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19th CENTURY WHALING TALES. by James Temple Brown and Gustav Kobbe.
Pursuing the world's largest mammal in boats powered only by sail and oar.
Perhaps the sea's highest adventure was the whaling chase, as great or greater than exploring uncharted waters. Why else would men risk their lives and their families' securities? The money could be good, too, and for some, there was the chance at freedom, for the industry was mainly blind as to skin color at a time when opportunities for non-whites were scarce. The whaling industry flourished for two centuries, and its traditions are recounted in seaport museums and the stories here:
"Stray Leaves from a Whaleman's Log" is reprinted from Century Magazine, 1893. It tells about chasing of whales on a cruise from the standpoint of the individual whaleman.
"The Perils and Romance of Whaling" came out in Century Magazine in 1890. It gives more of the detail of the subject and also includes anecdotes of episodes from the early days.
A final section "Cutting in and Trying Out" explains the butchering process. Period illustrations. 48 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN-10: 0-89646-089-4. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-089-8. Order #: VIST0089 paper$4.95.
Parks and museums now tell of this period of history, for instance at New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park in Massachusetts and Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut.

ACROSS ARIZONA IN 1883--Yuma, Tombstone, Tucson. by Anonymous.
Reprinted from Harper's Monthly, here is an eyewitness account--gathered via train, stage, horse, and on foot--of southern Arizona. The Indians are described, the wild element at Tombstone is reported, and the mission church of San Xavier del Bac is depicted. It was a time of cowboys, City Marshall Wyatt Earp and gambler "Doc" Holliday, and Apaches--the wild frontier days of Arizona long before it became a state. Period engravings. 16 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN-10: 0-89646-011-8. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-011-9. Order #: VIST0011 paper$3.95.

ACROSS THE PLAINS IN THE DONNER PARTY: a personal narrative of the overland trip to California, 1846-47. by Virginia Reed Murphy.
Virginia was 12 years old when her family left Springfield, Illinois to trek across the plains to California, their intended new home, along with 25 fellow emigrants. Along the way, her grandmother died, her pony had to be left, her family lost their oxen and had to abandon a wagon with their possessions, her stepfather killed a man and was banished from the train, and then she and her group were trapped in snows at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada crest at and near what is now Donner Lake and Truckee, California. As a result, 13 of those who started with her in Springfield, and 29 more who joined her along the way, never did cross those mountains. Here is the little girl's story, written by her later as an adult, now a part of the American epic of winning the West. Reprinted from Century Magazine with illustrations added from Frederic Remington and others. 64 pages.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN: 978-0-89646-099-7. Order #: VIST0099 paper$7.95. See sample pages.

AROUND THE CIRCLE in 1892--a thousand miles by rail through the Rocky Mountains (CO). by S. K. Hooper, Gen. Pass. Agent, Denver, Colorado.
"Being a descriptive of a trip among peaks, over passes, and through canons of Colorado--a journey which comprises more noted and magnificent scenery than is compassed in any other one thousand miles of travel in the known world," says the blurb on the title page of this tract prepared by the Passenger Department of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Reprinted from a series of annual guides presented to passengers on the then-extensive rail lines through Colorado's mountains, with notes on routes, features seen, with "seventy points of interest Around the Circle for only $28 all seen from the train--in 1892. Photographs, 56 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = 7. ISBN-10: 0-89646-049-5. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-049-2. Order #: VIST0049 paper$4.95.

THE ASCENT OF MOUNT HAYDEN, GRAND TETON, 1872: a new chapter of Western discovery (WY). by Nathaniel Pitt Langford.
Trials and triumphs of the first party to climb the Grand Tetons of Wyoming, July 29, 1872. Author Langford was among the early explorers of the Yellowstone/Teton region and was first superintendent of Yellowstone National Park. His claim to a first ascent of the Grand Teton has been challenged by later parties, and former park naturalist McCurdy considers the various claims in the editor's preface. But regardless, the account still gives a fine record of what mountain climbing was like in the early days in this region. Reprint from Scribner's Monthly. Illustrations from Thomas Moran and others, 24 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-066-5. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-066-9. Order #: VIST0066 paper$3.95

AT A NEW MINING CAMP: Creede of Colorado, 1892. by Richard Harding Davis.
Today Creede is a "ghost" town in southwestern Colorado (the italics because today's residents don't like being called ghosts), a remnant of its former size and glory. But author Davis reports it when activity there seemed circus-like. At the1892 time Creede was growing rapidly to a population of 8,000. The town was rip-roaring, and this account helps us understand the bustle as well as the unbounded hope and optimism at the site of a new mining boom. Reprinted from 19th century originals. Period illustrations, 32 little pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-018-5. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-018-8. Order #: VIST0018 paper$3.95.

THE BUFFALO. by Colonel Henry Inman with "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
America nearly lost its buffalo (or bison, to be more accurate), but in an early conservation effort a small herd was retained. This has now grown into a sizable population, which recall to us the vast herds that once roamed and even blackened the plains. This story, however, is told by one #who at one point in his career was actively engaged in slaughtering the animals. They were a nuisance that got in the way of the new trains, and, besides, eliminating buffaloes might help in subduing Indians. Life habits of the animal are given as well, and what better way to learn of the place in our history of the buffalo than by reading an account by one of the principals in their history. Reprinted from 1898.
Illustrations are by Frederic Remington and others. 48 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-028-2. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-028-7.  Order #: VIST0028 paper$4.95.

