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Nevada's Turbulent Yesterday: A Study in Ghost Towns

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The best way for me to describe this book is to explain that it's written by a journalist who had a passion for Nevada's history and it's old towns. Basically, the info (well, a large sum of it) is derived from other newspapers archives and editors notes from these now long forgotten towns and camps, some of which are now nothing more than a pile of wood in the desert. The author even follows some of these "pioneer editors" to the different towns that they worked in, and indirectly describes how the newspapers played an important role in promoting the growth of each new town.

It's from these old newspapaers that we hear stories of who shot who and why, and what they said in their defense in court...as well as the tidbits about daily life in some of these remote isolated camps. The author of this book weaves the tales into entertaining summaries.

This is a great book, but you do need time to sit and read the stories. If you've explored some of these old town sites, this book is an invaluable insight into the daily lives of the one-time inhabitants. Any book that has some info on one of the least known camps, Santa Clara, is good in my opinion!

What was the Wild West really like? In "Nevada's Turbulent Yesterday ...a Study in Ghost Towns," Don Ashbaugh explores what the Wild West was like in the Silver State. The introduction gives a good overview of the first explorers, describing feats of mountain men like Jedidiah Smith, Rafael Rivera and John C. Frémont. The book skips around the State, telling interesting stories of the Spanish, Mormons, Mexicans and miners. Las Vegans will be surprised to learn about the nearby Potosi mining operation. Naturally, Ashbaugh tells the story of the Indian renegades Queho and Avote. 'Three Wet Mormon Communities' explains the history of the submerged town of St. Thomas. Through this book, John Ely, George Wheeler, Kit Carson and F.L.A. Pioche are no longer mere namesakes of geographic or cultural features, but real men. "Nevada's Turbulent Yesterday" offers an interesting insight into Mormon colonization. Absent from most text books, Ashbaugh offers side notes and casual observations that constitute the connective tissue of a fuller understanding of the State. Coming in at almost 350 pages, this is a dense and heavy read. While accessible enough, the depth, large scope and length will mostly attract committed students of history and discourage those with only a casual interest. "Nevada's Turbulent Yesterday" is accompanied with a decent collection of photographs and a good index. Since the table of contents is organized into regions with artistic chapter titles, the index is especially important for finding a particular town or geographic feature. Don Ashbaugh's writing is good. Some potential readers may prejudge the book based on the melodramatic title that sounds like a nod to Western dime novels. Rest assured, Ashbaugh approaches his subject as a serious historian. Initially printed in 1963, this book represents a bridge between current historians and the initial efforts to put together the story of the Sagebrush State. The most recent printing was some thirty years ago. The vintage artwork and yellowing pages give the sense that the book is itself a piece of the past. Read "Nevada's Turbulent Yesterday" and step back in time.