From the desk of Sean Lanksbury, PNW & Special Collections Librarian

A small selection of resources tracing 50 years of preserving and exploring in the North Cascades of Washington.

On September 3, 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the wilderness act as a result of pressure from national and state level citizens and organizations who shared similar concerns about the protection of the United States uninhabited environments amidst increasing industrialization and population growth.  Four years following that act, the North Cascades National Park was created.  The State Library maintains copies of the hearings that led to its creation within its Federal Publication Collection,

The North Cascades. Hearings, Ninetieth Congress, second session (Washington: U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1968. 3 vols. 985 p. Illustrations, maps.) These hearings held April 19-Sept. 4, 1968 in various cities.

 “Serial no. 90-24.”

Y 4.In 8/14:90-8970/ pt.1 thru 3 (call ahead to have these volumes pulled for on-site review)

“H.R. 8970 and related bills, a bill to establish the North Cascades National Park and Ross Lake national recreation area, to designate the Pasayten Wilderness and to modify the Glacier Peak Wilderness in the State of Washington, and for other purposes.”

A less-traveled jewel of Washington’s wilderness regions and one of the nation’s least visited attractions, North Cascades National Park is arguably the crown jewel, the largest block of protected wilderness along the U.S. – Canadian border.  It is largely a roadless area, though it is accessible via the North Cascades highway (WA-20), which commenced prior to Johnson’s administration with appropriated funds in 1958 and completed with a final connection to State Route 153 in 1972.

Washington Highways: North Cascades Highway Dedication Issue. (Olympia, Wash.: Washington State Dept. of Highways, 1964-1972.

WA 388 H531ne 1964 copy three available for checkout

 But don’t be dissuaded by the relative scarcity of roads, there are plenty of road trips for the automotive enthusiast that exploit the natural beauty and opportunities for RV and tent camping that do not require a large-scaling hiking adventure!

The North Cascades Highway: A Roadside Guide to America’s Alps. By Jack McLeod. (Seattle, Wash.: University of Washington Press, 2013. 104 pp. Color illustrations, maps, bibliographical references and index.)

NW 917.975 MCLEOD 2013

 Camping Washington: The Best Public Campground for Tents & RVs, Rated & Reviewed. By Ron C. Judd. (Seattle, Wash.: Mountaineers Books, c2009. 325 pp. Illustrations, maps.)

NW 917.9706 JUDD 2009

Even the casual appreciator finds themselves knocked back by the North Cascades raw beauty.  From top to bottom it’s a stunner: steep peaks beset with translucent blue glaciers that melt into dramatic waterfalls streaming into alpine meadows and deep and lovely lakes cannot help but wow.  Such untrammeled gorgeousness has led many to dub it the Alps of North America, but it is its own wonderful vision.  A vision so singular that it held members of the Beat Generation in thrall

Poets on the Peaks: Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen & Jack Kerouac in the North Cascades. Text and Photographs by John Suiter. (Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, c2002. 340 pp. Illustrations, bibliographical references and index.)

NW 811.54 SUITER 2002                  AVAILABLE

If you cannot visit soon but wish to get a glimpse, you can see its beauty captured in photographs by checking out

Lake Chelan and the North Cascades: A Pictorial Tour. Text and photos by Mike and Nancy Barnhart; edited by Ana Maria Spagna. (Stehekin, WA: Bridge Creek Pub., c2000. 52 pp. Illustrations, maps.)

NW 917.977 BARNHAR 2000

Shortly after the park’s creation, local author Frank Darvill and the Mountaineers of Washington State each created a collection of maps and routes to aide interested hikers

A Pocket Guide to Selected Trails of the North Cascades National Park and Associated Recreational Complex. By Fred T. Darvill, Jr. (Mount Vernon, Wash. (P.O. Box 636, 98273): F.T.Darvill, c1968.)  52 pp.: illustrations, map.)

NW 917.9773 DARVILL 1968

Hiker’s Map of the North Cascades; Routes and Rocks in the Mt. Challenger Quadrangle. By Rowland W. Tabor and Dwight Farnsworth Crowder. Drawings by Ed Hanson.(Seattle, The Mountaineers 1968. 47 p. Illustrations, maps, bibliographic references.)

R 917.9724 TABOR 1968 (Library Use Only)

Since then there have been additional works created to guide those who wish to wander through the northern woods.  The Mountaineers’ guide has added many more hikes of varying difficulty and length since that early guide

100 Hikes in Washington’s North Cascades National Park Region. (Seattle, WA: Mountaineers, c2000-

NW 917.9773 ONE HUN 2000

You can spend just a single day hiking.  If you are interested in doing so, try consulting

Day Hike! North Cascades, 3rd Edition: The Best Trails You Can Hike in a Day. By Mike McQuaide (Seattle, Wash: Sasquatch Books 2014. 240 pp.)

