Catalog of British Columbiana and Pacific Northwest Americana

For over a century, water has connected the communities on Puget Sound, starting with days of the iron-hulled steamers of the Black Ball Line and continuing to the vessels of Washington State Ferries. Puget Sound continues to be a vital link between cities, well into the era of smart phones and self-driving cars. From the recycled ferries of San Francisco Bay to the elegant pocket liners of the Canadian Pacific Railway, transporting people from one isolated community to another has grown to carrying 25 million commuters and tourists every year. Modern ferry travel on Puget Sound begins with the converted passenger steamers at the early part of the twentieth century. Built in the days before cars became the main mode of travel, these small steamers morphed into the blueprint of today's largest double-ended ferries in the United States. Ferry travel today is as scenic as in the days of Model Ts and steamships. Puget Sound remains a nautical highway as much now as it was in the era of high button shoes and derby hats.

143 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), facsimiles ; 24 cm

In her new book, “Just Add Water: From Barren Jawbone Flat to Bountiful Clarkston, Washington, 1890-1940,” area historian Carole Simon-Smolinski aims to shed new light on the creation story of Clarkston, Washington.

xii, 237 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

"An exploration of the fascinating history of more than thirty historic hotels--with some still in operation--nestled along Vancouver Island's E&N Railway, spanning from Esquimalt to Campbell River. In 1886, Vancouver Island's E&N rail service was established to carry coal to smelters and ships, and the towns in the railway's path prospered as the tracks expanded and passenger travel flourished. Along the E&N celebrates the historic and still-surviving hotels and roadhouses that sprung up near the E&N. Within this carefully researched historical narrative, you'll find stories of the Halfway House in the Esquimalt District, the murder and suicide at the Mt Sicker Hotel, and the iconic Quinsam Hotel in Campbell River, burned down in 2017. This book chronicles the history of more than thirty hotels--many long gone, destroyed by fire, or simply demolished, like the Lorne Hotel in Comox, and others that have been remodelled into modern-day neighbourhood pubs--such as the Rod & Gun in Parksville and the Waverley Hotel in Cumberland. Peppered with the fascinating stories of patrons and proprietors alike, Along the E&N resonates with the haunting echoes of the train's iconic whistle."-- Provided by publisher

263 pages : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 22 cm

"From time immemorial, people have walked on the land of the present-day Thurston County, Washington. Its waters provided sustenance and a way of life for Native inhabitants, and maritime explorers sought out its shores. Rich prairies attracted hearty pioneers who developed productive farms; its woods supplied a growing nation with timber products. At the center of the Thurston County story is the spirit of its Native heritage, enduring communities, and the capital of Washington State. Local authors have pooled their expertise to bring to life the history of this lovely capital county on Puget Sound"--Back cover

290 pages : illustrations (some color), maps (some color) ; 29 cm

This is the story of the signs, the skunk, the crop dusting, the tragedy and the triumph of a man who was the essence of Idaho.

123 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

"Long before the days of jet planes, Nick Mamer and co-pilot Art Walker set an awe-inspiring record. They flew from Spokane, Washington to San Francisco, to New York, and from New York back to Spokane- without landing. This is the true story of the 1929 flight- during which their airplane was again and again refueled in the air with ropes and hose- by other daring airmen flying wood-and-fabric airplanes. For five long days, these two aviators in their single-engine biplane battled nearly-empty gas tanks, hazardous mountain ranges, electrical storms, thirst, hunger, and fatigue to set the nonstop, transcontinental round trip record."--Back cover

vi, 279 pages : black and white illustrations ; 23 cm

"Every once in a while, an important historical figure makes an appearance, makes a difference, and then disappears from the public record. James Teit (1864-1922) was such a figure. A prolific ethnographer and tireless Indian rights activist, Teit spent four decades helping British Columbia's Indigenous peoples in their challenge of the settler-colonial assault on their lives and territories. Yet his story is little known. At the Bridge chronicles Teit's fascinating story. From his base at Spences Bridge, British Columbia, Teit practised a participant- and place-based anthropology - an anthropology of belonging - that covered much of BC and northern Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Whereas his contemporaries, including famed anthropologist Franz Boas, studied Indigenous peoples as the last survivors of "dying cultures" in need of preservation in metropolitan museums, Teit worked with them as members of living cultures actively asserting jurisdiction over their lives and lands. Whether recording stories and songs, mapping place-names, or participating in the chiefs' fight for fair treatment, he made their objectives his own. With his allies, he produced copious, meticulous records; an army of anthropologists could not have achieved a fraction of what Teit achieved in his short life. Wendy Wickwire's beautifully crafted narrative accords Teit the status he deserves. At the Bridge serves as a long-overdue corrective, consolidating Teit's place as a leading and innovative anthropologist in his own right."-- Provided by publisher

