Company Towns of the Pacific Northwest

By Linda Carlson

Book Overview

2004 Washington State Book Award Finalist "Company town." The words evoke images of rough-and-tumble loggers and gritty miners, of dreary shacks in isolated villages, of wages paid in scrip good only at price-gouging company stores, of paternalistic employers. But these stereotypes are outdated, especially for those company towns that flourished well into the twentieth century. In Company Towns of the Pacific Northwest , Linda Carlson provides a more balanced and realistic look at these "intentional communities." Drawing from residents' reminiscences, contemporary newspaper accounts, company newsletters and histories, census and school records, and site plans, Carlson looks at towns in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. She examines how companies went about controlling housing, religion, taxes, liquor, prostitution, and union organizers. This vibrant history gives the details of daily life in communities that were often remote and subject to severe weather. It looks at the tragedies and celebrations: sawmill accidents, mine cave-ins, and avalanches as well as Independence Day picnics, school graduations, and Christmas parties. Finally, it tells what happened when people left--when they lost their jobs, when the family breadwinner died or was disabled, when the mill closed. An ample selection of illustrations, most never previously published, broadens the appeal of this lively and well-researched book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0295983329
• ISBN13: 9780295983325
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Company towns of the Pacific Northwest

After living in the Pacific Northwest for 7 years I find this a very well written historical accounting of the development of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Linda Carlson's style of writing makes you feel the hardships and the poor living conditions the people endured. She also included pictures that add a feeling for the way the people worked and lived. This helps develop the setting for those who are interested in the developments as they took place. She did her homework when she wrote this book. There is great detail about the towns right down to the furniture, the paint,how they differed from other towns and how they evolved as time went on all the way to the demise of most of these towns. A highly recommended book and hard to put down once you start reading especially if you like history. 5+ stars

A Book for All Generations

This a book for every generartion. The Seniors can relive parts of the life they lived earlier in their lives.The Boomers can find verification for the tales their granparents told of early hard times and inconveniences.The Young Ones can marvel at how real people lived without a car or TV.