0304, 2023

Exploring Maritime Washington

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I am proud to announce the publication of my new book, Exploring Maritime Washington—a History and Guide. Each of the places covered in its pages has a connection to Washington’s maritime history, whether a popular tourist destination or a hidden gem known only to longtime locals. Exploring Maritime Washington provides visitors with a fun and easy way to enjoy each community while learning about Washington’s nautical history. By visiting and

0111, 2021

The Daring Heist of D.B. Cooper

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Feeling a slight bump up in the cockpit, the pilots of Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 looked at each other nervously as rain pelted against their windshield at around 200 miles per hour…a relatively slow speed for a Boeing 727. They didn’t yet know that that bump meant their ordeal of the past several hours was just about over; that they, along with their flight engineer and flight attendant, would live to see another day—because the man known only as Dan Cooper had just exited the plane by leaping from the rear staircase in mid-flight, with a parachute and 200-thousand dollars strapped to his body, never to be seen again.

0508, 2021

The Journey to Johnston Ridge

Washington Our Home
August 5, 2021
Destinations, History, Mt. Saint Helens, Western Washington
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I recently completed a monumental project that (thanks to COVID) has taken over a year to complete. The Cowlitz County Historical Society received a grant from Cowlitz County Tourism to produce an audio tour that narrates the drive from Castle Rock, WA, to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at the end of State Route 504. As drivers undertake the journey along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, the tour entertains and educates them

0411, 2019

Say WA! Part II: How to Pronounce Washington’s City Names

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There are 281 official cities and towns in the State of Washington, according to the Washington State Association of Cities, and every one of them has a unique story to tell. Some of them have hundreds of stories…others, perhaps just one major story. All of them have their own character, vibe, ambiance, and backstory, and many of them have weird, interesting or unusual ways they got their names. Why is

0209, 2019

Say WA! Part I: How to Pronounce Washington’s County Names

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Today, we’re beginning the creation of THE definitive pronunciation guide for Washington State. This will be part one of a three-part series looking at Washington’s notoriously difficult county, city and geographic names, so you’d better favorite these episodes if you want to sound like you’re from here. For this episode, we’ll stick to the tricky county names. Of course, we’ll also have our monthly trivia quiz, and we’ll pepper in

0402, 2019

The Deadliest Bridge Collapse in Washington State History

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On Wednesday, January 3rd, 1923, Cowlitz County Commissioner-elect Benjamin Barr sat in the back seat of his vehicle, when his driver – Arleigh Millard – felt an unsettling shudder through the springs in his seat. Miller glanced nervously at Barr through the rear-view mirror, unable to move the vehicle forward. The pair were stuck atop the Allen Street Bridge here in Kelso, Washington, when seconds later it all came crashing

1005, 2018

Firearms training at Abernathy Creek

The video game, Oregon Trail, was an educational masterpiece of activity and learning, and one of the most successful early entries into the early world of computer gaming. I remember spending hours trying (usually unsuccessfully) to reach the state just south of the one in which I grew up. And one of the key skills needed to reach the Columbia River was hunting. Love them or hate them, firearms are a

1404, 2018

The deadliest bridge collapse in Washington State history