Catalog of British Columbiana and Pacific Northwest Americana

"In these essays, historians firmly rooted in the Pacific Northwest and the Great Basin share their experiences in bringing a wide variety of resources to bear in the illumination of local community life. The result is a range of techniques of value to all those who accept the challenge to interpret their own local culture and history with fresh insight and perspective." -- Publisher

xviii, 178 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

C. H. Little’s 18th century maritime influences on the history and place names of British Columbia explores the intense early maritime navigation and foundational cartographic integration of the Pacific Northwest's complex coastline. The narrative illustrates how the profound environmental realities of this coastal topography—defined by labyrinthine glacial fjords, treacherous hidden reefs, and unpredictable North Pacific weather systems—required immense nautical resilience and shared navigational adaptation from early European explorers. By detailing the gradual transition from a vast, uncharted maritime frontier to a meticulously mapped and named network of vital navigational corridors, the text highlights how the cooperative, albeit often competitive, efforts of British and Spanish naval expeditions laid the vital groundwork for future settlement. Ultimately, the account demonstrates that patiently charting these severe maritime boundaries and collaboratively standardizing the region's geographical nomenclature were essential steps in transforming a remote, isolated coastline into a structured, globally connected, and enduringly recognized territory of the maritime Pacific Northwest.

133 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm

Account by botanist on expedition of Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra of the Nootka Indians on Vancouver Island, their environment and adaptation to it. Introduction by Iris Wislon giving historical and anthropological background. This volume, long out of print, is now reissued in a new edition with the approval and support of the hereditary chiefs and elders of the Mowachaht, one of the Nuu-chah-nulth tribes. Included are Mozino's catalog of flora and fauna, his dictionary of the Nootka language, and reproductions of the drawings made by Atanasio Echeverria, the artists who accompanied the expedition

liv, 142 pages, 24 pages of plates : illustrations ; 22 cm

Robert Brown, a twenty-one-year-old Scotsman, arrived on Vancouver Island in 1863 for the purpose of collecting seeds, roots, and plants for the Botanical Association of Edinburgh. Relations with his employer quickly deteriorated, however, and when the opportunity arose in 1864 to head the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition, Brown eagerly accepted the position as its commander. During the four and a half months of the expedition, Brown kept a journal which is published here for the first time. It is remarkable for its record of life on Vancouver Island over a century ago and its description of the island's pristine wilderness as well as for its proposals for future economic development. The accounts of agricultural settlements at Cowichan, Chemainus, and Comox and of the coal-mining town of Nanaimo are among the earliest available. The Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition did not venture north of Comox, but it crossed the island at several points, often by new routes, and in the process left its mark by giving place names to several locations. The expedition's most celebrated achievement was the discovery of gold at Leech River, named after the second-in-command, which resulted in a short but sensational gold rush. Robert Brown was exceptionally interested in the way of life of the native people. His entries on land reserve policies and on the failure to settle land claims are especially pertinent today. Excerpts from his related writings, among them one of the earliest records of a potlatch (at Alberni) and a collection of Indian myths and legends display an appreciation unusual at that time. Most of the known drawings of the expedition by Frederick Whymper, the travelling artist, are included in the book and give a contemporary view of many of the sites the expedition encountered. A checklist of Brown's other writings on the northwest coast completes the book.

xiii, 211 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Published by the Association historique francophone de Victoria and authored by John Greene, French Presence in Victoria, B.C., 1843–1991 chronicles nearly a century and a half of Francophone contributions to the cultural, economic, and religious fabric of Vancouver Island. The book traces the arrival of French-Canadian fur traders, Catholic missionaries, and European immigrants who helped establish and shape the early colonial capital long before Confederation. Through archival records, church registers, and personal accounts, the text illuminates how a distinct Francophone community maintained its linguistic and cultural identity despite the overwhelming dominance of British institutions. A keen insight drawn from the work is how multiculturalism in early Western Canadian cities existed beneath a veneer of British imperial hegemony; by uncovering the vital, behind-the-scenes roles played by French speakers in commerce and governance, the study reveals that the foundational history of British Columbia was far more pluralistic than its overtly Anglo-Saxon administrative facade suggested.

v, 200 pages, [17] pages of plates (1 folded) : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm

Authored by regional historian Peter Murray, Homesteads and Snug Harbours: The Gulf Islands chronicles the colorful pioneering history, maritime isolation, and rugged settlement of British Columbia's picturesque Strait of Georgia archipelago. The book explores how eccentric pioneers, fishermen, farmers, and self-reliant families carved out sustainable lives across islands defined by sheltered anchorages, rocky terrain, and a remarkably mild maritime climate. Drawing on extensive archival research and local oral histories, the text preserves the vanishing stories of an independent coastal community that lived at the mercy of wind, tide, and steamboat schedules. A keen insight drawn from the work is how the geography of island life fostered an intense culture of self-reliance juxtaposed with deep community interdependence; because these isolated maritime havens lacked roads and mainland infrastructure, early Gulf Islanders relied entirely on mutual aid and maritime mobility to survive the very isolation that drew them to the frontier.

