Ten years of missionary work among the Indians at Skokomish, Washington Territory, 1874-1884

A missionary’s diary from the remote Pacific Northwest opens a vivid portrait of life on the Skokomish reservation in the 1870s. Reverend M. Eells records ten years of daily work, from setting up a modest schoolhouse to sharing the gospel with a people whose world was rapidly changing under the pressure of settlement and railroads.

The narrative blends personal devotion, cultural observation, and honest appraisal of the broader “Indian problem” that haunted the nation. He writes of the challenges of language, the stubborn persistence of native traditions, and the hopeful moments when education and faith begin to take root, all while his wife Sara stands beside him as a steady companion.

Listeners will find a rare, firsthand glimpse into a pivotal era of American history—one where idealism met harsh reality, and where the delicate task of building bridges between cultures unfolds in the quiet moments of frontier life.