Name: Mercer Island
Brand: Priscilla Ledbetter Padgett
SKU: 9780738599564
Price: 18.74 USD
Availability: InStock

Mercer Island

9780738599564

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Mercer Island occupies a unique geographic position situated in Lake Washington, just 15 minutes to Seattle or Bellevue, yet semirural in feel. Pioneers first settled the island in the late 1800s, surviving mainly by their own ingenuity as the island lacked even the most basic services. Wealthy Seattle residents built summer cabins on the island to enjoy its bucolic setting. With the advent of passenger and car ferry services to Seattle, Mercer Island gradually acquired a school, church, and post office, and many other services took root in the community. Residents continued to use rowboats, steamboats, and ferries to get to and from the island. Development was slow and cumbersome, as all supplies had to be transported by boat. However, with the opening of the East Channel Bridge in 1923 and the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in 1940, the island gradually evolved into a commuter suburb, attracting new residents to its park-like setting and excellent schools.

Mukilteo

9780738574219

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Located on the waters of Possession Sound, Mukilteo is one of the earliest settlements in Snohomish County. It takes its name, which means "good camping ground," from the Native American people who established a permanent winter village on the spit of land and adjoining salt marsh. Numerous events add to Mukilteo's rich history, including the visit of Capt. George Vancouver in 1792 and Gov. Isaac Stevens's signing of the Point Elliott Treaty in 1855. Founded by Morris Frost and Jacob Fowler in 1860, the city housed the first salmon cannery in Washington and one of the region's earliest breweries. Japanese immigrants became an important part of the community from 1903 to 1930 while working for the Crown Lumber Company. The city's lighthouse, located near the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry dock, has been a well-known fixture since 1906.

Ellensburg

9780738571546

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Ellensburg began as a small trading post in the picturesque Kittitas Valley in the early 1870s. Northwest Native Americans praised the area for its centrality in the region, which Seattleite John A. Shoudy quickly realized. When Shoudy sought to secure a wagon road from Seattle to Eastern Washington, over the Cascade Mountains, the trail led him to the Kittitas Valley. Shoudy purchased a small trading post from A. J. Splawn and began the town that he named for his wife, Mary Ellen Shoudy. Ellensburg was almost chosen as the state capital in the late 1880s, but instead it was awarded a State Normal School as a consolation. With a bustling downtown district, a railroad passing through town, and a public university, all the while remaining steeped in the local agricultural and rural setting, Ellensburg quickly became a diverse and thriving city.

Oak Harbor

9780738596686

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Oak Harbor, the largest town on Whidbey Island, was first inhabited by a large population of natives. White men first arrived to the island in 1792 on Capt. George Vancouver's ship. Joseph Whidbey is credited with finding the churning passage, which he named Deception Pass, establishing that the land was indeed an island. Vancouver named the land Whidbey's Island. Three young adventurers in search of new and free land--Martin Taftzon, Charles Sumner, and Ulrich Freund--were brought up the bay to Big Springs by native canoe. Taftzon scrambled up over the hill and, gazing out to his eye's delight on the beautiful harbor, exclaimed loudly, "Eureka, I have discovered Paradise!" On January 4, 1851, these young men filed donation land claims around the harbor. Oak Harbor was named by Dr. R.H. Lansdale.

Sequim-Dungeness Valley

9781467134040

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Mastodons roamed the plains of Sequim and Dungeness in the years following the recession of the Cordilleran ice sheets. Millennia later, the villages of S'Klallam were home to those who saw settlers disembarking on the periphery of coastal wilderness. Ancient stands of spruce, cedar, and fir fell in the 1800s, clearing the land for agriculture. By the 1900s, the region exported wheat, potatoes, hay, and oats and became prime dairy land. This compilation of historic photographs illustrates the area's history from the 1800s to 1930 and is complimented by information from archival documents sequestered in historical collections throughout the Puget Sound and at the Museum and Arts Archive in Sequim.

