Day 12: Historical Atlas of Washington and Oregon

Welcome to Day 12 in our 24 Days of Books. Today we're spotlighting a book both gorgeous and fascinating: Historical Atlas of Washington and Oregon by Derek Hayes, published by the University of California Press. This beautiful book is illustrated with more than five hundred colorful images and original maps, creating a visually rich history of the states of Oregon and Washington.

Through the images, maps, and lively text, we follow the coming of the railroads and the rapid establishment of the coastal ports, northwest cities and roads, the fur and lumber industries, and the large farms. We witness the westward expansion, and the conflicts that arose between settlers and Native Americans. Through this book we also witness the twentieth-century development of the war industries, the establishment of the aviation industry, and the celebratory 1962 Seattle World's Fair (I was there, doing The Twist).

The author is a renowned historian with a passion for old maps and what they can reveal about the past. He was trained as a geographer at the University of Hull in England and at the University of British Columbia, and he worked for a time as a planner with the Vancouver (BC) City Planning Department. Last year during the holidays we sold several copies of Historical Atlas of the North American Railroad, also by Mr. Hayes. His newest book seems to be in even greater demand -- in fact, we're having a hard time keeping this book in stock, so don't wait til the last minute. It would make a great gift for someone who loves history, or maps, or art, or the Pacific Northwest -- or all of the above.