Name: Yellowstone National Park
Brand: Lee H. Whittlesey
SKU: 9780738548494
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Yellowstone National Park

9780738548494

$23.99

Yellowstone National Park is one of the earth's most famous places. Established in 1872 as the world's first national park, it has preserved remarkable natural wonders like Old Faithful Geyser and cultural icons such as Old Faithful Inn. For centuries, it was home to the Shoshone, Crow, Bannock, Blackfeet, and other Indian tribes, but these groups were banished in the 1870s by park
promoters who feared that tourists would not visit if American Indians lived there. Almost immediately after its establishment, Yellowstone became the primary destination for tourist travel to the American West following the Civil War. By 1900, it was a vast tourist success, and today it is both a world biosphere preserve and a world heritage site.

Jackson Hole

9781467160971

$24.99

The broad valley of Jackson Hole and the ridges and slopes around what would become Jackson, Wyoming, had long been a crossroads to the region's Indigenous peoples when fur trappers arrived in the early decades of the 19th century and made Jackson Hole a lynchpin of their continental commerce. Many came and went, but some stayed, with a settlement taking form near the banks of Flat Creek at the base of East Gros Ventre Butte. Small-scale cattle ranching formed the first economic base of this frontier town, but before long, the valley's incomparable elk herds drew market hunters, game wardens, and hunting guides. Jackson became a ski town with turn-of-the-20th-century cross-country skiing, the 1920s and 1930s development of Mount Snow King, and the 1960s opening of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. These years saw the development of an authentic Western skiing culture and demonstrated Jackson's pivot from sleepy frontier town to major logistical hub for recreational visitors. Two beloved national parks just to the north added to the flow of visitors as postwar prosperity funded new road trips and mountain vacations.

Sheridan

9780738548210

$24.99

Planned by Civil War veteran John D. Loucks and named for Loucks's Union commander, Sheridan lies in the heart of the "last, best hunting grounds" of the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Crow, where some of the bloodiest battles of the Indian Wars were fought. The community clings tenaciously to its Western roots, celebrating its past in events such as Buffalo Bill Days and the Sheridan-WYO Rodeo and commemorating the birthday of the Sheridan Inn where Bill Cody auditioned acts for his Wild West Show. Ranching, along with energy development and the railroad, remain vital facets of the community's identity.

Grand Teton National Park

9781467131483

$24.99

The majestic beauty of Grand Teton National Park has moved people throughout time. Native Americans believed in the spiritual power of the towering mountain peaks and journeyed there to gain special powers. Early fur traders, who had just crossed less ominous mountain ranges, viewed with trepidation the massive obstacle that loomed before them on their passage to the Pacific Northwest. In others, the Tetons ignited vision and passion--a vision to preserve for all generations to come and a passion to protect the independent way of life known by the first settlers of this western frontier. The formation of Grand Teton National Park spanned the course of nearly 70 years. Although there were many people who shared the struggle before them, it was not until Stephen Mather and Horace M. Albright took up the fight in 1915 that steps towards success were taken. Albright's tenacity and ability to convey his vision to philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. set in motion a very long journey that culminated with Pres. Harry S. Truman signing today's Grand Teton National Park into existence on September 13, 1950.

Pinedale

9780738558837

$24.99

John F. Patterson founded Pinedale in 1904 after proposing the establishment of a town along Pine Creek in western Wyoming. Patterson offered to build and stock a general store if local ranchers Charles Petersen and Robert Graham would donate five acres each for the site. Petersen and Graham agreed to this plan, a surveyor was hired, and Pinedale--named after the post office on Petersen's ranch--was officially established. Free town lots were offered to early settlers, and Pinedale was incorporated in 1912, becoming the farthest incorporated town from a railroad, and later from a major highway, in the country. The community survived in fierce isolation, and the townspeople originally made their living supplying the ranchers, outfitters, and tie hacks. Ranching and tourism helped sustain Pinedale from the beginning, and in the 1990s, the community underwent a fundamental change with the introduction of natural-gas mining in the area. Pinedale residents continue to live and thrive on this harsh but beautiful land.

