Catalog of British Columbiana and Pacific Northwest Americana

"Join intrepid travel writer Bill Arnott as he escapes the confines of life in Vancouver for an epic and quirky road trip around Vancouver Island and to some of the surrounding smaller islands. Hitting all of the high points and chatting with locals along the way, Bill discovers why Vancouver Island has become one of western North America's top tourist destinations. From great food to wonderful wine, stunning natural habitats and memorable encounters with wildlife, Bill paints a charming picture of life on Canada's West Coast."-- Front cover flap

197 pages : color illustrations, color map ; 18 cm

A School for the People tells the story of OSU’s nearly 150 years as a land grant institution through more than 500 photographs, maps, documents, and extensive captions. In-depth chapters focus on themes such as campus development, the growth of academics, the evolution of research as a major focus of the university, campus life and organizations, and, of course, athletics. A capsule history includes many of the iconic photographs associated with the university. As one of the first colleges and universities to offer photography as part of its curriculum in the early 1890s, OSU is well documented visually. Most of those photographic treasures have made their way into the holdings of the Special Collections & Archives Research Center at OSU’s Valley Library. Gleaned from hundreds of thousands of images at the Center, many of the photos included here have never before been seen by the general public. Written by a longtime archivist at OSU’s Special Collections & Archives Research Center, A School for the People tells the full, dynamic story of this multi-faceted and living university, documenting the inevitable ups and downs of the institution. Overflowing with visual riches, it will appeal to OSU alumni, faculty and staff, and anyone with an interest in the history of higher education in Oregon or land grant institutions generally.

xi, 337 pages : illustrations (some color), portraits, facsimiles ; 30 cm

A collection of essays on the San Juan Islands by writer and former writer of San Juan Island articles for the Washington State Ferries publication Enetai.

viii, 85 pages : illustrations, map ; 24 cm

A Role for Private Citizens in Historic Preservation by Ann Swanson is a 1985 civic guide and technical publication issued by the Idaho State Historical Society that outlines the critical importance of grassroots involvement in heritage conservation. The work provides a practical framework for local individuals, community organizations, and volunteers to actively identify, protect, and advocate for historic sites and architecture within their communities. By demystifying preservation policies and emphasizing collaborative efforts between private citizens and state agencies, Swanson empowers residents to take ownership of their local history rather than relying solely on government intervention. Ultimately, it serves as an invaluable, instructional resource that highlights the indispensable role of local advocacy and community stewardship in safeguarding the unique architectural and cultural legacy of Idaho and the broader Pacific Northwest.

13 pages ; 22 cm

A River Without Banks chronicles one family’s journey to Idaho, with all of its uncertainties, promises, and hopes. The book explores their encounters with a place still partly wild, whose communities and landscapes teach them how to respect the earth and each other. William Johnson’s essays move from a family vacation spent observing moose, to a comparison of the creation myths from Genesis and the Nez Perce, to watching a raptor seeking prey. Johnson meditates on how places, animals, and people teach us “how to see, and how we do, and don’t, belong.” In prose that reveals a poet’s eye, Johnson examines how family relationships affect how we see the natural world. He explores the power of words to divide and to heal. He illuminates the challenges of sustaining a vital relationship with a home place. A River Without Banks will appeal to readers interested in the literature of place, ecology, natural history, indigenous culture, and conservation.

160 pages ; 22 cm

This is a book about how well-intentioned Americans dammed up the Columbia, "Great River of the West," fulfilling dreams of cheap electricity and gardens flourishing in the desert. It is also a narrative of exploitation: of Native Americans, of endangered salmon, of nuclear waste, and of a river - once wild - tamed to puddled remains. Harden's story is a journey of rediscovery. His home town, Moses Lake, Washington, once bone dry, could not have existed without gargantuan irrigation schemes. His father, a Depression migrant trained as a welder, helped build dams - including Grand Coulee - and later worked at the secret Hanford plutonium plant. Now he and his neighbors, who had thought of themselves as patriots, stood accused of killing the river. As Blaine Harden traveled the thousand miles of the Columbia - by barge, by car, and sometimes on foot - his own past seemed both foreign and familiar. He met rugged individualists (albeit with government subsidies), fervent environmentalists, and Native Americans reduced to consuming canned salmon. He also encountered a newly ascendant political force whose more subtle agenda was to preserve and conserve for its own pleasure and recreation

