Author Richard Walker is editor of the Journal of the San Juan Islands in Friday Harbor, Washington, and is a periodic writer for regional and national publications. He is a trustee of the San Juan Historical Society. Working with Roche Harbor archivists as well as owners of private photo collections, Walker has selected more than 200 images and written engaging text to compose this visual history of Roche Harbor and the people who have called it home.
Title: Images of America: Roche Harbor
Author: Helen Sanders
Publisher: Island Weekly
Date: 9/11/09 For the history-minded, there is nothing quite so
pleasing as reading a well-written book of non-fiction about the
place in which you live. Richard Walker, editor of the San Juan
Journal on Friday Harbor, has written such a book, entitled "Images
of America: Roche Harbor." Presented in an engaging and informative
style, the book focuses primarily on the settlement years, when the
Hudson Bay Company first came to the island in 1845. It weaves in
the archaeological history of the island, as well as the native
indian population and their interaction with whites and both
groups' influences upon one another. Most of all, it objectively
describes several important historical events, such as the
notorious Pig War, as well as the depiction of the establishment of
the lime industry, which was first started by the Hudson Bay
Company, but was taken over later by John McMillin. Lime was the
cornerstone industry in Roche Harbor, roughly through the years
1860 - 1936. Lime deposits lay thick within a cliff above Roche
Harbor, and men would blast the limestone out of the rock, cart it
down to the kilns that were built below the quarry, and using the
kilns, they would burn off the carbon dioxide within the limestone,
leaving a powdery product called quicklime. Quicklime was used in
concrete making, as well as in combination with other chemical
substances in the creation of "glass, paint, paper, plastics, and
tiles." Spalls, or limestone rock which was too small to burn, was
used in steel production, as flux in steel-making. Flux removes
impurities from the steel and increases slag production. Another
huge bonus of this book is the abundance of photographs that
illustrate the development of the lime industry in clear detail, as
well as other facets of Roche Harbor. There are hundreds of crisp
black and white photos that document the building of the limestone
workers' quarters, the adjacent industry of barrel-making (which
were used to transport the finished quicklime), the ships and tugs
in port, as Roche Harbor was also deep enough to accommodate the
vessels that would take the quicklime to market, and the store,
churches, hotel, gardens, and school that made up the seaside
village. This is an excellent walk through local history, and
provides an entertaining as well as educational lesson about the
San Juan Islands.
Title: Local journalist pens new history book about Roche Harbor;
book signings July 11 and 18
Author: Staff Writer
Publisher: San Juan Journal
Date: 6/30/09 New from Arcadia Publishing and local author, Richard
Walker, is the latest volume in the Images of America series,
"Roche Harbor." Roche Harbor's deep, protected waters and abundant
resources inspired poets, one of whom wrote in 1903, "A rock-bound
coast hems in a wealth of verdant pastures sweet; / Deep forests
cover vale and hill where fresh and salt waters meet." For
millennia, this was the home of the Lummi and Songhees people. The
British established a military camp near here in 1860 to maintain
their claim to the San Juan Islands. Limestone was quarried here
for 90 years, helping to build West Coast cities as well as
personal fortunes. Roche Harbor continues to be a favorite
gathering place for boating, fishing, and kayaking -- a gateway to
the splendors of the American San Juan Islands and the Canadian
Gulf Islands. This photo history provides a colorful look at Roche
Harbor life from pre-settlement to present day. Working with Roche
Harbor archivists as well as owners of private photo collections,
Walker selected more than 200 images and interviewed people with
ties to each period to compose this visual history of Roche Harbor
and the people who have called it home. Many of the images are
published for the first time. The book's 128 pages are organized in
eight chapters: "This Place Called Whelaalk," "The Settlement Era,"
"Lime: San Juan Island's Gold," "A Community Called Roche Harbor,"
"A Doctor in the House," "Characters, Legends and Lore," "The Birth
of the Boatel," and "The Village Era." Also available is a set of
15 postcards featuring images from "Roche Harbor." The set enables
the buyer to own copies of images from the book. Walker is editor
of The Journal of the San Juan Islands and is a periodic writer for
regional and national publications. He is a trustee of the San Juan
Historical Society. Two meet-the-author and book signing events are
scheduled: July 11, 1-3 p.m., at Griffin Bay Bookstore; and July
18, 2-4 p.m., in front of Roche Harbor Grocery Store. The book is
available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online
retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888) 313-2665 or
www.arcadiapublishing.com. Arcadia Publishing is the leading
publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Its
mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the
publication of books on the heritage of America's people and
places. Other Arcadia books of local interest include "Orcas
Island" by the Orcas Island Historical Society and Museum; "The Pig
War" by Mike Vouri; "Friday Harbor" by Mike Vouri, Julia Vouri and
the San Juan Historical Society; and "Ferries of Puget Sound" by
Steven J. Pickens. "Roche Harbor"
by Richard Walker
Images of America Series
Price: $21.99
128 pages/softcover "Roche Harbor"
by Richard Walker
Postcards of America Series
Price: $7.99
15 postcards per set
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