Marques Vickers

The creation of the train route through the Western Washington Cascade Mountains proved a monumental challenge. A conflict arose between the engineering capabilities of designers and the treacherous topography and inclement weather of the region. This edition profiles and elaborately photographs the historical remnants of the Cascade route originating between Scenic and Stevens Pass. Remaining and abandoned train tunnels and snow sheds are intimately portrayed accompanied by historical commentary Amongst the featured attractions include the: Deception Creek Falls, Scenic Hot Springs, Windy Point Snow Shed and Railroad Tunnel, Western Portal entrance to the Cascade Grand Tunnel and the Wellington Railroad Tunnel and Snow Shed. Contextual insight from numerous sources is provided into the background, complexity and necessity for construction of numerous snow sheds following the 1910 Wellington catastrophe. Today the Iron Goat Trail traces the routing between Deception Creek and Wellington. It has evolved into a popular hiking destination. Two trailheads are most easily reached during the summer and early fall months via the ghost towns of Scenic or Wellington. Both feature parking lots easily accessible by car. The trail routing also parallels with the partially closed Old Cascade Highway and heavily travelled U.S. Route 2 (Stevens Pass Highway). The 1910 Wellington AvalancheIn winter 1910, the city of Wellington was a miniscule town that existed exclusively due to the Great Northern Railway. Constructed in 1893, the town was the operational headquarters for tunnel construction, tunnel electrification and general maintenance along the line. It was also an important coal, water and rest stop for trains on route to Everett, Seattle and Tacoma. The edition details the massive blizzard and accompanying avalanche that occurred on March 1, 1910. The storm obliterated the train depot, sweeping two passenger cars into the Tye River and killing 96 passengers, the worst fatality count in American railroad history. Only 23 would survive the catastrophe that would initiate successive construction of eight miles of snow sheds covering twelve miles of track, a capable, but short-term solution. Many of the snow sheds and tunnels have partially collapsed due to their wood framing and exposure to inclement weather. They continue to slowly dissipate in condition or blend into the sloping terrain of granite hillsides. The permanent solution involved the construction of the Cascade Grand Tunnel beginning in 1925. The Great Cascade Tunnel dedicated during January 1929 may be one of the most understated engineering feats within the United States. The concrete portal is large enough to accommodate a locomotive and connecting train cars cut through 7.8 miles of granite. When inaugurated, it was acknowledged as the longest tunnel within the western hemisphere. Today it remains the longest within the lower 48 states. The architectural genius behind the construction would provide a permanent solution to the troublesome and persistent menace of deadly regional landslides and avalanches.

This edition is a celebratory pictorial compilation recounting the evolution and transformation of one of downtown Los Angeles' primary arteries. Over 200 photographs showcase architectural structures and details that line the blocks of North and South Broadway Street in the center of downtown Los Angeles. The book traces colorful legends, anecdotes and landmarks that preceded current standing constructions. Broadway Street was originally identified as Fort Street in the initial 1849 city tract created by U.S. Army map surveyor Lieutenant Edward Ord. The Fort referenced Fort Moore Hill, a prominent and strategic incline that overlooked the early settlement. The Fort Moore district served as one of the city's first burial grounds and was later leveled to construct the Hollywood Freeway. In 1890, Broadway Street was permanently renamed. The Los Angeles El Pueblo settlement was established in the mid-18th century along the then fertile banks of the Los Angeles River. The colony's terrain was agriculturally cultivated for vineyards, cattle ranching and later citrus groves before an encroaching urban environment altered the complexion of city towards