286 pages : maps ; 21 cm

A River Captured explores the controversial history of the Columbia River Treaty and its impact on the ecosystems, Indigenous peoples, contemporary culture, cross-border politics and recent history of the Pacific Northwest. The Columbia River Basin is a vast region in North America, primarily located in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and parts of Canada. It covers portions of seven U.S. states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah, as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia. The basin is defined by the watershed of the Columbia River and its tributaries, making it one of the largest river basins in North America. Long lauded as a model of international co-operation, the Columbia River Treaty governs the storage and management of the waters of the upper Columbia River basin, a region rich in water resources and with a natural geography well suited to hydroelectric megaprojects. The Treaty also displaced more than 2,000 residents of over a dozen communities, flooded and destroyed archaeological sites, and upended once-healthy fisheries. Paying special attention to First Nations history, ecology, economics, politics, and Canada–US relations, this investigative work weaves from the present day to the past and back again in an engaging and unflinching examination of how and why Canada decided to sell water storage rights to American interests. With one of the Treaty’s provisions set to change in 2024 and termination of the treaty requiring a 10-year notice period, this updated edition of A River Captured looks at the destructive mistakes of our collective past in order to save us from an even more difficult future

341 pages : illustrations, maps ; 20 cm

The voices of workers, from logging camps to the Microsoft campus. This fascinating collection of writings taps a rich vein of Northwest literature. From pioneer journals to union tracts and cyberpunk fiction, the selections gathered here reveal the lives of the Northwest's working people and insights into the nature of work in the region. With its strong and varied mix of fiction, poems, manifestos, songs, memoirs, and oral histories, A Richer Harvest creates a powerful, sometimes gritty portrait of work life. Selections depict the natural beauty of the land, the rough and perilous employments, the often bloody tradition of labor radicalism, and the reverence for honest, hard work. The writings detail workers' triumphs and frustrations on farms, in forests, on waterways, and in offices, stores, and factories. Many are the observations of laborers themselves; others are the product of writers who gave voice to the concerns of the working class. The selections are arranged according to three broad themes that trace the evolution of the Northwest's laboring classes. Headnotes introduce each selection, providing historical and literary context. Contributors include Sherman Alexie, Kim Barnes, Ernest Callenbach, Douglas Coupland, H. L. Davis, Tess Gallagher, Woody Guthrie, Hazel Hall, Joe Hill, Ken Kesey, Ursula K. Le Guin, Craig Lesley, Clyde Rice, and Gary Snyder.

xi, 276 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.

Frank Robertson's hard-edged autobiography about pioneering life in northern and southern Idaho in the 1890s appears in this reprint edition with an introduction by historian Charles S. Peterson, Professor Emeritus at Utah State University and Professor of History at Southern Utah University. Enmeshed in poverty, unremitting toil, and personal conflict, the Robertson family lived first in the wilderness near Moscow, Idaho, then subsequently converted to Mormonism and moved to Chesterfield, Idaho. The family continued to face financial hardships until 1922 when Frank Robertson sold his first short story. From then until his death in 1969, this prolific and popular western writer produced countless short stories and at least 150 books. Robertson's life story is a kind of regional history in itself, and his writing is firmly rooted in those experiences. He worked diligently at his writing, found what would sell, and won great popularity with American and European audiences. With a vigorous resurgence in western regionalism underway, republication of A Ram in the Thicket makes this man's remarkable autobiography available once again to interested readers.The Story of a Roaming Homesteader Family on the Mormon Frontier

311 pages illustrations 22 cm

Published through collaborative efforts by the Yarrow Point History Project Committee, King County Office of Cultural Resources, and historians like Suzanne Knauss and Charles Pierce LeWarne, A Point in Time: A History of Yarrow Point, Washington chronicles the transformation of a quiet Lake Washington peninsula from a rugged wilderness into an exclusive residential enclave. The book traces the area's evolution from its early logging days and seasonal strawberry farms into a suburban sanctuary shaped by ferry access and the eventual construction of the floating bridges. Through local archives, oral histories, and photographs, the text details how residents deliberately cultivated a private, close-knit community while remaining tethered to the economic engine of nearby Seattle. A keen insight drawn from the work is how geographical isolation on a peninsula can be aggressively repurposed as a tool for modern exclusivity; by leveraging its distinct peninsular geography and limiting major thoroughfares, Yarrow Point successfully transformed a natural barrier into a socioeconomic filter that insulated its inhabitants from rapid urban sprawl.

174 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm

"This small attractive full-colour book, will gather thirteen forgotten and accomplished artists from the acclaimed Unheralded Artists of BC series, in one place, for the first time. There will be a short bio and a selection of art from each one. These artists were painters, sculptors, watercolourists, draftsmen, portraiture artists, abstractionists, surrealists, visionaries, art teachers, travellers, adventurists, printmakers, immigrants and most importantly passionate British Columbia artists. In British Columbia between 1900 and the 1960s over 16,000 artists worked and lived. It was the height of an immense creative surge in the province. Beyond the handful of names of successful artists there is little documented evidence of others. Art was made invisible by socioeconomic or political forces and by a lack of public/private galleries."-- Provided by publisher

187 pages : chiefly colour illustrations ; 18 cm.

