John Fiske came to the Pacific Northwest in 1892 as an invited speaker (forgot to note where) and was quoted as saying, “One thing about the Pacific coast condemns it fatally for me….. the beer is poor.”  Poor soul.

Did your Washington ancestors perchance live in Ruby? Conconully? Loomis? These were mining towns in Okanogan County in the 1886-1920 era. It’s not enough to know where your ancestors settled but why they settled where they did.

Researching in Illinois or Missouri? The St.Louis Public Library has a dandy genealogy collection and a great website for help. Click to www.slpl.org and then “genealogy.”

Are you a birdwatcher? How about a bluebird watcher? You’re in luck for Bickleton, Washington, is said to be the Bluebird Capitol of the world. Back in the 1960s, Jess and Elva Brinkerhoff started putting up bluebird houses in and around their little town and now Bickleton is “the place” to go to see more bluebird than you can count! Google it for more information.