F.E. Warren Air Force Base

9780738592251

$24.99

F.E. Warren Air Force Base was originally established in 1867 as Fort D.A. Russell Army Post to protect the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. Infantry, cavalry, and artillery have all been stationed at the post. In 1930, after the death of Francis E. Warren, the post was renamed Fort F.E. Warren. The base has been continuously active and has never closed, even during the transfer from Army to Air Force in 1947. The post was the site of the Quartermaster School in the 1940s and became the Air Force Replacement Training Center in the 1950s. Presently, the installation is, once again, protecting the United States

through deterrence with 150 Minuteman III ICBMs.

Fort Laramie

9780738580531

$24.99

Fort Laramie was one of the most important frontier outposts of the American West. Founded as the trading post Fort William in 1834, the fort became a U.S. military post in 1849. Beginning in 1841, emigrants stopped at Fort Laramie while traveling the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails. Fort Laramie served as a gathering place for thousands of Native Americans and hosted the 1851 and 1868 treaty councils. When the treaties failed, the post became the staging area for campaigns that eventually led to the tribes's confinement on reservations. Fort Laramie was abandoned by the military in 1890; the buildings were auctioned and served private interests during the homestead period from 1890 to 1937. Fort Laramie was acquired by the state of Wyoming in 1937, and the fort became a unit of the National Park System in 1938. Fort Laramie National Historic Site is open daily except New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The restoration of many structures to their historical appearance provides visitors with a glimpse of the past.

Coal Camps of Sweetwater County

9780738593067

$24.99

In the early to mid-1900s, the coal camps of Reliance, Dines, Winton, and Stansbury emerged from the hillsides and desert in southwestern Wyoming due to the increased need for coal. The miners and their families who came to these coal camps were a true melting pot, bringing with them different races, religions, and customs from all over the world. They forged unique communities and worked and lived harmoniously, depending on one another for survival, entertainment, and camaraderie. Although distanced from one another, the camps were integrated by the mines and activities of the Union Pacific Coal Company, and unified by School District No. 7, which provided the educational foundation for their children. The people who lived in these camps contributed significantly to the development of southwestern Wyoming, the economy of the state, and the welfare of the United States during wartime.

Superior and South Superior

9780738581897

$24.99

Superior and South Superior, established early in the 20th century, were unique individually but fully dependent upon each other. Superior, the company town, was nearly entirely owned by the Union Pacific Coal Company, which created the bulk of jobs in the communities. South Superior was privately owned and as a result most of the commercial business in town was located there. When the Union Pacific Railroad began switching from steam power for its locomotives to diesel power, the market for coal disappeared. The classic western pattern for ghost town creation was set. But though Superior disappeared, South Superior, while badly hurt economically, survived. It took the Superior name and was able to look forward to a diminished but stable and hopeful future.

Powell

9780738569178

$24.99

By 1909, the completion of the Garland Canal brought water to the arid lands in the central Bighorn Basin, transforming the high plains desert into irrigated farmland. Homesteaders and businessmen poured into the region and established the town of Powell, named after famed government explorer John Wesley Powell. Residents of Powell worked through the years to overcome a variety of obstacles and establish a vibrant and lasting community that would continue to bloom in the arid landscape.

Wyoming's Historic Ranches

9781467131490

$24.99

Wyoming is so closely identified with ranching that it is often known as "the Cowboy State." The prosperity associated with the cattle industry drew wealthy investors to Wyoming Territory in the 1870s and early 1880s. They stocked the range with thousands of cows and made considerable fortunes until the harsh winter of 1886-1887, when the cattle market collapsed. Many of those early ranchers left Wyoming, which opened the door for the establishment of what would become a huge sheep business. During the 1890s and the early decades of the 20th century, the various Homestead Acts drew others to Wyoming in search of a brighter future. As most of Wyoming's land was suited for grazing, not farming, smaller ranches began to play a more important role in the state's growth. Wyoming's Historic Ranches provides a rare glimpse of the cattle baron ranches as well as the more modest operations that are tucked away along remote valleys and streams, not visible to the average visitor or resident of the state.

