All Titles

Forgotten events, buildings, businesses and people helped shape Yakima. Vice dominated the city's early landscape when it was called North Yakima. Gambling halls and saloons like the Alfalfa Saloon bustled, while hotels such as the Sydney and Empire offered respite. Primitive circuses, underground tunnels, South Front Street opium dens and the arrival of a crossdresser named Nell Pickerell created further strife. City hall's understaffed police force and overcrowded jail complicated matters. Fires in 1890 and 1907 consumed several of the early structures--sometimes twice--keeping firefighters frayed. The Asian community thrived despite racial tensions until the forced evacuation of Japanese residents in 1942. Author Ellen Allmendinger uncovers what remains overlooked and veiled from sight.

The City of Destiny took shape where rails met sails on the shores of Commencement Bay. When Tacoma was chosen as the Northern Pacific Railroad's terminus, the city rose from the mudflats and took the lead as the Northwest's destination for opportunity. In this collection, discover the city's early notables and uncover the stories behind the historic landmarks. Why did city planners abandon Olmsted's vision? How many war bonds did Lana Turner's kisses buy? Why were vegetarians warned, "Don't drink the water"? Who is the tiny figure with coal black hair and bound feet who haunts Old Tacoma? Local author and guide Karla Stover answers these questions and more as she spins stories from the tomes of Tacoma's past.