213 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm

Authored by regional historian Tony Bamonte, Sheriffs, 1911-1989: A History of Murders in the Wilderness of Washington's Last County chronicles the grim true-crime history, law enforcement challenges, and violent frontier legacies of remote Pend Oreille County. The book investigates a series of harrowing homicide cases, missing persons mysteries, and complex investigations handled by local sheriffs operating across a sprawling, densely forested wilderness bordering Idaho and Canada. Through meticulous archival research, newspaper accounts, and police records, the text examines how rural law enforcement struggled to maintain order in an isolated landscape plagued by rugged terrain and transient populations. A keen insight drawn from the work is how regional crime reporting exposes the dark underbelly of wilderness escapism; by documenting how rugged isolation routinely attracted desperate outlaws and shielded violent criminals, the narrative shatters the romanticized myth of the peaceful frontier, revealing instead a lawless hinterland where justice was constantly undermined by vast geography.

251 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Authored by labor historian Ronald Magden, A History of Seattle Waterfront Workers, 1884–1934 chronicles the militant rise and turbulent struggles of the longshoremen and maritime laborers who built the commercial infrastructure of Puget Sound. The book details half a century of grueling port labor, dangerous working conditions, and fierce battles against powerful shipping cartels, culminating in the historic strikes that forged modern union solidarity. Drawing on extensive union archives, oral histories, and local records, the text captures how dockworkers transformed the Seattle waterfront into a crucible of radical American labor politics. A keen insight drawn from the work is how port labor served as the strategic nervous system of the early Pacific Northwest economy; by recognizing that maritime workers held the ultimate power to paralyze regional commerce, the waterfront became the frontline where organized labor successfully challenged corporate dominance during the height of the industrial era.

ix, 292 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Slough of Memories: Recollections of Life in Bothell, Kenmore, North Creek, Woodinville, 1920-1990, compiled by Fred Klein and the Northshore History Boosters, is a detailed historical account of Washington State's Northshore communities. Published in 1992, the book relies on firsthand personal accounts, historical records, and photographs to trace the area's development along the Sammamish River, which was historically referred to locally as a slough. The narrative captures the everyday lives, cultural shifts, and economic growth of the region over a seventy-year span, documenting its gradual transformation from quiet rural agricultural outposts into bustling Seattle suburbs.

ix, 211 pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm

The late Leland Jackson (author), whose ancestors were among the early families to migrate to the area that was to become Castle Rock, Washington, was fortunate enough to appreciate local history and sufficiently skilled to write about it in a style that is both informative and easy to follow. This book provides readers insight into the hardships and joys the settlers experienced.

xi, 160 pages : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm

Features tales of four families who settled up and down the East Coast of America three centuries ago and subsequently migrated west, eventually arriving at the tiny settlement of Oysterville on the Pacific coast in the territory of Washington.

300 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm

Absolutely unique in its presentational style, Vancouver: A Visual History is a delightful and important book. This stunning, full-colour historical atlas brings to life Vancouver s first fourteen decades, beginning with a map of the 1850s depicting the land use, economy and settlement patterns of its first peoples, and ending with a map of the 1980s. Using a repeating grid format, in which each ten-year period of the city s history is examined through the application of the same criteria, each decade is introduced by a full-colour map that illustrates land use patterns. A column of text to the left of this map describes the major land use changes that have occurred since the previous decade; to the right of the map are notes that provide related details of the city s evolving history. Following each double-page map, the reader is introduced to the prominent personalities of the decade, in the area of sports, politics, business, labour, culture and community service, as well as given an overview of each period s economic focus, settlement patterns, political directions and key historical events

xi, 84 p. : ill. (some col.), col. maps, ports. ; 32 cm.

