Orchards of Eden
Subtitle: White Bluffs on the Columbia 1907-1943
Publisher: Far Eastern Press
Published: January 31, 2006
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 469
ISBN-13: 9780967884226
First sentence: FRANK WHEELER, a journeyman brick mason who traveled the western states following construction jobs, was one of the hundreds of city dwellers swept up in the excitement of the Eastern Washington land boom.
Description: America's early 1900's dream of greening the western desert through irrigation drew hundreds of would-be farmers to the Columbia River hamlet of White Bluffs in Washington State. Yearning for a healthy, possibly lucrative life in the wild desert setting, they struggled with nature, railroads, power companies, commission houses, water systems and the ever-disappointing market. Through oral histories, letters, photographs and meticulous research, author Nancy Mendenhall tells the story of how, despite all the adversities, the orchardists built a remarkable, thriving community until it was cut short by events of World War Two. At times reading like an epic novel, this rich social history shows in detail the hard roles of pioneer women, children and their men, and delves deeply into their emotional and intellectual lives.