Barbed Wire: The Fence That Changed the West
How could an ordinary fence shape a nation's history? Before the 1870s, much of the American West was an uninterrupted expanse of plains, where native tribes followed buffalo herds for hundreds of miles and cowboys ran cattle wherever water and grass led them. After the Homestead Act of 1862, settlers pouring into the West to stake their claims found that farming was not easy in cattle country, where the Law of the Open Range dictated that the needs of the herds-and their owners-came first....
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How could an ordinary fence shape a nation's history? Before the 1870s, much of the American West was an uninterrupted expanse of plains, where native tribes followed buffalo herds for hundreds of miles and cowboys ran cattle wherever water and grass led them. After the Homestead Act of 1862, settlers pouring into the West to stake their claims found that farming was not easy in cattle country, where the Law of the Open Range dictated that the needs of the herds-and their owners-came first. Then, seemingly overnight, everything changed. The invention and mass production of barbed wire made it possible for homesteaders to fence off millions of acres, creating a violent clash of cultures.In this engaging history, the struggles of cattlemen, farmers, Indians, inventors, and outlaws are brought to life for history buffs and curious readers alike. Enhanced by historic photos, maps, and a handy chronology, Barbed Wire: The Fence That Changed the West reveals the fascinating account of how a simple twist of wire transformed a country's landscape and ushered in a new way of life.
Acknowledgments vii1 Wide Open Range 12 In the Wake of War 103 Land Up for Grabs 184 Sticks and Stones 265 A Twist of the Wire 346 Light as Air, Stronger than Whiskey, Cheap as Dirt 447 The Devil's Rope 518 The Fence Cutting Wars 559 Moonshine Wire 6210 Full Steam Ahead 7211 The Big Die-Up 7912 Cattlemen Settle Down 8413 Native Lands Corralled 9214 Fencing Free-For-All 9915 The New Face of the West 107Appendix A Sites of Interest 115Appendix B Resources for Collectors 117Chronology 119Glossary 124Bibliography 127Index 136
