MORTON 1899-1989 CENTENNIAL, Edited and Published by Carol La Gra
A well-illustrated history of Morton’s first one hundred years this 122 page, soft cover centennial book includes hundreds of photos of town and area history. These photos cover the family and community events, the important lumber and shingle industry, cinnabar and coal mining, the big downtown fire, the Loggers Jubilee (considered one of the oldest in the nation), area schools and geology in a visual treat. Local churches and fraternal orders are depicted and chronicled as well as downtown businesses and hotels. An excellent local history of a small town with a big vitality and a Guinness World’s record holder with the tallest living lighted Christmas tree. An informative and colorful read of the once “Railroad Cross Tie Capital of the World”. $15.00 plus $2.50 S&H. - Return to Store

Where the Big Bottom Begins-Randle History by LaVonne M. Sparkman & Irma Boyer

This soft cover, 255-page book describes the pioneer settlers and later generations’ history of the Randle area of east Lewis County. The bottom country of the Cowlitz River, the “Valley of Opportunity” was opened to settlement by the June 11th Act by congress in the early 1900s and the land rush was on to settle this fertile valley. The authors have researched and included dozens of families’ histories and experiences of folks like the Kohers, the McMahans, the Orrs, “a Century of the Youngs” and many more. Personal photos include family portraits and area industry including logging, fishing, farming and ranching. The contentious Cowlitz and its propensity for flooding is also included as well as stories of tragedy and triumph, school days and timber cruising are all told in a personable fashion by the authors and often in the quoted words of the people involved. $24.95 plus $3.50 S&H. - Return to Store

From Homestead to Lakebed-Kosmos: The Town that Drowned
By LaVonne Sparkman

Lavonne’s 242 page, soft cover second book relates the “Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary People” in the lost communities of Kosmos and Riffe. Vital timber communities with a rich and colorful history these towns disappeared when the City of Tacoma’s hydroelectric project put them under water in the name of progress and the dedication of the Mossyrock Dam in 1969. Prior to inundation the uniquely named Kosmos was home to Kosmos Logging Company and provided a vital population a place to call home. This book is the story of the people who founded, developed a strong sense of community and fought to save their town. Many candid photographs fill the pages with the faces of family, industry, community and outdoor recreation. Stories of Cowlitz River cedar shingle bolt drives rub shoulders with gardening and flood ravaged post offices. Real life characters with colorful lives and names like Jack Southerland “the big Swede”, Cougar Bill and the “Kosmos Korner Kids” come to life in photos and recollections in this entertaining read subtitled  “Kosmos: The Town that Drowned.”  $25.00 plus $3.50 S&H. - Return to Store

Nowhere to Look but Up-Early Settlers of Morton and Mineral, Washington
By LaVonne M. Sparkman

“The trees were so thick there was nowhere to look but up.” This book has delightful photos and stories of the pioneer families that settled in the east Lewis County communities of Glenoma, Morton, Mineral and Kosmos. Heavily illustrated with dozens of vintage photos pioneer life including logging, sawmilling, mining, farming, doctoring and more are all covered in the words of these families. Schools and country stores are also well covered. This soft cover book is a must have for historians and geneaologists interested in Lewis county or pioneer experiences, in general.  $16.95 plus $3.00 S&H - Return to Store

RAILS TO PARADISE- The History of the Tacoma Eastern Railroad 1890-1920
by Russell H. Holter and Jesse Clark McAbee

This hard cover book features: over 500 pages of text--First person accounts of life on the railroad and in the logging camps--400 rare photos-- custom drawn maps--plus many other illustrations.  Learn the origins of this little logging line that grew from obscurity, survived despite economic panic, wars, limited financing, both hostile and friendly acquisitions to become a national tourist destination and one of the most profitable rail lines west of Chicago. The Tacoma Eastern Railroad opened up south Pierce County and East Lewis County to settlement, a booming lumber industry as well as mining and agriculture. Hundreds of vintage photographs appeal to the railroad historian and modeler as well as the economist as the rise and fall of mills, logging railroads and other line side industries is detailed. Rails to Paradise received “Honorable Mention for “West-Pacific Best Regional Non-Fiction in the 2006 Independent Publishers’ “IPPY Awards.” The first printing sold out in less than a year. Filled with information on towns along the route such as Frederickson, Graham, Kapowsin, Eatonville, Alder, Elbe, Mineral, Ashford, Morton and McKenna and more.
 “It is a marvelous book and the amount of research that you and Clark did is absolutely incredible.  It is a magnificent undertaking, and I doubt if any railroad in the world ever got such a complete written history.  My congratulations on a job well done.L. Tom Murray, Murray Pacific Corporation—Palm Springs, CA” $70.00 plus $5.00 S&H - Return to Store

The History Channel's - Mega Movers program detailing the move of the Morton Depot - Call for information on acquiring the DVD highlighting the move. The image to the right is the DVD cover. - Return to Store

This postcard features a painting of Climax #10, a geared, former logging locomotive pulling a tourist train on the old Tacoma Eastern tracks near Mt. Rainier. Wallace A. Seymour, of Tacoma, in painted this classic view in 1982. $1.50 plus .50 S&H. - Return to Store