Wonderfully written history of the ever-troubled Victoria and Sidney Railway in British Columbia. Packed with black and white photos, the book brings the railway and the people who ran it (and the long-suffering passegers) to life while providing a fascinating look at life in rural Canada at the turn of the century. With maps, equipment rosters, chronology and numerous appendices that flesh out the history of the Saanich Peninsula. 236 pages.

236 pages : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 28 cm

Authored by historians Clifford E. Trafzer and Richard D. Scheuerman, Chief Joseph's Allies chronicles the complex and often overlooked role of the Palus, or Palouse, people during the tragic Nez Perce War of 1877. The book details how these indigenous communities bravely navigated escalating colonial pressures, offered vital sanctuary and alliance to Chief Joseph's band across the Columbia Plateau, and subsequently suffered devastating displacement and military retribution. Through rich archival documentation and tribal oral histories, the text restores the voices of a sovereign people whose historical narrative was long suppressed by dominant frontier myths. A keen insight drawn from the work is how regional military histories deliberately erase peripheral indigenous actors; by centering the strategic sacrifices of the Palouse, the authors reveal that the tragic outcome of 1877 was not just a bilateral conflict between the U.S. Army and the Nez Perce, but a multi-tribal resistance effort against an overwhelming imperial enclosure of the entire Columbia River basin.

vii, 112 pages : illustrations ; 21 x 22 cm

Published by maritime historians Bert Webber, Margie Webber, and J.M. Kirkpatrick, Battle Rock: The Hero's Story chronicles the harrowing 1851 clash between a small party of American gold-seekers led by Captain William Tichenor and the local Quat-a-qtie (Tututni) people on the southern Oregon coast. The book details the group's desperate defense atop a rocky sea stack in present-day Port Orford after an initial exploratory landing provoked fierce Indigenous resistance to protect their ancestral territory. Drawing on historical documents, pioneer journals, and local accounts, the text preserves a violent and foundational episode of frontier expansion. A keen insight drawn from the work is how regional historical documentation often elevates colonial survival narratives while obscuring the broader geopolitical trauma; by framing the skirmish through the heroic lens of isolated pioneers under siege, the account masks the reality that the true assault was an unprovoked imperial intrusion onto sovereign Indigenous land.

75 pages : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 22 cm

Thousands of visitors have been enthralled by the beauty and grandeur of the 378-foot Golden Falls of Glenn Creek, about 25 miles east of Coos Bay. They are part of the Golden and Silver Falls State Park, one of the treasures of western Oregon. Very few of the visitors have had any idea of the land, nor of the history of the land above those falls. Above the Golden and Silver Falls is a lovely valley about three miles long. For 60 years a few families lived their lives in that remote and idyllic location. In 1958 the bridge at the base of Silver Falls was removed and the road was closed. The land above the falls became uninhabited timberland, inaccessible to the public. This book contains scores of verbatim interviews from the survivors and their descendants, 160 photographs, and exhaustive research into original documents. Fully indexed, bibliography, maps, and charts.

viii, 320 pages : illustrations, maps, portraits ; 28 cm

Traces the history of Vancouver's expedition to explore and map the west coast of North America

xi, 131 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 25 x 26 cm.

Covers art in Seattle's neighborhoods, including the downtown, Pioneer Square, the University of Washington, Green Lake and north Seattle. Includes sculpture, stained glass and murals

320 pages : illustrations, maps ; 27 cm

On the first day of October 1787, captains John Kendrick and Robert Gray, along with fifty other men - sailors and tradesmen alike - set sail from Boston, soon to be the first Yankees to lay eyes on the lush and resource-rich Northwest Coast of North America. This journey, and Gray's subsequent voyage in 1790, were trading ventures that would lead to little wealth for anyone involved, but would supply future generations with rich stories of encounters between the Native Americans and the traders, of desperate escapades along the coast, and, eventually, the reward to the United States of the Columbia River. Kendrick, on board the Columbia Rediviva, and Gray, on the Lady Washington, maneuvered around treacherous Cape Horn, then sailed north up the western coasts to present-day Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. There they traded with the Indians for the prized sea-otter pelts (called by the Russians "soft gold"). Finally, they would sail for the China ports of Macao and Canton, where they traded the skins for tea and fine china. The American ships had joined a contingent of international vessels (mostly British and Spanish) assembled at Nootka Sound, some to trade, others on voyages of exploration. The two captains eventually would switch ships, and Kendrick would remain on the Northwest Coast, while Gray sailed on to China and to Boston - then back once again. These were the first citizens of the new nation to sail into the Pacific, and the repercussion of their voyages would ring loudly for years to come. The dreamer Kendrick would never return to Boston, choosing to remain on the other side of the world until his death in the Sandwich Islands, late in 1794. The more pragmatic Gray would continue his career as a sea captain into the nineteenth century.

xx, 378 pages : illustrations, maps ; 26 cm.

