What if our history books are wrong and Columbus wasn't the first European to set foot in North America? The Graves of the Golden Bears will challenge some of your core historical beliefs. From the earliest maps of the Gulf of Mexico by the Spanish explorers to the beginning of the 20th century, claims were made that a Welsh prince named Madoc brought thousands of colonists to North America centuries before Columbus. Though those claims were debunked, the claimants denigrated, and much of the evidence was lost or destroyed, some deliberately, the story lives on. Through shrewd and thorough investigation, this book shows that there is high probability and substantial documentation that four different countries knew the stories were true in general even if errant in details. None of those governments were or are yet willing to acknowledge the truth of such a mass immigration. This book tells why. In doing so, it also reveals some of the most appalling political intrigues in history. Prevailing and opposing political and religious doctrines are dissected and the reasons for such a huge, longstanding, and base coverup explained. Using colonial era maps, satellite imaging technology, historical accounts, official documents, archeological reports, and collaboration with several other researchers the author found the sites of more than forty five ancient fortresses. In addition to the fortress sites that were known by the beginning of the 21st century, the author adds three more that were previously undocumented. The use of satellite imagery allows comparison of the strategic placement of the Ohio Valley fortresses and other ancient structures to those of the British Isles. The correlations of these sites are far greater than chance. Also described in this text are artifacts, engraved stones, coins, arms, armor, and skeletal remains of Old World origin found in the greater Ohio, Tennessee, Chattahoochee, Virginia's New River, and Mississippi valleys. Forward by Scott Wolter, author of "The Hooked X: Key to the Secret History of North America."

The pioneer battling with a hostile environment—whether it be arid land, drought, dust storms, dense forests, or harsh winters—is a staple of western American history. In this innovative, multi-disciplinary work, Peter Boag takes issue with the image of the settler against the frontier, arguing that settlers viewed their new surroundings positively and attempted to create communities in harmony with the landscape. Using Oregon's Calapooia Valley as a case study, Boag presents a history of both land and people that shows the process of change as settlers populated the land and turned it to their own uses. By combining local sources, ranging from letters and diaries to early maps and local histories, and drawing upon the methods of geography, natural history, and literary analysis, Boag has created a richly detailed grass-roots portrait of a frontier community. Most significantly, he analyzes the connections among environmental, cultural, and social changes in ways that illuminate the frontier experience throughout the American west. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1992.

Local historian Paul J. Zuros weaves a rich narrative of the region, reliving these tales as only a local can. The Upper Ohio River runs along the border between West Virginia and Ohio, where the cities of Weirton and Steubenville face each other across the flowing water. The history of these two municipalities has been intertwined from their earliest days. Discover stories of the early pioneers on both sides of the river and what they learned about their Native American predecessors. Tales of bygone celebrations will entertain, and rumors of local haunts will chill readers to the bone. The stories of these industrial centers as well as their preindustrial past will intrigue and delight young and old.