Chief Seattle and the Town That Took His Name

A Seattle Times Top 10 Book of The Decade by a Washington Author

“This book, the first full biography of Seattle’s namesake, was a yearslong work of devotion by Buerge, a Seattle historian. It tells both the chief’s story and the tragic history of Native Americans at the early years of Seattle’s settlement by whites, and resurrects the life of a determined leader who never failed to keep his people’s welfare in his sights. A classic work of Seattle history.”
–Mary Ann Gwinn, The Seattle Times

“In one of the many magical, epic moments in this enchanting book, Chief Seattle is depicted shouting regally from his canoe, “It is I, Seattle!” And here he is, at last, full of majesty, complexity, wisdom, and charisma. The book is an act of justice, finally bringing to life the man to whom the city owes its name and its multiracial founding.”
—David Brewster, president of Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum

“This is the Seattle book we’ve been waiting for. Dave Buerge finally puts flesh on the bones of Seattle’s namesake, cutting through myth to give us the man in all his glory and complexity. More than a city’s namesake, Chief Seattle was our city’s key visionary and cofounder, and he remains a voice of conscience. Chief Seattle and the Town That Took His Name is a foundational work for anyone who wants to understand the city and the roots from which it grows.”
—Knute Berger, Crosscut and Seattle magazine columnist

“The man known to so many as Chief Seattle has deserved a proper biography for a long, long time. This book, based on years of painstaking research, is a window not only into the life of one important Indigenous leader, but into the birth of the Northwest’s premier metropolis. A must-read for anyone interested in Seattle history.”
—Coll Thrush, author of Native Seattle: Histories from the Crossing-Over Place

“This portrait could redefine the origins of Seattle for a generation.”
—Seattle Weekly

“[A] remarkably thorough account of the history of Puget Sound and the influential role Chief Seattle played in its early growth…Buerge’s study is a valuable and erudite portrayal of this influential chief and the tumultuous times in which he led his people amidst the onslaught of manifest destiny.”
—Booklist

“A thoroughly researched, insightful and at times heartbreaking book.”
—The Seattle Times

“A thorough history and enduring legacy of the Native American chief. A Peak Pick!”
—Shelf Talk

“Buerge’s new book not only delves into the details of Chief Seattle’s life, but also places those events in the context of the rapid change that was overwhelming the Puget Sound area.”
—The Daily (University of Washington)

“With this book Chief Seattle gets maybe his first shot at a full and fair examination of his legacy since the first white settlers showed up. That makes this a significant moment in Seattle history.”
—Seattle Review of Books