Sumner

9781467130639

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Come on in to Sumner, Washington, the "Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World." Settled in 1853 after a wagon train daringly crossed the Cascade Mountains through Naches Pass, Sumner quickly grew to become an established town. Find out how Sumner's name was literally drawn out of a hat. Learn about George Ryan's unique method for getting the railroad to stop here. Take a tour down Main Street, and watch how it changed--or didn't--through the decades. See Ryan House when it actually was a farmhouse and the Old Cannery when it was canning fruit. Join in celebrations over the years, from the Daffodil Parade to football championships. Meet schoolchildren, including Clara McCarty Wilt, who became the first graduate of the University of Washington. Follow the work at local industries, from the lumberyards to the fields, where daffodils, berries, and of course, rhubarb were grown.

Seattle's Fremont

9780738531199

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Lovingly labeled by locals as the "Center of the Universe," Fremont is one of Seattle's most eclectic and dynamic neighborhoods. Having been little more than lush primeval forest just over a century ago, the area grew to be the home of the city's blue-collar workers, a bohemian haven for local artists, and now a thriving urban mecca of bars, restaurants, hip boutiques, and art studios that cater to the worldly aware. Most recently, Fremont has become the address of hightech giants like Adobe. It continues to evolve, reflecting
the changes in industry that have contributed to Fremont's reputation as an urban area on the cutting edge.

Lakewood

9780738530451

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

The 20-square-mile expanse of picturesque lakes and Douglas fir groves in which Lakewood is nestled was first known as "The Prairie," a vital crossroads between the Columbia River Gorge and Vancouver, British Columbia, for British fur traders and Native Americans. Fort Steilacoom became a stronghold of American interests before, during, and after the Indian War of 1855-1856 and was a crucible for men who would figure prominently in the Civil War. The prairie and the Lakes District later grew into a playground for Tacoma's wealthy. On one end of Lakewood, racers
such as Barney Oldfield and Eddie Rickenbacker entertained tens of thousands; while on the other end, health care professionals at Western State Hospital sought answers to mental illness. Lakewood still boasts the first golf club in the West--the Tacoma Country and Golf Club--and the internationally known Lakewold Gardens.

Cheney

9781467133487

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Established as a railroad section station on the Northern Pacific Railroad, Cheney boomed into existence as the Spokane County seat in 1880. The City of Cheney incorporated in 1883, and though its role as county seat was short-lived, Cheney long served as an agricultural and mercantile hub for the surrounding Palouse and scabland towns and farms. The rotary rod weeder was invented here and manufactured by the Cheney Weeder Company to be shipped all over the country and the world. The most enduring legacy of the pioneers was Eastern Washington University, beginning as the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy in 1882 with a donation from the town's namesake. In 1891, it became Washington's first normal school for the training of teachers. Growing and diversifying, the university now has a student body of over 10,000.

Murder & Mayhem in Central Washington

9781467148139

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Crime ran rampant at the turn of the twentieth century across Central Washington, from jail breaks, lethal bootleggers and assassinations in Kittitas County to shootouts and burglaries in Benton County. In Zillah, the Dymond Brothers Gang were known for stealing horses between prison stints. In Yakima, residents reeled in shock over the premeditated killing of a gambler, a riot and the discovery that a respected brewer had committed murder. Through it all, sheriffs like Jasper Day tried to keep the peace with mixed success. Author Ellen Allmendinger recounts the tales that once made this the roughest region of the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle's Historic Hotels

9780738580029

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Mary Ann Conklin, also known as "Madame Damnable," ran Seattle's first hotel, the Felker House, which burned to the ground in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. The Rainier Hotel was erected quickly following the Great Seattle Fire but razed around 1910. The Denny Hotel, an architectural masterpiece later known as the Washington Hotel, was built in 1890 but torn down in 1907 during the massive regrade that flattened Denny Hill. Upon opening in 1909, the Sorrento Hotel was declared a "credit to Seattle" by the Seattle Times. The Olympic Hotel was the place for Seattle's high society throughout the 1920s. The Hotel Kalmar was a workingman's hotel built in 1881 and was razed for the Seattle tollway. The Lincoln Hotel was destroyed by a tragic fire in 1920, along with its rooftop gardens. The famous and grand Seattle Hotel in Pioneer Square was replaced by a "sinking ship" parking garage, thus sparking preservationists to band together to establish Pioneer Square as a historic district.

