Catalog of British Columbiana and Pacific Northwest Americana

Published by the Western Historical Publishing Company and compiled by regional historians, An Illustrated History of Southeastern Washington provides an exhaustive, county-by-county chronicle of early pioneer settlement across Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin counties. The massive volume details the region's transformation from indigenous territories and early missionary outposts into a dominant agricultural empire driven by dryland wheat farming and regional railroad expansion. Through detailed biographical sketches of prominent citizens and extensive civic records, the text serves as a foundational archive for understanding the economic ambitions and social structures of the inland Pacific Northwest. A keen insight drawn from the work is how subscription-based county histories operated as early forms of civic boosterism; by heavily emphasizing the successes of local patriarchs and agricultural wealth while marginalizing the indigenous displacement that made it possible, the volume illustrates how frontier communities intentionally curated their own historical memory to attract further investment and institutional legitimacy.

xxii, 874 p. illus., plates, ports. 31 x 25 cm.

Published by the Interstate Publishing Company, An Illustrated History of Skagit and Snohomish Counties offers a sweeping, encyclopedia-style chronicle of early pioneer settlement and economic development in northwestern Washington. The extensive volume traces the rapid transformation of the region's dense primeval forests and fertile river valleys into thriving hubs of the timber, agricultural, and maritime industries. Through exhaustive biographical sketches of prominent families—explicitly endorsed as "authentic" by local pioneer committees—the text serves as a monumental archive documenting the civic ambition and commercial resource extraction that defined the Puget Sound hinterlands. A keen insight drawn from the work is how the overt endorsement by pioneer committees reveals the manufactured nature of early frontier historiography; by tightly controlling the published narrative to validate their own commercial successes, the region's founding elite actively engineered a sanitized, triumphant origin story designed to cement their social authority and attract future investment.

1117 pages : portraits ; 29 cm

Published in 1903, this extensive volume chronicles the pioneer settlement, Native American history, and rapid industrial development across the rugged panhandle region of northern Idaho. A keen insight drawn from the text is how the area's extreme geographic isolation from southern Idaho forced these northern counties to develop a distinct, fiercely independent culture driven by the volatile boom-and-bust cycles of the Coeur d'Alene mining districts and vast timber operations. The book details the civic and economic growth within Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai, and Shoshone counties, documenting their transition from frontier wilderness to established industrial hubs. Like similar regional histories of its era, the narrative ultimately serves as a vital genealogical resource by preserving hundreds of biographical sketches of the prospectors, farmers, and civic leaders who built the region.

xxviii, 1238 pages, [113] leaves of plates : illustrations, portraits ; 31 cm

Published in 1905 by the Western Historical Publishing Company, this extensive volume chronicles the early pioneer settlement and economic development of central and south-central Oregon. A keen insight drawn from the text is how the region's severe geographic isolation—cut off from the coast by the Cascade Mountains and defined by an expansive, arid high desert—forced early settlers to build an exceptionally self-reliant culture that depended heavily on massive livestock operations and fierce competition for scarce water rights. The authors provide comprehensive local histories for Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Crook, Lake, and Klamath counties, documenting their gradual transition from rugged frontier outposts into established civic and agricultural centers. Like other regional histories of its era, the narrative ultimately serves as a vital genealogical archive by preserving hundreds of detailed biographical sketches of the resilient ranchers, merchants, and civic leaders who built these foundational communities.

xxx, 1097 pages : plates, portraits ; 31 cm

Published in 1902 by the Western Historical Publishing Company, this comprehensive volume documents the early settlement and economic foundation of eastern Oregon's vast frontier. Following a brief overview of the state's early years, the text provides detailed local histories and extensive biographical sketches of the pioneers who built communities across Baker, Grant, Malheur, and Harney counties. A keen insight drawn from the narrative is how the region's harsh, arid geography necessitated an economy based heavily on cattle ranching and mining, forging a rugged cultural identity that sharply contrasted with the agrarian settlements of the Willamette Valley. Ultimately, the book serves as both a valuable genealogical resource for these four counties and a historical testament to the sheer endurance required to establish industry in the high desert.

