This classic book offers a lively and penetrating analysis of what the overland journey was really like for midwestern farm families in the mid-1800s. Through the subtle use of contemporary diaries, memoirs, and even folk songs, John Mack Faragher dispels the common stereotypes of male and female roles and reveals the dynamic of pioneer family relationships. This edition includes a new preface in which Faragher looks back on the social context in which he formulated his original thesis and provides a new supplemental bibliography. Praise for the earlier edition: "Faragher has made excellent use of the Overland Trail materials, using them to illuminate the society the emigrants left as well as the one they constructed en route. His study should be important to a wide range of readers, especially those interested in family history, migration and western history, and women's history."--Kathryn Kish Sklar "An enlightening study."--American West "A helpful study which not only illuminates the daily life of rural Americans but which also begins to compensate for the male orientation of so much of western history."--Journal of Social History

Presenting the “lost” year of the overland emigrants in 1848, this volume sheds light on the journey of the men, women, children, and the wagon trains that made the challenging trek from Missouri to Oregon and California. These primary sources, written by seven men and women diarists from different wagon companies, tell how settlers endured the tribulations of a five-month westward journey covering 2,000 miles. These intrepid souls include a young mother, a French priest, a college-educated teacher, and an ox driver. Subjected to the extremes of fear, failure, suffering, and hope, they persevered and finally triumphed.

In the Pacific Theater of the Second World War, Guadalcanal was of pivotal importance for both Japan and the United States. Of major importance was access and control of Henderson Airfield. The first three major land engagements were: Battle at Tenaru River (August 21) -- Bloody Ridge and Overland Trail (September 12-16) and Matanikau River (October 1942) all engaged to protect this airstrip. If the Japanese had control of this airfield, they could cut off supplies between America and its allies in the area, preventing other islands from coming under U.S. control. A single line of Marines prevented the Japanese from seizing the prized territory lead by Lt. Bill Sager and 2nd Lt. Herman Abady. Battle at the Overland Trail documents this one night of critical combat which would come to be known as the Island of Death. It includes many letters, diary excerpts and photos never before released to the public.

The westward migration of nearly half a million Americans in the mid-nineteenth century looms large in U.S. history. Classic images of rugged Euro-Americans traversing the plains in their prairie schooners still stir the popular imagination. But this traditional narrative, no matter how alluring, falls short of the actual—and far more complex—reality of the overland trails. Among the diverse peoples who converged on the western frontier were African American pioneers—men, women, and children. Whether enslaved or free, they too were involved in this transformative movement. Sweet Freedom’s Plains is a powerful retelling of the migration story from their perspective. Tracing the journeys of black overlanders who traveled the Mormon, California, Oregon, and other trails, Shirley Ann Wilson Moore describes in vivid detail what they left behind, what they encountered along the way, and what they expected to find in their new, western homes. She argues that African Americans understood advancement and prosperity in ways unique to their situation as an enslaved and racially persecuted people, even as they shared many of the same hopes and dreams held by their white contemporaries. For African Americans, the journey westward marked the beginning of liberation and transformation. At the same time, black emigrants’ aspirations often came into sharp conflict with real-world conditions in the West. Although many scholars have focused on African Americans who settled in the urban West, their early trailblazing voyages into the Oregon Country, Utah Territory, New Mexico Territory, and California deserve greater attention. Having combed censuses, maps, government documents, and white overlanders’ diaries, along with the few accounts written by black overlanders or passed down orally to their living descendants, Moore gives voice to the countless, mostly anonymous black men and women who trekked the plains and mountains. Sweet Freedom’s Plains places African American overlanders where they belong—at the center of the western migration narrative. Their experiences and perspectives enhance our understanding of this formative period in American history.

"One of the most valuable narratives of the overland stage. As the agent of the postal department, Root oversaw the transportation of the mail over the great stage line ... The narrative is packed with anecdotes and details and is abundantly illustrated"--Bookdealer's description.

A guidebook to the Overland Track between Ronny Creek in Cradle Valley and Cynthia Bay on Lake St Clair. Covering 80km (50 miles), this long-distance trek through Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is suitable for most hikers with average fitness and can be walked in 5–9 days. The route is described in 7 stages, each between 8 and 17km (5–11 miles) in length. Optional sidetrips to the area's many accessible peaks including Mt Ossa are also described. 1:50,000 maps included for each stage Detailed information on Overland huts and facilities along the route Advice on trekking permits, planning and preparation Highlights include Mt Oakleigh and D’Alton