Peopling the Plains: Who Settled Where in Frontier Kansas Book

"This stimulating and pathbreaking book represents a quantum leap in the geographical study of frontier population origins and their significance for later political and cultural development at the state level. Shortridge has crafted a rare and intriguing blend of well-designed maps and thoughtful commentary that will have significance far beyond the specific realm of Kansas history and geography, to which it nevertheless makes a powerful contribution."—Michael P. Conzen, editor of The Making of the American Landscape

"Shortridge continues the great tradition begun by James Malin of weaving regional history out of the state census data, newspaper articles, and various local documents. Kansas's frontier history leading up to the Civil War is, of course, well known, yet Shortridge has managed to provide a fresh perspective on 'bleeding Kansas' by revealing the extent to which separate 'nations' based on Yankees, Midlanders, and Southerners really had emerged in Kansas by 1860. He also reveals the importance of ethnic groups in settling the state, especially the wheat lands of central and western Kansas. Both comprehensive and compelling, this book will stand as a classic of Kansas history and should serve as a model for other state demographic histories. "—John C. Hudson, author of Making the Corn Belt

"Monumental. A gold mine of information, an absolute required reference for studying the history of Kansas. The conclusions backed by well-organized data will be appreciated not only by scholars, but also by history buffs and genealogists interested in local beginnings. All geographers, economists, political scientists, and historians dealing with Kansas—as well as all potential barbecue restaurant owners—ought to have it as part of their libraries."—C. Robert Haywood, author of Trails South and Victorian West

Author Biography: James R. Shortridge is professor of geography at the University of Kansas. He is author of Our Town on the Plains: J. J. Pennell's Photographs of Junction City, Kansas, 1893-1922; The Middle West: Its Meaning in American Culture; and Kaw Valley Landscapes: A Traveler's Guide to Northeastern Kansas.