Mr. Singer's Seamstress: A Washington Territory Story

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In 1882, shortly after the Northern Pacific Railroad established a terminus on Commencement Bay, the city of New Tacoma is flourishing with new stores, a hospital, and a hotel in the works. Horse-drawn streetcars traverse gravel roads, and a telephone system is emerging. Nell Tanquist believes the town has everything it needs to rival Portland—except for a dress-making establishment. She dreams of creating beautiful clothes for women, but her hand-sewing skills and lack of a sewing machine limit her ambitions. To earn money, Nell takes on various jobs, including a memorable wagon ride to Steilacoom to sell her crocheted items, serving punch at a chaotic party, and working at the Halstead Hotel. As summer arrives, she balances work with leisure, enjoying outings with her sister and a budding romance that jeopardizes her aspirations. A picnic on Commencement Bay nearly ends in disaster, and an attempted kidnapping she witnesses leads her into unexpected challenges. The narrative is rich with pioneers, Chinese laborers, and members of the Puyallup Indian tribe, but at its heart is Nell's journey—a determined girl striving to defy convention and forge her own path.