Haunted Snohomish

9781467136976

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Historic Snohomish has enough ghostly tales for a town twice its size. A policeman named Henry, who died on the floor of the Oxford Tavern, haunts the popular watering hole alongside nearly twenty other impish spirits. Incarcerated for everything from public drunkenness to coldblooded murder, former inmates still crowd the cells of the old county jail on First Street, banging against the metal confines. Locals attribute the faint lilt of a fiddle heard near the railroad tracks to the spirit of the sad, sullen man who committed suicide on the nearby bluff. Author Deborah Cuyle reveals the chilling history, strange stories and wandering souls that refuse to leave their lovely town.

The Long Beach Peninsula

9780738529950

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Jutting northward from the mouth of the Columbia River, the Long Beach Peninsula defines Washington's southwestern coastal geography. The picturesque blend of beach and forest along the river, Willapa Bay, and the Pacific Ocean was home to the Chinook Indians who first settled this region. European and American trade came to this area in the 18th century, opening the way for Lewis and Clark to explore and establish a land route to the Pacific. The region prospered because of its diverse natural resources and thriving fur trade. Today, a vibrant tourist industry fuels the Peninsula's continuing development.

Washington State Capitol Campus

9781467106764

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

The Washington State Capitol Campus is the heart of state government. Olympia was designated the capital of Washington Territory in 1853. The territorial legislature first met in rented quarters before moving to a simple wooden capitol building. After becoming a state in 1889, the government began building an elaborate capitol building until the Panic of 1893 halted construction. As a temporary solution, the state purchased the former Thurston County Courthouse. Over a period of decades, a new group of permanent capitol campus buildings were constructed. Since then, the campus has continued to grow, meeting the changing needs of government. However, the history of the campus is more than a tale of buildings. It is also the story of the workers, legislators, and visitors who have made this place a community.

Chehalis

9780738576039

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

After Schuyler and Eliza Saunders staked out property in 1851, early pioneers referred to the soggy Chehalis River bottomland as "Saunders Bottom." The community of Claquato on a nearby hillside became a busy way station for travelers but only until enterprising businessmen like William West repeatedly flagged down passing trains, prompting railroad officials to establish a depot at Chehalis. Following an economic boom in the 1880s, fires in 1892 destroyed much of the business district. Chehalis thrived in the 1920s, suffered during the Depression, and built parts for B-17 bombers in a Boeing Company plant during World War II. An early-1950s Adventure in Cooperation forged even stronger community bonds, leading to the formation of the Chehalis Industrial Commission. Today, Chehalis has thriving retail and industrial areas and a renovated downtown promoted by members of the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team.

The Long Beach Peninsula:

9780738524573

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Serving as the link between Pacific waters and Willapa Bay on the southwestern tip of Washington state, the Long Beach Peninsula has carved its niche as protector and provider since the Chinook tribe first set foot on its shores. Though teeming with life in and around the ocean, its treachery has proven as striking as its beauty. From Lewis and Clark to the many species of birds that flock here yearly, this coastal region hosts a wide range of visitors and has become a thriving center for tourism as well as a haven for those who love the sea.

Roslyn

9780738559551

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Roslyn, a mining town nestled in Washington's Cascade Mountains, is a little town with a big history. Founded three years before Washington was admitted to the Union, Roslyn became a boomtown after the discovery of coal. Coal was king in Roslyn for 80 years, and immigrants came from all over the world to work the mines. Roslyn's remarkable history includes stories of murder, a mine strike that ended with the mine boss tied to the railroad tracks, and a bank robbery some claim was masterminded by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Readers will meet characters like Tony Bailey--he turned out to be a she--who worked the mines for 11 months in 1949 before being arrested one night in a tavern for going into the women's bathroom dressed as a man. And no book about Roslyn would be complete without a chapter on the hit television series Northern Exposure, which was filmed there.

Poulsbo

9781467130325

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Poulsbo is one of the earliest communities on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Founded in 1883, it quickly became the destination place for Scandinavian immigrants looking for a fjord-like setting where they could farm, fish, and flourish in a climate more user-friendly than either their homeland or America's Midwest. The village on Liberty Bay is home to the oldest Lutheran church on the Olympic Peninsula. It was also the homeport for the Pacific Coast Codfish Company, at one time the largest codfish supplier on the Pacific coast. While motorized fishing boats and pleasure craft of all types have replaced the three-masted schooners of yore, Poulsbo today still cherishes its Scandinavian heritage with Syttende Mai, Midsommarfest, and Julefest. The local bakery put Poulsbo on the map in the 1970s with the development of Poulsbo Bread, now sold worldwide; however, the town's most unique claim remains its name--the result of a spelling error.

