., to work out a master plan for Spokane. The brothers were carrying on the work of their father, Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park in New York City. In a report to the Board of Park Commissioners of Spokane, the Olmsted brothers recommended including a winding drive through the neighborhood with planting of deciduous trees, particularly on the borders.
What followed was a design for the Rockwood area that embodied Frederick Law Olmsted’s theories of landscape architecture which preferred the works of God to the works of man. Olmsted thought and wrote profoundly about the ethical and moral responsibilities of human beings to the planet, and about the power of nature to restore the weary and improve the moral sensitivities of all who submit to its beauty and force.
We can see in the Rockwood Neighborhood, Olmsted’s desire to link a city together in a way that people could travel about and always be on or near parkways and boulevards; areas of promenades with curving walks and illusions of incredible vistas; placing viewers in the landscape with much emphasis on the details of the view. Frederick Olmsted believed an artistically designed landscape would provide a refreshing antidote to the city’s competitive pressures, and would also exercise a distinctly harmonizing and refining influence favorable to its residents.
In 1996, Rockwood Boulevard was designated a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. Listing in the National Register is primarily a tool to encourage preservation, recognition, and rehabilitation of our national landmarks. Benefits of listing in the National Registry include: renovation grants, tax credits for renovation of commercial properties, and higher re-sale value because of these benefits.
Life in Rockwood Today
Rockwood remains a place where community and quality of life come first. Neighbors gather, attend events, and stay active through walking, biking, and outdoor recreation. The neighborhood offers easy access to schools, libraries, shopping, and downtown Spokane, while maintaining a welcoming, residential feel.
Residents often describe the Rockwood Neighborhood as:
- Friendly and family-oriented
- Safe and well-maintained
The Rockwood Neighborhood Council is open to everyone who lives, works, or cares about the neighborhood. Whether you want to stay informed, share input, or help shape the future, we invite you to join us at an upcoming meeting or event.
Rockwood-Neighborhood-Profile in PDF format with photos and captions
Rockwood Neighborhood Council meets the 1st Tuesday of the month from 6:30-7:30pm inside Hutton Elementary School at 908 E 24th Ave.