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Washington Territory
Established in 1853, Washington remained a territory for 36 years, until admitted into the Union in 1889. Only three other territories created in the American West after 1850 languished longer in dependent status. Because of a dividing geographical barrier (the Cascade Range) and the lack of adequate internal transportation and communication systems, Washington Territory made no practical sense as a political and economic entity. Western Washington was actually a satellite of San Francisco and Eastern Washington of Portland, until railroads finally were completed along the Columbia River and across the Cascades in the mid 1880s. Essentially, Washington was not "eligible" for statehood until very late in its territorial period when railways unified the region. Though modern scholars have produced worthy biographies and specialized studies for this intriguing period, until now only one previous attempt at a comprehensive history has appeared--H.H. Bancroft's imperfect all-in-one volume, History of Washington, Idaho and Montana (1890). Robert E. Ficken's Washington Territory will long serve as the definitive economic and political history of territorial Washington.
- GenresHistory
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 5, 2023
Eh.
Once you get used to Ficken's style and patterns of speech (well, writing), this is a good book and really gives you a sense of pioneer life in the northwest. But it took me a while (2 days / about 35 pages) to get there.
That said, every time I put the book down, when I come back to it -- even just a few hours later -- I have to get used to the style again.
Plus, the end notes are distracting. Each paragraph has an endnote of sources, but every now and then, there will be additional information, so you never know if a note is all sources or additional comments. But the additional information is rarely ever worth having flipped to the back of the book to read it. So back I go to the main text, but I'm out of the rhythm of his style again. Blech.
On the other hand, the end notes are mostly -- if not all -- primary sources from the 1800s (Imagine the amount of research! Imagine the old newspapers he got to touch and read!).
And what I wouldn't give for a map! Talking about different places, or comparing their locations, or talking about the distance or routes between them means nothing to me since I don't know where some of them are.
However, I do like that Ficken spends a fair amount of space on displacement of and relations with the tribes that were here.
There's also quite a bit about the competing rail lines -- or the lack of them -- and competition for eventual terminus cities.
However, it feels like it's very heavy on Eastern Washington. Sure, there are plenty of other books you can read about Seattle in the early days, but having to go find other books -- and even those only tell you about *part* of the western side -- makes this NOT the "comprehensive one-volume history" of the territory, like the jacket claims it is.
Sometimes when I read this, I feel like it should be an easily readable, accessible, non-academic sounding narrative... but it just isn't clicking in my head. It's like the easy-to-read and accessible-to-all is *right there*, I just can't quite reach that level.
So, yeah... it's an "Eh" from me. Not a Terrible book, but also not a very good one (at least, not to me, at this time).
Once you get used to Ficken's style and patterns of speech (well, writing), this is a good book and really gives you a sense of pioneer life in the northwest. But it took me a while (2 days / about 35 pages) to get there.
That said, every time I put the book down, when I come back to it -- even just a few hours later -- I have to get used to the style again.
Plus, the end notes are distracting. Each paragraph has an endnote of sources, but every now and then, there will be additional information, so you never know if a note is all sources or additional comments. But the additional information is rarely ever worth having flipped to the back of the book to read it. So back I go to the main text, but I'm out of the rhythm of his style again. Blech.
On the other hand, the end notes are mostly -- if not all -- primary sources from the 1800s (Imagine the amount of research! Imagine the old newspapers he got to touch and read!).
And what I wouldn't give for a map! Talking about different places, or comparing their locations, or talking about the distance or routes between them means nothing to me since I don't know where some of them are.
However, I do like that Ficken spends a fair amount of space on displacement of and relations with the tribes that were here.
There's also quite a bit about the competing rail lines -- or the lack of them -- and competition for eventual terminus cities.
However, it feels like it's very heavy on Eastern Washington. Sure, there are plenty of other books you can read about Seattle in the early days, but having to go find other books -- and even those only tell you about *part* of the western side -- makes this NOT the "comprehensive one-volume history" of the territory, like the jacket claims it is.
Sometimes when I read this, I feel like it should be an easily readable, accessible, non-academic sounding narrative... but it just isn't clicking in my head. It's like the easy-to-read and accessible-to-all is *right there*, I just can't quite reach that level.
So, yeah... it's an "Eh" from me. Not a Terrible book, but also not a very good one (at least, not to me, at this time).
Displaying 1 of 1 review