Kemmerer

9780738569000

$24.99

Established in 1897, incorporated in January of 1899, and located in southwest Wyoming, Kemmerer has been a coal-mining community for over 100 years. Kemmerer became the county seat for Lincoln County in 1911 when Uinta County, one of Wyoming's original five counties, was divided. James Cash Penney opened the first J. C. Penney store in Kemmerer on April 12, 1902. During the 1920s, the Kemmerer area became a large center for moonshining and a large supplier of liquor for Chicago and the Midwest. This ended when Prohibition was repealed in 1933. The rich deposits of fossils in the area have long been a point of interest for paleontologists and geologists, amateur and professional, giving Kemmerer the title "Fossil Fish Capital of the World."

Wyoming's Outlaw Trail

9780738596068

$23.99

A historic and folkloric path that meandered from Canada to Mexico, the Outlaw Trail was used by outlaws such as Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and the James brothers. Following existing Western routes such as the Oregon Trail, the highway connected towns and natural hideouts essential for bandits escaping the law. Some in Western communities were sympathetic toward the outlaws. Many, like Cassidy, were seen as Robin Hoods, fighting for common people who were under siege by economic forces, corporate encroachment, and other changes occurring in the Old West. Images of America: Wyoming's Outlaw Trail details the history, folklore, and geography behind some of Wyoming's outlaw towns and hideouts--chief among them the Hole in the Wall and Red Desert. Also highlighted are the deeds of the robbers, lawmen, and ordinary folk who rode those dusty trails during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Casper

9780738599632

$24.99

Spread along the North Platte River in central Wyoming, the city of Casper was established in 1888 near the site of old Fort Caspar. As a stop along the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, Casper quickly became an important hub for the region's wool and beef industries. With the discovery of oil nearby soon after the town was founded, Casper was declared the "Oil Capital of the Rockies" and quickly expanded. Since those early days, Casper has survived many booms and busts to become one of the largest cities in the state of Wyoming. The area is rich in history, from pioneer trails such as the Oregon, California Bozeman, and Mormon Trails to early-day homesteaders, and has remained central to Wyoming's politics and industry. Casper today is a growing city with strong ties to agriculture, oil, gas, and wind energy and has several museums with historical, fossil, and art collections.

Sweetwater County

9780738569239

$24.99

People have existed in southwestern Wyoming for thousands of years, yet most lacked the heartiness to settle there. Fur trappers were among the first to explore the area's natural resources, but more importantly, they mapped the frontier, allowing westward expansion along the Oregon, California, Mormon, Cherokee, and Overland trails. Sweetwater County was formed in 1868, with the organization of the Wyoming Territory, and South Pass City became the county seat. A waning gold industry in South Pass caused the county seat to be relocated to Sweetwater County in 1875. Ironically, the Sweetwater River and South Pass City would end up in Fremont County and, in typical boom-and-bust fashion, gold went out and coal was in. Miners were needed, so coal camps were established and workers ultimately settled in Sweetwater County with their families. In the 1930s, Rock Springs became a melting pot, boasting 56 nationalities at the high school. The oil, natural gas, and mining industries continue this boom-and-bust cycle even today.

Laramie

9780738548975

$24.99

While it was still part of Dakota Territory, the town of Laramie was founded in 1868 with the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad. Laramie's placement on the high plains at an elevation of 7,200 feet has
not made for an easy existence, but the hardy ranching families and cowboys, with their cattle hunkered down against the winds and snow, survived in spite of their harsh surroundings and even thrived in this unique eastern Wyoming town. This is the place where the infamous Jack McCall hid from the authorities, where Teddy Roosevelt rode the range, and where Butch Cassidy was held at the Wyoming Territorial Prison. From its early, rowdy days as an end-of-the-tracks tent town on the railroad, with gambling halls and an active nightlife, through the growing-up years of mills, quarries, and local wartime heroes, to the establishment of Wyoming's only state university, Laramie's remarkable story is told here through historic photographs.

