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Summary: Boom Towns & Relic Hunters of Northeastern Washington
Review: A superb quantity of historic photos from local museum archives of Northeastern Washington including many of your own photos of the same historic sites taken over a hundred years later. Not the usual "tourist" pictures found in most books of this type. I was raised in Omak, Washington, and have spent years exploring this rugged yet fascinating area in search of long lost ghost towns and mines. Your book, through the beautiful photos, and detailed research has helped me locate other lost sites and brings back many wonderful memories of yesteryear.
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Summary: A wealth of true stories, folklore tales
Review: Boom Towns & Relic Hunters Of Northeastern Washington by Washington State ghost town and historic site expert Jerry Smith showcases more than one hundred ghost town locations accessible to the traveler or tourist with a keen interest in these relics of American history. Enhanced with a wealth of true stories, folklore tales, black-and-white photographs, and more, Boom Towns & Relic Hunters Of Northeastern Washington is a truly fascinating book to leaf through, offering both on-the-road and armchair travelers a window to the rougher, fiercer Washington state of over a century ago.
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Summary: The Man Is Saving History That's Disappearing In Eastern WA
Review: I am pleased to write a review for Jerry Smith. I found his book on relic hunting in old ghost towns of Eastern Washington to be the closest thing to being a kid again seeking buried pirate treasure.
Little did I know that my own book was being sold alongside of his here on Amazon.com, but even more odd was the discovery that we only lived one block away from eachother in Black Diamond, Washington!Jerry has taken a lot of personal time to visit and document the finds he has written about in his book with detail, clarity, humor, and preservation. He has made all of Eastern Washington his relic museum of undiscovered treasures lying within the grasp of any weekend treasure hunter or prospector.
Many museums have added his book to their gift shop countertops and as many bookstores and school libraries have begged him to visit and give seminars. His only request is that once a child reads the book, that the school make it part of their library. I have the deepest respect for his willingness to take the risk to share his secrets, his stories, and his winning advice on hunting for relics amongst these disappearing buildings in the deserts and mountains of Eastern Washington. I am certain that you will find his book a well-worn cover within a short amount of time and your legs moving to find the #2 shovel and Garrett metal detector and gold pan in your family garage.
Rating:
Summary: The Man Is Saving History That's Disappearing In Eastern WA
Review: I am pleased to write a review for Jerry Smith. I found his book on relic hunting in old ghost towns of Eastern Washington to be the closest thing to being a kid again seeking buried pirate treasure.
Little did I know that my own book was being sold alongside of his here on Amazon.com, but even more odd was the discovery that we only lived one block away from eachother in Black Diamond, Washington! Jerry has taken a lot of personal time to visit and document the finds he has written about in his book with detail, clarity, humor, and preservation. He has made all of Eastern Washington his relic museum of undiscovered treasures lying within the grasp of any weekend treasure hunter or prospector.
Many museums have added his book to their gift shop countertops and as many bookstores and school libraries have begged him to visit and give seminars. His only request is that once a child reads the book, that the school make it part of their library. I have the deepest respect for his willingness to take the risk to share his secrets, his stories, and his winning advice on hunting for relics amongst these disappearing buildings in the deserts and mountains of Eastern Washington. I am certain that you will find his book a well-worn cover within a short amount of time and your legs moving to find the #2 shovel and Garrett metal detector and gold pan in your family garage.
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Summary: "Ghost Towns & Lost Treasure"
Review: I found a link to the book "Boom Towns and Relic Hunters of Northeastern Washington." The more I read about the book, and the author, the more intrigued I became. Thus, I purchased the book from Amazon.com. I found out that he personally owned several gold mines, and therefore I knew that his book would be a wealth of information about the diggings and mines and camps.
Author Jerry Smith's knowledge about Eastern Washington is impressive. A long-time member of the Okanogan Historical Society, he has family roots that go back generations. As an acknowledged expert, he has lent his expertise to various television documentaries and Mr. Smith also conducts paid expeditions through the area as weather permits.
In particular, his book describes in detail the old boomtowns of Kittitas, Chelan, Okanogan Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. There is plenty to pique the interest of history buff's, such as this discussion of Ruby City, Washington:
I think you can tell just from the snips provided here that it's a great book, and makes a nice companion to help plan a trip to the area. He also lists some enticing Indian legends and briefly mentions some of the fighting that took place as the gold miners and the Indians clashed. Small quibbles: if there is ever a new edition, two items to look into are road maps and GPS coordinates, but those are "nice-to-haves". Garret Romaine
Senior Writer, GPAA Magazine
Rating: 
Summary: A great research book for ghost town locations in Washington
Review: I found your book quite fascinating with so much interesting material that you have researched and then presented so well. I could say that there is a very welcoming and homely atmosphere in your book that one feels like throwing another log on the fire in the old cabin and settling back for a long read.
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Summary: Boom Towns & Relic Hunters of Northeastern Washington
Review: I'm a student in Oak Harbor Middle School and as a history project in our class, we had to get into groups of two and fill out a web site evaluation for a site containing information about the state of Washington. My classmate and I chose your site and used your book. Not only did we rate Boom Towns & Relic Hunters of Northeastern Washington an "A," but that is the grade that we received on our report from our history teacher. KEEP UP THE GOOD WOORK!
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Summary: Forgotten Ghost Towns & Mining Camps
Review: Join famed ghost town explorer Jerry Smith as he hits the dusty trail in search of long-lost forgotten ghost towns and mining camps with his team of experts, and a Boom Towns & Relic Hunters crew on a quest to locate, photograph, document, and solve the mysteries of yesteryear's million-dollar mines and forgotten boom towns. See the oldest ghost towns & mining camps ever discovered in Northeastern Washington State. Relive the excitement of historic ghost towns & mines discovered by Jerry's team of experts , and probe the secrets of these unprecedented archaeological "time capsules" and the clues they offer to an extraordinary, pioneer days that dates back to over one-hundred years past.
Kjell Lester
White Buck Trading Company
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Summary: Boom Towns & Relic Hunters of Northeastern Washington
Review: Mr. Smith's book provides a good starting point for persons interested in exploration and relic hunting in our state's northern tier of ghost towns. The descriptions are very helpful for locating these sites, many of which are overgrown and on the verge of disappearing altogether. The before-and-after photos are particulary helpful. The sections devoted to the early history of Ruby City, Loup Loup, and Nighthawk contain interesting quotes from historic newspaper articles boosting the region's development. The chapter on metal-collecting ethics and equipment provides a nice tie-in for hobbyists using the book as a source for places to explore.
The author includes some in-text warnings concerning entering abandoned mines, however if the book is issued in subsequent revisions, I suggest including highlighted verbiage. My advice is to stay out of abandoned mines altogether unless accompained by a guide familiar with the mine and its structural condition.
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Summary: Boom Towns & Relic Hunters of Northeastern Washington
Review: Over 100 years after the discovery of gold and silver Jerry Smith takes us back to the ageless Old West days of Boom Towns, miners, prospectors, pioneers, and lost million-dollar mines.
Here is a region that lingers with the memories of the heroic era, which founded this part of our state. Yet, here today remains nature in its vast beauty and unconquerable splendor. In years to come, thanks in part to a wonderful book Washington will continue to evolve as a rich landscape of heritage and present-day enjoyment.
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