Myths and Mysteries of the Old West (Legends of the West) - Softcover

Reading line: Legends and lore of the Old West
Between 1848 and 1860 the California Gold Rush netted about $600 million to miners—yet gold mines in many other states yielded far more and in less time. Was the publicity generated by newspapers an overblown marketing scheme by California businessmen to draw potential settlers? Or did the federal government exaggerate the income-generating potential of this industry to offset the recent (and expensive) acquisition of that territory?
After the Civil War, U.S. troops were sent into a different type of battle: a war on buffalo. Did this extermination order mark the beginning of the end of the once massive herds that roamed the continent? Or were there other less publicized factors that led to the demise of this American icon?
George Armstrong Custer is best known as the military commander who gave his life to battle Indians...but evidence exists that one of his last stands may have been in support of Native American rights. Did Custer really put his career on the line to expose corruption in the federal government’s treatment of Indian tribes? And did the federal government ultimately use Custer’s bravado to turn American sentiment against the tribes’ autonomy?
Myths and Mysteries of the Old West makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the Old West’s most fascinating and compelling stories.

Michael Rutter is a writer/photographer who has published dozens of books, including Wild Bunch Women and Outlaw Tales of Utah (both by TwoDot Books). Rutter is a recipient of the Ben Franklin Book Award for Excellence and The Rocky Mountain Book Publishers’ Award. He teaches at Brigham Young University, and lives in Orem, Utah.

Michael Rutter is a freelance writer who lives in Orem, Utah, with his wife, Shari, and two children. He is the author of more than 35 books. When not traveling or writing, he teaches English at Brigham Young University. His passion is the American West.