By Bill Gulick
(Softcover)

One hundred years before dams were built on the Columbia-Snake river system, steamboats carried cargo and people to the farthest reaches of these waterways, more than 500 miles inland. Where water flowed, sturdy boats and bold captains went--with no dams, locks or artificial navigation aids. The captains were a famous as today's sports stars. Their names and feats were known to travelers and river dwellers, just as the distinctive tone of each boat whistle was recognized by hero-worshiping boys who dreamed of growing up to be river captains.
Bill Gulick, dean of Northwest history writers, tells the story of this colorful period in the region's history.