Mount Baker

9781467131070

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Mount Baker rises over northern Washington State like a mirage, dominating the landscape like few mountains in the United States. On a clear day, it is visible from as far away as Vancouver, British Columbia, and Tacoma, Washington. This immense volcano is a study in superlatives: it is the third-highest peak in the state, holds the world record for snowfall in a season (95 feet!), and is the second-most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States. The mountain also played a dominant role in the history of the region, having served as a beacon to seafarers and a lure for men in search of gold, timber, and adventure.

Oysterville

9780738580760

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

For generations, Chinook Indians camped in the area that is now Oysterville, gathering oysters from the shallow waters of Shoalwater Bay. When tribal elder "Old Klickeas" introduced two young adventurers, Robert Hamilton Espy and Isaac Alonzo Clark, to the oyster treasure, the pioneer boom years began. Oysters were marketed in gold-rich, oyster-hungry San Francisco, where a plateful sold for $50. Within months, there were several hundred settlers, and in 1855, Oysterville was chosen as the seat of Pacific County, Washington Territory. Oysterville had many county firsts: a school, a college, a newspaper, a post office, and a church--but never a bank. When schooners arrived to pick up their oyster cargoes, oystermen were paid in gold coin that then might be buried or stashed under floorboards for safekeeping. Often there was more gold in Oysterville than in any town on the West Coast except San Francisco. Today the peaceful vistas along the lanes and shoreline of the village belie its tumultuous history. Oysterville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Tumwater

9780738581279

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

The phrase "It's the water," adopted by Tumwater's own Olympia Brewing Company, could have been coined for the town itself. In 1845, the first American settlers on Puget Sound founded a village at the falls of the Deschutes River, drawn by the river's potential for powering mills and factories. They christened the place New Market, though the town soon changed its name to Tumwater, a phrase meaning "noisy water" in the language used between settlers and Indians. Though the age of water power lasted only a few more decades, Tumwater later struck gold with a different sort of water: pure artesian springs that were perfect for brewing beer. The Olympia Brewing Company, built by German brewmaster Leopold Schmidt, produced its first beer in 1896. For more than a century, Schmidt's brewery dominated the little town at the falls. In spite of tremendous changes during the past few decades, modern Tumwater still takes pride in its Northwest pioneer heritage and its beer-brewing past.

Lost Restaurants of Walla Walla

9781467136341

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

Dining in Walla Walla blossomed from an influx of mining transplants in the late 1800s. Within decades, a roadhouse called the Oasis boasted a seventy-two-ounce slab of beef, and the old Pastime Café opened at 5:30 a.m. with white toast and whiskey for breakfast. In the early 1950s, Ysidro Berrones opened one of the valley's first Mexican restaurants, the El Sombrero Tortilla Factory and Café. Owner of Denney's Hi-Spot for two decades, Joe Denney also satisfied locals with his morning crooning to piano on KTEL. Native and local wine writer Catie McIntyre Walker celebrates this rich heritage with decades of departed, beloved establishments and the people behind them.

The Ballard Locks

9780738559179

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, known locally as the Ballard Locks, are an integral part of Seattle's extensive waterways. The busiest facility of their kind in America, the Ballard Locks form the heart of the channel connecting Puget Sound's saltwater with Seattle's main freshwater lakes. When completed in 1917, the locks were second only in size to the Panama Canal and the first of their kind on the West Coast. They function primarily to maintain the lakes' levels and allow the movement of vessels between them and the sea. The Ballard Locks are among Seattle's top tourist attractions; more than one million people visit annually. They watch salmon and other fish migrate through the fish ladder, visit the botanical gardens, and watch the nonstop parade of ships—from working vessels to pleasure craft—as they rise and fall in the locks.