NW 796.5109 MCQUAID 2014

Longtime Puget Sound area residents may remember Television personality Don McCune (who also played children’s show host “Captain Puget”) hosted a series called “Exploration Northwest.” In that series he hosted a three episode special split into 30-minute-segments on the North Cascades.  Well, as luck would have it, the State Library has those available for your viewing pleasure as well:

North Cascades [videorecording] / KOMO TV. (Woodinville, WA: Don McCune Library, c2005.

1 videodisc (90 min.): sd., col. with b&w sequences; 4 3/4 in.

NW DVD 979.773 NORTH C 2005

In the first segment, the history of the four-year construction of the north cross-state highway is documented. The second segment presents the story of injured eagles care of wounded eagles and their eventual return to their native Skagit Valley habitat. In the third segment, climbers scale pinnacles in the North Cascades and demonstrate free-climbing skills.

There is wildlife galore to encounter in the North Cascades.  Bird lovers will discover tons of bird watching opportunities,

Birds of the Northwestern National Parks: A Birder’s Perspective. By Roland H. Wauer; drawings by Mimi Hoppe Wolf. (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2000. 137 pp. Illustrations.)

NW 598.0723 WAUER 2000

And all sorts of mammals ranging from elk, wolves and wolverines to the always controversial Grizzly Bear presence can be sighted.  In fact the North Cascades are one of the few areas in Washington State where the Grizzly, while listed as endangered in this state, can still be encountered.  Be observant and – as always – take care, especially if you are going fishing in the late summer or autumn.

Wolves in the Land of Salmon. By David Moskowitz. (Portland, OR: Timber Press, c2013. 334 pp. Illustrations, maps, bibliographical references and index.)

NW 599.773 MOSKOWI 2013

North Cascade (Nooksack) Elk Herd. Prepared by Michael A. Davison. (Olympia, WA: Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Program, [2002] 53 pp. Illustrations, maps, bibliographical references.)

WA 639.2 F62nor c2 2002 c.2         AVAILABLE

Click on the following to:

View online from Washington State Library as a PDF Document – Adobe Acrobat Reader Required

http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Record/ViewMedia/542A3D7A97762AE702EB8673A66FEB2A?_ga=1.46557220.2028710183.1406221241

A Preliminary Study of Historic and Recent Reports of Grizzly Bears, Ursus Arctos, in the North Cascades Area of Washington.  By Paul T. Sullivan. (Olympia, Wash.: Washington Dept. of Game, [1983]

WA 799 G141pre s1 1983 c.1

North Cascades Grizzly Bear Ecosystem Evaluation: Final Report. By Jon A. Almack, William L. Gaines, Robert H. Naney … [et al.] (Denver, Colo.: Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, 1993.

Washington State Docs WA 799 W64nor c2 1993

Grizzly Wars: The Public Fight over the Great Bear. By David Knibb; foreword by Lance Craighead. (Spokane: Eastern Washington University Press, c2008. 284 pp. Illustrations, maps, bibliographical references, and index.)

NW 333.9597 KNIBB 2008

There are pieces of history tucked away in the park as well, for the curious historians and archaeology buffs:

Historic Structures Inventory: North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Compiled by Gretchen A. Luxenberg. (Seattle, Wash.: Cultural Resources Division, Pacific Northwest Region, National Park Service, [1984]  108pp. Illustrations, maps, forms, bibliographical references, and index.)

“Goat Lake Trail: A Hike into Mining History.” By Richard C. McCollum. (Seattle, Wash.: Northwest Press, [1981], 2 pp. Illustrations, maps, bibliographical references.) As part of the journal, Northwest discovery; v. 2, no. 5. pp. 270-330

NW 979.5 NORTHWE 1981 May

Not only is history to found in the park but it has been made there, particularly in the field of fire control:

Spittin’ in the Wind. Bk. 1, History & Tales: North Cascades Smokejumper Base: The Birthplace Of Smokejumping, 1939-2007. By Bill Moody and Larry Longley. (2007. 256 pp. Illustrations)

NW 634.9618 SPITTIN 2007

As with so many natural spaces, tense debates regarding best practices on how to maintain the lands, and how to best balance human interactions with the environment with the needs of the environment as a whole, persist.

Wilderness Alps: Conservation and Conflict in Washington’s North Cascades. By Harvey Manning with the North Cascades Conservation Council; edited by Ken Wilcox; foreword by David R. Brower. (Bellingham, Wash.: Northwest Wild Books, 2007. 479 pp. Illustrations, bibliographical references, and index.)

NW 979.773 MANNING 2007

We invite you to join us in celebrating this Washington treasure.  Please consider taking a road trip into this marvelous region of our state, and maybe as you’re planning a trip you’ll feel like picking up some resources at your State or local library along the way.