Cody

9780738548357

$24.99

Founded in 1896 by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody and members of the Shoshone Land and Irrigation Company, Cody lies 53 miles east of Yellowstone National Park. Situated in a geographical area known as the Big Horn Basin, the town is surrounded by part of the front range of the Absaroka Mountains. The Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad's
arrival in 1901 coincided with Cody's incorporation as a town. The Irma Hotel, named for Buffalo Bill's youngest daughter, opened in 1902 and provided visitors with a modern, luxurious place to stay. In 1909, Cody became the county seat of the newly formed Park County. Cody and the surrounding areas are known for their superb scenery, excellent hunting and fishing, gas and mineral reserves, and vast ranching lands.

Hot Springs State Park

9781467106726

$24.99

They came first for the healing. Whether it was Native Americans, settlers, or early visitors, the goal was to seek relief at the "Big Spring.'? Many came, including Chief Washakie of the Eastern Shoshone, Chief Sharp Nose of the Northern Arapaho, Butch Cassidy and outlaws, Buffalo Bill, and others. The area around the Big Spring became the town of Thermopolis (Hot City), Wyoming, in 1897. Later, the estate of William and Carrie Gottsche of Rock Springs, Wyoming, helped establish a nationally recognized rehabilitation center in Thermopolis. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt made a brief stop near the springs to affirm his belief (like Washakie and Sharp Nose) that the water could be used for the good of humanity. Today, Hot Springs State Park is host to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. They enjoy the mineral waters that originate at the Big Spring at 125-127 degrees and cool to a comfortable 104 degrees in water parks, hotels, and a state bathhouse. The Big Spring is one of the largest flowing hot mineral springs in the world.

Platte County

9780738570389

$24.99

The North Platte River that flows through a portion of Platte County, Wyoming, lent its name to the new county carved from Laramie County in 1911. Prior to the late 1800s, with the exception of Native Americans, trappers, and some ranchers, few people chose to remain in the territory. Travelers who crossed the windswept prairies followed trails headed for the lush farmlands of Oregon or the goldfields of California and the Black Hills. In 1883, the Wyoming Development Company began an irrigation project that brought an influx of farmers to the promising new acreages around Wheatland, the town that became the county seat. The arrival of the railroad in the late 1800s brought more farmers, ranchers, and miners to the area that would become Platte County. New residents established dozens of communities with schools, churches, and businesses. The remaining viable towns are Wheatland, Glendo, Hartville, Guernsey, and Chugwater. This book covers the history of these towns, and the vanished ones, along with the rural areas of Platte County.

Goshen County

9780738593029

$24.99

Either a French trapper named Goshe or the biblical Land of Goshen was responsible for the name given to Wyoming's southeast region. In 1911, the Wyoming Legislature approved a bill to create Goshen County, and it was signed by Gov. Joseph Carey. The county was extracted from Laramie County and is bordered by the state of Nebraska, as well as Platte, Laramie, and Niobrara Counties. Goshen County has blossomed from settlers passing through on the Oregon-California trail, which cut across the county, to an area that includes farming and ranching, a railroad transporting coal from the northern part of the state, and several small towns that support schools, post offices, retail entities, factories, and municipal governments. The towns of Torrington, Lingle, Fort Laramie, Hawk Springs, Yoder, LaGrange, Veteran, and Jay Em make up the county. This volume details the growth of Goshen County due to the Homestead Act of 1862, an irrigation project near Hawk Springs, and veterans from World War I who were part of a second round of homesteading.

