The History Press [New Releases]

Moonshining is deep-rooted in the history of Oregon.

In 1844, when it was still Oregon Territory, one of the first moonshiners, James Conner, challenged a lawman to a duel for busting his illegal operation. The McKenzie River Bandits had better luck hiding from the law and produced bootleg booze for nearly five years before their arrest. It wouldn’t be the last time they were caught. Over the years, outlaw moonshiners engaged in car chases, shootouts and even attempted an assassination to protect their hidden distilleries—and way of life.

Join author Bruce Haney as he chronicles the intoxicating history of Oregon Moonshine.

In the Footsteps of Oregon’s beloved U.S. Olympic Athlete, Activist, and Icon

Born in the small town of Coos Bay, Oregon, Steve “Pre” Prefontaine’s meteoric rise to cross-country and track superstardom included national recognition in high school followed by state, national, and world records. From the University of Oregon track to a fourth-place finish in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, he never stopped striving to make his mark on the world. Even today, his name conjures up images of athleticism, activism, and charisma. While his life tragically ended in a car accident at the youthful age of 24 – at which time he owned every American record from 2,000 to 10,000 meters and two to six miles – his legacy lives on.

Join author and runner Paul C. Clerici as he brings you this legendary Oregon athlete.

A full menu of unforgettable events and historical milestones.

Delve into the Rose City's colorful and sometimes tumultuous past through the memories, meals and recipes that put these bygone restaurants on the map. From The Quality Pie, a favorite of Portlanders from all walks of life, to the River Queen, which enjoyed a long and storied life as a working vessel before becoming a stationary restaurant on the Willamette River, visitors and locals alike have enjoyed a unique variety of eateries. Celebrities once enjoyed steak dinners in the Barbary Coast's Roaring 20's Room while Café Lena offered simpler fare to poets and dreamers in search of a relaxed atmosphere.

Join author Theresa Griffin Kennedy for a sumptuous tour of Portland's shuttered cafés, diners and grand dining rooms.

A war over riches on the Columbia River.
While the Civil War raged, a group of captains, merchants, bankers and gamblers in the Pacific Northwest formed the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. The first capitalistic enterprise in the new state, they aimed to develop the richest and most powerful transportation operation in the region, dominating hundreds of miles of river traffic from the Pacific Coast to Montana. Achieving such status was anything but easy. They battled competitors, lawyers, the river herself, and defectors within their management team. In the unregulated business environment of the nineteenth century, men like John Ainsworth made their own rules, often deploying frontier justice against their enemies.
Join author Mychal Ostler as he recounts the battle for power that shaped an industry.

The foundation of America's greatest long-distance hiking trail. 

The Skyline Trail began as a network of footpaths created by Oregon's indigenous tribes. Early fur traders and explorers followed in their steps, seeking safe routes over the unmapped Cascades. Judge John Breckenridge Waldo later spent decades exploring the mountain trail between Mount Hood and Crater Lake and led the campaign for the area's preservation. During the 1920s, the Forest Service briefly considered turning the path into a scenic highway and sent one of its first recreational specialists, Frederick Cleator, to blaze a prospective route through the mountains before scrapping the ideaJoin author Glenn Voelz as he recounts the fascinating history of Oregon’s Skyline Trail.

A small town no more.

Happy Valley’s transformation from an isolated, rural farming community to one of the most popular places to live in the Portland metro area didn’t happen all at once. With its fertile volcanic soil, it was once the ideal place to settle for many families coming to the Oregon Territory, including the Deardorffs and the Talberts. As the town slowly grew, residents like James Robnett, the first mayor and Ed Rebstock, known as “Mr. Happy Valley,” left their marks on the locals and the land. When the town’s population exploded in the 1990s, newcomers brought prosperity and growing pains as they sought a balance between green spaces and urban amenities.

Join author Mark W. Hurlburt as he traces the origins of Happy Valley.

Beneath the bucolic scenery of Oregon's Willamette Valley lies a dark and sinister past. Beneath the bucolic scenery of Oregon's Willamette Valley lies a dark and sinister past.
The 150-mile swath of vineyards, farmland and idyllic towns has hosted its fair share of murderers, bootleggers, and even a serial killer. Moonshiners like the Sutherland family used the wooded hills to hide their operations, skirting the law until it cost one cop his life. A chain of restaurants served as the public face of The Children of the Valley of Life, a cult with members who hid in hand-dug caves to escape the authorities. The Molalla Forest Killer, who committed multiple gruesome murders, stalked the byways.
Join author Jennifer Byers Chambers as she uncovers the grim and deadly secrets of the Willamette Valley.

A life in buildings

The son of Oregon pioneers, Walter D. Pugh spent his career as an architect building landmarks throughout his home state. From designing the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill and supervising the installation of the State Capitol dome in Salem to drawing the plans for the Crook County Courthouse in Prineville, Pugh had a hand in a wide variety of buildings. In less than twenty-five years, he worked on more than a hundred projects before fading into obscurity. Many of these structures are still standing, a testament to his skill even after his contributions have been all but forgotten.

Join author and historian Terence Emmons as he explores the life and legacy of one of Oregon's foremost architects.

The magnificent Three Sisters Wilderness, straddling the Cascade mountain range, beckons adventurers from around the world. One of the original fifty-four of the more than eight hundred such areas designated by Congress, it is Oregon's second-largest most visited and accessible wilderness. Championed by citizens of Bend, Eugene and beyond, its preservation under the Wilderness Act of 1964 was a community-wide effort to keep the dramatic vistas and diverse ecosystems available for all to enjoy. Join author Les Joslin as he explores the origins of the wilderness concept, the natural and cultural history of the Three Sisters country and the stewardship that preserves what is termed "an enduring resource of wilderness."

The origin of brewing in southern Oregon is a lively tale of mid-nineteenth-century gold rushes, brawling German immigrants, irrepressible women and hometown pride. In the boomtown of Jacksonville, two pioneering brewers competed to quench the thirst of miners and ranchers, and soon breweries began popping up elsewhere. But as railroads spread across the West, they brought rival beer brands with them, and the onset of Prohibition stifled the industry altogether. Yet resourceful Oregonians continued to cultivate hops, and by the turn of the twenty-first century, small-town brewers like Caldera Brewing Company in Ashland and Climate City Brewery in Grants Pass were once again stepping into the spotlight. Author Phil Busse, longtime Oregon journalist, traces the pioneering spirit of southern Oregon’s first brewers to today.