xviii, 374 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

"Irene Kelleher lived all her life in the shadow of her inheritance. Her local community in British Columbia's Fraser Valley all too often treated her as if she was invisible. The combination of white and Indigenous descent that Irene embodied was beyond the bounds of acceptability by a dominant white society. To be mixed was to not belong. Attracted to the future British Columbia by a gold rush beginning in 1858, Irene's white grandfathers had families with Indigenous women. Theirs was not an uncommon story. Some of the earliest newcomers to do so were in the employ of the fur trading Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Langley. And yet, more than one hundred and fifty years later, the descendants of these early pioneers are still waiting for their stories to be heard. Through meticulous research, family records and a personal connection to Irene, Governor General award-winning historian Jean Barman explores this aspect of British Columbia's history and the deeply rooted prejudice faced by families who helped to build Canada. Invisible Generations evokes the Catholic residential school that Irene's parents and so many other 'mixed blood' children attended. Among Irene's family and friends we meet Josephine, who was separated as a child from her beloved upwardly mobile politician father. When her presence in his socially charged household became untenable, Josephine was dispatched to the same Fraser Valley boarding school. 'The transition from genteel Victoria to St. Mary's Mission was horrendous, ' she wrote. Yet individuals and families survived as best they could, building good lives for themselves and those around them. Irene was determined to be a schoolteacher and taught across the farthest reaches of the province, including Doukhobor children at a time when the community was vehemently opposed to their offspring attending school. Stories like that of Irene and of her family and friends have been largely forgotten, but in Invisible Generations Barman brings this important conversation into focus, shedding light on a common history across British Columbia and Canada. It is, in Irene's words, 'time to tell the story.'"-- Provided by publisher

174 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

"Sybil Andrews was one of Canada's most prominent artists working throughout the late twentieth century. From a cottage by the sea in Campbell River, Andrews created striking linocut prints steeped in feeling and full of movement. Inspired by the working-class community that she lived in, her art is known for its honest depiction of ordinary people at work and play on Canada's West Coast. Although she was raised in Bury St Edmunds, England, On the Curve focuses on Andrews' life after she immigrated to Canada in 1947. Settling in Campbell River, Andrews taught private art and music lessons and created artwork that gained her recognition across the globe. In the final years of her life, retrospective exhibitions of her prints in Canada and Britain skyrocketed her popularity. Prints of her artwork became even more valuable after her death in 1992. In this first fully illustrated biography, author Janet Nicol weaves together stories from Andrews' letters, diaries and interviews from her former students and friends, creating a portrait of this determined, resilient and gifted British-Canadian artist. Andrews' work is as popular today as it was in her lifetime and continues to celebrate the cultural, industrial, agricultural and natural world of Canada's West Coast."-- Provided by publisher

158 pages : illustrations (some colour) ; 21 cm

"In 1914, the SS Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver Harbour and was detained for two months. Most of its 376 passengers were then forcibly returned to India. "Unmooring the Komagata Maru" challenges conventional Canadian historical accounts by considering the international colonial dimensions of the incident. By situating South Asian Canadian history within a global-imperial context, the contributors offer a critical reading of Canada's multicultural credentials. Ultimately, they caution against narratives that present the incident as a dark moment in the history of an otherwise redeemed nation. A hundred years later, the voyage of the Komagata Maru has yet to reach its conclusion."-- Provided by publisher

xix, 329 pages : illustrations, map ; 24 cm

""Our well beloved dead who died that we might live." In the town of Merritt, in British Columbia's Nicola Valley, stands a granite cenotaph erected in memory of 44 men who died soldiering in the First World War. Those men came from a Nicola Valley that had been suddenly and dramatically settled just a decade before by the will of railway executives and the arrival of British colliers. Twelve of those soldiers are the subject of these pages--and through them, we meet the men, women and children of the Nicola Valley, the dead and their survivors: the people who built and were built by a Canadian community that was also distinctly British Columbian."-- Provided by publisher

134 pages : illustrations, maps ; 21 cm

"Jim Christy's life and adventures began on the mobbed-up streets of South Philadelphia. Over his 73 years to date, Christy has asserted his freedom of spirit as a vagabond adventurer, latter-day hobo, journalist, private eye, actor, musician, and artist, in over 50 countries around the globe, and still found time to write over 30 books. His early adventures as a street fighter and child tramp provide a unique socio-cultural history of Philadelphia in the 50's and 60's before the book moves on to recount his later exploits from some of the most remote and random corners of the world."-- Amazon.com

xxx, 334 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, portraits ; 23 cm

