It Happened in the West – serie

Author James A. Crutchfield has mined thirty-seven of the most colorful episodes from Montana's provocative past--from the first glimpse of French explorers of the "Shining Mountains" in 1743 to the attempt to round up the wild horses of the Pryor Mountains. These episodes are a lively look at life in the Wild West.

The Grand Canyon is an American icon, a scenic wonder like no other. From the several Native American tribes who have called Grand Canyon home to swashbuckling pioneers to an airliner collision over the canyon that led to the formation of the FAA, It Happened at Grand Canyon tells the history of this colossal, magnificent place.

From an unexpected mudslide that blanketed an entire town to the massive manhunt for an infamous prison escapee, It Happened in Washington looks at intriguing people and episodes from the history of the Evergreen State.Sail the seas along Washington's rugged coast, explore the untamed wilderness of the U.S.-Canada border, and climb to the summit of Mount Rainier. Meet Frederick Weyerhaeuser, the wealthiest timber man in the nation. Experience the horror of the firestorm known as the Great Yacolt Fire. And learn about Kennewick Man, the 8,500-year-old skeleton found near a river - you'll dig the details.This collection includes thirty-three extraordinary episodes--some well-known and others surprising--about Washington's history.

It Happened on the Lewis and Clark Expedition features fascinating events from Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's 1803-1805 expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back, including the first democratic vote west of the Mississippi, the remarkable and unexpected reunion of their Indian guide Sacagawea with the clan brother she hadn't seen in years, the day they found a huge whale on the beach, and their discovery of Carolina parakeets—a now extinct species.

The remote, unforgiving landscape and colossal—and unpredictably unstable—mountain ranges of Alaska have kept at bay many a faint-hearted outsider, but the lure of this territory’s beauty, as well as its rich and vast resources, continues to entice adventuresome natives and outsiders alike. It Happened in Alaska goes behind the scenes to tell its story, in short episodes that reveal the intriguing people and events that have shaped The Land of the Midnight Sun. In an easy-to-read style that's entertaining and informative, Alaska resident Diane Olthius recounts some of her state's most captivating moments.

True tales from the Centennial State’s past—from a prehistoric buffalo hunt to the artistic inspiration behind the Red Ryder BB rifleColorado is known for its towering peaks, Native American culture, and rich mining history, but few may be aware of the $200 million diamond mine hoax, the British woman who summited Long’s Peak in 1973, or why Buffalo Bill Cody wasn’t buried in Cody, Wyoming. It Happened in Colorado goes behind the scenes to tell these stories, in short episodes that reveal the intriguing people and events that have shaped the Centennial State.·Recount the harrowing week-long battle during which only twenty-four surviving civilians held off nearly 700 Native American warriors·Read about Leadville’s enormous ice palace—complete with indoor skating rink—constructed as a publicity stunt in 1895·Learn how the individual who carried out the most successful espionage operation in American history helped delay settlement of the West·Relive the terrifying day one angry citizen nearly destroyed his small town with a jerry-rigged tankColorado has historical high points as grand as its magnificent mountains. In this book, author James A. Crutchfield scales thirty-eight of these historical summits.

It Happened in Arizona features thirty-six episodes from Arizona’s history—from the thirteenth-century creation of the Hohokam’s irrigation canals to the building of the Hoover Dam, and fromexplorations of the Grand Canyon to a stagecoach robbery. This revised edition includes two newchapters, a locator map, an updated design, and new/updated facts and figures.

Although even today there are plenty of stretches of open, uninhabited space throughout South Dakota, literally just below the surface lies evidence that civilizations have made this land home for countless centuries. Many followed the buffalo, while others came searching for gold or to farm or, more recently, to marvel at natural and man-made wonders this beautiful state contains. A fascinating collection of thirty-two compelling stories about events that shaped the Mount Rushmore State, It Happened in South Dakota describes everything from Lewis and Clark raising an American flag on the Missouri to the continuing creation of a monument to Crazy Horse.

These are the stories of what happened in the West as the trickle then flood of Easterners and immigrants first began to flow into the plains, deserts, and mountains between the Pacific Ocean and the Mississippi River and, finally, far north into The Last Frontier. While some events would have happened regardless who was there—earthquakes, storms, droughts, and other natural disasters—it was because of this influx of humanity that those events were recorded and have become part of America’s history.Amid tales of loss and horror are accounts of survival and success. And among the countless adventurers who found the lure of wide open spaces and untapped resources to be as strong as the Sirens’ song to Odysseus, many found the determination to thrive in the West. And thrive they did—even better, for what they lacked in resources they made up in resourcefulness, becoming inventors, entrepreneurs, scientists, activists, explorers and more.