People of the Wind River: The Eastern Shoshones, 1825-1900 [Hardcover]

Henry E., IV Stamm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999 | ISBN-10: 0806131756 | ISBN-13: 978-0806131757

The first book-length history of the Eastern Shoshones

People of the Wind River tells the story of the Eastern Shoshones through eight tumultuous decades—from 1825, when they reached mutual accommodations with the first permanent Anglo-American settlers in Wind River country, to 1900, when the death of Chief Washakie marked a final break with their traditional lives as nineteenth-century Plains Indians.

Drawing on extensive research in primary documents and interviews with descendants of early Shoshone leaders, Henry E. Stamm IV traces critical developments in the tribe’s history, including its migration from the Great Basin to the High Plains of present-day Wyoming and the arrival of Arapahoes in the region. After 1885, with the buffalo gone and cattle herds growing, the Eastern Shoshones entered the twentieth century with only a shadow of their earlier economic power but still secure in their spiritual traditions.

 

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

People of the Wind River, the first book-length history of the Eastern Shoshones, tells the tribe's story through eight tumultuous decades--from 1825, when they reached mutual accommodations with the first permanent white settlers in Wind River country, to 1900, when the death of Chief Washakie marked a final break with their traditional lives as 19th-century Plains Indians.

Henry E. Stamm, IV, draws on extensive research in primary documents, including Indian agency records, letters, newspapers, church archives, and tax accounts, and on interviews with descendants of early Shoshone leaders. He describes the creation of the Eastern political division of the tribe and its migration from the Great Basin to the High Plains of present-day Wyoming, the gift of the Sun Dance and its place in Shoshone life, and the coming of the Arapahos.

Without losing the Shoshone perspective, Stamm also considers the development and implementation of the federal Peace Policy. Generally friendly to whites, the Shoshones accepted the arrival of Mormons, miners, trappers, traders, and settlers and tried for years to maintain a buffalo-hunting culture while living on the Wind River Reservation. Stamm shows how the tribe endured poor reservation management and describes whites' attempts to "civilize" them.

After 1885, with the buffalo gone and cattle herds growing, the Eastern Shoshones struggled with starvation, disease, and governmental neglect, entering the 20th century with only a shadow of the economic power they once possessed, but still secure in their spiritual traditions.

About the Author

Henry E. Stamm IV is a an adjunct professor of American Indian History at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806131756
• ISBN-13: 978-0806131757
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,875,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DELIGHTED TO LEARN THIS, July 3, 2007

By 

L. Andrews (Elmira, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: People of the Wind River: The Eastern Shoshones, 1825-1900 (Hardcover)

Glad to know somebody reviewed this book.

I have a deep interest in the Shoshone history....though I am

a white causcasian female . Was searching for ONE book about

their history ..prior to white contact. Looks like there are

at least 3 books about Shoshone history. Too bad most

Americans have just forgotten about our Native Americans.

THANK you also for recommending the historical fiction book

mentioned in the first review.

Sounds very interesting to me.

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended especially for college library collections and Native American history shelves, March 13, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: People of the Wind River: The Eastern Shoshones, 1825-1900 (Paperback)

Henry E. Stamm IV (adjunct professor of American Indian History, Idaho State University in Pocatello) presents People of the Wind River: The Eastern Shoshones 1825-1900, a historical chronicle of the Eastern Shoshones from 1825, when they came to mutual accommodations with the first permanent white American settlers in the their land, to 1900, when the passing of Chief Washakie heralded the end of their traditional lifestyle as Plains Indians. Primary documents, interviews with descendants of early Shoshone leaders, and more form the core research for this careful analysis of how the tribe accepted, adapted and endured the coming of miners, trappers, traders, and settlers. For decades they sought to maintain a culture that hunted buffalo on Wind River Reservation, in spite of misguided reservation management and repeated attempts to "civilize" them. As cattle herds grew and buffalo dwindled, the Eastern Shoshone lost their former economic power, and could no longer sustain their physical lives through buffalo hunting alone, but held fast to their spiritual traditions. A handful of black-and-white photographs, notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this superbly researched and presented account, highly recommended especially for college library collections and Native American history shelves.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical reading, April 30, 2002

By 

"clancy49" - See all my reviews

This review is from: People of the Wind River: The Eastern Shoshones, 1825-1900 (Hardcover)

This book is informative and in depth regarding the Shoshone nation of Wind River. I have now a deep respect for the honored Chief Washakie of their tribe. I wish I could have elected him President of the United States.

I recommend reading Geneva's Hope, a historical romance including reference to the Shoshone nation. It is make believe but gives insights into the nation. The romance novel Geneva's Hope is set in the late 1870's. The tribal nation is the Shoshone and the location is Ely, Nevada.

I also recommend Smitten (historical romance) by Payton Lee