"Alan Minskoff's The Idaho Traveler is a field day for road trippers, a foodie's feast tour and every wanderer's dream-trek through the great Gem State. Minskoff shows us the route down the Idaho Pie Trail, meandering from the Wayside Café in Heyburn, Idaho, to the Pie Safe Bakery and Kitchen in Deary. Along the way, we meet up with locavores and librarians, rural mayors and councilwomen. This book is the holistic testament to the human, the historic, and the gustatory delights of the state of Idaho we have all been waiting for"-- Provided by publisher

293 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm

"EARLY LEADERS FOR WILD LANDS tells true stories about four men and one woman who established how to work in and be in the wilderness. They were guides for protection of wilderness and for the protectors who followed them. Their lives were immersed in service -- to wild land and the American people. They worked for the U.S. Forest Service, centered in the vast Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness of Idaho and Montana. Three were active before and after the Wilderness Act of 1964. The younger two came in at the beginning of the modern wilderness era. They all adapted skills of the pioneers to the new land designation. Their stories celebrate heroes for the enduring resource of wilderness and point to the future to keep their legacies thriving"-- Provided by publisher

282 pages : illustrations, map ; 23 cm

"Fishes of the Salish Sea is the definitive guide to the identification and history of the marine and anadromous fishes of Puget Sound and the Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca. Featuring striking illustrations of the Salish Sea's 260 fish species by noted illustrator Joseph R. Tomelleri, this comprehensive three-volume set details the ecology and life history of each species, as well as recounts the region's rich heritage of marine research and exploration. Beginning with jawless hagfishes and lampreys and ending with the distinctive Ocean Sunfish, leading scientists Theodore W. Pietsch and James W. Orr present the taxa in phylogenetic order, based on classifications that reflect the most current scientific knowledge. Illustrated taxonomic keys facilitate fast and accurate species identification. These in-depth, thoroughly documented, and yet accessible volumes will prove invaluable to marine biologists and ecologists, natural resource managers, anglers, divers, students, and all who want to learn about, marvel over, and preserve the vibrant diversity of Salish Sea marine life."

3 volumes (xiii, 1048 pages) : illustrations (some color), color maps, portraits ; 24 x 27 cm

Dam removal was not a realistic option in the twentieth century, and people who suggested it were dismissed as radical dreamers, but in recent decades dam removal has become increasingly common, with dozens of removals now taking place each year nationwide. How did this happen? Same River Twice answers this question by telling the stories of three major Northwestern dam removals—the politics, people, hopes, and fears that shaped three rivers and their communities. Author Peter Brewitt begins each story with the dam’s construction, shows how its critics gained power, details the conflicts and controversies of removal, and explores the aftermath as the river re-established itself. Each dam removal offers a unique case study. On the Elwha and Rogue Rivers, dam removal was a multi-decade political brawl; on the Sandy River it was swift and amicable. A key controversy in every case was the loss of the recreational lake created by the dam. Local communities loved their lakes and felt that they were natural, public spaces rather than industrial creations. They fought dam removal with passion and ingenuity. To be successful, dam removal advocates had to learn to build mega-coalitions that embraced most interest groups and moved forward together. While the dams profiled here are all in the Pacific Northwest, dam removal is a national and international phenomenon, and Brewitt’s findings apply everywhere. Written for both a scholarly and a general audience, Same River Twice presents invaluable case studies for scholars of environmental politics, wildlife and public land professionals, environmental activists, and anyone interested in the intersection of politics, public policy, and dam removal.

xii, 274 pages ; 23 cm

This compelling anthology gathers together personal impressions of the Malheur-Steens country of southeastern Oregon, known for its birding opportunities, its natural beauty and remoteness, and, more recently, for the 2016 armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Contributors of poetry and narrative nonfiction include biologists, students, tourists, birders, and local residents, thus reflecting the perspectives of both visitors and residents. Edge of Awe celebrates the immense variety of human experience in the Malheur-Steens region. This high-desert marsh country has long been a place of human habitation, work, and recreation, but this compendium is weighted toward the writing of visitors over the past one hundred years. It encompasses a wide range of experiences, such as fishing the Blitzen River, attending the Steens Running Camp, leading a mule train on Steens mountain, looking for rare migrant birds, boating on the great marshes, and much more. Anyone who has visited the awe-inspiring Malheur-Steens country or plans to do so, and anyone with an interest in the region, will find inspiration in this literary companion.