Cheyenne

9780738558936

$24.99

Cheyenne, known from its earliest days as the "Magic City of the Plains," sprang up almost overnight in 1867 to meet the Union Pacific Railroad's anticipated westward expansion. Named after the Cheyenne Indian tribe that lived in the area, the wild frontier settlement quickly evolved from a tent town to one of the most sophisticated cities west of the Mississippi River. Cheyenne was settled by a variety of people, including cattle barons, soldiers from nearby Fort D. A. Russell, merchants, railroad workers, prostitutes, and gamblers. Buildings such as the Cheyenne Club, the Opera House, the Inter Ocean Hotel, the mansions along Ferguson Street, and a lively downtown defined Cheyenne as a prosperous city by the early 1880s. As Wyoming's capital grew, annual events such as Frontier Days brought the legend of Cheyenne into the first two decades of the 20th century.

Douglas

9780738580593

$24.99

The town of Douglas is located in east-central Wyoming in a gentle valley, with the mountains of Medicine Bow National Forest on one side and the beautiful Wyoming plains on the other. Established in 1887 by the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad, the town was named by representatives from the railroad's Chicago headquarters after the great orator and Illinois senator Stephen Douglas. Douglas, probably known best for his part in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, was an enthusiastic advocate of westward expansion. To many of the locals--and by official proclamation in 1985--Douglas is considered the "Home of the Jackalope," an animal well known in American folklore as being part antelope and part jackrabbit. Be it fact or fiction, the town has successfully marketed the Jackalope through festivals, souvenirs, and even hunting licenses. The area is rich in history, from military establishments, immigrant trails, ranching, and homesteading, to its beautiful scenery, such as the Ayres Natural Bridge, depicted on the cover.

Rock Springs

9780738556420

$24.99

An ancient inland sea, surrounded by lush vegetation and inhabited by dinosaurs, helped create the mineral-rich landscape where Rock Springs, Wyoming, now sits. French trappers first encountered American Indians who were traveling via a natural corridor that traverses the region, and eventually pioneer trails used this same route in the great westward expansion. The First Transcontinental Railroad arrived in 1868, and the national demand for energy in the form of fossil fuels turned everyone's attention to the vast coal deposits. Thus the frontier outpost of Rock Springs became an important energy center, and immigrants from around the world came to work in the mines and make this land their home. As local businessman Leonard Hay used to say, "All wealth comes from the earth." Today other minerals have joined coal as new sources of wealth for Rock Springs, and plans are being made to harness the wind that carved out this unique landscape.

Evanston

9780738570273

$24.99

Since the mid-1900s, southwestern Wyoming has been a thoroughfare for travelers--along the emigrant and overland trails of the 1840s and 1850s and the Transcontinental Railroad of the 1860s, then the Lincoln Highway in the 1910s and 1920s, and today's busy Interstate 80. Born when the tracks of the Union Pacific reached this corner of Wyoming Territory in 1868, Evanston has a rich history of railroading, ranching, and mineral extraction. Over the past 150 years, the community has been home to European coal miners and Chinese laborers, railroad workers and oil-field roughnecks, cattle and sheep ranchers, business owners and entrepreneurs, and families whose roots are five generations deep. Its residents have developed a lively social life and a strong sense of identity grounded in Evanston's historic downtown and the surrounding landscape of the Bear River and the Uinta Mountains. In the 21st century, Evanston has become a regional model for historic preservation, ensuring that its past will survive into the future.

Grand Encampment

9780738588827

$24.99

For centuries, people have come to the Grand Encampment valley to fish, hunt, and enjoy the cool mountain weather. Fur trappers and traders gave the region its name, calling it Camp le Grande. During the 1897 copper mining boom, Camp le Grande became Grand Encampment when a townsite company gave birth to the Grand Encampment Copper District. Mining brought a flood of people to the area and spawned the town of Grand Encampment. The mining boom was an economic bonanza for the region during a 10-year period from 1897 to 1908. The miners were not alone as ranchers had already patented homesteads and were raising cattle and crops prior to the discovery of copper.

