Connecting the past with the present, Eastwood publishes book just in time for Christmas

When tourists and newcomers travel through the streets of Ritzville, historic buildings and houses to welcome them into the community. Those historic landmarks and the people who helped ensure the development of the Ritzville community are now memorialized in “Welcome to Ritzville: Volume Two”, a recently published book by local historian and author, Harland Eastwood, Jr.

The book is compiled solely of photos and captions explaining the historic significance of recognizable buildings throughout the community. As the second book in the series, Eastwood said the volume focuses primarily on landmarks, but the first volume includes more images of families who settled here and the ancestors of many individuals who still reside within the community.

Eastwood is not a stranger to his family’s lineage in the community, and is constantly surrounded by the elements that helped establish his family in Ritzville. Eastwood currently resides in the house his great-grandparents built in 1915 and has preserved the home to resemble the lifestyle his relatives once lived.

“I’m living history every day,” Eastwood said about residing in the family house.

History has always been an important element in Eastwood’s life, and his passion for history developed over the years he spent with his parents. Eastwood explained both of his parents loved history, and all together, the family was filled with storytellers.

Eastwood began researching and writing historic recollections of Ritzville after his mother, Katherine, passed away. She had been raised in Ritzville, and Eastwood had traveled to the community during school vacations to spend time with his grandparents while he was growing up, which helped him develop an interest and fondness for the community.

Previously, Eastwood resided in Seattle and he did not move to Ritzville until his great-grandparents house became available for sale. He moved to Ritzville with his wife Marilyn and the couple celebrated 36 years of marriage before she passed away a year ago.

Eastwood began his research about Ritzville, his family lineage and discovering historic facts while he lived in Seattle. To date, he has published 19 books covering a wide array of subjects about historic elements of the Ritzville community, his personal life experiences, and genealogy, timelines and stories of local family’s journey to the area.

As a man of many hobbies, Eastwood’s interests have helped him gain an expansive knowledge that helps him identify elements in photos, which in turn helps him accurately determine what the time period was and fill in the missing pieces regarding the photo.

Eastwood has collected the photos in the Welcome to Ritzville volumes in a variety of ways, eventually allowing him to compile the books with large collection of photos. Because of his expertise, locals have brought photos they have discovered and asked him to help identify the photo. Eastwood has also been actively involved in the Adams County Historical Society, where he has had access to a multitude of photos.

The photos inside of the book allow readers to gain the history of the building and simultaneously learn about the building’s significance in the development of the city. Many of the buildings hosted different businesses and the history of those businesses is included in the caption. The photos also captured images of many buildings that are no longer present in the community, but the caption provides a description of where the building had formally been located.

For Eastwood, one of the best parts of researching history is the simple reward it provides. Being able to take a photo, decipher the time period and discover the story behind the image has been beneficial not only to Eastwood, but also to other individuals who he has assisted.

“Making those connections, that’s been fun,” Eastwood said.

The latest volume has provided Eastwood with an opportunity to pass on his love for history and also help local families connect to their heritage.

“For the most part, the books were written, not to fit a need, but because I wanted too,” Eastwood explained about his collection of publications.

“Basically, I’m a storyteller,” Eastwood said. “People would tell me I needed to write this down. People who have lived here their whole lives didn’t know some of the stories.”

Eastwood intends to continue writing historical pieces about the Ritzville area and sharing his knowledge with those around him. Eastwood said the profits from his books generally help fund his next publication, and simply, he’s not in it for the money.

For Eastwood, his years as a historian have provided him with many unique opportunities and some of the greatest moments of his life have been submitting articles for publication. But the next big thing for Eastwood is truly a unique experience.

Eastwood published a book titled “Lost” but instead of selling the book, he simply gave it away to family, friends and acquaintances. The book follows his journey through extreme hardships in his life and becoming a born-again Christian.

The personal testimony inside the cover of the book has been selected to air as a two-part, worldwide radio broadcast this spring. The broadcast is aired on “Unshackled” based out of Chicago, Ill., with the first part of the series airing March 23-29, and the second in April. The broadcast goes out across the world and is will be translated into 14 different languages.

“This is a big honor for me,” Eastwood said. “It’s a big part of my life.”

Eastwood’s latest book provides an insightful look and extensive history into the buildings, lifestyle and people who helped build this city. The book is available at Cow Creek Mercantile, just in time for Christmas.