xxxi, 190 pages ; 23 cm

The Pacific Northwest has long been a linguistically rich region, yet there are few books devoted its unique linguistic heritage. The essays collected in Northwest Voices examine the historical background of the Pacific Northwest, the contributions of indigenous languages, the regional legacy of English, and the relationship between our perceptions of people and the languages they speak. Although not often considered a bastion of diversity, linguistic or otherwise, in fact the Pacific Northwest has had a surprising number of influences on the English language, and a great number of other languages have left their mark on the region in a variety of ways. Individual essays examine the region’s linguistic diversity, explore the origins and use of place names, and detail efforts to revive indigenous languages. Written for both general readers and language scholars, Northwest Voices brings together research and perspectives from linguistics, history, and cultural studies to help readers understand how and why the language of our region is of utmost importance to our pasts, presents, and futures.

192 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

"The Red Coast is a lively and readable informal history of the labor, left-wing, and progressive activists who lived, worked, and organized in southwest Washington State from the late nineteenth century until World War II. The book serves as a hidden history for a region frequently identified with conservatism, rescuing these working-class activists from obscurity and placing them at the center of southwest Washington's history."--Back cover

viii, 236 pages : illustrations, map ; 23 cm

"In 1974, at the age of thirty-two, Les AuCoin became the first Democrat to win a US House seat in Oregon's First Congressional District. He was one of the young post-Watergate reformers who shook up an insular, autocratic Congress and led fights for affordable housing, "trickle-up" economics, Oregon wilderness, abortion rights, and nuclear arms control. In the late-1980s, the Oregonian called him one of the most "influential lawmakers in the Pacific Northwest." In this highly readable collection of life stories, AuCoin traces his unlikely rise from a fatherless childhood in Central Oregon to the top ranks of national power. Then came a painful defeat in one of the most controversial races in US Senate history, against incumbent Bob Packwood. But AuCoin's tale does not end there. A fly fisher, AuCoin uses "catch and release" as a metaphor that speaks to all of us-succeeding and letting go of loss with dignity and equanimity. His memories are in turn funny, suspenseful, and revealing. AuCoin's journey takes him to the Kremlin, pre-industrial China, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and into the tortuous politics of the Northwest spotted owl crisis. He interacted with global figures like Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan, legislative leaders such as House Speakers Tip O'Neill and Jim Wright, Oregon legends Tom McCall and Mark Hatfield, and, closer to home, activists like Sidney Lasseigne of the Newport Fishermen's Wives. Each of these individuals helped mold international, national, and state politics. In Catch and Release, readers will get a glimpse behind the scenes of congressional life, as lived by the 535 souls who inhabit the US House and Senate-including the author, who assesses his own strengths and foibles with humility and candor"-- Provided by publisher

xiv, 258 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

"For more than twenty-five years, Brian Campf collected vintage photographs and ephemera related to Oregon sports. Sporting Oregon includes approximately 350 images from Campf's extensive collection that offer an overview of the first fifty years of organized sports in Oregon, primarily baseball, football, and basketball, but also such pastimes as horse racing, track, hockey, tennis, and cricket. In his introduction, Campf traces the origins of team sports in Oregon, using period newspaper accounts to chronicle the increasing participation in and popularity of organized sports in the state. Detailed captions provide additional information on how and where the sports developed, on team histories, and on records of games and seasons. The book features a number of images from early Oregon Agricultural College (now OSU) and University of Oregon teams. The book's images range from historically significant (the earliest original photo of Oregon sports) and diverse (women's basketball, African American baseball) to athletes representing towns, schools, and organizations across Oregon. It is a book about sports but the images also reflect the people, places, and society of their time. Whites did not play on the same teams as blacks. Women wore modest attire. Sports were played in even the smallest communities, a welcome diversion from a hardscrabble life. Using horses, wagons, trains, and even boats, teams and their fans ventured to neighboring towns, bringing people together. Sporting Oregon is intended for readers interested in sports history, Oregon history, vintage photography, Americana, and local history. A foreword by historian Carl Abbott and an afterword by special collections librarian John Hawk provide additional context for the visual treasure trove. Packed with images from the past that provide a fascinating lens through which to view Oregon history, Sporting Oregon's pages will be savored and lingered over by people of all ages, by scholars and casual readers alike"-- Provided by publisher