the close of the 19th century. Drawing from varied archival documentation and narratives, Vickers traces the evolutionary stages of Broadway Street into the city's commercial and entertainment center. Broadway's reputation extended throughout the first half of the twentieth century but was followed by a prolonged period of four-decade stagnation. The most current reinvention has introduced retail, office and residential mixed-use developments. Existing retail lease commitments contracted during the street's lean years of decline, however, has slowed this synergy of change. Reinventing Broadway Street documents numerous colorful and influential contributors to the local history. Among the profiled personalities include Oliver Morosco, John Temple, William Wolfskill, Jean-Luis Vignes, Abel and Arcadia Sterns, Isaias Hellman, Joaquin Murrieta, John C. Fremont, John Parkinson, Prudent Beaudry, Sarah Bernhardt, Harris Newmark, and many others. Structures photographed include the Times Mirror Square, Bradbury, Irvine-Byrne, Hosfield, Zobel, Trustee, O. T. Johnson #1 and #2, Junipero Serra, Metropolitan, Judson Rives, Bumiller, Chester Williams, Remick and Grayson, Schulte United, J. W. Gold, Story, Desmond, Jewelry Trade, Mercantile Arcade, Norton, Hass, Merritt, Clifton's Brookside and Schaber's Cafeterias, Yorkshire Hotel, Garland, Charles C. Chapman, Eastern Columbia, Wurlitzer, Brown-Israel, Broadway Leasehold, Platt, Western Pacific, Howard Huntington, Case Hotel and Los Angeles Herald Examiner. Theatres include The Million Dollar, Roxie, Cameo, Los Angeles, Palace, Globe, Tower, Rialto, Orpheum, Arcade and United Artists. Former department store buildings includes The May Company, Bullock's, Swelldom's, F. W. Woolworth's, National Dollar Store, S. H. Kress, Broadway, Silverwood's, Hartfield's, and Barker Brothers. Notable government constructions include the LA County Hall of Record, Justice Building, Foltz Criminal Justice Center and the nearly completed Federal Courthouse Building. Reinventing Broadway Street takes the reader on a stroll through the history, present and progressive future envisioned and being created simultaneously.

"The Architectural Elevation of Technology" is a photographic survey of 75 prominent Silicon Valley corporate headquarters buildings. The 134-page edition is photographed and authored by California artist Marques Vickers. The geographical territory included with the book is framed to the north by Redwood City and extended to the south until Cupertino. Corporate headquarters are included within the cities of Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Menlo Park, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Milpitas and Fremont. Notable structures include the Oracle, Samsung and the Apple 2 campus, currently under construction. Background is provided on each building's history and when each present tenant began their occupancy. "The photo project's motivation was based on my curiosity as to the public face of the information technology sector," notes Vickers. "Did the more prominent companies mirror the aesthetic polish of their online renown and presence? Would their architecture reflect the affluence and prosperity many of these industry icons have come to represent?" "Silicon Valley technology parks, corporate campuses and headquarters appear indistinguishable from other more traditional office construction. Their appearance is generally consistent with contemporary design trends favoring reflective glass framed by steel and masonry." Vickers observes in his accompanying commentary several distinctive traits regarding high-tech constructions. Among those include decentralized layouts, lack of streetfront parking and the significant shielding of inside views by landscaped trees and foliage. "The true innovation and resources appear to have been concentrated on interior space management schematics and novelty design." Vickers adds, "The intention is purposeful. By creating a playful and aesthetic interior environment for employees, many are inclined and stimulated to spend significant additional hours on work-related projects in the facility. Social bondings are encouraged, creating a synergy of professional comradery. Working hours assimilate into lifestyle preferences."