Hot Springs County, Wyoming

9780738520582

$24.99

Nestled in Wyoming's Big Horn Basin, Hot Springs County has been home to ranchers, freighters, railroad men, lawmen and outlaws, coal miners and oil field hands. This book, featuring over 200 vintage photographs from the Hot Springs County Museum and the Milek family collection, tells the story of the settlement and culture of the County from 1871 to 1940. One of the last regions to be settled during the United States' 19th-century westward expansion, the springs that gave Hot Springs County its name were considered sacred by many of the native tribes of the region, including the Shoshoni and Arapaho. By 1875, white men were seeking out the healing springs as well as the ranching opportunities at the western end of the county. Along with the industrious and hardworking pioneers came the outlaws and the notorious. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were common acquaintances of county residents, especially local characters such as the mysterious Minne Brown and Tom Skinner, owner of the infamous Hole in the Wall Bar. Captured here are the businesses, mining and oil camps, lifestyles, and residents of the various towns of Hot Springs County, including Thermopolis, Gebo, Crosby, Kirby, Grass Creek, and Hamilton Dome.

Yellowstone National Park (Spanish version)

9781467127295

$21.99

El Parque Nacional de Yellowstone es uno de los lugares más conocidos en el mundo. Fundado en 1872 como el primer parque nacional en el mundo, ha logrado preservar maravillas como el géiser Old Faithful e iconos culturales como el hotel Old Faithful Inn. Durante varios siglos fue el hogar de los shoshones, crow, bannock, pies negros y otras tribus indias. Sin embargo, estos grupos fueron desterrados durante la década de 1870 por los propietarios del parque, que temían que no hubiera afluencia de turistas debido a los indios americanos que vivían allí. Casi inmediatamente después de su fundación, Yellowstone se convirtió en
el destino principal para viajes turísticos al oeste de los Estados Unidos tras la Guerra de Secesión. En 1900 era todo un éxito turístico, y actualmente ha sido declarado una reserva de la biosfera y patrimonio de la humanidad.

Yellowstone National Park (Spanish version)

Fort Bridger

9781467131452

$24.99

The history of Fort Bridger represents a microcosm of the development of the American West. Situated in an area initially inhabited by the Shoshone people, Fort Bridger was established during a transitional phase between the fur-trade era and the period of western migration. The fort became one of the most important supply points along the nation's western trail network. Later, the post served as a bastion of civilization as one of a number of western military posts. Soldiers at the fort protected not only the lives and property of its local citizenry but also the emerging transportation and communication advancements of a nation. Following the Army's departure, a small settlement emerged at Fort Bridger, using buildings and materials from the old military garrison. Today, the fort and town remain active, in part as a respite for travelers just as it had been more than 150 years ago.

Gillette

9780738580265

$24.99

There is an old saying that the Powder River was "a mile wide; an inch deep; too thick to drink; too thin to plow," and yet it was fought over many times in the early settlement of northeastern Wyoming. The lure of free land attracted tough pioneer families and rowdy outlaws to the new town of Gillette. Bars and brothels competed with schools and churches for the cowboys of some of the largest cattle and sheep ranches in the state. The coal that was discovered close to the surface, which first supplied settlers through blizzards and prairie winds, now provides one-third of the nation's energy. Ranching is still important in Gillette's economy but the abundant minerals have truly put Gillette, Wyoming, on the map.

Green River

9780738548197

$24.99

Nestled in a valley at the confluence of the Green River and Bitter Creek, the town of Green River is situated among some of the most famous and beautiful rock formations in the West. This stunning backdrop was the jumping-off point for John Wesley Powell's famous river explorations. The city's story is intertwined with the arteries of westward expansion. The Colorado River system, the Cherokee and Overland Trails, the Union Pacific Railroad, the Lincoln Highway, the interstate highway system, and even America's first "Intergalactic Space Port" are all part of the story of Green River. After its humble start as an Overland Trail stage station, the town grew in anticipation of the arrival of the transcontinental railroad and eventually became the Sweetwater County seat. The Green River, ranching, recreation, and the chemical industry also play a part in the town's history.

