This
is a lively history of three Rocky Mountain states in the twentieth
century. With the sure hand of an experienced writer and the engaging
voice of a veteran storyteller, the well-known historian Duane Smith
recounts the major social, political, and economic events of the period
with verve and zest. It is obvious that Smith is thoroughly familiar
with his subject and has a genuine enthusiasm for the history of the
region.
Written with the general reader in mind, Rocky Mountain Heartland
will appeal to students, teachers, and “armchair
historians” of all ages. This is the colorful saga of how the Old
West became the New West. Beginning at the end of the nineteenth
century and concluding after the turn of the twentyfirst, Rocky
Mountain Heartland explains how Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming evolved
over the course of the century. Smith is mindful of all the factors
that propelled the region: mining, agriculture, water, immigration,
tourism, technology, and two world wars. And he points out how the
three states responded in varying ways to each of these forces.
Although this is a regional story, Smith never loses sight of the
national events that influenced events in the region.
As Smith skillfully shows, the vast natural resources of the three
states attracted optimistic, hopeful Americans intent on getting rich,
enjoying the outdoors, or creating new lives for themselves and their
families. How they resolved these often conflicting goals is the modern
story of the Rocky Mountain region.
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Rocky Mountain
Heartland
Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming in the Twentieth Century
by Duane A. Smith
University of Wisconsin Press,
2008
Order
a copy
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