Banks Lake

9781467109444

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

Every year, Banks Lake is visited by thousands of tourists from all over Washington State and beyond for recreation. People fish, boat, swim, hike, and camp around Banks Lake, a 27-mile equalizing reservoir created for the Grand Coulee Dam as part of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. However, even before Banks Lake, the Upper Grand Coulee was a vibrant, inhabited land. Bits and pieces of the fragmented history often surface; there were orchards and seemingly endless fields of golden wheat. Filled with ranches and farms, cattle roamed freely. Stories of highways, railroads, and towns now under the waters of the equalizing reservoir are waiting to be discovered. This book pulls back the waves of Banks Lake and the layers of time to reveal the lost and forgotten history that was inundated with the waters of the Grand Coulee Dam.

Haunted Vancouver, Washington

9781467145510

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Sprawling along the banks of the Columbia River, the city of Vancouver has grown from a remote fort to a metropolis. Home to the first operating airfield in the United States, it's seen triumphs and tragedies by air, land and sea. Shades walk across bridges and disappear, shadows haunt the courthouse and voices echo through empty barracks. Ghostly mules, once used for army transport, have been spotted near their old barn on Fifth Street, and the scene of a plane crash from more than fifty years ago sometimes looks as fresh as the day it happened. Join author and historian Pat Jollota as she uncovers the fascinating stories behind the unexplainable.

Spokane Hot Rodding

9781467133005

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Spokane, located just 20 miles from the Idaho border, is the largest city in Eastern Washington, and during the 1940s, it became a center point of an evolving postwar hot rod community. Auto sports were expanding at this time from stock car and midget racing to street cars and drag racing. Local car enthusiasts joined together with an influx of military personnel and college students who were just as passionate for hot rodding, and it was during this time that the Spokane hot rodding culture started flourishing. Together, they pushed the boundaries of hot rodding and created lifelong bonds in the process. This book explores that evolution of inland northwest hot rodding from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s, starting with the jalopy-styled hot rods that began popping up on local streets to the formation of new clubs and organized racing.

Road to Rainier Scenic Byway

9781467129282

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

The Road to Rainier Scenic Byway has grown from a Native American forest trail, hundreds of years old, to a modern forest highway carrying 1.5 million travelers a year. In 1833, a European tourist first reached a glacier, and soon others followed, seeking the wonders of Mount Rainier. In 1903, the railroad reached Eatonville; and national park visitors, who started as a few thousand, became tens of thousands. With a market for timber, hundreds rushed to claim the lands. Forestry and tourism both thrived off the rich natural resources, and as the region developed, purely commercial ventures were supplemented with educational outreach. Charles L. Pack Experimental Forest, established in 1926, conducts scientific research into forest management and sustainability. Historical interpretation has become a function of the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad and Logging Museum. The Road to Rainier Scenic Byway continues to serve all as it heads to scenic Mount Rainier.

Paine Field

9781467131421

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Paine Field was named in honor of hometown hero Topliff Olin Paine, an Army Air Corps pilot during World War I. Located 6 miles south of Everett and 20 miles north of Seattle, Paine Field-- known as Snohomish County Airport--got its start as a WPA project in the 1930s. Situated on 1,000 acres, this airport was shaped by numerous events, such as World War II, the Korean War, and the arrival of Boeing, as well as social, political, and environmental issues that continue to influence its destiny. Throughout its 77-year history, Paine Field has continued to evolve into a thriving aviation community. At the heart of its success has been the key role of general aviation. A rags-to-riches story, Paine Field has grown from a small regional airport into an aeronautical complex that garners worldwide attention.

Rainier Valley

9780738588971

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Where could one find "Garlic Gulch," a stadium named Sick, an urban fireworks factory on a hill, a Japanese American botanical garden, and the largest stand of old-growth timber in Seattle? All are icons of Seattle's Rainier Valley, an area whose past and present are richly varied. Although the fireworks factory and the stadium are gone, the smell of garlic still hangs on mixed with the aromas of Asian spices, Ethiopian coffee, Mexican salsa, and fish and chips. Saved from development by the organized protests of the community, the 85-year-old botanic garden still thrives. And Seward Park, with its virgin timber, is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a public park. The Rainier Valley, one of the most ethnically and economically diverse communities in the country, is a reflection of the many families, businesses, and events that filled the past 150 years.

