History
Frontier Life in Washington Territory
There is a really interesting article that I came across about life on the frontier in Washington Territory in and around 1857. The article is an old article that was published in the Harper’s Weekly journal on August 22, 1857. Here is a clip of the article: The commonly-received notion of Washington Territory makes of … more »
The General Mining Act of 1872
When gold was discovered in California in 1848, it caused a mass-migration of prospective miners to the west. Unfortunately at that time, the US government had very few mining laws, practically none of which were effective, and without a significant presence in the newly-acquired state of California, there was no good means with which to … more »
The Scofield Mine Disaster
The day of May 1, 1900 started off as any other ordinary day for the miners in Scofield, Utah. Early in the morning, the men and boys kissed their wives and mothers good-bye as they left for a hard day’s work in the mines. Later in the day was to be festivities celebrating May Day, … more »
The Modocs – History and Culture of the Modocs (Part 1)
In the woods in southern Oregon, a man quietly stalks a deer. The summer weather is brutally hot and he sweats profusely. The man is careful to avoid making any sort of noise and is weary not to let his game out of sight. The deer stops in a small clearing and it is the … more »
Immigration
The topic of immigration is a touchy subject, but is nonetheless important. It has been an important part of American history since the founding of our country. It was important 150 years ago and it remains important still. For us in the west in modern times, it is a particularly sensitive issue it seems. I … more »
The Death of Doc Holliday
The year is 1887. Winter is beginning to grip its icy grip on the small mountain town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. You’ve just arrived after a long journey by horse from Denver. Running inside from the chilly November air outside, you seek warmth in the lobby of the fashionable Hotel Glenwood where you engage a … more »
Remaining Romanov Bones Found
I know this has nothing to do with American history, but I thought I would add an entry about it anyway since I found it interesting. The History Blog is reporting that the remains of the two missing children of Tsar Nicholas II have been found. The bones belong to Tsarevich Alexei and Grand Duchess … more »
Mining in the Modern West
I was looking around on YouTube today and came across a really interesting video about modern mining in the Rocky Mountains by National Geographic. The primary focus of the video is about an 1872 mining law that allows mining companies to purchase federal land from the government at 1872 prices. They also talk about the … more »
The Modocs – Introduction
“Well, I tell you what I will do. I give you twenty-five head of ponies if you take my place today, as you say Heaven is such a nice place. Because I do not like to go right now.” These were the words of the Modoc chief Keintpoos – or “Captain Jack” as he was … more »
Prairie Settlment in Nebraska
A few days ago I ran into a part of the Library of Congress’ website American Memory. American Memory is a large archive of letters, documents, etc from various times during American history. Just from the little bit of browsing I did through the archives, there appears to be quite an extensive selection of primary … more »