In 19th-century America, the great surge westward by settlers eager to open up the frontiers and take advantage of the natural resources of the unknown mountains and plains was a fabulous adventure, filled with excitement and often fraught with danger. This story is detailed in this readable, illustrated directory, which includes many specially commissioned photographs of the weapons, homesteaders' implements, gold-diggers' and cowhands' tools and equipment, and general artefacts of the native peoples and those who were to usurp them from their lands.