A well-worn path crossed the Balboa/South Indian Trail neighborhood, used for Native Americans traveling from the southwest to Mt. Spokane, and later by settlers traveling from Spokane Falls to the pioneer Colville road and toward the Columbia River. A Scotch-Irishman named Robert McKinley, who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and grew up in Philadelphia, acquired 640 acres of land in 1883, at a spot along the road where travelers would stop because of a spring offering the only drinking water between the Little Spokane and the big river. McKinley referred to this as the Indian Springs camp. The natives named him E-lo-uke, or “man with big tree house,” for the log house he built below the spring and in which he and his wife, Helen lived. The McKinleys later lived to the west, near the river, and eventually moved to a home in the city. Most of the neighborhood is built on the original McKinley homestead, including both of its elementary schools. The neighborhood was annexed between 1956 and 1966.
The Balboa/South Indian Trail neighborhood is well established and provides for a safe and clean community. Residents enjoy the low cost of living and proximity to neighborhood serving retail including a locally owned grocery store on Francis Avenue. This is a family oriented neighborhood where many residents enjoy outdoor activities like walking, biking, and running. Neighbors are proud to call Balboa/South Indian Trail home, as evidenced by the well maintained houses and yards.
