The Oregon Trail (Dover Value Editions)

Book Description

Keen observations and a graphic style characterize the author's remarkable record of a vanishing frontier. Detailed accounts of the hardships experienced while traveling across mountains and prairies; vibrant portraits of emigrants and Western wildlife; and vivid descriptions of Indian life and culture. A classic of American frontier literature.

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The West as it was when The White Man first saw it; a vivid, personal account

Customer Reviews:

Just what I expected.......2007-05-13

I ordered this book based on the film, " The Oregan Trail," which I enjoyed watching. The book is a good follow-up to the movie, making much of the content even more real for me.

The Wild West.......2006-10-13

Parkman's travelogue on the Great Plains is a major work of life among the Native Americans. His descriptions are honest and capture a society that was fading even while he was writing. The book had a major impact on the way that non-westerners saw the Great Plains. This was both good and bad. Parkman wrote through the lens of a Boston aristocrat and was full of prejudices against those who did not meet his standards. This was dangerous in that many who read about the "backwardness" of the Native Americans used this as justification for "civilizing" them. Although this was probably not Parkman's intention, it was a consequence of his writing. In addition, he promoted the hunting of buffalo for sport, which led to the decimation of the buffalo heards on the Plains.

Another major issue with this book is that, in spite of its title, it is not about the Oregon Trail. Parkman went no further than the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains and he did all in his power to dissociate himself from the pioneers moving along the Oregon Trail. If you are looking for a history of the trail, this book will not satisfy your needs.

However, in spite of the misleading title and the prejudices that surface throughout the book, it is still a fine piece of writing that opens up a world that has been lost to today's readers. Read it and enjoy your travels into another time and place.

Parkman the master of Historians.......2006-09-01

In a day when "historians" make comment on the long dead or events from the confines of their apartments, Francis Parkman is the person who actually experienced the history he wrote about. There is no political correctness in Parkman and he describes savages, French, frontiersmen and Mormons exactly as they were without apology.
This work is a masterpiece everyone should read and be a guidebook to modern historians who spend more time working a political end and getting in the way of history rather than letting history tell it's truthful tale.
Parkman is not just the historian or recorder of events. He is the bard of Sioux myth, the geologist, biologist and countless other things describing flora, fauna and weather. He is complete in having that air of Boston social elite in beginning his journey and returning from the plains an American having tasted, smelled and breathed the savage world and revealed the eastern thoughts on how that world would evolve for the next 60 years.
Parkman is remarkable and the best compliment for this book is to recommend that readers search for other Parkman histories to read as they are real.
I am currently in his wonderful Montecalm and Wolfe series on the history of Canada which actually created America. If you have children, share Parkman's history with them as he will make it come alive for them.
As you can see by all of the lengthy reviews, Francis Parkman invokes a great deal of thought and emotion in his histories which transfers to the reader.

Generally exciting account of the Oregon Trail.......2005-12-04

The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman is an account which further enforces the history of the Oregon Trail we had learned about in [U.S. History] class. The book portrays what it must have been like to travel on the Trail, never knowing what the next day would bring. The buffalo hunting which took place throughout the book became monotonous and boring after the first exciting few, but other than that repetitiveness, the journey was well depicted. I especially enjoyed Parkman's in-depth descriptions given to the reader of the people he meets on his journey and his observations on their actions as well. His vivid imagery of scenes from nature such as animals, prairie landscapes, and the weather, place the reader right next to Parkman in his adventuresome expedition. There are some dull, repetitive points in the observations made by the author, but aside from that his autobiographical telling of his journey is unforgettable.

A Classic for a Reason.......2005-03-12

The Oregon Trail still stands as a classic of American literature and of a rapidly vanishing past. Written as an account of a summer he spent traveling the Oregon Trail, Parkman captures the details of communal Native American life with no sentimentality, just hard reality. Even though written in 1846, Parkman is amazingly precise in his estimation of the vanishing frontier and Native American way of life. At times, he is rather callous toward the Native Americans, but this also reflects his times and environment. Highly recommended.

