Stehekin, a Valley in Time

It was just a dot on the map in the middle of a national forest; no roads led to Stehekin, at the upper end of Lake Chelan in central Washington. Inhabitants reached civilizaton (``downlake'') by ferry. Shortly after World War II, Grant McConnell and his wife Jane settled in the valley, among others who cherished isolation and self-sufficiency. It was a period of acculturation for the newcomers, for the community's internal economic system was one of need and barter: cash was for ``downlake'' and summer visitors. McConnell gives an entertaining picture of his friends and neighbors as he notes the creeping changes that came to Stehekin over several years. Ultimately, residents had to fight the Forest Service to prevent cutting the forest and development. Stehekin still has no roads leading out, and logging is forbidden. Nostalgic in tone, its story is a piece of timeless Americana. (September)