IN SEARCH OF THE GOLDEN WEST

by Earl Pomeroy ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 20, 1957

The earliest transcontinental railroad trips were accessible only to the well- lined pocketbook. Trips to the West became a measuring stick of prestige and worth. Tourists began to seek the fashionable resorts comparable to those of their experience... and many a grand and splendid hotel was modelled to please the Eastern and European eye. Comparisons of western spots were made to the Alps, to the exotic deserts of the Middle East, to all of Europe. But the lure of the scenery was weakened by the lack of history, and, consequently, a new approach was introduced. The emphasis shifted from the opulence of western hotels and the grandeur of the scenery to the newness of the activities, the freshness of the pioneers, -- in short, the Spirit of the West. If the West could not boast of its past, it could dignify its present. The decorum of the interior playgrounds lost its appeal and the tourists turned to hunting, fishing, hiking, rodeos and the rough and tumble life in general. The relationship of tourist and Westerner was instrumental in shaping the myth of the West which in the present day is still alive, residual though it may be.

Pub Date: May 20, 1957

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1957

Categories: NONFICTION