From rich natural resources to free land to hard work and imaginative solutions. This is the story of one small county and what it took to make it strong. Stories of the hopeful, adventurous, opportunistic, and salt of the earth people that have made Jefferson County, Washington what it is today. By following footsteps from the past, starting with the tribes that inhabited this area for thousands of years, to Capt. George Vancouver's exploration in 1792, and on to the early European and east coast settlers, we are able to find the conditions under which decisions were made and actions taken. By unfolding the lives of the people that made it happen, it is possible to see more clearly how the richness of today's community was been handed down from those who came before us.