Authored by Joean K. Fransen, Gray & Columbia's River chronicles the maritime explorations of Captain Robert Gray and his historic 1792 discovery of the great river of the West. The book traces Gray's momentous voyage aboard the Columbia Rediviva, detailing his navigation of treacherous Pacific Northwest coastal waters and the lucrative sea otter trade that tied the region to global maritime markets. Through engaging historical narrative, the text highlights the sheer tenacity and seamanship required of early American merchants operating along an unmapped and dangerous frontier. A keen insight drawn from the work is how a single geographic discovery altered the geopolitical fate of an entire continent; by successfully crossing the treacherous bar of the Columbia River, Gray secured vital territorial claims for the United States that fundamentally reshaped the destiny of the Pacific Northwest.

ii, 143 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm

Authored and compiled by the Lemhi County History Committee, the three-volume Centennial History of Lemhi County, Idaho provides an exhaustive archival portrait of settlement, mining, and indigenous displacement in east-central Idaho's rugged mountainous terrain. The comprehensive set documents the turbulent evolution of the Salmon River country from ancestral Shoshone and Bannock homelands into a rugged frontier carved by the 1860s gold rushes, ranching, and copper mining. Through extensive pioneer diaries, family genealogies, and local records, the volumes preserve the granular details of daily survival in an isolated, high-altitude basin. A keen insight drawn from the work is how multi-volume local histories compiled by community committees function as collective acts of self-mythologizing; by meticulously cataloging every homestead and mining claim while glossing over the violent removal of the indigenous population, the collection illustrates how local memory is often curated to enshrine pioneer resilience while institutionalizing the erasure of native sovereignty.

3 volumes : illustrations, maps ; 29 cm

Published by the Department of the Navy alongside local author Dennis Stuhaug, Naval Station Puget Sound at Sand Point chronicles the fascinating military and aviation heritage of Seattle’s historic waterfront base. The book details the facility's evolution from a vital 1920s naval air station—famous as a key stop for the 1924 round-the-world flight—into a crucial World War II training and logistics hub. Through archival photographs and military records, the text captures how the installation served as a dynamic nexus between civilian urban life and naval defense along Lake Washington. A keen insight drawn from the work is how the transformation of military bases into public parks reflects the shifting priorities of modern cities; as Sand Point was decommissioned and turned into Magnuson Park, it demonstrated how post-industrial urban spaces are reclaimed to heal the ecological and social splits left behind by military-industrial expansion.

104 pages : illustrations (1 color), portraits (1 color) ; 29 cm

To own a fine house is a mark of success, and Boiseans of earlier times were no different from those of today in recognizing this. This volume is a collection of short essays that aim to capture the flavor of the life and times of some of the families that played a significant part in Boise s history.

86 pages : illustrations, portraits ; 20 cm

Luckily for him, and for us, Emmett Watson's beat as a columnist for The Seattle Times required him to stay in touch with his beloved native city. In his daily meanderings, usually accompanied by his miniature poodle, Tiger, Watson saw much that is invisible to the rest of us. Of course, he was around longer than most of us, too--over eight decades, five of them as a newspaperman whose happy fate it had been to assay the crooked timber of humanity and reassure us of its worth. As he looked at Seattle, Watson discerned, with a geologist's eye, human fossils buried in layers of history here, there and everywhere. In this volume, a companion to his Digressions of a Native Son, published almost four decades ago, Watson brings to life some of the citizens Seattle should not forget, and, along the way, reminds us that a city is a human habitat whose history can properly be told only in the tale of its people.

xxiii, 166 pages ; 23 cm

Published in 1992 by the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce, Discover Nanaimo: An Illustrated History by Charles Lillard and Lynn Welburn provides a richly documented examination of the city's past. The authors skillfully weave together archival photography and narrative text to trace Nanaimo's transformation from a resource-extraction hub into a vibrant coastal community. By balancing civic milestones with everyday social history, the volume offers scholars and regional enthusiasts an engaging window into the Pacific Northwest's economic and cultural development.

149 p. : ill. (some col.), ports. ; 29 cm.