Why "Desert of Dreams" was written....

Under the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, funding for Grand Coulee Dam became a reality.  It was part of President Roosevelt's "New Deal Program" and employed thousands of men during the Depression.

In order to understand FDR's vision, you need to realize Central Washington was a desert before the dam was built.  Yes, we are talking sagebrush and rattlesnakes.

Where the water doesn't irrigate, it still is.  This surprises most people because Washington is known as the "Evergreen" state; yet, two-thirds of the state is desert.  Only on the west side of the Cascade Mountains is the State green.

But thanks to President Roosevelt's foresight, miles and miles of cement canals were built and became known as the Columbia Basin Project Act under the directorship of the Bureau of Reclamation.  It encompases 553,000 acres within an area approximately 100 miles long and 40 miles wide.

In 1952, the water started to flow and that's when this desert became a "mecca" for people with the "old west pioneering" spirit.  I was one of those people and "Desert of Dreams" was written to chronicle the families who made the "Central Basin" one of the most productive farm areas in the nation.

"Desert of Dreams" tells you
about the people
who moved into this area,
where they came from,
what their backgrounds were
and why they came.

It also tells where they lived, the hardships they had to endure thus giving a historical account of each family's perspective of this region.  This book is an excellent reference for future generations.

You can order your copy of "Desert of Dreams" by clicking here.  It makes a great gift for historical buffs.

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