Pacific Northwest History
Pacific Northwest History
While not a formally outlined geographic area, but commonly understood as the Cascadia area spanning west of the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Northwest is an undisputedly beautiful region of the United States.
-Image cited below, click to enlarge
Online Collections
Linked below are a collection of commonly used sources for finding sources - secondary, primary, and tertiary - about the history of the area. Note that there are additional pages in this guide focusing more on specific areas that also make use of some of these core collections, but do also have additional resources linked and suggested.
- Alaska's Digital CollectionSearch through a collection of primary and secondary sources.
- American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection - UW Digital CollectionsFrom UW Digital Collections - Search through documents, photos, articles, and more.
- The Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest"The Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest is dedicated to advancing historical scholarship on the North American West with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest and its connections to other places."
- Digital Collections - University of IdahoA large collection of primary source materials - search by keyword, topic, of collection.
- Images of Exploration, Discovery, and Early Settlement in the Pacific NorthwestFrom UW Digital Collections
- Labor Archives of Washington - UW Digital Collections"The Labor Archives contains more than 300 collections of labor and labor-related materials from individuals and organizations."
- Tacoma Community History Project - UW Digital CollectionsThe Tacoma Community History Project gathers oral histories created by University of Washington Tacoma students enrolled in courses taught by Professor Michael Honey.
- Tacoma History LiveA blog, connected to UWT, with stories, information, and an array of primary source materials such as historic photos.
- University of Washington Digital CollectionsThe UW Digital Collections provides online access to primary source materials, including photographs, newspaper articles, pamphlets, and more. Search by keyword (i.e., civil rights) or browse the collection.
- Washington State Historical SocietyThe Washington State Historical Society website has a lot of information about the state's history. Search through various collections using this website.
- Washington State History MuseumLocated in downtown Tacoma, the history museum is a great place to learn about local history and the impact of national events in this region
- Washington State Library digital collectionsThe Washington State Library "collects, preserves, and makes accessible to Washingtonians materials on the government, history, culture, and natural resources of the state."
- Washington State University Libraries Digital Collections"WSU Libraries Digital Collections provide access to the academic and cultural heritage of Washington State and the Palouse Region."
- Women in the West Oral histories - WSU Digital Collections"This collection holds nearly 200 of these interviews, originally recorded between 1979 and 2005. The majority of the women interviewed were born between 1881 and the early 1930s, and the collection provides invaluable first hand documentation regarding the role of women in the northwest during the early and mid 1900s."
Featured Background Articles
- Japanese American Exhibit & Access ProjectIncludes access to smaller collections such as the Camp Harmony Exhibit, Japanese Canadian Internment, Japanese American students at the University of Washington, and more.
- Pacific Northwest RegionFrom the "Encyclopedia of Religion in America" housed in the database called Gale Ebooks
- United States—Pacific NorthwestFrom the "Encyclopedia of Environmental History" in Gale Ebooks
Looking for articles from newspapers, magazines, and journals?
Remember to click on the Articles in the TCC Databases tab located in this guide to see a list of suggested databases. There you can find articles about the history of the Pacific Northwest. And be sure to check the other tabs in this guide, such as the People Groups & Immigration or Trade, Industry & Transportation for more Tacoma/Pierce County-related articles on a variety of topics.
Sources cited on this page:
Image source: "Map of Lewis and Clark's Track, Across the Western Portion of North America" by Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, Nicholas Biddle, Paul Allen is in the Public Domain
Featured Books & eBooks
Click on the book, or title, below to learn more
The park builders: A history of state parks in the Pacific Northwest
Print & Electronic
The open door: A history of Tacoma Community College
Monograph written by Dale Coleman, TCC Adjunct Faculty Librarian, and published by Tacoma Community College, 2015.
Contested boundaries: A new Pacific Northwest history
Tip: You may need to log in with your portal credentials to view this e-book. "[A]n engaging, contemporary look at the themes, events, and people that have shaped the history of the Pacific Northwest over the last two centuries."
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