788 pages, 70 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations, portraits

The study of larval invertebrates is a vital and growing field in contemporary marine science. The key ecological role of larvae in determining adult population sizes has been recognized for decades and has inspired extensive research. This volume, the first of its kind, is an identification guide to the planktonic larvae of shallow subtidal and intertidal invertebrates common to the Pacific Northwest coast. Each chapter provides a brief background to the larval biology of an invertebrate group; keys, line drawings, and descriptions for the identification of larvae; a list of the species present in the Pacific Northwest; and a reference section. The geographic range covered is roughly from southeast Alaska to northern California; however many of the species are found along the entire coast of California, as far south as Baja California. An essential reference for anyone attempting to identify larval invertebrates from zooplankton samples, this working manual is intended for students as well as scientists and researchers. It offers an important new resource for marine biologists, biological oceanographers, marine and intertidal ecologists, and especially larval biologists.

314 pages : illustrations ; 27 cm

Published in local editions by V. A. Lindholm, An Historical Guide to Pender Islands Landmarks, Events, Activities, Parks, Beaches, Plants & Wildlife... serves as a comprehensive regional compendium for navigating the natural and human history of the Southern Gulf Islands. The guide meticulously catalogs local heritage sites, indigenous place names, early pioneer settlements, and the diverse marine and terrestrial ecosystems that define the Pender Islands. By weaving practical travel logistics together with deep historical context, the book bridges the gap between a standard visitor directory and an environmental chronicle. A keen insight drawn from the text is how community-compiled island guidebooks often act as quiet acts of ecological and cultural preservation; by meticulously detailing the specific natural habitats and historical idiosyncrasies of a small archipelago, the text implicitly teaches visitors how to respectfully inhabit a fragile insular ecosystem without loving it to death.

111, [26] pages : illustrations ; 21 cm

The book, about the Minidoka War Relocation Center in Idaho, contains a selection of Robert Sims's published articles, conference papers, speeches, and slide shows on Minidoka and Japanese internment. Includes a new essay documenting the transformation of the forgotten post-WWII patch of desert to the Minidoka National Historical Site; short biographical essays by people who worked with him describing Sims' passion for social justice, history, and education, and an essay about the Robert C. Sims Collection at Boise State University. As wartime hysteria mounted following the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, and the U.S. government began forcibly relocating all West Coast individuals with Japanese ancestry to one of ten sites in inland states. Totaling close to 120,000, the majority were American citizens. The Minidoka War Relocation Center, a newly constructed camp at Hunt, Idaho, first opened in August 1942. Most of its approximately 9,300 incarcerees came from Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, and surrounding regions. It was a painful experience with lasting repercussions. Minidoka's last occupant left in October 1945. Dr. Robert C. Sims devoted nearly half his life to research, writing, and education related to the unjust World War II Japanese American incarceration. Six of his previously published articles, as well as selections from conference papers and speeches, focus on topics such as Idaho Governor Chase Clark's role in the involuntary removal decision, life in camp, the impact of Japanese labor on Idaho's sugar beet and potato harvests, the effects of loyalty questionnaires, and more. His impassioned yet still academic approach to Minidoka is an important addition to others' published memoirs and photo collections. In new essays, contributors share insights into Sims' passion for social justice and how Minidoka became his platform, along with information about the Robert C. Sims Collection at Boise State University. Finally, the book recounts the thirty-five year effort to memorialize the Minidoka site. Now part of the National Park System, it highlights a national tragedy and the resilience of these victims of injustice.

xx, 225 pages : illustrations, map ; 23 cm

An Excellent Little Bay covers the history of the Gig Harbor peninsula up to 1967, one hundred years after the first non-native settlers arrived in the harbor. In 1867, three fishermen rowed their way into the calm waters of Gig Harbor, Washington, in search of salmon. They decided to stay and call the harbor home. Living alongside the resident Nisqually Indians, these white settlers, and those that soon followed, established roots of what would become a thriving commercial fishing and agricultural community. From the early steamboats of the Mosquito Fleet that moved residents and cargo back and forth across Puget Sound, to one of the largest fishing fleets on the west coast, this book tells the story of the people and events that made the Gig Harbor Peninsula what it is today. Author Jerry Eckrom weaves this history into an entertaining and enlightening read while documenting the important milestones through in-depth research and personal interviews.