Francis Parkman : The Oregon Trail / The Conspiracy of Pontiac (The Library of America)

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Classic History
The "Original" American West - in Two Volumes

Francis Parkman : The Oregon Trail / The Conspiracy of Pontiac (The Library of America)
Francis Parkman
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0940450542

Book Description

"From boyhood," wrote Francis Parkman, "I had a taste for the woods and the Indians." His lifelong fascination with these American subjects are brilliantly recorded in "The Oregon Trail" and "The Conspiracy of Pontiac," his two earliest works. Parkman began his travels to the northern wilderness during his student years at Harvard in the 1840s, then went west after graduation. His first and most famous book, "The Oregon Trail," is a vivid account of his adventures on the open frontier and his encounters with Plains Indians in their last era of free, nomadic life. "The Conspiracy of Pontiac and the Indian War after the Conquest of Canada," Parkman's first historical work, portrays the fierce conflict that erupted along the Great Lakes in the aftermath of the Seven Years' War and chronicles the defeats in which both the eastern Indians and their forest "received their final doom."

Customer Reviews:

Classic History.......2005-05-24

Francis Parkman was an eccentric Harvard graduate whose life work was the struggle of the British and French for North America (although he is better known to the general reader for
his youthful exploration of the West described in The Oregon Trail). He was fluent in French and was assiduous in his investigations of primary sources. He also had a gift for lyrical narration (see the last paragraph of The Conspiracy of Pontiac, which describes the fate of the "forest hero").
His perspective on the American Indian was realistic. He knew
the Indian and respected him, but also realized his flaws and this has made him persona non grata among some modern circles.
That's what describing an Indian village as a "motley concourse of barbarians" will do! However, the reader may learn for himself in this book the fate of the captives from the fort at Michillimackinac and that of the pathetic one-room schoolhouse in the Ohio River valley and see if the 18th century tribes did not truly have a potential for utter savagery.

The "Original" American West - in Two Volumes.......2000-06-23

This volume is a reader's delight, for it presents not one but two of Francis Parkman's classic works: The Oregon Trail and The Conspiracy of Pontiac. Rightly hailed as America's greatest historian, in The Oregon Trail Francis Parkman relates a journey to the 1840's American West - undertaken for the express purpose of living among "real" American Indian tribes of the Great Plains before their way of life passed forever. By this experience Parkman hoped to better understand and relate what eastern tribes had so tragically fought for and lost in the preceding century's struggle for the continent. The Oregon Trail is a great book in its own right, and has been reviewed by this reader previously (see more in "About Me/Other Reviews"), but the primary focus of this review is Parkman's study of a crucial chapter in the development of North America as we know it today: the disastrous consequences France's defeat in Canada would bring to the remaining eastern tribes. For this event would inexorably lead to the explosion of the English colonies across lands heretofore held by them under French "dominion".

While the Iroquois Nations had long maintained an uneasy alliance with the English as they pushed their way into the western reaches of New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, those further west knew what the defeat of the French would bring: utter destruction. The Ottawa, Ojibwa, Pottawattami, Delaware, Shawnee, Illinois, Sauk and Foxes had long fought the intrusion of the arrogant and land-grabbing English from Quebec to the Mississippi. Pontiac himself had fought beside the Marquis de Montcalm as he tried in vain to save New France from ruin during the French & Indian War. But at last, in the mid-1700s France finally capitulated to her English rivals, her hold on the North American continent broken forever. The only task left to the conquerors was to make their way across the Great Lakes, into the valleys of the Ohio, and down the Mississippi into the Illinois country to make their claim upon the former French forts and trading houses. For a brief time a singular leader and a dozen nations blocked their way: Pontiac and his assembled allies.