xiii, 226 pages : illustrations (some color), portraits ; 26 cm

In the story of how campus architecture evolved in the nation, and in microcosm at Willamette University speciƯfically, we see a rich reflection of our society and of education in general. We see how the building of a campus not only reflects the educational aims and culture of a period, but also impacts the future educational missions of an institution. From the wood-framed Oregon Institute through the creation of the LEED Gold CertiƯfied Ford Hall, the captivating details behind the formation of today's beautiful campus show how intricately the physical plant is intertwined with the work, the institutional mission, the Ưfinances, and the individuals who shaped the progress of the University.0While there is plenty to satisfy those with an architectural bent, there is much here for the general reader as well. Generations of people come to life, people from whom we are separated not only by time, but by 'the times'. And yet, in their humanity and deep commitment, we can catch glimpses of who we are today. Willamette University literally inhabits the visions of those who came before. We also see that in a very real way, the challenges, disappointments, and triumphs of people who no longer walk these grounds are built into the Willamette physical plant. Once one has been through this journey, the reader will never look at the built environment of Willamette, or of any campus, in the same way again

234 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), maps (some color), portraits, plans ; 23 x 26 cm

"The Other Oregon: People, Environment, and History East of the Cascades is a multidisciplinary work that ranges widely through a diverse and often under-appreciated land, drawing on the fields of environmental history, cultural and physical geography, and natural resource management to tell a comprehensive and compelling story. With a staggering variety of landscapes, from high desert to alpine peaks, Oregon east of the Cascades encompasses seventeen counties and two time zones. Although this vast region defies generalization, its history is distinct from the rest of Oregon. The interrelationship between its people and the land has always been central, but that relationship has evolved and changed over time. Regional economies that were once largely exploitive and dedicated to commodity exports have slowly moved toward the husbanding of resources and to broader and deeper appreciations. Historian Thomas Cox reveals the complexity of interactions between the people of Eastern Oregon, the land, natural resources, and one another, demonstrating how the region's history speaks to larger American issues. The 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, covered in detail within these pages, further reveals the relevance of Eastern Oregon to the larger world. Written in clear and engaging prose and informed by extensive research, The Other Oregon will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in the environment, social change, and the relationships among the diverse people who make up Oregon society east of the Cascades. It will appeal to area residents and visitors, students of the American West, environmental historians, biologists, land managers, and anyone with an abiding interest in the region"-- Provided by publisher

xvii, 398 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

"A Generous Nature: Lives Transformed by Oregon offers profiles of twenty-one conservationists and activists who have made enduring contributions to the preservation of Oregon's wild and natural places and its high quality of life. These stories speak to their courage, foresight, and actions-at times against great odds-to save places, enact legislation, and motivate others to cherish and protect the places that make Oregon unique. Taken from personal interviews conducted by the author over a decade, these stories will help readers understand the histories of Oregon's exceptional places, innovative planning efforts, and laws. They provide insight into the principles and values that motivated individuals to preserve the beauty and natural resources of Oregon, craft legislation to further protect them, and educate others about their value. Places as diverse as the Columbia River Gorge Natural Scenic Area, the wild and scenic Sandy River, and Tryon Creek State Park are featured, along with background on critical laws such as the Beach Bill, Diack Act, and Senate Bill 100, and organizations such as SOLVE and the High Desert Partnership. A Generous Nature is a testament to the vision and hard work of people who loved Oregon and fought to protect its ecosystems and habitats for the benefit of all. These stories do more than educate. They will inspire readers and demonstrate that individually we can make a difference. They underscore that the natural wonders of our state should be guarded and not taken for granted. In these times of unsettled political polarization and divisiveness, A Generous Nature is a crucial reminder of our individual and collective responsibility to stand for and defend the places, ideals, and laws that make Oregon a progressive model for the rest of the nation"-- Provided by publisher

237 pages ; 23 cm

"A celebration of the richly diverse flora and fauna of Vancouver Island as explored through the records of explorers, settlers, and visitors, and with due respect to the wealth of Indigenous traditional knowledge of the island's ecosystems. In Nature's Realm gathers initial reports, recorded histories, and personal accounts left by Vancouver Island's early naturalists who studied the region's flora and fauna. Many, such as Archibald Menzies, accompanied English and Spanish explorations investigating the coastal geography for colonial expansion. Doctor-naturalists such as John Scouler, David Douglas, and Robert Brown worked with the Hudson's Bay Company and collected specimens. Irish-born John Macoun, a renowned naturalist, brought his expertise to Vancouver Island, as did botanical artists Sarah Lindley (Lady Crease) and Emily Henrietta Woods. In Nature's Realm is a companion volume to Layland's two previous titles: A Perfect Eden: Encounters by Early Explorers of Vancouver Island, shortlisted for a BC Book Prize in two categories; and The Land of Heart's Delight: Early Maps and Charts of Vancouver Island, shortlisted for the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Prize, and for the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize."-- Provided by publisher

282 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 25 x 27 cm