2 volumes : illustrations, map ; 23 cm

In chronicling the life of Oregon governor and newspaper editor Charles A. Sprague, Floyd McKay guides readers through the politics and journalism of twentieth-century Oregon. Sprague's remarkable career, writes McKay, "is in effect the life of a state through Depression, war and recovery, and into the era of Tom McCall and the Oregon Story." Newspaperman Charles Sprague, a progressive Republican, had lived in Oregon for only thirteen years when he became the surprise victor of the 1938 gubernatorial race. Although a capable governor, Sprague gained greater prominence during his forty-year tenure as editor and publisher of The Oregon Statesman in Salem. McKay examines the influence of Sprague's involvement in the Progressive politics of Theodore Roosevelt, his return to Republican orthodoxy, and his later emergence as a spokesman for liberal positions on race and justice, an evolution shaped by his governorship and service at the United Nations. Sprague's decisions -and later atonements- concerning ultra-patriotism in World War I and internment of Japanese Americans in World War II reveal an editor and governor torn by issues of his day. A major contribution to Oregon political history, An Editor for Oregon also offers a valuable look at one Oregon newspaper and its role in the community during the middle part of this century.

x, 342 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Authored by Leland G. Jackson and Trudy Howarth, An Early History of Spirit Lake & the Toutle River Valley chronicles the pioneer settlement, timber extraction, and rugged recreation that defined the remote wilderness surrounding Mount St. Helens before the 1980 cataclysmic eruption. The book draws on historical photographs, diaries, and local records to document the daring homesteaders, early cabin builders, and resilient loggers who carved out a living in the shadow of the active volcano. Through these preserved vignettes, the text captures the idyllic, rustic era of lakeside resorts and mountain trails that existed prior to the mountain's dramatic reconfiguration. A keen insight drawn from the work is how human history in volcanic zones is defined by a collective, deliberate amnesia regarding natural hazards; by building permanent communities and thriving tourist hubs directly beneath a dormant geological giant, early settlers demonstrated an irrepressible human tendency to mistake temporary mountain stability for a permanent guarantee.

v, 113 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

Published by researchers Daniel L. Boxberger and Lynn Arnold Robbins, An Archival and Oral History Inventory of the White Salmon and Klickitat Rivers compiles extensive documentary research and personal interviews to map the human and ecological history of these two vital Washington watersheds. The book catalogs indigenous resource use, early Euro-American settlement, and the complex socioeconomic impacts of logging, fishing, and hydro-electric development along the Columbia River's dramatic northern tributaries. By blending rigorous archival records with direct oral accounts from local residents and tribal members, the authors preserve the shifting lifeways tied directly to these rushing alpine waters. A keen insight drawn from the work is how oral history inventories disrupt purely technocratic resource management; by centering the lived memories of those displaced or altered by industrial river modification, the text exposes the deep cultural amnesia inherent in viewing dynamic watersheds as mere power sources.

204 pages : maps ; 28 cm

Portland strikes a graceful balance between the rich traditions of its past and the creative developments of modern architecture. Written for both layperson and professional, An Architectural Guidebook to Portland is filled with history and photos that demonstrate why this city is one of the most admired in the nation. Portland's civic planning, historic preservation, and overall attractiveness are all explored in detailed profiles of structures ranging from 19th-century cast-iron front buildings to sleek modern skyscrapers. Now revised and updated to reflect Portland's explosive growth in the 21st century, this second edition includes an added focus on the development of "green buildings" and sustainable design, a chapter on downtown bridges, and expanded coverage of the city's vibrant neighborhoods. With over 250 entries that tell the stories behind Portland's celebrated cityscape, this comprehensive guide is an indispensable resource for visitors and Portlanders alike. Don't miss Bart King's Architecural Guide to Portland, a mobile site for the Web and mobile devices, which features rotating content from the book.

viii, 320 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

George Jobanek's exhaustive, richly annotated bibliography fills an important gap in Oregon bird literature and offers a valuable new resource for professional and informed amateur ornithologists, wildlife managers, biologists, ecologists, and anyone with a serious interest in the natural history of the Pacific Northwest. In compiling this unique book, George Jobanek carefully researched early ornithological, scientific, and natural history publications, from American Field to Zoe, for records of Oregon birds. Most of these early articles are today relatively rare; many were overlooked or ignored by previous bibliographers. In his annotations for each of the nearly two thousand entries, Jobanek conveys the salient points of each article and reveals its usefulness for contemporary readers. Direct quotations from the references allow for a glimpse of an earlier, golden age in ornithology. References are organized by author and cross-indexed by species (e.g., 86 entries for Sage Grouse), county (e.g., 220 entries for Klamath County), and key word (e.g., "behavior," "conservation," "distribution," "introduction," "migration," "nesting," "taxonomy"). A gazetteer identifies localities mentioned in the annotations.

xii, 481 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Account of expedition with J.S. Strange to the west coast of B.C. and the southern coast of Alaska. Includes extensive descriptions of the native cultures of Nootka and Prince William Sound