Parkman sets the stage by briefly relating the history of France and England in America from the early 1600s-1760s, then meticulously details the source of the tribes' many grievances - grievances which would directly lead to Pontiac's bold attempt to decisively halt the English advance.

Though doomed to ultimate defeat against the onslaught of English guns and armies, traders and pioneers, for a short time Pontiac's initiative was remarkably successful. He brought war to nearly all of western America at the same time - from the siege at Detroit to the forests outside the gates of Niagara, from upper Michigan and Wisconsin to the Ohio valley, into western Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York, down the many rivers and tributaries leading into the Mississipi. A dozen forts fell before him and hundreds of miles of frontier settlements emptied in terror.

Parkman's work is perhaps the best chronicle of many of these tribes' last desperate fight for their lives and land. Those interested in the history of the struggles destined to come shortly to the tribes west of the Mississippi will derive much insight from Parkman's treatment of Pontiac's war. For his "conspiracy" was the original "last great battle" for the "American West" - 100 years before the battle for the further western Plains would come to an ignominious close. To understand Pontiac's war, the motives of both his people and the English and French, as well as the burgeoning force who would soon thereafter cast off their identity as "colonists" is to understand much of what would follow as American history.

Following the Santa Fe Trail: A Guide for Modern Travelers

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Excellent travelers guide to the SF Trail today
With directions, maps, anecdotes, historical information
Santa Fe Trail Redux
The Almost Handy Guide to the Santa Fe Trail

Following the Santa Fe Trail: A Guide for Modern Travelers
Marc Simmons
Manufacturer: Ancient City Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0941270386

Book Description

Historic pioneer trails serve as some of the most fascinating links to our nation's past and retracing them can be an exhilarating and educational experience. Following the Santa Fe Trail is aimed at assisting modern travelers to enlarge their understanding of the trail and increase the enjoyment that comes from following in the wagon tracks of pioneers.

Originating in Franklin, Missouri, the Santa Fe Trail was the first and most exotic of America's great trans-Mississippi pathways to the west. Although the era of the trail ceased, its glory-days are still part of the collective imagination of America.

Complete with directions, maps, anecdotes, and historical information, Following the Santa Fe Trail takes the traveler on an authentic historic journey. Modern paved highways now parallel much of the old wagon route and with this guide a modern adventurer can retrace large sections of the trail.

Since Following the Santa Fe Trail first appeared in 1984, the trail was designated a National Historic Trail under the National Park Service and public interest has mushroomed.

This completely revised third edition now updates all directions and clarifies the changes that have taken place in the last 15 years.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent travelers guide to the SF Trail today.......2006-01-11

All those planning on exploring the Santa Fe Trail should have this book with them. It is an excellent guide, filled with detailed maps, very specific driving instructions, and a great deal of background information on the sites referred to. The book begins with a brief introduction, which includes information on general histories, other guidebooks, trail ruts, various markers and the groups that placed them, and a bibliography. Then Simmons gets into the specifics of the trail, beginning at Franklin, MO, proceeding through Kansas, and covering both the Mountain Branch and the Cimarron Cut-Off separately before continuing through New Mexico to Santa Fe (with brief side trips to Taos and Albuquerque included).

Simmons is interested in all remnants and markings of the trail and pinpoints even the most forlorn DAR marker. But it's his willingness to expose just about all that can be noted by the modern traveler (even sites on private property, though he is careful about warning against trespassing) that makes this guide book so valuable. This is the Second edition, published in 1986 after a careful note-taking retracing of the trail in 1985; probably a new edition is needed to update further changes made during the last 20 years (if it hasn't been done already). Highly recommended.