Sundance

9780738581095

$24.99

Sundance, in the northeast corner of Wyoming, may not be the only place with that name, but it is the original Sundance--the place where the Kid got his name. There was no settlement of any sort when Crook County was created in 1875. The town was founded in 1878, named after the mountain that stands south of town where the Plains tribes held their sun dance ceremonies. Sundance is not that different from the many other small towns that sprang to life in the boom of gold, cattle, and oil throughout the West, but it is different in that it has ridden through the booms and the busts and still survives. This book contains images of people's lives as they worked and played, lived and died. It tells of those who passed through, and those who stayed and helped the community establish its roots and grow.

Lander

9780738581507

$24.99

Before Lander became a town, the area had already been the summer hunting grounds for numerous Native American tribes, seen a few rendezvous, and had become a freighting hub. Supplying goods for the miners in the South Pass area and goods for the cavalry and natives at Fort Washakie, the freight wagons rolled year-round. When the Lander townsite was plotted in 1880, the main road remained wide enough that a 20-hitch team could turn around. As more people settled in the area, Lander became an agricultural-based town. It was known throughout the state for its abundance of produce, hay, blooded horses, cattle, and sheep. But it was not all work for the settlers; the Wind River Mountains also beckoned. Lander, located at the edge of the southern half of the Shoshone National Forest, became an outfitting stop for alpinists, scientists, and others seeking adventure. Once word of the vast elk and deer herds and the abundance of trout in those high mountain lakes was out, hunters and fisherman came from all over. It also did not take long for Western adventure writers to highlight that Lander was a good place for tourists who wanted to experience the romance of the west through horseback riding, camping, and mountain adventures.

Big Piney and Marbleton

9780738575889

$24.99

Big Piney and Marbleton are one mile apart, and attempts to combine the two towns have been unsuccessful. The area had been home to family-operated cattle ranches starting in 1878, and a year later Daniel B. Budd and Hugh McKay brought 1,000 cattle from Nevada and were stopped here due to the weather. Founded by Daniel, Big Piney was incorporated in a boggy area on July 5, 1913, and is the oldest settlement in Sublette County. Daniel's eldest son, Charles, had hoped to build the town up on the bench to alleviate the problem of wet land. He founded Marbleton, the newer town, which was incorporated in 1914. Big Piney has been called the "Icebox of the Nation" because it had the coldest year-round average temperature in the country when it was officially made a weather station in 1930. Cattle remain a vibrant part of the local economy, and the land has been drilled for oil since the 1920s. Both towns have known several booms and busts, typical of the energy industry.

Coal in Campbell County

9781467130172

$24.99

In his Annual Report of the Territorial Geologist to the Governor of Wyoming 1890, Louis D. Ricketts wrote, "The coal of this district has little other use than that of supplying a local market." Years later, nothing could be further from the truth. The United States uses approximately one billion tons of coal a year, with about 390 million tons coming from Campbell County, Wyoming. Since large-scale commercial coal production began in Campbell County in the mid-1970s, most coal companies have changed names, owners, and boundaries several times. To let those changes go unrecorded would be to lose the very beginning of coal in Campbell County.

Weston County

9780738595443

$21.99

Tucked in the northeast corner of Wyoming against the Black Hills is Weston County. The county has served as a gateway, byway, and way of life and living. In the beginning, it was home to dinosaurs and volcanoes. Nomadic Indians then wandered through, leaving signs of their passing, and the great Sioux Indian Nations held this land dear. Finally, the area was seen as a place to settle, since the mineral-rich land and rolling grasslands provided an economic backdrop for people to stay and build a home for their families. Today, Weston County people are as diverse as this magnificent land of rugged timber that flows into sagebrush and short-grass prairies.