Customer Reviews

San Bernardino: The Rise and Fall of a California Community

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having an ancestor involved in the early settling of San Bernardino, I was drawn to the book by a facination with his life. What started as a search for him, turned in to an appreciation for the pioneers of this area. Mr. Lyman's book takes the reader through a real life drama of a western settlement. His research was outstanding and his insight thought provoking. If you enjoy western U.S. history, you will enjoy this book.

I come from one of the early LDS pioneer families (Bemis) that colonized San Bernardino (BTW I am Active LDS). I have spent days in the LDS Historical Archives researching this colony. I have read the research done by others of this colony. This book by Lyman (who is descended from one of the Church leaders sent to colonize San Bernardino), is by far the best on the subject. This book goes into detail about Brigham Young's struggle to colonize this area, the actual colonization (and their struggles), and the fight to return to Brigham Young's fold. I have a Great Grand Mother who left the LDS Church while in San Bernardino, and later joined the RLDS Church because of the stranglehold that Brigham Young had over the early saints. For anyone who is interested in the early Mormon colonization of San Bernardino, I highly recommend this book. Professor Lyman brings this part of history alive.