When driving in Spokane, perhaps you’ve driven north or south on Bruce Road which turns into Argonne Road at the south end towards the Spokane Valley, and never realized you’re passing a very historic tree.

The Treaty Tree is a historic Ponderosa Pine located on a grassy knoll on Peone Prairie, near Doak and Argonne Roads. It gets its name from Chief Baptiste Peone, who placed a white flag of truce on it to honor peace agreements between the Spokane Tribe and the U.S. government. 

During the Indian Wars of the 1850s, Upper Spokane Chief Baptiste Peone kept his band mostly peaceful. He placed a flag of truce in this tree to signify his camp’s neutrality. 

The tree is easily identified by its distinctive trunk that leans heavily to the south. In the early 1900s, specific clauses were added to local land deeds to ensure that the tree would never be harmed by humans. 

The tree sits on private property; do be respectful if you visit, but it can be viewed from Doak Road.

To learn more about this historic tree, click to www.SpokaneHistorical, story by Allie Honican titled Treaty Tree. 

* The photos are mine.