From the desk of Sean Lanksbury. PNW & Special Collections Librarian

This weekend, C-SPAN Cities will be featuring a block of programming on the history and the literary culture of Olympia on its American History TV and Book TV specials.  Individual segments featured in the block will also air in between other programs throughout the weekend.  Each segment deals with a single topic, such as local authors, notable political figures, historic industries, plus visits to literary and historical sites.  Among those featured during Book TV’s block on Olympia literary culture and history is the Territorial Collection of the Washington State Library, maintained at the Central Branch in Tumwater, WA, just south of Olympia.

 

Book TV’s Olympia block will air Saturday, February 1st at 9am (PST) and again on Sunday, February 2nd at 6:45am (PST) on C-SPAN2. American History TV’s Olympia block airs on Sunday , February 2 at 2pm PST.  (Check your local listings for availability)

Read below for additional details, courtesy of C-SPAN:

“OLYMPIA WEEKEND

Featured on Book TV and American History TV

Weekend of February 1-2, 2014

Hosted by our Comcast cable partners, our C-SPAN Cities Tour staff visited numerous locations to explore the history and literary culture of Washington’s capital city.

 In addition to having the below pieces sprinkled in throughout the weekend on the respective networks, both AHTV and BOOK TV will have a block of programming where ALL of the respective Olympia pieces for their networks will air.

BOOK TV OLYMPIA BLOCK: SATURDAY, February 1 at 9am PT/12pm ET on C-SPAN2 (Comcast Ch: 25)

AHTV OLYMPIA BLOCK: SUNDAY, February 2 at 5pm ET on C-SPAN3 (Comcast Ch: 150)

AHTV FEATURES

• Tour the Washington State Capitol Building with Tour Guide David Shipley. Learn about the history of Olympia as the state’s only capital city.  Hear about Washington’s transition from a territorial government to becoming a state, its historical significance and the damage caused by two earthquakes since the building was built. See the granite halls of this historic building and view its extensive Tiffany collection.
• Learn about the Boldt Decision, which secured Native American’s fishing rights on the Puget Sound in the 1970s. During the 20^th century Native Americans were arrested and jailed for fishing salmon in certain parts of the Puget Sound.  Washington State claimed their fishing activities were eroding the fish supply.  The Native Americans argued they had a right to fish these lands under the Medicine Creek Treaty, signed in 1854. Hear former Washington State Supreme Court Justice Gerry Alexander explain the origins of the treaty and the events leading to the Boldt Decision, and Nisqually tribal member and activist Billy Frank Jr. share his stories and thoughts on what many call the landmark civil rights issue of the Pacific Northwest. 
• Learn about naturalist and explorer David Douglas, the namesake for the Douglas Fir Tree.  Douglas, a Scottish botanist, explored North America and Hawaii in search of plants that could be grown in his native land. Jack Nisbet, author of “The Collector” talks about Douglas’ adventures, and showcases Douglas’ findings which were part of the first systematic collection of flora and fauna in the Northwest
• See the Murrow Brothers Exhibit at the State Capitol Museum.  Susan Rohrer, Manager of the State Capitol Museum, showcases the traveling exhibit that explains the lives of the three Murrow brothers, including Edward R. Murrow, who grew up in Washington’s Skagit (SKAA-git) County.  See photos of the men throughout their lives and hear how each contributed to Washington State and to the country.
• Tour Taylor Shellfish and learn about the history of the Olympia Oyster. Hear local historian Ed Echtle talk about the origins of Olympia’s shellfish industry and the impact oyster harvesting has had on the Puget Sound and the rest of the country.  Taylor Shellfish’s Sustainability Manager, Marco Pinchot takes us on a tour of one of their processing plants, and talks about the health of the Puget Sound today.
• Visit the Bigelow House, one of the oldest homes in Olympia.  Explore this historic home with local historian Shanna Stevenson. Hear about Daniel and Ann Elizabeth Bigelow’s ties to the early settlement in Olympia, their relationship with Susan B. Anthony, and their fight to get women the right to vote.

• Hear Governor Jay Inslee (D) talk about the state’s economy and the impact of recent legislation.
• See the Grand Coulee to Grunge Exhibit at the Washington State Capitol. Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman takes us through the exhibit and highlights several innovations from Washington that have changed the world— the timber industry, the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford plutonium production site, Boeing, the music industry and more.