BUFFALO BILL POSTER.
Portrait of Colonel W.F. Cody from a pre-1900 poster printed in purple, yellow, and sepia on heavy stock, 11 "  15".
Inventory = 8. ISBN-10: 0-89646-093-2. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-093-5. Order #: VIST0093 poster$3.95.

BUFFALO BILL'S TRUE TALES. by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
Buffalo Bill remains known and of interest because he typifies the romantic figure of the American West. His Wild West shows, a mixture of rodeo and circus along with real-life history, spread his fame, dramatizing this frontiersman as a super rider and top marksman. To us moderns, reading how Cody could be both an Indian killer and a friend of the Indian people might be hard to grasp, but it is important to grasp to better understand the nature of the frontier. Indian Chief Sitting Bull, for instance, and Buffalo Bill had stood against each other in matters of war, but toured in the Wild West show together! Also here are his tales as a Pony Express rider, buffalo hunter, and riding his horse for their lives. This is Bill's story, in his words; and yet, as an American, it is your story, too. Period illustrations, with a color cover, 24 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN-10: 0-89646-022-3. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-098-0. Order #: VIST0098 paper$3.95. 

C.P.R.R.: the Central Pacific Railroad. by Charles Nordhoff.
Reprinted from Marvels of the New West,1882. This is the epic story of building the line across the Sierra Nevada of California, the deserts of Nevada, and the salt flats of Utah to meet the Union Pacific Railroad at Promontory Point on May 10, 1869. Rail fans and history buffs have access today to historic parks and museums at the ends of this line in Old Sacramento, California, and Promontory Point, Utah, and along the way at the Donner Lake State Park in eastern California. There is also an article explaining train travel by passengers at this early date. Period engravings, 48 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN-10: 0-89646-097-8. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-097-3.  Order #: VIST0097 paper$6.95. 

THE CAÑONS OF THE COLORADO--the 1869 discovery voyage down the Colorado River. by Major John Wesley Powell.
Note the word ca�ons in the title would today be spelled canyons but we have preserved the usage from the time when this voyage was made and written about by the major himself.
From Wyoming, into Colorado, through Utah, to Arizona and the Grand Canyon, and to Nevada--this was the journey of the "Colorado River Exploring Expedition", what Powell called his group of 9 men and 4 boats as they began charting what was the last major unexplored part of the then United States. The trip was not only scientific in its goals, but it naturally became a grand adventure, with two of their party opting to leave the expedition before attempting a furious cascade, only to be killed by Indians. Much of the land and scenery which they drifted or dashed past is today included in National Park System areas. Illustrations are by Thomas Moran and others. 64 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-059-2. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-059-1. Order #: VIST0059 paper$4.95.

THE CITY OF DENVER, 1888: an early history of "The Queen City of the Plains". by Edwards Roberts.
Here is Denver at a time when the Centennial State of Colorado was only 12 years old. It is a story of mines, railroads, cattle and sheep, of cowboys, prospectors, bankers, merchants, and politicians--the resources from the region and the personalities that brought them together at this city on the plains at the base of the Rockies. The city itself had had fewer than 50 residents during the winter of 1858-59, but already by 1888 public and private buildings, urban and suburban districts, parks and schools had been built and arranged around a transportation system of rail, trolley, horse, and foot. It was a system that had "fit", unlike today's transportation system. It must have been an exciting period! There are also glimpses of satellite cities--Golden, Boulder, Central City, Black Hawk, Georgetown, and Leadville. Reprinted from Harper's Magazine. Illustrated with period engravings, 24 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = 85. ISBN-10: 0-89646-006-1. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-006-5.Order #: VIST0006paper$3.95.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF A VENERABLE NATIVE to the ancient history of the Hawaiian Islands. by M. Jules Remy.
Account of interview with old Hawaiian in 1853 gives insights into traditions and cultures of native island people. Subjects range from history, government and society to the nobility, common people, and the ancient chants. Foreword is by park superintendent at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park (once known as City of Refuge). Reproduced photos and drawings. 40 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-056-8. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-056-0. Order #: VIST0056 paper$3.95.

CRIPPLE CREEK 1900--a Colorado mining camp. by Francis Lynde.
Cripple Creek got a later start than most of the West's famous mining camps. In fact, many of its predecessors had already played out by 1891 when the Golconda was uncovered here. Tells how Cripple Creek got its name, gives history of nearby Pikes Peak, explains the mines and their mechanization. Because the industrial revolution was at peak in America in 1900, the technology of railway, electricity, and steam drilling could be applied at Cripple Creek. Reading this account helps us understand how Colorado and other Western states which had mineral resources were able to get a good and early start on their development, albeit at the expense of the Cripple Creeks, which were destined to bust just as they had been destined to boom. Period illustrations, 20 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN-10: 0-89646-080-0. 1987. Order #: VIST0080 paper$3.95.

