The story of those who sought to exploit the business opportunities found in the 19th-century American West.
"This book is in fact a broad study of the whole process of settling our Western lands. . . . The question ‘how much did it cost?’ is curiously compelling, whether asked of a friend’s new apartment or of the freight charges for hauling a sack of oats to Fort Laramie, and Mar. Dary∍s book answers it fully and engagingly."—
New York Times Book Review
"A fascinating array of information on everything from how to prepare a buffalo robe to what one could expect to find in a small trading post on the south Platte River in the 1830s. Portrays the coming together of a great nation."—
Philadelphia Inquirer
"Completely fresh and revealing. That Dary is able to tell a worthwhile and engaging story about merchants is a tribute to his skills as a researcher and writer."—
Los Angeles Times
"The scope of this book is as wide as the region itself and as thorough as a wagon master's supply list."—
Denver Post
"Dary tells this fascinating story with grace and humor. A must for anyone interested in the West."—
Dallas Morning News