American Historic Towns
HISTORIC TOWNS
OF
THE WESTERN STATES
Edited by
LYMAN P. POWELL
Illustrated
G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS
NEW YORK & LONDON
The Knickerbocker Press
1901
Copyright, October, 1901
BY
G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS
The Knickerbocker Press, New York
PREFACE
IN presenting to the reading public thisfourth volume in the series of HistoricTowns, a volume which brings the series to aclose, it is in order for the editor to call attentionto the necessarily large measure of libertyaccorded to the contributors in their treatmentof the records of the several towns. Withseveral of his co-laborers the editor has on onepoint or another found himself at variance.Examples of such difference of conclusions arepresented in the references to the Mormonsand to the Mound-builders.
The editor bears in mind, however, theessential difference between editorial responsibilitiesand those belonging to the writers ofthe papers. It was his duty to choose as contributorsnot writers who necessarily share hisown view, but those who are most fairly representativeof the towns described, who possessthe necessary familiarity with the historic[iv]records, and whose narratives would be assuredof an appreciative and sympathetic receptionfrom their fellow-townsmen,—men wholove their town
In the studies of Western history made bythe editor during the past ten years, two historianshave been his inspiration: FrancisParkman, of blessed memory, revered by allwho love good literature and good history;and Theodore Roosevelt, now by the will ofGod President of the United States, and atrustworthy and inspiring writer of our nation'shistory long before he took his place amongits distinguished makers.
In offering to the public this final volume ofAmerican Historic Towns, the editor venturesto hope that by thus focalizing andlocalizing Western history, the publishers,authors, and editor are contributing somewhatto the popular knowledge of and interest inthe history of the Great West which Parkmanand Roosevelt first made possible.
Since with this volume the series is brought[v]to a close, the editor trusts that the publishers,Messrs. G.P. Putnam's Sons, will lay asidetheir reluctance to be mentioned in the Preface,and will permit the editor to express hisadmiration and indebtedness for their share,larger than is usual with publishers, in theproduction of the series. To his wife, GertrudeWilson Powell, acknowledgment is alsodue for aid given in this as in the ear