The First U.S.-China Trade Deal
The Treaty of Wanghia formalized the burgeoning ties between the two countries, opening the door to new commercial and cultural exchanges.
The Forgotten Gender Nonconformists of the Old West
In the Old West, cross-dressing was sometimes a disguise for criminals on the lam. But, one historian argues, in many cases these “cross-dressers” were probably people who we would identify as transgender today.
Frontier America in a Collection of Tin Cans
For Jim Rock, tin cans were as important as shards of ancient pottery. Each can told a story of nineteenth and twentieth century life in America.
How Portland Became a Hipster Utopia
How did Portland, Oregon become a hipster haven? While other cities declined in the 60s and 70s, Portland looked at what they did and planned the opposite.
Is the Pacific Northwest Due For a Big Earthquake?
The Pacific Northwest may be due for a big earthquake, and there is historical evidence to suggest it may be huge.
Erasing History at the USPS
When the United States Post Office (USPS) tried to sell off historic New Deal sites, scholars and communities protested.
A Way in the Wilderness: The Pacific Crest Trail
The movie version of Cheryl Strayed’s searing memoir “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail,” starring ...
Visualizing History
What can visual images tell us about the past? For most historians (who are not art historians), the ...
