Historical pictures bring old Lewiston to life in new book

LEWISTON, ID — They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

But how about an entire book about Lewiston's history, told through the eyes of a woman who was born and raised here.

When you flip through the pages of Jeri Jackson McGuire's latest book, "Images of America: Lewiston", you go back in time.

"A picture just brings back so many memories," she told KLEW News Friday.

Through a collection of pictures from her own, the Nez Perce County Historical Society, the Asotin County Hsitorical Society, as well as her longtime friends, Jeri presents a historical pictoral ofLlewiston.

"Lewiston is a small town," she explained. "But everybody knew every body and even today we're all still in touch. Even after 60 some years we're all still in touch."

You'll see images and decsriptions from when it was founded in 1861 from a gold rush.

Some places look familiar, others don't exist anymore.

Then there's one chapter, where Jeri can bring really bring the pictures to life with her own stories.

"Oh well you would go to the YAC, the Youth Activities Center and dance!" she said of a typical Friday night.

She was a teenager in the 50's.

There were huge bon fires at lewiston high school burning tires, and drag races to the dam out by Lapwai.

"Yeah, in the night, in the 2 lane road," she laughed. "We were just having fun. I didn't think we were wild."

Jeri said she and her friends would also join the cruising scene once in a while.

"We would cruise to see who all was out," she explained. "Then we would park and order a coke just to see who would drive by, then we'd go down to the Lewis Clark Hotel."

"If we wanted the short cruise, then come back up or go to 410 drive in and have their curly fries."

All this is in a 127-page book, written by a Lewiston native whose always had a love to historical pictures.

The book is sold on Amazon.