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When civic benefactor Clinton P. Ferry donated a graceful, elliptically shaped plot of land in 1883 for the first park in Tacoma, he hoped his adopted hometown would do him proud and become a veritable city of parks. The young community did not disappoint. Landmarks such as Wright Park, Lincoln Park, and Point Defiance Park graced the landscape by 1900, a testament to Tacoma's appreciation for beauty, conservation, and recreation, which continues to this day. In 1907, residents voted to establish the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma, Washington's first independent parks municipality, to act as steward of these civic treasures. A century later, Metro Parks Tacoma embraces some 57 parks covering 2,700 acres, as well as swimming pools, sports complexes, community centers, and recreational programs for all ages.

The beaches, forests and wildlife of Washington's Camano Island offer a treasure-trove of natural beauty and endless recreational possibilities. English Boom Historical Park was once a bustling center for logging and is now a peaceful spot with its uplands, salt marsh, shoreline and tidelands. Davis Slough is named after Reuben Davis, who lived on Camano Island before 1880 and was the oldest settler in the area. The island has historically been used by Native Americans, loggers, farmers and fishermen alike but today is enjoyed by Camano Islanders, who have worked hard to protect and preserve the island's cherished nature sites. Discover Camano Island with author Val Schroeder as she takes readers on a trek around the location's best-preserved features while uncovering the unique history behind them.

FINDING THEIR MISSING GRANDMA WILL BE NO SMALL FEAT! Rubi and her much more daring--and skateboard-obsessed--brother, Quinn, are visiting their grandmother on beautiful Vashon Island for the weekend. It's the first time they've taken the ferry from Seattle by themselves. But weirdly, when they arrive, Nana is nowhere to be found! Then their Uncle James lets them in on a little secret: Bigfoot may have been spotted! And their Nana isn't any old grandma--she's the most famous Bigfoot hunter around! Trouble is, Nana should've returned by now. And nobody in all of Puget Sound has seen her! At least... nobody human. Rubi and Quinn will have to follow the footprints (and scat!), crack the clues, and rely on each other to find their Nana and bring her home... that is, unless Bigfoot finds them first !

What began as a small farming community has grown into one of the fastest developing cities in the Pacific Northwest. Kent, Washington is a part of the White River Valley, about 7.5 miles south of Seattle and 18 miles northeast of Tacoma.

Situated between the two ports, Kent is in an advantageous position for trade and development. It was named after the county in England for its shared history of growing hops. Due to frequent flooding, the rich soil was good for growing a variety of crops. The hills on either side of the valley were abundant in red cedar; the logging and farming opportunities made the land a popular spot for white pioneers to set out to make their fortunes. Within the last 50 years, both Boeing and Amazon have built facilities in the city.

Rachel E. Friedland has lived in Kent for over 20 years. She has a bachelors degree in history from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and a certificate in museum studies from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. She has been an educator for five years and a volunteer at the Greater Kent Historical Society. Compiled from images from the Greater Kent Historical Society, the Museum of History and Industry, and the White River Valley Historical Museum, this book is a visual journey through the rich history of Kent.

From the Seattle streets to studio beats.

In the early 1980s, a subterranean shift in Seattle’s music scene began. Disco’s reign over parties and dance clubs faded, and hip-hop became the new attraction. A generation of young musicians emerged, and local rappers catapulted the genre into the spotlight. From Sir Mix-A-Lot, who won a Grammy in 1993, to Silver Chain Gang and Jam Delight, the Emerald City produced some incredible talent. These formative years of hip-hop set the tone for the decades that followed, and this once-fledgling music still resonates in pop culture today.

Author and producer Novocaine132 explores Seattle’s early rap artists and their groundbreaking sound.

For over a century, the Olympia harbor tugboat Sand Man has worked on Puget Sound waters.

Built in Tacoma in 1910, Sand Man towed such commodities as sand, gravel, oysters, logs, and more to and from Budd Inlet. The tugboat was owned by three commercial companies and one private owner. In 1997, the Sand Man Foundation formed, took ownership, and placed Sand Man on multiple historic registries. Through fundraising efforts, the deteriorating Sand Man was miraculously saved and rebuilt after three sinkings. Over the years, the vessel participated in many Olympia Harbor Days activities and vintage tugboat races and was the festival’s first logo boat in 1983. Sand Man, a workhorse and survivor, is known as “Olympia’s Tugboat.” This is the story of Sand Man, the little tug that could and did. 

Lisa Nickel grew up boating on Puget Sound in her family’s own tugboat. She holds a master’s degree in creative arts and learning. After retiring from a 30-year teaching career, she is now the author of multiple magazine articles. She received the 2022 Algona Great Blue Heron Award for her dedication to her teaching career, partnership in science education, and charter lead educator of the Algona Blue Heron Community Gardens. Maritime historian Chuck Fowler’s previous publications include Arcadia Publishing’s Tall Ships on Puget Sound, Tugboats on Puget Sound, and Patrol and Rescue Boats on Puget Sound, as well as Exploring Maritime Washington, published by The History Press.

Welcome to the spooky shores of Puget Sound! 

 

Stay Alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. 

 

Did you know that ghostly shipwrecks and phantom sailors lurk beneath the waves of Puget Sound? Or that restless pioneers lost on the Oregon Trail haunt Olympia's Sylvester Park? Can you believe a long-dead brown bear takes evening strolls through the streets of Tacoma?

 

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Puget Sound forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on! 

Adapted from Haunted Puget Sound by Ira Wesley Kitmacher

Stories to Savor

Washington has a tortured history with liquor. Efforts to ban or restrict it date back to1854, before the region even attained statehood, with blue laws remaining on the books well into the twentieth century. From Jimmie Durkin, an enterprising saloon owner, to Roy Olmstead, a former Seattle cop turned gentleman bootlegger, the business of liquor has inspired both trouble and innovation.

Join author and journalist Becky Garrison as she traces the history of the barrel and the bottle from early settlement to the modern craft distilling boom in the Evergreen State.

From trips to the Galapagos Islands to training Sea Scouts.

 

In 1978 the Odyssey, a 90-foot wooden yawl, arrived in Tacoma to serve as a training vessel and beloved landmark, standing tall in the harbor. Launched in 1938 off Nevins Boatyard in City Island, New York, the Odyssey spent four years traveling the world under the ownership of Barklie Henry. The ship hosted the Vanderbilt family and famous names like Ernest Hemingway before being donated to the cause during World War II. One name change later, she began service as a top-secret research vessel for the U.S. Navy, working in places like San Diego and Woods Hole until finding a home in Tacoma.

 

Join author Emily Molina as she charts this fascinating history. 

Men of ValorIn the late 1800s, the new state of Washington promised peace and prosperity to new settlers. At least thirty-three African American men who had served during the Civil War answered the call. Paul Barrows, a former legislator from Mississippi, established the Calvary Baptist Church of Spokane. Gideon H. Stump Bailey became the first African American Justice of the Peace in Franklin. Allin Alfred Hawkins, born into slavery, became one of the wealthiest African American farmers in the Yakima Valley.Author Cynthia A. Wilson uncovers the stories of these courageous men.