Entry No. 21 — the Spokane file — filed under: roadside-oddity
The Childhood Express (Giant Red Wagon)
A 27-foot-long, 26-ton steel-and-concrete replica of a classic Radio Flyer wagon sits in Riverfront Park, with a slide running down its raised handle. Local artist Ken Spiering built it over a year of 17-hour days for Washington's 1989 centennial Celebration of Children. The deck is engineered to hold up to 300 people, so adults can clamber aboard alongside kids. USA Today has voted it the top roadside attraction in Washington.
The story
In 1989, Spokane artist Ken Spiering spent an entire year grinding through 17-hour days to fabricate a 26-ton monster out of steel and concrete. Commissioned by the Junior League of Spokane for Washington's centennial Celebration of Children, the resulting sculpture—officially titled The Childhood Express—stretches 27 feet long and sits anchored in Riverfront Park. It looks like someone dropped a classic Radio Flyer wagon from orbit into the grass along Spokane Falls Boulevard.
Spiering wasn't interested in making a look-but-don't-touch monument. He specifically engineered the wagon's flat deck to support up to 300 people simultaneously, inviting full-grown adults to scramble aboard without breaking a thing. The handle extends upward and angles back into a long metal slide, proving that public art is best served when you can physically hurl yourself down it.
What it's like
You'll find kids and nostalgic adults scaling the structure to crowd the wagon deck before sliding down the handle. The vibe is an unpretentious playground free-for-all, but keep an eye on the sun: that bare steel slide bakes under the Eastern Washington heat, turning into a legitimate frying pan by mid-afternoon in July. Hit it early in the morning or during cooler months if you prefer your skin intact, then take the paved riverfront loop toward the falls.
The move: Race each other down the giant wagon-handle slide, then walk the riverfront loop to the falls together.
📍 Before you go Free and outdoors in Riverfront Park; the slide is metal and gets hot in summer sun. Paid parking nearby.
- 📍 Spokane (Riverfront Park)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 507 N Howard St, Spokane, WA 99201 (Riverfront Park)
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Garbage Goat — Walk a couple minutes across Riverfront Park to feed your trash directly into the throat of Spokane's mechanical, vacuum-powered steel goat.
- Boo Radley's — After sliding off a giant retro toy, walk one block south into downtown to browse pop-culture novelties, gag gifts, and bizarre trinkets.
- Rotary Riverfront Fountain — Stay inside the park to cool off at another massive piece of interactive public art where you can run straight through the spray.
Good to know
How much does it cost to visit and slide down?
It's entirely free. The wagon sits in an open outdoor section of Riverfront Park and is accessible year-round.
Can adults actually go up on the wagon?
Yes. The concrete and steel deck was engineered specifically to hold up to 300 people at once, so adults can clamber up freely.
Where do I park?
Paid public parking lots and street meters are located directly adjacent to Riverfront Park along Spokane Falls Boulevard and Howard Street.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: spokanehistorical.org · spokesman.com · Atlas Obscura · my.spokanecity.org
last checked: 2026-06-24