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CWU Special Collections

This guide describes the special collections of Brooks Library at Central Washington University.

Counties

Special Collections materials focus on the eight counties of central Washington state: Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima. Special attention is given to Native American populations, early exploration, and pioneer settlement in the central Washington region.

Regional Literature

The CWU Archives and Special Collections specializes in literature and fiction relating to central Washington, as well as publications by local authors. For suggested readings on the counties of central Washington, see the pages on the left.

Pioneer Naratives by County

Pioneer Narratives

The following subject guide represents only a small portion of our collections, and does not represent all of the subject strengths of our collections. Please remember that the listed titles are only those in Special Collections-- many other sources can be found in other departments of the Library.

Though every attempt will be made to keep these guides current, please keep in mind that our collections are growing daily and we add titles in all subjects on an ongoing basis. If you would like to find out more about items in Special Collections or have a specific reference question, please email us at archive@cwu.edu.

Subject Guide to Pioneer Narratives of Central Washington
Central Washington University
Special Collections
July 2006, updated November 2006
Prepared by Anne Taylor

General

  • Clarke, S. A. Pioneer Days of Oregon History. Portland : J. K. Gill, 1905.
  • Meany, Edmond S. Living Pioneers of Washington. Seattle : Seattle Genealogical Society.
  • Miller, Gail. On Stage with Washington Women . Pullman , WA : Washington State University Press, 1981.
  • Northwest Black Pioneers: A Centennial Tribute . Seattle : Centennial Commission, 1988.
  • Told by the Pioneers: Tales of Frontier Life as Told by Those Who Remember the Days of the Territory and Early Statehood. Olympia: WPA, 1937-1938.

Benton

  • Harris, Mary Powell. Goodbye, White Bluffs. Yakima, Franklin Press, 1972.

Chelan

  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. Pioneers of North Central Washington. Wenatchee : Wenatchee World, 1944.
  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. John A. Gellatly, First Citizen. Wenatchee: Wenatchee World, 1947.
  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. Jacob Miller, Perennial Pioneer. Wenatchee : Wenatchee World, 1953.
  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. The Shotwell Story. Wenatchee : Wenatchee World, 1953.
  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. Charles F. Keiser, the Pioneer with a Yen for Work. Wenatchee : Wenatchee World, 1954.
  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. E. T. Pybus, the Ingenious Pioneer. Wenatchee: Wenatchee World, 1954.
  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. C. Clarence Ward, Pioneer Surveyor. Wenatchee: Wenatchee World, 1956.
  • Anderson, Eva Greenslit. Dr. Isaac Hubbard, Manson’s Pioneer Doctor. Wenatchee: Wenatchee World, n. d.
  • Gellatly, Bernice. The Story of John A. Gellatly. Wenatchee : Wenatchee World, 1973.
  • Johnson, Margaret Walton. Above the Millpond: Early Days of Leavenworth in the 1920s. Omak: Walter Johnson, 2002.
  • Scheuerman, Richard. The Wenatchee Valley and Its First Peoples. Walla Walla: Color Press, 2005.
  • Van Voorhis, Ford. Homesteaders of Chelan Butte. Portland : Binfords and Mort, 1984.

Douglas

  • Lewis, William. Early Days in the Big Bend Country. Spokane: W. D. Allen, 1926. 

Grant

  • Allred, Ellis. Mid-Twentieth Century Pioneering on the Royal Slope of Central Washington. Ellensburg: Central Washington University, 1996.
  • Hormel, Monty. The Old West In Grant County. Ephrata, WA: Tamanawahs Publishing, 1990.

Kittitas

  • Fleming, Edna. Ah, Kittitas! Yakima: Franklin Press, 1969.
  • Fulton, Arabella. Tales of the Trail. Montreal: Payette Radio Limited.
  • Glauert, Earl T., ed. Kittitas Frontiersmen. Ellensburg: Ellensburg Public Library, 1976.
  • Hagerty, Bernice Lund. Pioneers of the Kittitas Valley. Ellensburg: the author, 2005.
  • Paul , Virginia. Standing by the Side of Your Arm. Ellensburg: Record Printing, 1996.
  • Smith, Clareta Olmstead. The Trail Leads West. Philadelphia: Dorrance and Company, 1946.
  • Smith, Clareta Olmstead. Campfires in the Valley. Wenatchee: Wenatchee World, 1976.
  • Smith, Leta May. The End of the Trail. Hicksville, NY: Exposition Press, 1976.
  • The Thousandth American. Corvallis: Edwin C. Earp, 1935.

Klickitat

  • Ballou, Robert. Early Klickitat Valley Days. Goldendale: Goldendale Sentinel, 1938.
  • Emigh, Frank. Pioneer Life of the Emigh Family: Two Accounts of the Overland Journey from California to Klickitat County, Washington Territory. Wyandotte, OK: Gregath, 2001.
  • Fleming, Neila Binford. Sketches of Early High Prairie. Portland : Binfords and Mort, 1949?
  • Jenson, Hazel Addie. Across the Years: Pioneer Stories of Southern Washington. S. n.: the author, 1951.
  • May, Peter. History of Klickitat County. Goldendale: Klickitat County Historical Society, 1982.

Okanogan

  • Brown, William C. Early Okanogan History. Okanogan: Okanogan Independent, 1911.
  • Fries, U. E. From Copenhagen to Okanogan. Caldwell, ID: Caxton Printers, 1951.
  • Harris, Jana. Oh How Can I Keep Singing? Voices of Pioneer Women. Princeton: Ontario Review Press, 1993.
  • Holloway, Bob. Desert of Dreams. Selah: Selah Publishing Group,
  • Lindblad, Frank W. A Pioneer’s Ballad of Days before the Grand Coulee Dam. N. p. : the author, 1961.
  • Portman, Sally. Smiling Country: A History of Methow Valley . Winthrop , WA: Sun Mountain, 1993.
  • Waring, Guy. My Pioneer Past. Boston: B. Humphries, 1936.
  • Wilson, Bruce. Late Frontier. Okanogan: Okanogan Historical Society, 1990. 
  • Glimpses of pioneer life. A series of biographies, experiences and events intimately concerned with the settlement of Okanogan County , Washington. Okanogan: Okanogan Independent, 1924.
  • Mazama, the Past 100 Years: Life and Events of the Upper Methow Valley and Early Winters. Seattle : Peanut Butter Publishing, 1997.
  • Trails and Tales of the Early Day Settlers of North-eastern Okanogan County. Colville: Statesman-Examiner, 1982.

Yakima

  • Biarke, Neils. Naches Pass Trail. Tacoma: Fern Hill Historical Society, 1942.
  • Holt, Howard P. Saddlebag Medicine. Yakima: Yakima Valley Museum Shop, 1984.
  • Nelson, Jack. We Never Got Away. Yakima: Franklin Press, 1965.
  • Skinner, Barbara A. The Sandpile. Prosser: Barry Books, 2002.