 

Book TV FEATURES

• Learn about the Marbled Murrelet and the litigation surrounding its habitat from author Maria Mudd Ruth, author of “Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet.”
• Hear author S.R. Martin, Jr. recount his families migration during the 1940’s from East Texas to San Francisco by way of Wyoming and Montana.  In his book, “On the Move: A Black Family’s Western Saga,” Martin compares his childhood growing up in Wyoming and Montana to those of his relatives who remained in the Jim Crow south.
• Learn about the maritime history of the Puget Sound from author and historian, Chuck Fowler author of “Tall Ships on Puget Sound.”  From the first 18th century explorers to the barges that populate the Puget Sound today, Fowler explores its role in the development of the Pacific Northwest region.
• Tour the Special Collections of the Washington State Library with Special Collections Librarian Sean Lanksbury.  Housed within the collection are 900 rare books purchased by Washington’s first governor, Isaac Stevens.  Governor Stevens purchased the books to create a makeshift library for the people of the newly formed state.
• Learn about Washington State’s 2004 gubernatorial race between Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire from Trova Heffernan, author of “An Election for the Ages.”  At the conclusion of election night, out of 2.8 million votes, only 261 separated the candidates.  After two recounts and multiple lawsuits, Gregoire was declared the winner by 133 votes.  In “An Election for the Ages,” Heffernan talks about the media frenzy surrounding the case and its impact on Washington politics.  We also hear from Sam Reed, who was Washington’s Secretary of State during this election.
• Hear about naturalist and explorer David Douglas, the namesake for the Douglas Fir Tree.  Douglas, a Scottish botanist, explored North America and Hawaii in search of plants that could be grown in his native land. Jack Nisbet, author of “The Collector” talks about Douglas’ adventures, and showcases Douglas’ findings which were part of the first systematic collection of flora and fauna in the Northwest

For more information on the C-SPAN Cities Tour of U.S. cities, go to www.c-span.org/localcontent.”

Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America.  By Eric Jay Dolin. New York, N.Y. : W.W. Norton & Co., 2010. 442 p.

Recommendation submitted by Gordon Russ, Volunteer, Washington State Library, Tumwater, WA

Mr. Dolin takes us on a journey, following the fur trappers west as America grows in size and maturity.  His story starts in the late 1500s with some of the early French explorers.  The fur trade really gets going in the 1620s with the coming of the Dutch settlers and their need for income. They start a vigorous trade with the Native Americans for beaver pelts, much desired in Europe.   The French and English quickly join the Dutch as they migrate to North America in search of new lands, religious freedom, and the need for income.  They too find the need to trade for the highly valued furs in the virgin lands.  The battle for Beaver pelts stirs much unrest between the home countries of these early settlers this leads to conflicts in Europe as well.

The fur trade moves west into the Great Lakes, up the Missouri river, into the Rocky Mountains, then down the Columbia River. Dolin takes us on an adventure: introducing us to the colorful people and characters of the of the fur trade such as Henry Hudson, John “Big Belly” Printz, John Jacob Astor, Christopher Hudson “Kit” Carson, Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, “Buffalo Bill” Cody and many others are introduced.  The book becomes a good primer of American History.  Dolin ties together those stories of our past and its people into a continuous thread of how we became who we are.

While the Beaver Fur trade and the genesis of America are percolating on the East Coast, the Spanish and Russians are not forgotten as they nibble away at the West coast in search of the Sea Otter.  All parties come together for the final confrontation right here in the Pacific North West.  As the battle for dominance of this new land rages, the participants drop out one at a time.  First, the Spanish leave, then the Russians and French, which leaves only the British and Americans to confront each other on the new frontier for the furs.  They discover they both have exhausted the Beaver, the Sea Otter and the reason they were there in the first place.  This leaves the land to those who wanted it – the Native Americans and the Americans, but that is another story for another time.

So sit back and wrap yourself in your favorite buffalo robe and enjoy a good read of adventure and riches.

ISBN-13: 9780393067101

Available at WSL, NW 381.4568 DOLIN 2010
Available as an eBook.
Not available in talking book or Braille editions.

The Big Burn : Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America. By Timothy Egan.
Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009. 324 p.

Recommendation by:
Carleen Jackson, Director, Heritage Center, Olympia, WA.

I recommend this wonderful history of a huge fire that destroyed much of the newly designated National Forest land in 1910.  Equally fascinating is the story of how the US Forest Service got its beginnings through the work of Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot.  Although most of the fire destroyed lands in Idaho and Montana, Washington State also figures prominently in the story.

The best thing about the book is that it reads almost like a novel, although it is historically correct.  Egan tells the story through the true-life characters: Familiar names such as Gifford Pinchot, John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft.  He also includes the lesser-known people:  railroad tycoons, brothel and tavern keepers, newly minted forest rangers, and men and women who fought the fire.  This fire set the precedent for the long-standing policy of the Forest Service to aggressively fight fires, rather than manage them as the Native Americans did.

Timothy Egan is also the author of The Worst Hard Times about the dustbowl in the Midwest, and The Good Rain about his travels around Washington State.

ISBN-13: 978-0618968411

Available at the Washington State Library, NW 973.911 EGAN 2009.
Also available in talking book and eBook editions.
Not available as a Braille edition.