Customer Reviews

Wind River Adventures: My Life in Frontier Wyoming

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

 

 

Born in 1871, Edward J. Farlow left his Iowa home at the age of fifteen to follow the life of a cowboy in Wyoming Territory. This colorful tale is footnoted with historical documentation that will delight and surprise the reader. The author includes history capsules of the Hollywood film industry, the government's attempts to "tame" the Shoshone and Arapahoe Indians, his experiences with Native Americans at a time when they were being "reservationed" and his interesting accounts of cattle ranching as it blossomed in Fremont County. WIND RIVER ADVENTURES brings to life an era of misunderstanding, great promise and what would eventually become the western way of life. It takes the reader through territorial times, statehood for Wyoming and the plight of two small tribes of Native American Indians as seen through the eyes of an adopted son of the Arapahoe Tribe. As a memoir this is a great read and as a reference tool it is well-documented and very well indexed. I recommend this book to any person interested in western history.

This is an actual report of a life lived in the time of the building of the country. An amazing life story.

Just like the colorful state of Wyoming, so too are Ed Farlow's reminisces of early life in Wyoming. Lively and entertaining, his recollections are of major historical significance for this region.

Coming to the Laramie Valley in 1876 at the age of sixteen and hiring on as a ranch hand, Farlow eventually ends up in the Wind Rivers of Wyoming.
Befriending the Indians on the reservation, he was a close ally to them for many decades. During the 1920's he was called upon to provide numerous Indians for the silent movie "Covered Wagon". From this point on he took them across the United States then to Europe.

Farlow dabbled in several of life's endeavors. He knew basically everyone who was anyone, almost to the point of, "Embellishment? Fabrication?". Probably not, he was just a good storyteller who witnessed many, many historical events of his time or knew someone who was there.
Very insightful and meaningful.

This book, even with corrections/inserts, is very insightful and was wonderful help for my ancestry research! My husbands great-grandfather was listed as 'holding herd' with him when he was 8 years old...and his dad's cattle brand (the half circle cross) was listed being used in 1885 by his great-great-grandfather!
Small, short paragraphs written later in life...but still with such detail. I loved this book for what it offered regarding the entire area and the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Bought this book after reading through the one the library had...it was a must have for MY library.

A very readable memoir; well written. Good bits of real life in the years around 1900. Some good humor as well. It gave me a feel of the time as I read.