"The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest is a slice of classic Oregon: due east of Eugene in the Cascade Mountains, the Andrews Forest comprises almost 16,000 acres of the Lookout Creek watershed. The landscape is steep, with hills and deep valleys and cold, fast-running streams. The densely forested landscape includes cedar, hemlock, and moss-draped ancient Douglas fir trees. One of eighty-one USDA experimental forests, the Andrews is administered cooperatively by the US Forest Service, Oregon State University, and the Willamette National Forest. While many Oregonians may think of the Andrews simply as a good place for a hike, research conducted there has profoundly reshaped Forest Service management policies and contributed to our understanding of healthy forests"-- Provided by publisher

xi, 233 pages ; illustrations, map, portraits ; 23 cm

309 pages ; 21 cm

A Pioneer Scrapbook of the Columbia River North-Shore Communities: Wahkiakum and Pacific Counties, Washington, 1900-1985 by Carlton E. Appelo is a richly detailed local history compilation that captures the everyday life and grassroots heritage of the lower Columbia River basin. Structured as an expansive historical scrapbook, the volume gathers a wealth of archival photographs, family anecdotes, newspaper clippings, and regional lore to chronicle the development of the area's vital logging, fishing, and agricultural communities over an 85-year span. Ultimately, it serves as an invaluable, community-driven resource for genealogists and regional historians seeking a highly personal and visual record of the resilient pioneer families who shaped the rural coastal landscapes of southwestern Washington.

132 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

In 1860, at the age of fourteen, Susan Louisa Moir left England for British Columbia. After settling initially at Hope, she lived briefly in both Victoria and New Westminster, then B.C.’s two most important settlements. Returning to Hope, she helped her mother open the community’s first school, and in 1868 she married John Fall Allison, riding on her honeymoon over the Allison Trail into the unsettled Similkameen Valley. Her record of the voyage, of Victoria, New Westminster, and Hope as they were in the 1860s, and her memories of the isolated but fulfilling life she, her husband, and their fourteen children led in the Similkameen and Okanagan Valleys provide a unique view of the pioneer mind and spirit. There were exciting moments – a horseback journey to Hope through a forest fire that made the Skagit River boil, her husband’s boat nearly crushed by a gigantic ice floe on Lake Okanagan – but setting the tone of the whole account is an abiding natural curiosity and respect for both of her closest neighbours – the Similkameen and Okanagan Indians and the wilderness itself. It is these qualities, expressed in forceful, uncomplicated prose, that make Susan Allison’s Recollections a major addition to Canadian pioneer literature.

li, 210 pages, 6 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

Ralph Ernest Downie’s A pictorial history of the state of Washington explores the visual record of early pioneer settlement and the enduring collaborative development of the commonwealth’s remarkably diverse landscapes. The narrative illustrates how the profound environmental realities of this expansive topography—spanning the intricate maritime channels of the Puget Sound, the dense, towering timber of the coastal mountains, and the fertile, sun-drenched plains of the eastern interior—required immense resilience and shared daily adaptation from early communities. By detailing the steady transition from isolated frontier encampments and nascent logging operations to the thoughtful integration of robust rail networks, ferry routes, and thriving urban centers, the text highlights how the state's prosperity relied on the community-driven stewardship of its rich natural resources. Ultimately, the photographic account demonstrates that cooperatively bridging the immense geographic divides of the Pacific Northwest and patiently documenting these shared civic milestones were essential steps in cultivating a cohesive, deeply rooted cultural identity across the state.

157, ii pages including color frontispiece, illustrations plates, portraits, folded map 26 cm

"In 1842, when explorer James Douglas encountered the rugged natural paradise that would become Vancouver Island, he described it as "a perfect Eden." This book gathers the early recorded histories and personal accounts left by Chinese seafarers, Spanish and British naval officers, traders seeking sea otter pelts, colonial surveyors, as well as soldiers, settlers, and other adventurers, starting from many centuries ago up to 1858. Collected here in detail for the first time, these accounts create a multilayered tale of discovery and exploration."-- Provided by publisher

xv, 240 pages : illustrations (some colour), maps (some colour), portraits (some colour) ; 25 x 27 cm

A Peculiar Paradise: A History of Blacks in Oregon, 1788–1940, remains the most comprehensive chronology of Black life in Oregon more than forty years after its original publication in 1980. Elizabeth McLagan’s work reveals how in spite of those barriers, Black individuals and families made Oregon their home and helped create the state’s modern Black communities. A longtime resource for those seeking information on the legal and social barriers faced by people of African descent in Oregon, the book is available again through this co-publication with Oregon Black Pioneers, Oregon’s statewide African American historical society. The revised second edition includes additional details for students and scholars, an expanded reading list, a new selection of historic images, and a new foreword by Gwen Carr and afterword by Elizabeth McLagan. Oregon Black Pioneers is Oregon’s only historical society dedicated to preserving and presenting the experiences of African Americans statewide. Since 1993, Oregon Black Pioneers has illuminated the seldom-told history of people of African descent in Oregon through exhibitions, public programs, publications, and historical research. Learn more at oregonblackpioneers.org.

