VISTABOOKS PUBLISHING: Western Americana
 emigrants, Pony Express, gunfighters, explorers, Indian wars

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. ISBN-10: 0-89646-063-0. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-063-8. Order #VIST0063 paper$7.95

THE BUFFALO--1898.
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. 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". Dealer's minimum order =10.

ISBN-10: 0-89646-093-2. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-093-5.  Order #VIST0093 poster$3.00

BUFFALO BILL'S TRUE TALES. 
by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody.

Buffalo Bill remains famous 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 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. ISBN-10: 0-89646-022-3. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-098-0. Order #VIST0098 paper$3.95

THE CAÑONS OF THE COLORADO--the 1869 Discovery Voyage down the Colorado River.
by Major John Wesley Powell.

Note the word cañons in the title would today be spelled canyons. 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 areas.

Illustrations are by Thomas Moran and others. 64 pages. ISBN-10: 0-89646-059-2. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-059-1. Order #VIST0059 paper$4.95

SAVE! Scuffed copies of The Canons of the Colorado are available at discount Go to Scuffed Specials.

CUSTER'S LAST BATTLE, 1876. Temporarily out of print.
by E. S. Godfrey, Captain, 7th Cavalry (one of Custer's troop commanders), with comments by General James B. Fry.

Godfrey and his cavalrymen had taken position on another part of the battleground where Custer and his group were over-run, so he was there on that fateful day, although no-one but the Indians knew exactly what had happened to Custer's group. Yet this is a first-hand account of many of the elements preparatory to the battle and of movements on the field during the fight day. It is objective and generally considered reliable, and is an engrossing account of how this group of soldiers, although harassed badly, managed to avoid annihilation until relief came.

Illustrations are by Frederic Remington and others. 44 pages. ISBN-10: 0-89646-085-1. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-085-0. Order #VIST0085 paper$6.95

EVIDENCE AND THE CUSTER ENIGMA.
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. ISBN-10: 0-89646-058-4. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-058-4. Order #VIST0058 paper$6.95.

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. ISBN-10: 0-89646-087-8. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-087-4.  Order #VIST0087 paper$6.95

GOLD PANNING FOR PROFIT: a how-to guide for beginning prospectors. Temporarily out of print.
by Walter J. Robertson, Mining Engineer.

Detailed instructions not only for mining gold but making money at it. 10 illustrations, 32 pages.

This has been out of print for several years but may be revised and reprinted. Inquire if interested.

Illustrated. ISBN-10: 0-89646-035-5. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-035-5. Out of print. Order #VIST0035 paper$4.95 

THE LIFE AND WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF WILD BILL (J. B. Hickock).
by James. W. Buel.

Author Buel was a newspaper man of Hickock's day and later one of Hickock's principal biographers, thus a source probably as close to the truth as we can get on the now legendary figure Wild Bill. Bill's reputation as a fighter emerged early in his career, and the fear that struck in the hearts of opponents helped him command many a situation before a showdown. But when one came, his courage was legend, as he was always willing to fight no matter the odds. He paid a price, though. He spent much of his life convalescing from bullet and knife wounds! While sheriff, he accidentally shot his deputy, and Wild Bill himself was finally assassinated while playing cards. Bill lived his life during the periods of the Civil War and the Indian Wars that followed, in the era of the Wild West as celebrated by Buffalo Bill's Wild West shows, and in which Wild Bill appeared for a time. Reprinted from Heroes of the West, 1881.

Period drawings. 56 pages. ISBN-10: 0-89646-013-4. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-013-3. Order #VIST0013 paper$4.95

PIONEER BEAUTY SECRETS: Old and New Cosmetics from the Kitchen.
by Ferne Shelton. H

Beauty aids used in the American frontier days: baths, creams, masks, lotions, care of hands/nails/feet/mouth/eyes, skin troubles, tips for beautiful hair, miscellaneous recipes. Plus a section on garden beauty and insect control. Originally published by Hutcraft.

Small illustrations augment the text. 24 pages. ISBN-10: 0-89646-096-7. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-096-6. Order #VIST0096 paper$3.95

THE PONY EXPRESS: A Thrilling and Truthful History.
by William Lightfoot Visscher.

With other sketches and incidents of those stirring times. Chapters include "The Gold Fever". "The Most Unique and Romantic Mail Service Ever Organized", "Off Both Ways", "Famous Rides and Riders", "Pony Bob", "Buffalo Bill", "The Telegraph and the End". Tells why the service was needed, setting up the stations and riders, and starting the first ride in April of 1860. A ride that day of 20 miles in 59 minutes was recorded, part of a longer stretch traveled. Rides of 100 and more miles were not uncommon for riders, although horses were changed more frequently. The service lasted only about a year, but filled an important niche in America's history. Reprinted from 1908. Afterword by Merrill Mattes, National Park Service Historian.

