Regional & Biography

Books that document the life and history of a region can be valuable educational tools and priceless gifts to present and future generations. At Documentary Media, we have won multiple awards for our regional non-fiction because we have a passion for documenting the people and places that make the Pacific Northwest unique.

Seattle at 150: Stories of the City through 150 Objects from the Seattle Municipal Archive

The Staff of HistoryLink

Learn about the life of the Seattle through 150 vingettes from its formation to the present. Edited by Jennifer Ott, Seattle at 150 portrays the City through it's own rich trove of artifacts.

Seattle Now & Then:

The Historic Hundred

Paul Dorpat & Jean Sherrard

Historic photos paired with present-day shots show us how much Seattle has––and hasn't––changed.

The Northwest Power Pool:

A High-Voltage Story of Cooperation in the Utility Industry

Jim Kershner

A history of the Northwest Power Pool and the utilities it connects throughout the Western United States and Canada.

Waterway: The Story of Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal

David B. Williams, Jennifer Ott, & the Staff of HistoryLink

Why does a city surrounded by water need another waterway? The authors explore this question in this book on the history of Seattle's locks and ship canal.

Woodland: The Story of the Animals and People of Woodland Park Zoo

John Bierlein

John Bierlein and the staff of HistoryLink trace the history of Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, offering a fond look at the zoo's inhabitants and the people who care for them.

Drawing on Our History: Fishing Vessels of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

James A. Cole

Drawing on our History describes the evolution of fishing vessel design that is unique to the Pacific Northwest, from native fishing canoes to the modern fishing fleets of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

Fast Moving Water: Images and Essays from the Hoh River

Photography by Keith Lazelle

This collection of images and essays takes you on a tour of a last, great American river, from its headwaters to the sea. They trace the importance of the Hoh River, both ecologically and culturally, in its unique geographical and historical context.

A View of the Methow from Moccasin Lake Ranch

James C. Pigott

Seeking to explain the value of the family ranch to his children and grandchildren, Jim Pigott wrote this chronicle of the Methow Valley with an eye toward the role that Moccasin Lake Ranch has played in its history.

Listen to the Trees: A Poetic of West Seattle, Then & Now

Sean Petrie

Poet Sean Petrie shares a delightful collection West Seattle images, poetry, and people in conversation with each other across time and place.

Time Flies: The History of PacWest Racing

John Oreovicz

Team member Oreovicz's inside account of the people and experiences behind PacWest's eight-year run in the Indy CART series.

Olmsted in Seattle: Creating a Park System for a Modern City

Jennifer Ott

Jennifer Ott explores how John Olmsted's parks and plans shaped the development and character of Seattle.

Transit: The Story of Public Transportation in the Puget Sound Region

Jim Kershner

Jim Kershner navigates the twists and turns of of the history of public transportation in the Puget Sound Region.

Chateau Ste. Michelle: The First Fifty Years (1967-2017)

Peter Blecha

The autumn grape harvest of 1967 produced some rather auspicious wine. This book celebrates the five decades since then: the growth of the Washington wine industry and its founding winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle.

Level Best: A Memoir About Family, Career, and Gratitude

Dick Cooley, with Mary Beth Abel and Ann Boreson

An updated autobiography of Dick Cooley, former CEO of Wells Fargo Bank, in which he offers insights on family, career and leadership, and life's triumphs and challenges.

Tradition and Change on Seattle's First Hill: Propriety, Profanity, Pills, and Preservation

Lawrence Kreisman, Editor

Seattle's First Hill neighborhood has always been one of growth and change. The essays in Tradition and Change examine First Hill's ever-evolving identity over the past century, and points to the potential to respect historic buildings while furthering development.

Aleutian Freighter: A History of Shipping in the Aleutian Islands

James Mackovjak

A history of Aleutian trade, from the sailing vessels of the 19th century to the rough-and-tumble, seafood-driven fleet expansion of the 1980s, and the small-but-capable fleet that services the Aleutian Islands today.

One Hook at a Time: A History of the Deep Sea Fishermen's Union of the Pacific

Jeff Kahrs

One Hook at a Time chronicles the century-long history of the Deep Sea Fishermen's Union of the Pacific, the oldest known fishing union representing crewmen in the United States. The DSFU represents halibut and cod longline fishermen working in one of the harshest, riskiest, and most lucrative fisheries in the world.

The Wild Within: Wetlands of the Washington Park Arboretum

The Wild Within is a collection of over 120 photographs that document the rich wildlife in the wetlands of the Washington Park Arboretum, located in the heart of Seattle, Washington.