CLIMBING OLD BALDY. JULY 1912.
Small album containing 12 photographs captured during an ascent of "Old Baldy", which looms majestically above Spokane, Washington, at 5,883 feet. The southernmost mountain in the Selkirk Range, it was known as Mount Carlton until August 1912 when it was renamed Mount Spokane.
The images show a party of eight men at the start of their journey and at various points along the way, including Sky Line Spring, Brickell Creek, and the summit. All the photographs are accompanied by holographic captions and two are identified as the work of Joe Shields. Notably, there is an image of Cook's Camp and a portrait of Francis H. Cook.
A pioneering figure in Spokane's history, Cook (1851-1920) published the city's first newspaper, The Spokan Times, before setting his sights on developing an area on Spokane's South Hill. He purchased 680 acres and platted it out for development, and, in 1888, started the first steam-powered street railroad to move residents up and down the hill. Later, Cook purchased the top of Old Baldy and set about securing the rights of way in order to build a road to the summit. Though he did not live to see it, his vision was realized with the establishment of the Mt. Spokane State Park in 1927.
The photographs are pasted to leaves of an oblong album, which is bound with string in brown paper wrappers (8 1/2" x 5 1/4"). The front panel features black titles and an original white ink and watercolor rendering of Old Baldy framed by tall trees. Some mild edgewear; else very good. Item #77773
Price: $550.00