Photos and drawings from the original and other early sources. 64 pages, map. ISBN-10: 0-89646-062-2. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-062-1. Order #VIST0062 paper$5.95

SAVE! Scuffed copies of The Pony Express: A Thrilling and Truthful History are available at discount. Go to Scuffed Specials.

RANCH LIFE IN THE FAR WEST.
by Theodore Roosevelt.

After being president, Roosevelt stated "I would not have been president had it not been for my experience in North Dakota" And so here are his experiences, as he wrote about them, of cattle, ranching, sheriff's work, hunting game, and frontier types. Tales of round-ups, breaking broncos, and arresting thieves are included, as well as the harshness of the winters on his Elkhorn Ranch, much of which is now in the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Foreword is by park naturalist Gerard T. Altoff. Reprinted from 1888 and 1893.

Illustrated primarily with engravings done by Frederic Remington for the original publication. 96 large-format pages. ISBN-10: 0-89646-034-7. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-034-8. Order #VIST0034 paper$9.95

WESTERN-AMERICANA-RELATED TITLES ON OTHER PAGES

CAMP OF DEATH: The Donner Party Mountain Camp 1846-47.
THE DIARY OF PATRICK BREEN.
HOW WE GET GOLD IN CALIFORNIA.
HYDRAULIC GOLD-MINING IN CALIFORNIA, 1883.
LAKE OF THE SKY: LAKE TAHOE in the High Sierras of California and Nevada.
THE MAMMOTH TREES OF CALAVERAS.
MARK TWAIN'S VIRGINIA CITY: Nevada Territory in the 1860s.
MOUNTAINEERING in the KINGS RIVER COUNTRY, 1864.
A MINER'S SUNDAY, 1849.
MONARCH, the BIG BEAR OF TALLAC in the Lake Tahoe High Sierra.
THE MURDER OF JULIA BULETTE: Virginia City, Nevada; 1867.
PIONEER DAYS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
A TRIP TO BODIE BLUFF and the Dead Sea of the West (Mono Lake)--in 1863.
click here to view above VistaBooks titles on California&Nevada page.

A RIVAL OF THE YOSEMITE: The Canon of the South Fork of King's River, California.
THE CONIFEROUS FORESTS & BIGTREES of the Sierra Nevada. (Temporarily out of print.)
THE HUMMINGBIRD OF THE CALIFORNIA WATERFALLS.
IN THE HEART OF THE CALIFORNIA ALPS: a near view of the High Sierra in 1872.
SIERRA BIG TREES.
THE WILD SHEEP.
click here to view above VistaBooks titles on JohnMuir page.

AT A NEW MINING CAMP: Creede of Colorado, 1892.
THE CITY OF DENVER, 1888: an early history of "The Queen City of the Plains".
CRIPPLE CREEK 1900: a Colorado Mining Camp.
THE DOME OF THE CONTINENT: Colorado in 1872
SILVER SAN JUAN: the mines and high scenery in Colorado's southwest mountains--in 1882
UP LONG'S PEAK IN 1873--with Rocky Mountain Jim. Temporarily out of print.
click here to view above VistaBooks titles on Colorado page.

ROCK ART OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN.
THE SOUTHERN UTE INDIANS OF EARLY COLORADO
click here to view above VistaBooks titles on NativeAmerican&rock art page.

LA VILLA REAL DE SANTA FE
ACROSS ARIZONA including glimpses of Yuma, Tombstone, Tucson
THE GRAND CANYON OF THE COLORADO  (Not yet printed)
click here to view above VistaBooks titles on Southwest page.

DISCOVERY OF THE YOSEMITE IN 1851
OUR YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
THE PROPOSED YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK--Treasures & Features, 1890
click here to view above VistaBooks titles on Yosemite page.

LEWIS AND CLARK: A Photographic Journey
DISCOVERING LEWIS AND CLARK FROM THE AIR
THE PONY EXPRESS: A Photographic History
THE SAGA OF THE PONY EXPRESS
THE OREGON TRAIL: A Photographic Journey
click here to view above titles on Other Publisher--Mountain Press page

This "Western Americana" page is vistabooks\vistwest.htm. It was last modified  05/16/2008. Copyright © 2008.