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50 YEARS OF NORTHWEST HISTORY NEWS NOTES

50 YEARS OF NORTHWEST HISTORY NEWS NOTES

From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian Did you know that for the last 50 years, the Washington State Library has compiled a quarterly bibliography of recent Pacific Northwest history publications, including notable journal articles, for the journal Pacific Northwest Quarterly? The historian, author, and Washington Room librarian Hazel Emery Mills started the column as a service to researchers of Pacific Northwest history. The first edition of Northwest History News Notes appeared in Volume 58 (January 1967)….

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Bonanzas & Borrascas

Bonanzas & Borrascas

Bonanzas & Borrascas is a well written two-volume set on mining and mineral investing in the West. The first book is “Gold Lust and Silver Sharks, 1848-1884”, the second book is “Copper Kings and Stock Frenzies, 1885-1918”.

The Columbus Day Storm of October 12, 1962

The Columbus Day Storm of October 12, 1962

From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian Many Pacific Northwesterners recall the Columbus Day Storm of October 12, 1962 with the same vivid memories as we remember the Mount St. Helens eruptions of May 1980. For those who were witness to the storm, it remains a terrifying testament to the destructive force of nature.  The storm that began in the deep western Pacific as a typhoon named “Freda” was ignored at the time by many meteorologists and media forecasters,…

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WSL Special Collections holds evidence in a mapping mystery!

WSL Special Collections holds evidence in a mapping mystery!

From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian Well, perhaps that title is a touch dramatic, but we are very pleased to share with you a very interesting item with importance to northwest cartographic history.  The mystery starts with a gentleman named Sir Francis Drake.  Perhaps you have heard of him.  If not, then you should know that Sir Francis was the second seafarer to circumnavigate the earth, from 1577 to 1580, second only to Ferdinand Magellan, and…

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Let’s head back to those heady days of 1962…

Let’s head back to those heady days of 1962…

From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian 49 years ago, Seattle’s Lower Queen Anne district was abuzz with excitement.  Many locals were curious to what the futurist wonder of the Century 21 World Exposition – still in construction – would hold for them when it opened.  Others were skeptical of the prospects for success and debated the costs involved.  Seattle now prepares for the 5oth Anniversary of the Fair, and it feels like a good time to…

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