319 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

William Spotswood Green’s Among the Selkirk glaciers being the account of a rough survey in the Rocky Mountain regions of British Columbia explores the early scientific observation and profound geographic adaptation required to map the formidable, ice-carved alpine landscapes of the Selkirk range. The narrative illustrates how the challenging environmental realities of this high-altitude topography—defined by immense glacial fields, sheer avalanche-swept peaks, dense subalpine forests, and the dramatic verticality of interior British Columbia—required immense physical resilience, careful navigational planning, and collaborative effort from early surveyors, local guides, and railway workers. By detailing the gradual transition from encountering an unmapped, hazardous mountain barrier to the thoughtful documentation of the alpine environment, the text highlights how understanding the region's complex geography relied on patient scientific inquiry and cooperative teamwork. Ultimately, the account demonstrates that cooperatively navigating these immense vertical divides and developing a deep, respectful awareness of the volatile glacial environment were essential steps in safely integrating this rugged wilderness into the broader topographical understanding of the Pacific Northwest.

xv, 251 pages, 10 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations, map ; 20 cm

Bernice C. Molthu’s Among my souvenirs explores the intimate, everyday pioneer history and enduring civic identity forged within the coastal and riverine communities of the Pacific Northwest. The narrative illustrates how the demanding environmental realities of this maritime topography—defined by dense coastal timberlands, isolated river valleys, and the rigorous seasonal rhythms of early logging and homesteading—required immense physical resilience and profound, shared adaptation from its residents. By detailing personal recollections and the gradual transition from rugged, isolated land claims to the cooperative establishment of enduring civic and social institutions, the text highlights how shared daily experiences and neighborly interdependence served as vital threads connecting frontier society. Ultimately, the memoir demonstrates that patiently fostering these everyday community bonds and collaboratively adapting to the geographic isolation of the coastal frontier were essential steps in cultivating a deeply rooted, vibrant cultural heritage in the early Pacific Northwest.

62 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

The Indian tribes of the Pacific Northwest, on both the Coast and the inland Plateau, were the last to encounter white traders and settlers. When contact occurred in the late 18th century the explorers and traders found two distinct cultures. The fairly recent adoption of the horse had opened up the Plateau tribes to influences from the peoples of the Plains; but the tribes of the Coast lived in a very different culture of rigid class hierarchies, an economy based on fishing and hunting

48 pages : illustrations (some color), maps, portraits (some color) ; 25 cm

"This book reinterprets the historic touchstone of the Overland Trail as a story of death and Native activism. Emigrant graves became seeds of U.S. possession across the West. In response Native peoples defended their homelands by pointing to their graves as proofs of Indigenous persistence and enduring territorial claims"-- Provided by publisher

262 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.

Review from "True Rail Stories" "America's Worst Train Disaster may be about a terrible event back in 1910, but it makes wonderful reading for lovers of steam railroads. It tells of the business pressures driving decisions, decisions that ultimately resulted in over 96 deaths when an avalanche swept a mail and a passenger train down a deep gorge in Washington. According to the author, the trains were trapped in a snowstorm because the railroad undergoing evaluation for a mail contract. Besides that, the railroad also failed to move the trains to a siding which would have saved them from the avalanche. You will find a lot of description of railroad equipment. For example, ever hear of an articulated engine?- one that had a pivot to let it bend in the middle on sharp curves. Of course, there is considerable discussion of equipment and techniques of snow removal. Perhaps you have forgotten that not only passenger trains carried conductors, and the size of snow shoveling crews will amaze you. The book also contains news stories about the trapped trains, the disaster and even good quality photos taken during recovery operations by a newspaper photographer covering the sensational accident. The book contains a view of politics in the days when railroads had the power to mold laws to their liking. Moody obviously feels some of the animosity most people felt toward railroad tycoons. He particularly takes James J. Hill, the founder of the Great Northern Railway to task and suggests that Hill that arranged for the death count to be misstated on the low side. Moody lets no one off the hook in his discussion of the tragedy. He details wild stories newspaper reporters made up about the accident scene in an attempt to stimulate circulation. He tells of social biases against immigrants and uncomplimentary names used to describe foreign workers - not in private conversations but in newspaper columns too. The book does contain typos and errors that may distract the reader, but all in all, Moody did a good job. If railroads are your thing, this book belongs in your collection.