xiv, 193 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 23 cm

Handsomely done collection of black and white (and a very few color) photos showcasing the railways and streetcars of the Pacific Northwest. Includes vintage photos by James Turner as well as modern ones showing the end of steam and first generation of diesels, such as Northern Pacific Baldwins, Milwaukee Road Alcos, Great Northern F-units and Geeps from all the major roads. Includes rare construction photos showing the Milwaukee Road being built across the Snoqualmie Pass as well as Milwaukee Road steam, diesel and electric locomotives. There are logging railroads and shorelines and even glimpses of streetcars in Portland and Seattle. The Pacific Coast Railway, one of Mr. Wing's favorites, is covered in an expanded section highlighting its wooden trestles, small locomotives, waterfront facilities, and truss-rod rolling stock. 192 pages with index.

190 pages : chiefly illustrations ; 29 cm

160 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 28 cm

From Northern California to British Columbia, coastal dunes and beaches provide a unique habitat for plants, animals, and insects. With A Naturalist’s Guide to the Hidden World of Pacific Northwest Dunes, hikers and beach walkers on the Pacific Coast will discover a teeming metropolis of life in what may seem a barren landscape to the inattentive eye. Contrary to casual observation, intricate patterns of life occur in coastal dunes and along the strand. Plants, insects, and parasites abound. George Poinar’s in-depth knowledge of this hidden world is unsurpassed, and his enthusiasm for it is infectious. He has been investigating and photographing specimens along the Pacific Coast for more than four decades, and presents this trove of knowledge to the reader in a clear, engaging style. Poinar exposes the small, almost blind weevils that live under driftwood and slowly degrade the wood, the omnipresent beach hoppers that leap up at every step and flee from vicious rove beetles, dune ants that search out aphids for honeydew but are attacked themselves by dive-bomber wasps. He shows why he considers Beach pea, Seashore lupine, and Coast willow keystone species because they provide food and shelter for so many different life forms. With a focus on the associations between dune plants and other life forms, the book includes over 600 full-color photographs from the author’s extensive collection. While it is accessible enough to serve as a field guide for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, comprehensive data for biologists studying dune ecology are also included. A Naturalist’s Guide to the Hidden world of Pacific Northwest Dunes belongs on every beach house bookshelf from California to Canada. Naturalists, scientists, and anyone who walks along the coast will welcome this lavishly-illustrated reference.

286 pages : color illustrations ; 23 cm

Published as a bitter retrospective by early American expansionist Hall J. Kelley, this narrative details his obsessive, decades-long crusade to promote the American colonization of the Oregon Country during the 1820s and 1830s. The text chronicles his arduous journey to the Pacific Northwest, his near-fatal experiences in California, and his intense clashes with the British Hudson's Bay Company, whom he accused of actively thwarting his utopian settlement plans. Throughout the volume, Kelley airs his profound grievances against both the British monopoly and the United States government, demanding recognition and financial compensation for his role in sparking the mass migration that eventually secured the territory. A keen insight drawn from the text regarding Oregon is how Kelley's fanaticism highlights the paradoxical nature of early frontier boosterism; while his relentless printed propaganda successfully catalyzed the "Oregon Fever" that ultimately flooded the Willamette Valley with American pioneers, his own lack of pragmatic leadership and profound paranoia rendered him a tragic, marginalized figure in the very colonization movement he helped create.

92 pages

On April 1, 1908, Lola G. Baldwin, aged forty-eight, was sworn in "to perform Police Service" for the city of Portland, Oregon. She was the first woman hired by an American municipality to carry out regular enforcement duties. In telling Lola Baldwin's story, Gloria Myers examines the social and cultural impulses that gave rise to the policewoman idea. The Progressive Era redefined the role of women in society; Baldwin's career benefited from the Progressive belief that women could ameliorate urban evil as they had earlier civilized the household. The need for the urban policewoman arose out of concern for the moral and physical welfare of families, single working women, and children living in the cities. Supported by socially active women's organizations and informed by the ideals of "social hygiene," the first policewoman led a crusade against urban vice, deviance, and corruption in the Rose City. Preventive policing strategies developed by "municipal mothers" like Baldwin aid and influence policing policies to this day

viii, 232 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

As part of workshops held on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation, fifty-four poets—most from the Muckleshoot Tribal School—created the works in this collection. Their pieces are about searching and belonging. Loss and finding. All share a common theme—a reaching back and a reaching forward—sometimes in the same poem. They highlight Muckleshoot history and culture, but also spotlight individual histories, lessons, and beliefs.

xvii, 91 pages : color illustrations, color map ; 23 cm