The Colombia River: A Historical Travel Guide, by JoAnn Roe

Although this book may be seen as a mere tourist guide to the Colombia River basin, which would still be an interesting book to read for those of us who are locals, this is in fact a vastly more interesting book, the work of a regional historian whose account has been of interest to noted historians of the West [1] and which discusses the history of both war and engineering in the area of the Colombia River that at least hints at the larger and fuller accounts that have been written elsewhere [2]. In fact, even if its travel information is a bit dated, as this book was written in the early 1990’s, the historical importance of this account in terms of regional geography remains of interest, and makes this a very worthwhile book to read for those who are locals to the Pacific Northwest and are interested in a historical account of a truly grand sweep for its short size of slightly more than 200 pages.

In terms of its contents, this book is very intriguing and unexpected. Divided into four sections by the regional and political geography of the course of the Colombia River and its main tributaries, this book covers, in order, the Upper Colombia Valley in Canada, the area from the Canada-US border to Priest Rapids, the area from the Tri-Cities area to about Camus and Washougal, and the area from Portland and Vancouver to the mouth of the river. Each of the four sections includes, besides a discussion of the course of the river and the human history of that particular area, in topical and not chronological order, different thematic chapters that examine different elements of the natural history of the area as well. For example, the first section discusses the formation of the Colombia because of various orogenies, as a writer like John McPhee would say [3]. The author discusses issues ranging from the lack of respect of native land rights and the tendency for the area to suffer boom and bust cycles due to various extractive industries like mining, logging, and fishing, and also the difficulty of determining justice between the many people and interests concerned with life in the Pacific Northwest.

Yet, rather than being a pedantic and highly political work, the book is written by someone with an obvious love for the Pacific Northwest, for its people, with diverse backgrounds, for its history, with a love of talking about forts and roads and meeting places and the language families of the various tribes of the region, and even with a love of food that is discussed when the author gives her restaurant recommendations at the end of each section. Some of what the author has to say about various towns is genuinely humorous. For example, here is what the author has to say about the town of St. Helens on page 209: “St. Helens might be called a living ghost town, not deserted but not the burgeoning metropolis it once was. Old shipbuilding and loggers’ center next to the water is entirely preserved, houses wander up and down over the hills, a wonderful museum building.” Here is how the author suggests that the curious reader enjoy the Colombia River, on page 207: “To appreciate the Colombia River system from Astoria to Lewiston, Idaho, take the Executive Explorer cruise boat (three-deck catamaran, about fifty passengers) for five days, six nights. Comfort and style with narration about Lewis and Clark’s journey and Colombia River trivia. Side trips by bus to historic points. Spring and fall only.” Here is a book that serves several purposes—encouraging tourism and travel within the Colombia River basin as well as providing a worthwhile and entertaining natural and human history written by someone who obviously loves the area and everything about it. That makes for a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2016/01/06/book-review-hear-that-lonesome-whistle-blow/

[2] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2015/11/20/book-review-fighting-for-paradise/

[3] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/book-review-annals-of-the-former-world/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/book-review-the-control-of-nature/