184 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

"The true story of an adventurous young nurse who provided much-needed health care to the rural communities of the Cariboo-Chilcotin in the 1960s. In 1962, newly minted public health nurse Marion McKinnon arrived in the small community of Williams Lake in BC's Cariboo region. Armed with more confidence than experience, she got into her government-issued Chevy--packed with immunization supplies, baby scales, and emergency drugs--and headed out into her 9,300-square-kilometre territory, inhabited by ranchers; mill workers; and many vulnerable men, women, and children who were at risk of falling through the cracks of Canada's social welfare system. At twenty-two, a naïve yet enthusiastic Marion relied entirely on her academic knowledge and her common sense. She doled out birth control and parenting advice to women who had far more life experience than she. She routinely dealt with condescending doctors and dismissive or openly belligerent patients. She immunized school children en masse and made home visits to impoverished communities. She drove out into the vast countryside in freezing temperatures, with only a candle, antifreeze, chains, and chocolate bars as emergency equipment. In one year, Marion received a more rigorous education in the field than she had at university. She helped countless people, made many mistakes, learned to recognize systemic injustice, and even managed to get into a couple of romantic entanglements. Pack a Candle is an unforgettable and eye-opening memoir of one frontline worker's courage, humility, and compassion."-- Provided by publisher

278 pages : maps, portrait ; 23 cm

"In the long-awaited sequel to Always Pack a Candle, intrepid public health nurse Marion Crook juggles marriage, children, and a vast array of patients and cases in rural British Columbia in the 1970s. It has been over a decade since Marion Crook arrived in the Cariboo for her first job out of nursing school. The vast rural territory that once left her awestruck now feels like home, as she embraces life on the ranch with her husband, Carl, three young children, and numerous farm animals. But things are far from idyllic. Overseeing a small staff of irrepressible nurses serving a public health district the size of a small country brings new challenges every day. From runaway patients and needle-phobic hockey players to cultural misunderstandings and heartbreaking cases of abuse and neglect, Marion never knows what is coming next. The 1970s bring signs of social progress as women gain more autonomy and the region grows more culturally diverse. Yet, old prejudices persist, and Marion must fight for her patients, as well as for her adopted son. Recounted with warmth, compassion, and riveting detail, Always On Call is a fascinating portrait of the hectic life of a rural nurse and highlights the importance of the helping professions."-- Provided by publisher

259 pages ; 23 cm

Altoona, Wahkiakum County, Washington examines the isolated industrial cannery settlement and intense maritime resource extraction situated along the steep, heavily timbered northern banks of the lower Columbia River estuary. Appelo details how the region's rugged estuarine topography—specifically the precipitous coastal bluffs plunging directly into the tidewater, the sprawling tidal mudflats, and the powerful, nutrient-rich currents of the Columbia's lower reach—strictly dictated the margins of commercial salmon packing, early pioneer homesteading, and local transportation. By mapping the construction of massive cannery complexes and pile-driven fish traps built precariously out over the water, functioning entirely independent of the rugged overland terrain through a total reliance on riverboat transit, the narrative highlights how this specific riparian geography anchored a highly specialized, water-bound economy. Ultimately, this community record serves as a deeply localized spatial history, demonstrating how the severe overland isolation, immense estuarine abundance, and dominant hydrological forces of this Pacific Northwest waterway fundamentally shaped the highly resilient, cannery-driven character of early Altoona.

88 pages illustrations 23 cm

Published in 1920 as a federal bulletin for the Bureau of American Ethnology, linguist Leo Joachim Frachtenberg’s Alsea Texts and Myths presents a meticulously translated, bilingual repository of the oral literature of the Alsea people from the central Oregon coast. Relying on a handful of the last surviving fluent speakers residing on the Siletz Reservation, Frachtenberg rigorously transcribed creation narratives, shamanistic rituals, and animal lore into phonetic notation alongside literal English translations. Designed as a definitive scientific record of a Yakonan language on the verge of extinction, the volume reflects the frantic urgency of the era's "salvage anthropology." A keen insight drawn from the work is how the academic process of textualizing Indigenous oral traditions operated as a subtle mechanism of colonial containment; by severing these sacred narratives from their dynamic, performative contexts and freezing them as rigid, bilingual data points within a government archive, anthropologists effectively neutralized the living cultural power of these myths, transforming them from the active voice of a surviving people into the static, owned property of the American scientific establishment.

304 pages ; 24 cm

A history of the area from about 14,000 years ago through the present day. The book also presents a chronicle of the early farm community Alpha Prairie, Washington. Many black and white illustrations and some maps. Also includes an events timeline, endnotes, bibliography and an index.

xxiv, 480 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm