Three local authors have released Forgotten Cranbrook, a collection of 120 pages of historical photos of the city.
Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History board member Keith Powell, executive director Erin Knutson and founder Derryll White each worked on the book.
“We really launched this project to showcase some of the memories of Cranbrook,” said Powell. “We’re very happy with how it turned out. I had someone phone yesterday who wanted a copy of the book. They came by and picked one up. They texted me about half an hour later saying they can’t put it down.”
The book covers the early days of Cranbrook, back to the 1880s and up to the 1960s.
“People have been donating to the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History for the last 20 years, so we have over 100,000 photos online,” said White. “It was just a matter of digging through them. Keith, Erin and I went through thousands of photos to come up with ones for the book.”
Powell said the book sets itself apart from other Cranbrook history books by focusing on telling the community’s story through photos.
“Some of them have never been seen – or seldom seen. We’re hoping to give residents of the Cranbrook area a glimpse into the past,” said Powell. “It really helps us appreciate the area we live in and what came before us.”
The book also explores the industry that took place near the community, including photos of Lumberton.
Cranbrook Mayor Wayne Price was presented with a copy of the book on Tuesday.
“We are fortunate to have an organization like the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History and people like Keith, Derryll and Erin helping to keep Cranbrook’s history alive,” said Price. “This is a fabulous book with many wonderful pictures. It really is a must-have for every family’s coffee table.”
The book can be found at a few local vendors, such as Huckleberry Books, Pages, and Hot Shots Cafe, among other locations.