NCW Libraries

The heart of the Olympic Peninsula embraces more than 1,400 square miles of rugged mountains, richly forested river valleys, and pristine wilderness coast that have been preserved as Olympic National Park. The mountains that dominate the park modify weather patterns dramatically, creating a complex diversity of microclimates and habitats. Rain forests with more than 160 inches of annual precipitation lie less than 50 miles from near-desert valleys...

Features video essays about the people, places and culture of the state of Washington. Includes visits to Washington's volcanoes (Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens), the Olympic National Park, the Hoh Rain Forest, the Pacific coastline with fishing off Westport and sand castle competition at Long Beach, firefighters at Hanford, the vast prairies and farmland, creative artists and photographers, unique cities and towns, and the massive Cascade mountain...

Asahel Curtis (1875-1941) began his lifelong career at his older brother Edward's successful Seattle photography studio. Armed with a box camera, he joined the Klondike gold rush, capturing numerous images of the trail, miners, gold creeks, and Dawson City. But after he returned home in 1899, he found himself at odds with Edward over those very photographs. The conflict led to an enduring estrangement and in time, Asahel opened his own studio. Even...