Hillyard is a neighborhood in Spokane, Washington which existed as a separate town between 1892 and 1924. The town came about due to the Great Northern Railway and was named for James J. Hill, then-head of the railroad. Between 1904 and 1912, many of the town's houses were built to house railroad workers working in the local yard. Hillyard was the ho…Hillyard is a neighborhood in Spokane, Washington which existed as a separate town between 1892 and 1924. The town came about due to the Great Northern Railway and was named for James J. Hill, then-head of the railroad. Between 1904 and 1912, many of the town's houses were built to house railroad workers working in the local yard. Hillyard was the home of the Great Northern's famed shops where locomotives were manufactured, repaired, and refurbished. At the time, the Hillyard shop was the largest in the nation.