[4] A staircase connects Peaceful Valley with downtown, specifically the also-NRHP-listed Riverside Avenue Historic District, at Cedar Street.

Originally a hard-scrabble neighborhood known as Poverty Flat, separated from the wealthy Browne's Addition and bustling central business district by the steep bluffs.

Early maps of the city, such as one from 1884, depict no structures in the area, though it would become home to squatters and people living in simple shacks.

[8] An 1891 story in the Spokane Falls Review announced plans to clear squatters from the area:[2] The district immediately below the falls upon the south side of the river which has for some time been inhabited by families of very humble circumstances, is being rapidly cleared of its former denizens and their domiciles and restored to its primieval character.

Lots began to sell, but in order to accelerate development, Clough renamed the area Peaceful Valley to distance itself from the previous Poverty Flat moniker.

Many of the earliest residents of Peaceful Valley were immigrants from northern European countries drawn to Spokane for work as laborers.

The city was undergoing a population boom and needed to rebuild from the Great Spokane Fire that destroyed the downtown area.

Other styles in the district were "row cabins" consisting of one-room dwellings connected to form a long building, meant for seasonal workers.

Other commercial businesses included grocers, butcheries, barbers, saloons and laundries, as the steep surrounding terrain isolated the neighborhood and necessitated having those services in the area.

Connectivity with downtown improved in 1911 when Main Avenue was given a more moderate grade after construction of the Monroe Street Bridge.

[2] Starting in 1912 when the city purchased the land, and continuing until 1925, Glover Field, now known as Redband Park, was home to a stadium that hosted sporting events, fairs and festivals.

Some homes were converted into apartments, and an increasing population of widows began bringing in renters to help make ends meet.

[2] Initially after the construction, the empty land below the bridge was left vacant and became an eyesore for the neighborhood where plants would not grow and trash accumulated.