The Art of the Washington State Apple
Discover How One Apple Tree
Birthed a Billion Dollar Apple Industry
Lisa Tracy
215 pages • 230 color and archival images • Large-format museum-quality volume
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"Part lyrical memoir, part richly textured historical narrative, The Art of the Washington State Apple is a meticulously researched exploration of the state’s most iconic fruit. Lisa Tracy follows the apple’s journey through generations of change in Washington—from early homesteads to sprawling commercial orchards—while rooting the narrative in the personal history of her own family. With the soul of a poet and the precision of a historian, Tracy brings to life the growers, communities, and landscapes that shaped the apple’s enduring legacy. A feast for the senses and the mind, this is regional history at its most intimate and illuminating."
—Dr. Jessica K. Sklar, Professor of Mathematics, Pacific Lutheran University
"This book reads very well and connects the author's ancestry to the apple world. It is engaging, highlights Indigenous Peoples, and explores the history of the apple industry in Washington State and the Northwest. It also points to the importance of the communities mutually impacted by apples. All in all, I think every household should read this book; it is much needed for this region."
—Dr. Warren W. Buck III, Founding Chancellor and Professor Emeritus, University of Washington Bothell
Seeds of Transformation
My connection to Washington State apples is more than a passion—it’s part of my heritage. Born and raised here, cradled by fir-covered hills and sunlit orchards, I carry Washington in my bones.
My ancestry reaches back to 1845, in what was then Oregon Country—before my family eventually made their way north into Washington in the decades that followed. Pioneering westward along the Oregon Trail, my family brought with them a single apple sapling, which they planted in that early frontier soil—rooting our family’s story in the same ground that would become the heart of Washington’s apple legacy.
In 1826, a handful of apple seeds traveled from London to the fertile banks of the Columbia River. Of them, only one survived. That tree—later known as the Old Apple Tree—stood for nearly two centuries and came to be regarded as the matriarch of Washington’s apple industry, a living symbol of endurance and growth.
Yet the story begins earlier. The Columbia River Tribal Peoples were not only stewards of this land long before Washington’s apple industry took shape — they were instrumental in cultivating the first orchards grown from The Old Apple Tree and in establishing the very first commercial apple orchard. Their knowledge, care, and relationship to this place formed the living foundation from which Washington’s apple legacy would grow.
From the sunlit orchards of the Wenatchee Valley to the engineered waterways of the Columbia Basin, The Art of the Washington State Apple traces a profound transformation of land and labor across generations. Blending rare archival photographs, irrigation history, and intimate family narrative, this richly illustrated volume honors the communities and enduring spirit that continue to define Washington’s apple country.
Perfect for anyone who loves Washington State history, Indigenous culture, agricultural heritage, or the simple beauty of a freshly picked apple.
215 pages • 230 color and archival images • Large-format museum-quality volume
Available through major book distributors, bookstores, and libraries.
Discover this rich heritage for yourself—order your copy today and take a journey through the heart of Washington’s apple country.
The author, pressing cider alongside her family on a golden autumn day.
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