Nevada's Turbulent Yesterday: A Study in Ghost Towns (Hardcover)

by Don Ashbaugh (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 346 pages
• Publisher: Westernlore Pr (December 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870260243
• ISBN-13: 978-0870260247
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,510,353 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Wild West of Old Nevada, March 22, 2009

By	The Delite Rancher (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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 a book wearing such a title as a kitschy and melodramatic reprint of 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.