Traveler's History of Washington: A Roadside Historical Guide

by Bill Gulick

Distributed by the University of Nebraska Press for the University of Idaho Press
What Happened Here? Travelers interested in history want to know about the history of the sites that they pass in the Evergreen State. Who but veteran author Bill Gulick could write the premier historical travel book on Washington?

Genres: Travel

559 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1996

Reviews

[Howard Frisk]

Traveler's History of Washington: A Roadside Historical Guide by Bill Gulick was published by Caxton Press. I have a copy of the third printing published in 2005. It is a great resource for anyone eager to explore Washington State’s past through the lens of its highways and byways. Gulick, a prolific author with a career spanning over six decades and a deep-rooted connection to the American West, crafts a unique blend of travel guide and historical narrative that’s as practical as it is evocative. Aimed at history buffs and road-trippers alike, this book transforms a drive through the Evergreen State into a journey through time.

Organized geographically, the book takes readers on a region-by-region tour, from the rugged Columbia Plateau to the bustling Puget Sound, spotlighting key historical sites and events along the way. Gulick’s storytelling shines as he recounts tales of Native American tribes, fur traders, pioneers, and gold seekers, all while tying them to tangible locations you can visit today. Whether it’s the site of the Whitman Mission or the ghost towns of the Okanogan, he answers the traveler’s perennial question: “What happened here?”

The primary drawback for me book are the black and white photographs. The quality is very poor. They lack detail and most of them look very underexposed, which is too bad because they could have been a great compliment to the extensive text.