_______________________________________________

This paper is the result of a series of processes, all of which depended upon the time, good will, and input of a number of people. To those I have forgotten to mention, I am sorry.  Whatever I made this paper, I could never have done so without your patience. I began this essay as a senior thesis for the Western Washington University History Department during the 2000/2001 academic year. In that class Venka Payne's thoughtful comments were particularly useful to me in my attempts to form a coherent work out of my often incoherent thoughts. It was also through this class that I gained the opportunity to present versions of this paper at two public forums, the Phi Alpha Theta Northwest Regional Conference, and as part of Western Washington University's Scholars' Week. Dr. Liping Zhu in the former and Dr. Kevin Leonard in the latter offered further insightful critique while pointing out new and useful directions that the paper could take.  Kevin Leonard has continued this practice as the editor of the Center For Pacific Northwest Studies Occasional Papers series, providing thoughtful, extensive, and useful comments on several drafts of this paper. In this instance, as throughout my undergraduate career, his skill and level of  interest proved invaluable. And lastly, Dr. Chris Friday's involvement has been central to this project. I begin this paper in his class, used his office and computer to turn it into a web page, and relied on his patience, critical insight, and enthusiasm throughout. His importance, to either this paper or my time at Western, cannot be overestimated.

None of this would have been possible without access to research material. Being in Bellingham, I was fortunate to be located next to several very fine repositories. Elizabeth Joffrion,  Head Archivist of the Center For Pacific Northwest Studies, and everyone else involved with the institution were more than helpful in response to my often muddled research requests. The staff of the Northwest Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives, especially James Copher, also provided much needed research assistance. Finally, thanks go out to Whatcom Museum of History and Art. Photo Archivist/Curator of History Toni Nagel graciously allowed the use of many of the images in this work, and Photo Archives Research Technician Jeff Jewell not only found me fascinating pictures (some from his own collection), but willingly shared  his extensive knowledge of history in Bellingham as well.  My sincerest thanks to all of these people and places.

Thanks are due, as well, to many people involved in the process of creating this paper if not the paper itself. Dr. Cecilia Danysk, who first made me think about history in different ways and continues to be integral to my involvement with it, displayed a great deal of patience as I  focused on this paper instead of the work I had promised her. Jennie Huber and Heidi Small have put up with me for the last two years and helped in any number of ways to facilitate this project's completion. Thanks go also to Ed Echtle, Kelly DeWaard, Ruth Steele and all the other Graduate Student Teaching Assistants in 2000/2001 who put up with my presence and involved me in their activities. And most of all to John and Sally and Robin and Ruth, who put up with my absence.

Brendan Burkhart
January 27, 2003.