Murder in Washington: Notorious Crime Sites is a visual return to 95 infamous murder scenes profiling the shocking and detailed narratives behind each tragedy. Many of the narratives defy believability, yet they are true. Long after the screaming headlines and sensationalism has subsided, these bizarre, infamous and obscure murder sites and stories remain buried awaiting rediscovery.The Murder in Washington edition is segmented into eight categories including assassinations, historical legacies, premeditated homicides, chance encounters and impulse killings, law enforcement fatalities and controversies, unsolved murders, rampage and serial killers.The edition provides the precise location of each crime site, fatality victims, perpetrators and for those still living, the penal institution where they are incarcerated.Cases profiled include: Ted Bundy: The Serpent who loved to kill womenGary Ridgway: The Green River Prostitute KillerUncle Joe Kondro: A family or friend's worst nightmareLee Boyd Malvo: Under the spell and shadow of the DC SniperKenneth Bianchi: A Serial Killer's Final MisdeedRodney Alcala: Stalking and strangling beautyDonna Perry: Transgender prostitute killerMaurice Clemmons: His four police officer shooting spreeLegacy hex of serial killer Jake BirdDisappearing investment trail of Doug CarlileLegacy of the People's Theatre and Shooting of the Seattle Police ChiefSeattle's underpass Jungle killingsMysterious assassination of Federal Judge Tom WalesAnn Marie Burr's kidnapping and linkage to Ted BundyDNA tracing genealogies condemn two Tacoma child killers forty-years laterBilly Gohl and the floating cadavers of AberdeenTacoma's missing Puyallup Avenue streetwalkersKidnapping and murder of little Charles MattsonEverett Union protest dockside massacreIncestuous killing of Sylvia Gaines.Trash talk shooting by rapper Lil DangerUnsolved Civil Rights advocate Edwin Pratt shootingAttack of a Killer WerewolfRecording artist Little Willie John's afterhours party homicideThe Gits lead singer Mia Zapata abduction and murderThe disappearance of radio activist Mike WebbThe Hangman's noose too light to support Mitchell RuppThe savage beating of Seattle's Tuba ManWilson, Anderson, Goldmark and Rafay Family killingsPost Mount Saint Helens Volcano hitchhiker discoveryThe detonation of Oleg Babichenko's carThe seducer and killer with a thousand identitiesDragging vehicle death of Susette Werner.Aurora Bridge public transport murder-suicideGay hate crime shooting from a back seat driverSweltering summer night bludgeoning of Geneva MacDonaldWah Mee Gambling Club massacreThe therapist who crossed professional boundaries with his lifeStarvation HeightsA homicidal impatience by a police officer over a DUICapitol Hill district massacreMarysville High School cafeteria shootingThe clueless Spokane leach and killerRed Barn Door Tavern bloodbathSeattle Pacific University lone gunmanDeath and rape in Seattle's South Park residential districtSeattle's Caf Racer murder-suicideA legitimate example of Killer's remorseStalking and slaying an Elementary school teacherAssault on the Jewish Federation BuildingMahoney trunk murderPang Frozen Foods arson fireAn armed vendetta against pedophilesSurvivalist Peter Keller's kills his familyTrang Dai restaurant gang slayingA Seattle police officer ambushGeorge Russell fatal voyeurismPolice beating of a simple man Otto ZehmFreighter pilot's collision with the West Seattle BridgeAnd Even More Murder Narratives..

Marques Vickers' second poetic edition "Zen By Default" establishes a sustained interior dialogue between the poet and his ongoing life evolution living along the American Pacific Coast. His 300+ concise works address the ongoing themes of displacement and relocation and the challenge of cultivating and sustaining relationships in the midst of upheaval. Vickers examines his spectator role with regard to his own life: i am a third partyto my own lifespectator of my existencemy river of wordsa streamoverflowing the banksof reasonas if eros alonewere reason enoughand i inhabit youyou mefor the short spanof eternitythose small hoursdestiny has provided Reminiscences of youth: the nutmeg radianceof youthadorns the summer sandsforcing the amnesiaof aginginto remission Love and its complications: the fire of my soulfaces my terrorscontrast and paradoxi look at myselfi look for youone to kiss, embrace, strokea splash of dazzling wash'my heart packs itself and contains itselfmy heart astonishes itselfwithout bar or barriermore vast than a memorywe trade vows we may not keepa time where the shadows dieonly instants prevailthe broken silencesshedding our perceived chainsyes my love we do not inhabit the airwe must separate as simplyas continents divide, waters disperse Language and sounds: i know the song of the nightthrough the tenor of your wordsthe sacred chant of rossignolsserenading a panorama of starsbeside me on the hillside garriguewe trade candies of conversationmuses and suppositionover the lyrics of each song Shredding Personal Limitations: a window shattersglass ceiling mirrors southwardno longermosaic tiles of imaginationadjoined and mortaredstray impressions fastenedplumbed from the depthsmined from experiencea simple twisted phrasekeying a bolted memoryan unspoken phrasei bury my soulon the parchmentof posterity A View of One's Mortality: a man stares at the crossroad of his immortalitya man realizes his years are passinghe looks back at the mirror of his youthdistant and removed from the presentan intersection with no returnpoverty no longer stalks his doorwayhe is simply too far to take the return road The View of His Lover: settling slow and soft into an intimacysweet and sacredtangled words like our wrapped bodiesawaken my anticipationof dialogues in accordharmonies in synchyou cannot imaginemy silent soliloquiesshrouded in dreamsthe tenor of your voicesoft and slowas a graceful and welcomed caress Goodbyes: you are next to meas parallel wings on a soaring birdi carry a tear in my clenched handbecause goodbyes wear poorly on methere are few farewells in my existenceonly separationswhere the fissures and pausesremain grayrepairable The eternal crossroads: rows of lightilluminatethe stranger withinmy vision blindedby the currencyof strangely traded wordscrossroads of timeblind a caged birdwho must extend wingsto fly Vickers works are typically untitled and entirely in lower case. His themes are interwoven into soliloquy compositions and internalized realizations. The process of discovery is as relentless and ongoing as the travels he has opted to pursue.

