The West the Railroads Made

Tthis scholarly duo has crafted and illustrated their engaging narrative from an impressive array of primary records, account books, colourful broadsides, pamphlets, maps, postcards, newspapers, and photographs to chronicle the struggles and triumphs of the railroad in shaping the West.

* Canadian Journal of History *

This superbly illustrated book shows how railroads shaped the Plains and mountain states.

* Great Plains Quarterly *

Lavishly illustrated, well-written, and superbly printed, The West the Railroads Made is a work of art in and of itself, and its conceptualization of the railroads and their imprint on time, art, community, and regional development over the span of roughly 150 years is both well done and thought provoking.

* Montana: The Magazine of Western History *

An impressively smart and lavishly illustrated survey of the impact of the railroads on the American West. Schwantes and Ronda are reliably astute and admirably fair. They have produced a volume that goes well beyond description, and is a wonderful guide for thinking with and about railroads.

-- Richard White * Western Historical Quarterly *

At first glance it may appear that this volume is one more in a line of celebratory tributes to the power of the industry, full of the colorful advertisements and optimistic tributes to the railroad as the builder of civilization across a majestic landscape. Nearly every page contains an illustration that invites quick perusal. But the text skillfully interprets the images and balances the story that railroads originally told about the region, one that boosted their properties and promoted settlement and travels along their lines . . . . The authors have effectively distilled a large body of historiography into one readable and engaging volume.

* Nebraska History *

The West the Railroads Made is a book that will be of interest to railroad buffs, the general public, and scholars alike, and it does a good job of explaining the many changes the railroads brought to the region.

* Pacific Northwest Quarterly *

This lavishly appointed book showcases the fabulously rich holdings of the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma and the John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library houses within the St. Louis Mercantile Library . . . . The West the Railroads Made is a delightful read and a valuable resource that belongs in the personal libraries of railroad aficionados everywhere, scholars and buffs alike.

* Technology and Culture *

The compelling narrative and stunning illustrations will appeal to all readers. Schwantes and Ronda are to be congratulated for having given general readers and scholars alike this thoughtful and beautiful reminder that not all truly revolutionary technologies are current ones, that in their century railroads worked a magic every bit as transformative of life and economy as today's computers. Perhaps there is something in that for all of us to learn.

* Oregon Historical Quarterly *

From the University of Washington Press comes this definitive book about the role of the railroads in the development of the American West. In The West the Railroads Made authors Carlos A. Schwantes and James P. Ronda combine their vast knowledge of the history of the American West highlighting all the important roles of the railroads.

* Great Northern in the News *

While no single volume of this size can capture all the influences of railroads in the western US, this book should serve as a general overview and introduction to the subject.

* Choi