Stehekin: A Valley in Time

by Grant McConnell

Imagine a valley of incomparable natural beauty, accessible only by boat, seaplane, or foot, and protected from the ambiguous benefits of modern civilization by craggy, snow-covered peaks and an alpine lake 55 miles long. Then imagine a small, close knit community of fiercely independent Americans whose economic system was based not on supply and demand but on ideas of need, ability, and neighborliness.

This was Stehekin at the end of World War II, not an exotic Shangri-La in some remote corner of the world, but a mountain valley located less than 120 miles from downtown Seattle, in the Cascade Range of Washington. Because Stehekin was and still is so remote and only accessible by boat or on foot, American pioneer values and lifestyles survived there long after they had vanished in the nation as a whole.

In Stehekin, McConnell has captured with warmth, thoughtfulness, and humor, the unique people and quality of life he found in the valley. This is also the story of the valley itself, of a sequestered beauty that better than most has weathered the ravages of time and progress. This book is a bittersweet account of a time and a place that was the American past.

Genres: Nonfiction, Outdoors, History

206 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1988

Reviews

[Doug Canfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Disclosure: I work at Mountaineers Books] I'd heard about this book, but it went out of print several years ago before I could read it. It was recently reissued, however, so I grabbed a copy and was glad I did. The writing is charming and intimate. And though I've never been to Stehekin, I know Washington's Columbia basin area quite well. This probably added to my enjoyment of the story that lovingly captures a slice of place and time (the late '40s), and the people who shared it in this remote, mountain hamlet.

The over-riding theme is of folks living close to nature, depending on self-reliance. Their existence seems simple and nostalgic in one sense, but the author reveals the underlying complexities, as well -- how to depend on one's own wiles, while being dependent on your neighbors; how do give others privacy when you live so interconnectedly; does money define the quality of one's efforts or happiness; how is the value of nature measured against "progress".

The story isn't in any way a psychological analysis of how to get along in a tiny burgh, it's simply a reflection on a wonderful time, spent in a beautiful place with interesting people. A time that was and is no more. It was lovely to fall into these pages and share in that place with the author.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is mostly a memoir about the author's time living in Stehekin so not quite what I was looking for but it was still an interesting read. Mostly anecdotes about the townspeople at the time (mid 1900s ish) and their small town relationships/politics and how the town evolved over the years. Not much about what Stehekin is like currently or within the last couple of decades but I hope I get to visit it soon!

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting! Loves learning about Stehekin and it’s inhabitants back in the day . So good . Little slow at the end and would have been interesting to have more personal details about the author and his wife . Like how they faired and why they moved . Good book to read if going to visit . Learn lots of history.

[David Sasaki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much like The Summer Book, this one belongs on the same shelf of books about living in remote places, but in this case it's the remote mountains of the Pacific Northwest in the 1960s. McDonnell was a professor of political science at UC Santa Cruz who wanted to try his hand at living far away from the comforts of city life. So they move to Stehekin, Washington, accessible only by ferry or by foot over Cascade Pass.

My family and I did that hike over Cascade Pass into Stehekin when I was young, and I still have memories of picking fresh blackberries and blueberries on the way down.

The writing isn't great, but it's an honest portrait of 1960s homesteading and was a fun escape to read at night before going to sleep.

[Carol]

Interesting reading about the area through the years.

[Donald Shank · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique time in a unique place.