The Land Called Lewis

Once in a while a special book comes into the museum catching everyone’s attention. This is the book! It’s titled The Land Called Lewis: A History of Lewis County, Washington by Sandra A. Crowell.

The book is simply beautiful. The gorgeous cover is just the introduction to over 200 pages of easy-to-read text illustrated by over 250 beautifully restored historical photographs from this area.

Secondly it’s well-written with stories that take you back and immerse you in the experiences of the early settlers. Thirdly, it’s historically accurate. Hundreds of sources were researched for ten years yielding the only complete story of the settlement of Southwest Washington, Lewis County, and the local towns.

Once you’ve read this book all the other local history books fall into better focus. Every time you drive through the area you’ll recall the early days and relive the stories behind the names of Jackson, Washington, Borst, Ford, etc.

This first-class book has deep local roots. Author Sandra A. Crowell was an instructor at Centralia College. Editor John Martin was the editor of The Chronicle. Researcher Edna Fund is both a museum board member and a Timberland Regional Library trustee. Publisher John Panesko is a life-long resident, local lawyer and radio talk show host. Together they captured our history and now offer it to you beautifully in a very special book.