CUTTER'S OFFICIAL GUIDE TO HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS. by John Milton Cutter.
This 1917 guide told tourists, pleasure seekers, and medical patients about this early national park and city and how to use and enjoy both. It had been telling them that, in fact, since 1873, and was now in its 61st edition! Fees, services, and even the local climate were all explained as part of the amenities of "America's greatest health and pleasure resort". This booklet shows glimpses of buildings and scenes that are gone. It suggests social and recreational pursuits that were available then. The total picture reveals the grand and also the ordinary, a cross-section of the park and the city that grew together. Photographs. 53 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-057-6. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-057-7. Order #: VIST0057 paper$6.95.

DIARY OF PATRICK BREEN: one of the Donner Party (CA). by Frederick J. Teggart.
Diary kept by 1846-47 Donner Party emigrant who survived over-winter entrapment in Sierra snow near Truckee, California. Breen and his family all survived the ordeal, but many from other groups perished. The diary records days of snowfall, the experiences of others who were marooned with them, and the scant food available, plus delayed attempts from outside to rescue them. 7 photos, 16 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN: 978-0-89646-102-4. Order #VIST0102 paper$3.95.

THE DISCOVERY OF GLACIER BAY--1879 (AK). by John Muir, its discoverer.
Adventures in a truly Alaskan wild with ice floes, bergs, mountain peaks, Indians, canoe travel. Spending several "icy summers" in Alaska, Muir earned the name "Ice Chief", exploring Glacier Bay and its region. It was a fitting continuation to his involvement with glaciers, for he had developed the glacial origin theory for Yosemite Valley, in spite of the fact that there the glaciers were almost entirely gone. Here at Glacier Bay, no imagination was needed to understand the processes. Reprinted from Century Magazine. Engravings of ice and peaks abound in the book. 16 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-045-2. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-045-4. Order #: VIST0045 paper$3.95.

DISCOVERY OF THE YOSEMITE IN 1851 (CA). by Lafayette Houghton Bunnell, M.D., one of the Discoverers, of the Mariposa Battalion.
First published in 1880, this is the primary account of how Yosemite Valley came to be "discovered" by the white race. Of course, the Indians knew it was there; they were living in it when the battalion came to roust them out. The valley had been seen from its rims and from afar before this trip, but this was the first recorded entry and exploration. Bunnell proposed the name of the Indian tribe for the valley, "as it was suggestive, euphonious, and certainly American; that by so doing, the name of the tribe of Indians which we met leaving their homes in this valley, perhaps never to return, would be perpetuated." Foreword by former chief park naturalist William R. Jones. Period engravings. 184pages, slightly abridged from the original. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-021-5. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-021-8. VIST0021 paper$6.95.

EVIDENCE AND THE CUSTER ENIGMA (MT). by Jerome A. Greene.
Author is a National Park Service Historian, once stationed at what is now Little Bighorn National Monument, where Custer's Last Battle occurred. This is a modern study of battlefield events based on Indian testimony from the time and on Indian and Army relics discovered on the battlefield since1876. Maps detail movements of the various companies and show the Indian positions. Appendixes list relic finds, battle leaders, references. A fold-out map shows where relics have been found. Photographs and drawings of Indian and Army leaders and of the battlefield and its relics enhance the text. 76 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = 0. ISBN-10: 0-89646-058-4. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-058-4.Order #: VIST0058 paper$6.95. SOLD OUT.

FAMOUS GUNFIGHTERS OF THE WESTERN FRONTIER. by W. B. (Bat) Masterson.
Biographies of gunfighters by the master himself, including Ben Thompson, Wyatt Earp, Luke Short, Buffalo Bill Cody, Doc Holliday, Billy Tilghman, Bat Masterson, and others. Includes Tombstone's famous fight at the O.K. Corral, how Holliday got into his career, Indian battles, stagecoach wrecks and holdups, barroom brawls, sheriffs of the West, gambling and gamblers, cattle rustlers, railroads. Settings include cowtowns--Dodge, Hays, Sheridan, Cody, Leadville, Fort Worth, Glenwood Springs. Reprinted from 1907. Illustrations from the original and period sources, including Frederic Remington. 96 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory= in stock. ISBN-10: 0-89646-087-8. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-087-4. Order #: VIST0087 paper$6.95.

HAWAII-NEI, 1873. by Charles Nordhoff.
Hawaii-Nei is the name for the collective kingdom of Hawaii, and these two articles from over a century ago tell of the islands' history and people, rains, and volcanic eruptions. The islands were still relatively native and natural during our author's visit, and he tells of their traits and early religion.  Foreword is by Russell Apple, Pacific Historian of the National Park Service. Engravings show the land, the seascapes, homes, public buildings, and the people--eating poi, dancing the hula, surfing. 40 pages. See sample pages.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-030-4. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-030-0. Order #: VIST0030 paper$3.95.

HOW WE GET GOLD IN CALIFORNIA.
Inventory = 0. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-100-0. Order #: VIST0100 paper$4.95. See sample pages.
How We Get Gold is out of print but with interest could be reprinted.