Columbia North Pacific Region Washington And Oregon

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the greater Northwest was ablaze with change and seemingly obsessed with progress. The promotional literature of the time praising railroads, population increases, and the growing sophistication of urban living, however, ignored the reality of poverty and ethnic and gender discrimination. During the course of the next century, even with dramatic changes in the region, one constant remainedÑ inequality. With an emphasis on the regionÕs political economy, its environmental history, and its cultural and social heritage, this lively and colorful history of the Pacific NorthwestÑdefined here as Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and southern British ColumbiaÑplaces the narrative of this dynamic region within a national and international context. Embracing both Canadian and American stories in looking at the larger region, renowned historian William Robbins and Katrine Barber offer us a fascinating regional history through the lens of both the environment and society. Understanding the physical landscape of the greater Pacific NorthwestÑand the watersheds of the Columbia, Fraser, Snake, and Klamath riversÑsets the stage for understanding the development of the area. Examining how this landscape spawned sawmills, fish canneries, railroads, logging camps, agriculture, and shared immigrant and ethnic traditions reveals an intricate portrait of the twentieth-century Northwest. Impressive in its synthesis of myriad historical facts, this first-rate regional history will be of interest to historians studying the region from a variety of perspectives and an informative read for anyone fascinated by the story of a landscape rich in diversity, natural resources, and Native culture.

In 1968, the 90th Congress authorized this national appraisal of shore erosion and shore protection. To satisfy the purposes of the authorizing legislation, a family of 12 related reports has been published. They are: Regional inventory reports; Shore protection guidelines; Shore management guidelines; and Report on the national shoreline study. This report presents an inventory of the physical characteristics, historical changes, and ownership and use of the coastal shorelines of Washington and Oregon, including major bays and estuaries.

Carlos Arnaldo Schwantes has revised and expanded the entire work, which is still the most comprehensive and balanced history of the region. This edition contains significant additional material on early mining in the Pacific Northwest, sea routes to Oregon in the early discovery and contact period, the environment of the region, the impact of the Klondike gold rush, and politics since 1945. Recent environmental controversies, such as endangered salmon runs and the spotted owl dispute, have been addressed, as has the effect of the Cold War on the region’s economy. The author has also expanded discussion of the roles of women and minorities and updated statistical information.