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"Conquering Our Great American Plains" 1st Ed 1930

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:70.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
 Conquering Our Great American Plains  1st Ed 1930
For your consideration is this Scarce First Edition of "Conquering Our Great American Plains A Historical Development" by Stuart Henry, 1930 E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. A magnificent picture of early pioneer life in Kansas and Texas in the 1860s and 1870s, the dramatic period when the Texan cowboys with their gigantic herds of cattle came up along the famous Chisholm Trail to Abileen, Kansas. In 1867, the Kansas Pacific Railway (Union Pacific) pushed westward through Abilene. In the same year, Joseph G. McCoy purchased 250 acres of land north and east of Abilene, and built a hotel, stockyards for 2,000 cattle and a stable for horses. The Kansas Pacific put in a spur line at Abilene that enabled the cattle cars to be loaded and sent on to their destinations. The town grew quickly and became the first "cow town" of the west. Texas cattlemen to drive their herds to these stockyards. From 1867 to 1871, the Chisholm Trail ended in Abilene, bringing in many travelers and making Abilene one of the wildest towns in the west. The stockyards shipped 35,000 head in 1867 and by 1871, more than 5,000 cowboys herded from 600,000 to 700,000 cows to Abilene and other Kansas railheads. The green cloth bound gold gilt textured hardcover is in good overall condition, very slight scuffing exhibited on cover edges. Intact pages appear deckled on fore edges, age tanning and light foxing observed throughout, No other obvious marring noted. Measures 5.5"W x 8.5"L x 1.5"D