Recommended Further Reading
Whispering Wires: The Tragic Tale of an American Bootlegger
By Philip Metcalfe
If you are looking to learn more about rum running in Seattle then this is the place to start. In-depth research and brilliant story-telling make this book one of my favorites.
Don’t Never Tell Nobody Nothin’ No How: The Real Story of West Coast Rum Running
By Rick James
Informative and well researched look at Pacific Northwest Rum Running from the Canadian perspective. Really cool breakdown of the ships used for rum running and their histories.
Seattle Prohibition: Bootleggers, Rumrunners and Graft in the Queen City
By Brad Holden
A well written and insightful look at rum running in prohibition era Seattle. Historical anecdotes and the author’s cultural understanding paint a picture for the reader of what it would have been like to live during that exciting time.
Museum of History and Industry
This is where it all started for me. The Museum of History and Industry is the place to learn about interesting aspects of Seattle and the forces that made it the city it is today. I still remember vividly standing in a small room there, learning about the modified ships used by rum runners and staring at the scale model display.
History Link
Badass non-profit, online encyclopedia of Seattle history. It features well researched articles by skilled writers and diverse histories to paint a broad picture of the Pacific Northwest region through time.
American West Magazine
American West Magazine is now defunct but if you can get your hands on any of their old issues, you won’t be disappointed. Volume IX, No 6, November 1972, included a story about Pacific Northwest Rum Running and provided unique firsthand conversations, stories, and photographs.