With directions, maps, anecdotes, historical information.......2001-09-12

Now in a revised and updated third edition, Marc Simmons and Hal Jackson's Following The Santa Fe Trail: A Guide For Modern Travelers is written specifically to assist modern travelers who enjoy following the wagon tracks of pioneers. Following The Santa Fe Trail is packed with directions, maps, anecdotes, historical information, and everything else necessary to follow the trail of history. Now that the Santa Fe Trail has been designated a National Historic Trail under the National Park Service,it is bringing more public interest than ever to this fascinating pathway that transcends the generations. If the Santa Fe Trail perks your interest to, then Following The Santa Fe Trail is a must-read!

Santa Fe Trail Redux.......2001-09-09

Marc Simmons is the pre-eminent author on Santa Fe Trail lore and this updated version of his "Following the Trail" is better than ever! He has captured those significant, visible elements of the SFT that make it impossible to follow the Trail without this book. The pictures and maps are explicit and easy to follow. His stories and anecdotes bring the Trail to life.
If you're an SFT buff be sure to also read his book: "The Old Santa Fe Trail", a collection of essays; and his new book: "Spanish Pathways" on the history of Hispanic New Mexico.
Jim Ryan

The Almost Handy Guide to the Santa Fe Trail.......2001-05-21

Don't count on AAA or Fodor's to guide you to the wagon wheel ruts, remnants of watering wholes, or Indian ambush points along the Santa Fe Trail. On one had I was pleased to see that the noted Santa Fe Trail historian had put together a guide to the location of the remnants of the trail. Unfortunately I found details lacking, particularly when it came to local observances and current road and off-road access to the location. I was particularly disappointed by the lack of detail for the Raton, NM area of the trail.

Bound for Santa Fe: The Road to New Mexico and the American Conquest, 1806-1848

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An Outstanding Synthesis of the Santa Fe Trade
History at its finest

Bound for Santa Fe: The Road to New Mexico and the American Conquest, 1806-1848
Stephen G. Hyslop
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0806133899

Customer Reviews:

An Outstanding Synthesis of the Santa Fe Trade.......2003-05-27

Once in a while a book attains benchmark status in the historiography of a particular subject. "Bound for Santa Fe," by Stephen G. Hyslop, might well do so. It has many of the necessary ingredients. Its palate is sweeping, and the author's handling of the story both complex and captivating. More than any other recent work of history on the Santa Fe trail and trade, it captures the essence of the story and relates it to an audience removed from it by some 175 years. Most of all, "Bound for Santa Fe" is an exceptionally well-written work of history, tantalizing in its depictions and seductive in the power of its narrative.

Beginning with the earliest exploring parties from the United States into the Southwest, Hyslop takes the reader through the origins and development of the Santa Fe trade, using narratives from the trail as the centerpiece of a journey from Missouri to New Mexico. Along the trail readers meet the native peoples who had made the region their homes for centuries, the Santa Fe culture and its sometimes uneasy coexistence with Anglos from Missouri, and the unique world these various cultures made through their interactions.

At the same time, the interactions proved surprising to both sides. As only one example, Missourians expressed dismay at the mores of the New Mexicans, and that cultural divide never seemed to end despite years of close contact. When trader John Scolly hauled his Latina wife, Juana Lopes, before a Mexican judge for adultery the outcome was remarkably different to what Scolly had expected. Lopes did not deny the charges, instead offering the belligerent explanation, as reported in the court record, that "it was her ass, she controlled it, and she would give it to whomever she wanted" (p. 266). The judge told her to quit "roving" and stay with her family but stopped short of punishing her, as would have undoubtedly been the case in the U.S. Such cultural differences sprinkle this work, demonstrating the oddity and attraction of these two civilizations.

Hyslop completes his work with a discussion of American conquest of New Mexico in 1846-1848. He follows the path of the Army of the West under Stephen Watts Kearny, the experience of Alexander Doniphan and Sterling Price and their Missouri volunteers, the creation of a territorial government under Charles Bent, and the bloody Taos revolt.