Fife

9780738588940

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

When the citizens of Fife voted to incorporate the town in 1957, they sought to control their destiny and retain their idyllic community. However, Fife's location between the burgeoning cities of Tacoma and Seattle and proximity to Commencement Bay presented challenges of eminent domain, which ultimately brought about the transformation of the fabric of the land. This history documents the transformation of Fife from the establishment of the Puyallup Indian Reservation through that of the pioneer farmers who worked the rich, volcanic soil while developing a close-knit community of families and friends.

Mount Vernon

9780738596075

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

On the banks of the Skagit River in the late 1800s, an untamed wilderness was settled by Jasper Gates. He was followed by Harrison Clothier and Edward English, who had a vision for a new town. But before the city of Mount Vernon could become a reality, the early settlers would have to use simple tools and pure determination to clear two ancient logjams that prohibited travel up the river. Once the river was navigable, the logging industry could flourish, which, in turn, cleared fertile lands that would support world-class farming and culminate in a booming dairy industry. Eventually, Mount Vernon would be referred to as "Milk City." The area was a top seed producer as well as the site for food processing and canning. Today, it is best known for bulb and flower growing; every April, hundreds of thousands of people journey to view the spectacular flower fields.

Haunted Everett, Washington

9781467142847

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

The historic mill town of Everett, abutting the deep, dark waters of Puget Sound, has been haunted since its founding. The Rucker family's spirits are said to linger near both their distinctive pyramid-shaped mausoleum and mansion by the bay, and the shadowy figures of former patrons and entertainers are purported to roam inside the Historic Everett Theater. Many believe the angry shades of laborers still riot, demanding freedom of speech just like on that horrible November night in 1916 when several lost their lives. Even the Everett Community College library is rumored to house ghosts reading their favorite books. Author Deborah Cuyle reveals the spooky history of the City of Smokestacks and the spirits that refuse to leave it.

Castle Rock

9780738570921

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Early travelers coming up the Cowlitz River saw a large rock formation next to the river, which they named Castle Rock. It was here, nestled between the Willapa Hills and the Cascade Mountains, that William and Eliza Huntington made their homestead in 1852. Theirs and several other early land grants make up what is now the site of Castle Rock, as well as nearby homes and farms. Descendants of many early pioneer families continue to live in Castle Rock, including Pyle, Jackson, Merrill, Dougherty, Whittle, Studebaker, and others. The town and its people have survived a series of natural disasters in the 20th century, including floods, an earthquake, a Pacific hurricane, and the eruption of Mount St. Helens, each time picking up the pieces of their lives and rebuilding. With the virtual collapse of the timber industry, Castle Rock is now beginning to find its identity and ability to prosper in the 21st century.

Bridges of Seattle

9781467104388

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

Seattle is situated in a region of outstanding scenic beauty, but the forested hills and numerous bodies of water that characterize the city were formidable obstacles to connecting its communities as it grew out from the historic center. Between 1896 and 1930, the city undertook massive landscape regrades, landfills, and waterway cuts to ease movement by land and water. The completion of these efforts allowed for the construction of Seattle's first permanent steel bridges beginning in 1910. Nine bridges included in this book are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. They include Washington's oldest steel arch bridge, the 1911 Twelfth Avenue South Bridge; the 1913 Ravenna Park Bridge; all four of the Lake Washington Ship Canal bascules, constructed between 1917 and 1924; and the Depression-era Aurora, Cowen Park, and Schmitz Park bridges. Bridges of Seattle explores the history of the spans that are a quintessential part of the Seattle experience.

Downtown Vancouver

9780738529592

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Named for a British sea explorer, Vancouver was conceived in the early 1800s when Lewis and Clark camped at the waterfront and deemed the area ripe for settlement. The Hudson's Bay Company soon established its fur-trading empire here, and "Fort Vancouver" became the commercial center of the area. In 1849 American troops set up Columbia Barracks nearby, establishing the area as a military stronghold. In 1857 the city of Vancouver was incorporated, and gradually became an important industrial and residential city. Vancouver is now a big city, and along with nearby Portland, Oregon, is home to high-tech, maritime, lumber, and manufacturing industries.