"Eternal Spring Street: Los Angeles' Architectural Reincarnation" is a celebratory pictorial edition recounting the evolution and transformation of one of downtown Los Angeles' primary boulevards. The edition features photographs of buildings and architectural details that line the blocks of North and South Spring Street. The book traces colorful legends, anecdotes and landmarks that preceded current standing constructions. The once modest dirt highway was originally called the Old Brea Road, servicing as a major commercial artery originating from the Los Angeles' El Pueblo settlement and separating in the direction of the LaBrea Tar Pits and the Cahuenga Pass (present day Hollywood). Spring Street officially derived its name from Trinidad Primavera Ortega, the girlfriend of Lieutenant Edward Ord who drafted the city's initial survey map in 1849 that included street naming rights. Primavera is the Spanish name for Spring and Ord designated the honor to Ortega (the nickname he called her). She was also the granddaughter of Spanish explorer Jose Francisco Ortega. The El Pueblo settlement was established in the mid-18th century along the then fertile banks of the Los Angeles River. The colony's terrain was agriculturally cultivated for vineyards, cattle ranching and later citrus groves before an encroaching urban environment altered the complexion of city towards the close of the 19th century. Drawing from varied archival documentation and narratives, Vickers traces the four stages of evolution of Spring's transformation including: 1) retail center, 2) cradle of Silent Film movie production offices, 3) bank and financial institution headquarters and 4) contemporary retail, office and residential mixed-use developments. The most current Spring Street reinvention followed a prolonged period of four-decade stagnation following World War II. "Eternal Spring Street" further documents numerous colorful and influential contributors to the local opulent history. Among the profiled personalities include John Temple, William Wolfskill, Jean-Luis Vignes, Abel and Arcadia Sterns, Pio Pico, Isaias Hellman, Joaquin Murrieta (his severed and pickled head), Ozro Childs, John C. Fremont, John Parkinson, Prudent Beaudry, George Lehman, Biddy Mason, Remi Nadeau, Sarah Bernhardt (her severed leg), James J. Jeffries, George Ralphs and many others. The book profiles each distinctive building's architectural lineage and unique legacy that have been often historically overlooked. The buildings photographed include: the Los Angeles City Hall Complex, United States Court House, Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Los Angeles Times, Douglas Building, Washington Building, Ronald Reagan Building, Hellman Annex and Banco Popular Building, Title Insurance Building, Crocker Citizen National Bank, The Braly/Continental Building, El Dorado/Stowell Hotel, Rowan & Chester Building, Alexandria Hotel, Spring Arcade Building, Pacific Southwest Bank, Security Building, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Merchant & Lloyd's Bank, Hotel Hayward, E. F. Hutton, California Canadian Bank, Barclays Bank, A. G. Bartlett Building, United California Bank, Los Angeles Stock Exchange, Mortgage Guaranty Building, Banks & Huntley Building, Bank of America, I. N. Van Nuys Building, Lane Mortgage, William May Garland Building. Marsh & Strong Building, Financial Center Building, Renco Films, Great Republic Life Building and National City Tower.