In 1979 John D. Unruh Jr. published "The Plains Across: The Overland Emigrants and the Trans-Mississippi West, 1840-60" (University of Illinois Press), unraveling the complex story of the overlanders on America's longest trail. Hyslop offers a work very similar to Unruh's in style and substance for the Santa Fe trail, and it may become a standard on the subject for many years.

History at its finest.......2002-05-14

This authoritative volume from Stephen Hyslop sheds new light on an important aspect of the American story. Well-written and full of interesting facts, analysis, and captivating stories, this book is no dry history, but a thorough work that should have great appeal beyond the academic market. It is a book all American history buffs should enjoy. I know I did.

Following the Royal Road: A Guide to the Historic Camino Real de Tierra Adentro

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Following the Royal Road: A Guide to the Historic Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
Hal Jackson
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0826340857

Book Description

The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal Road of the Interior Land) is North America's oldest (Juan de Oñate extended the Camino to New Mexico in 1598) and longest (1,500 miles) road. Here, Hal Jackson brings to life this important route connecting Mexico City with Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was the lifeline for administrative, commercial, and ecclesiastical functions in northern Mexico.

The northern section of the Camino Real, the portion in New Mexico and Texas, was designated a National Historical Trail by the U. S. Congress in 2000 and an interpretive and visitor center (the Camino Real Heritage Center) has opened south of Socorro, New Mexico. This guidebook provides the traveler with useful commentary on the entire Camino as it winds its way from New Mexico through Mexico, ending in Mexico City.

Jackson includes narrative accounts collected from a variety of primary sources to add an eyewitness perspective to topics as diverse as sixteenth-century haciendas, colonial presidios, and important rest stops (parajes) on the Camino in New Mexico. There are many historical vignettes plus sixty maps drawn by the author to assist in finding Camino sites. Other information provides the traveler details such as highway numbers, mileage, accommodations, and areas of interest off the main Camino route.

Jackson brings to life this important route which the Spanish extended north into present-day New Mexico in 1598.

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The Plain Prairie Princess (Retta Barre's Oregon Trail, Book Three)
Stephen A. Bly
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Buffalo's Last Stand (Retta Barre's Oregon Trail, Book Two)

The Lost Wagon Train (Retta Barre's Oregon Trail, Book 1)

Proud Quail of the San Joaquin (Old California, Book 3)

ASIN: 1581343930

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A Journey We Could Not Otherwise Take

A Feast for Your Eyes and a Treasure Trove of Facts.

Wonderful photography

Stunning Photography, Intriguing Narrative

Well written prose with humor mixed in!

Chasing Lewis and Clark Across America: A 21st Century Aviation Adventure
Ron Lowery , and Mary Walker
Manufacturer: Windsock Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Chasing Lewis & Clark Across America: A 21st Century Aviation Adventure

Lewis & Clark: Voyage of Discovery

National Geographic Guide to the Lewis & Clark Trail

Traveling the Lewis and Clark Trail, 3rd (Historic Trail Guide Series)

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West

ASIN: 0974920711

Book Description

Enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Lewis and Clark trail from an open cockpit plane as you float over the same route the Corps of Discovery traveled 200 years ago. Stunning photographs of mighty rivers, plains and mountains--coupled with an adventure story--reveal America'ss soul and appeal to historians, aviators, photographers and travelers of all types.

Customer Reviews:

A Journey We Could Not Otherwise Take.......2007-05-22

What a wonderful piece of work! The photographs are stunning and the narrative both informative and interesting. I recently read "From Sea to Shining Sea" a historical novel about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and enjoyed it very much. When I saw this book advertised, I knew it was a "must see". The foresight of Jefferson in purchasing the land West of the Mississippi River was a stroke of genius and is what made our nation the size it is today. This is the best coffeetable book I've ever seen and is one that will be read and enjoyed for years to come. Congratulations to the authors.....a beautiful and fantastic work of art. I've reviewed books for Heritage Books, Inc. of Baltimore, MD, for many years and enjoyed reviewing this one as well.

