The eastern Washington city of Spokane, originally called Spokane Falls, has dramatic waterfalls running through its central business district. The city grew up around these falls, which forced a portage or a conversion to land travel, when the town started as a fur-trading center on the Spokane River in the early 19th century. Dams were constructed in the lower falls in 1890 to divert water to industry, and an early hydro-electric plant was built soon afterwards, which is one of two still in service at the falls. In 1974 the blighted industrial land around the falls was transformed into a fairground, and Spokane became the smallest city to host a World’s Fair. A gondola ride over the lower falls, left from the fair, remains in operation.