"Amour, Wine and Real Estate in Southern France" is California artist Marques Vickers' memoir and mediation on five years of his passionate pursuit of la belle vie in France's Languedoc rustic refuge. Vickers' evocative and original vignettes illuminate the enchantment behind southern French culture and village life. His insider's profiles into the region's history, eccentricities and charm become an indispensable guide for the visitor wishing to lift the veil behind French mystique. For expatriates wishing to integrate seamlessly, his insights bridge the divide of nationality. His diverse and humorous essays become as delicately layered as the alchemic blending of fine Rhone Valley style wines. The edition offers practical advice on the realities of investing and renovating stone village properties with purchasing and resale strategies. Commentary is abundantly seasoned regarding the often confounding and intruding French bureaucracy on matters of immigration, health care and regional wine classifications. "Amour, Wine and Real Estate" is a gourmet indulgence as flavorful and aromatic as the diverse natural herbs fronting limestone caged mountain ranges crowned by mediaeval castle ruins. France's Languedoc region boasts the world's largest wine acreage, pristine and vacant white sand Mediterranean beaches and internationally renowned cuisine including foie gras, cassoulet, duck specialties, pastis and varied fresh seafood delicacies from the spawning waters. The savage regional winds, climate and landscape extremes stimulate a beauty that has both haunted and inspired artists such as Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. The writings escort you into the cloistered halls of a seasonal truffle auction, adjacent regional caverns boasting scrawled 10,000-year-old drawings and 400 year-old graffiti and the remnant legacy of the Cathar religion that barely escaped total annihilation. Savor this gourmet delicacy at your favorite patisserie accompanied by a dark roasted espresso and chocolate pastry. "Amour, Wine and Real Estate in Southern France" is your travel companion to experience a captivating adventure from the inside.

Marques Vickers' first poetic edition Unicorns and Dark Chocolate delves profoundly into an exploration of the inspirations behind the ancient concepts of Eros, Aphrodisia and Desire. Over 300+ concise poetical compositions examine the mythological orientations behind personal formation and attitudes regarding sexuality. Vickers composes his verse in bare simplicity, clothed only by his words as covering. Regarding Abstractive love i know loveas abstractionlong resolvedabandon is youthful indiscretionmansions of cardspoised to falli offerlessa lower ceilingtorch in a darkened cave Vickers observations regarding inspiration and eroticism are capsuled in his work about Pele, the Hawaiian God of Creation: where the black river flows towards the red seathis is the cradle of lovelove be the bloom that flowers amidst the soul of the windelusive to the grasp, pleasing to the tasteinjurious to the palettewe seek, we seldom findwhat we find exceeds the soughtmeasure, treasure each mysteryeach divided heartunderstand, but never are we ablei know of love, i have known lovewiser, but foolishly i still seekthe measure of what i believeand know love to be Art is romance, romance is art. His transparency of thought becomes his instrument for transfiguration. His language remains as concise and distinct as his tinted and tainted palette: i imagine you pensive during your posei imagine your own desire surgingdo you wonder what passesthrough my thought processwhile i depict youi note alli perceive the rebellious eyelashunfettered towards abeyanceto the regimented othersi scan the slope and horizon of your cheekbone ridgesculptured with precision by your creatorthe harmonious curvature of womanas she was intended for displayin all men's imaginationa sonata of synchronizationdancing and flowingbathing nude and naturallyas the costume fromwhich we entered existence thorough burn love is a choice reserved for clarityencircled by the darkest nightcommencing its slow fire and thorough burnemitting openings of flame, pensive reflectionscaught are we in webs of attachment, nooses of emotionawakening one morning to the realizationour lover is ourselfour union, evolvement of annexation so profoundwe breath our lovers breath as our ownlacking you this very momentaching for the consolation of your touchwell aware that i am myself no longerbut the kindred of our shared souls Through self-examination Vickers shares his own elemental search amidst the chaos of existence. He summarizes his own investigation process by: i don't skim the surface with wordsit's the marrow i carve, probethe thoughtful inflectionof a mortal woundthe gentle gashof a slashed arterythe balm of sulphuric acidit is what art should and rarely pricksthe consciousness of the slumbering mass