A Feast for Your Eyes and a Treasure Trove of Facts........2007-02-09

This is one of the best books I have seen and read in a very long time. The history of the Lewis & Clark Expedition comes alive within the pages of this book.
The ultimate beauty of the aerial shots of the landscape photographs takes your breath away. You are surprised at the untamed beauty of our vast country that most Americans seldom see. These photographs capture your heart and you are in awe at the challenge that the Corp of Discovery undertook and accomplished so many years ago.
The narrative keeps you fascinated with the various types of people the ground crew met while following the trail of Lewis & Clark. Through their eyes we are allowed to see how people today live and how their lives are shaped by the geography of the area.
This book is a feast for your eyes and a treasure trove of interesting facts. It is a book everyone interested in our country should see and read. Geographers, historians, and teachers should use this book in their classrooms.
The authors have done much more than journey in the footsteps of Lewis & Clark, they have touched the hearts of those who have read their book. My sincere congratulations to the authors for taking a 21st century aviation adventure and showing us the beauty of our country. This is a must have, must see and read book that you will return to time after time.

Wonderful photography.......2007-02-08

The photography in this book is really amazing! I have never seen so many different aspects of America done so well. I could almost feel like I was in the plane. I was interested in the book to learn more about Lewis and Clark. I found myself going back again and again to study the photos. A lovely book I like to leave out to look at again and again.

Stunning Photography, Intriguing Narrative.......2006-07-26

Two hundred years ago The Corps of Discovery set out to explore the uncharted West. To mark the bicentennial of this epic journey, Ron Lowery determined to retrace their trail from the air.

The Corps was led by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Over a four year period this assignment took the Corps thousands of miles through flatlands, moutains, and rivers that no American had traveled before.

After studying the journals of Lewis and Clark, and doing extensive research studying the photographic possibilities and the topography of the proposed flight, Ron concluded it was feasible.

He recruited co-pilot and co-author, Mary Walker, and a ground crew of four to begin "Chasing Lewis & Clark Across America." The incredible photos Ron captured of the grandeur of America during their three month adventure are published in this book.

Ron's airplane the "Cloud Chaser" is an experimental aircraft made from a kit. It was originally designed for a National Geographic project in Africa's Congo. The design fit perfectly into Ron's plans for aerial photography.

Breath taking views, spectacular country, contrasts of colors, and a voyage of discovery are all word pictures that inadequately describe the photos displayed in the pages of this amazing book.

Mary Walker expresses an experience this way: "The air is cold and pure, and we are alone in this high realm of austere, timeless beauty. We stay as long as we dare...Ron wants to capture the backlit haze gathering in the valleys as the sun slips down. It's been a magical evening at the top of the world."

Whether your interest is in history, aviation, photography, travel, or adventure, you will enjoy your ride in Ron's "flying canoe."

Well written prose with humor mixed in!.......2006-07-25

Reviewed by Shaley Melchior for Reader Views (7/06)

It's not often a 'picture' book sticks with me for very long. Most photography books I read leave a mild impression that slides away very quickly. This book is more than simply a work of photography with a few words thrown in; it's truly a work of art. It's a piece of art that has left a lasting impression on me, and is a book I will enjoy for years to come.

In June 2003, a motley crew set off from St. Charles, Missouri with a mission: Photograph the route that Lewis and Clark famously took on the expedition to find the headwaters of the mighty Missouri River, and the Pacific Ocean. Ron Lowery and Mary Walker manned the ultra-light plane, the 'Cloud Chaser'. Ron's wife and son, Sue and Ryan, and the family dog, filed into the RV used for the adventure. They left from St. Charles on a 3 month, 14,000 mile adventure, and documented the resulting photographs and stories for the enjoyment of those of us who can only dream of such an adventure.

The photographs are stunning, and very well taken. No surprise, as Ron Lowery is a professional photographer, who works have been used by Kodak, IBM, CBS, Smith Kline Beecham, Telecom Italia and other corporations worldwide. A few pictures in particular stick with me. A photo of cherry orchards in various stages of development. It looks as if the orchard belongs in a model railroad, and it's an amazing photo. Another is a photo of cottonwoods in the early morning fog. The fog casts a haunting shadow over the ground, and it could never have been spotted from the ground. Haystack Rock along the Oregon coast. Cannon Beach, where Haystack Rock is located, has been one of my favorite spots for as long as I can remember, and the photo brings a new perspective to the ocean. The colors of the tossing waves along with the cragginess of the rock stand in stark contrast to the small Bed and Breakfasts along the coast line.

The writing is flawless as well. Mary Walker is also a highly experienced professional, who has worked as a chemist, founded a magazine, and is a private pilot. She brings life to the photos, the thousand words the photo tells. The book would be only a photo album, but with Mary's words, it becomes a piece of art.

The book is not all serious, either. One of my favorite experiences that were related in the book was a short piece by Mr. Lowery. He tells of a time he landed at a small airport where no one was in site. He spotted the lone caretaker fiddling with his running lawnmower. Mr. Lowery tapped the gentleman on the shoulder; the man jumped up, dropped his screwdriver and yelled "Please don't kill me!" Needless to say, the men got along well after they both recovered, Mr. Lowery from laughing, and the gentleman from fright. I'm still smiling at the remembrance of this!

All around, I feel this book reaches every goal Mr. Lowery and Ms. Walker set out to accomplish. It had gorgeous photography, excellent history and background descriptions, well written prose, and even a bit of humor infused into the mix. This is the one coffee table book you will keep at the top of your pile, to read and enjoy for years to come.

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Excellent guide to the NHTs
America's National Historic Trails
Great book for travel agency selling land packages in USA
America's National Historic Trails is getting great reviews!

America's National Historic Trails
Kathleen A. Cordes
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0806131039

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Excellent guide to the NHTs.......2005-10-31

Twelve National Historic Trails are described in detail in this excellent guide, from the Juan Bautista de Anza NHT in Arizona and California to the Selma to Montgomery NHT in Alabama. All of the major cross-country trails (Santa Fe, Oregon/California, Lewis and Clark, Mormon) are included.

Cordes recounts each trail's history, tells what the trail looks like today, and describes major and minor points of interest along the way. Maps, photos, a lengthy bibliography, and a full index are all here. Anyone interested in exploring these trails will find this book useful and valuable. Armchair travellers will find it informative and entertaining. Highly recommended.

America's National Historic Trails.......2003-02-25

I have to admit, I never knew there even was a National Historic Trail program until I read this fine book. More embarrassingly, I forgot I had even purchased it until I was perusing my bookshelve looking for reading material the other night.

This book offers detailed information on several national historic trails. There is historical background, and, in the case of the section on Lewis and Clark, background on the major players, and good information of what to expect and what to see along the trail route itself. This book is more than just a travelogue, it allows the reader to delve into the trail's past on a personal level. I recently drove a portion of the Lewis and Clark trail and this book helped put it into perspective.

America's National Historic Trails is a very useful book and offers insight into one of the federal government's least known programs.

Great book for travel agency selling land packages in USA.......1999-08-26

This book offers more information than a auto club guide. Includes great history and up-to-date information on each trail. Makes the reader feel that he/she is a part of history. Easy to follow.

America's National Historic Trails is getting great reviews!.......1999-07-19

America's National Historic Trails was just rated #5 on the Baker and Taylor Best Sellers List of Paperbacks from University Presses, and the author was featured in the July 1999 issue of Beyond the Cover, a monthly magazine from Whitebridge Communications of Ingram. Cindy Kelly writes "Cordes' book, America's National Historic Trails, shares her adventures, and shows how the trails -- dating from pre-Revolutionary War days to the Civil Rights marches of 1965 -- bring history to life."

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