A detailed historical study of how mining shaped the Inland Empire and its institutions, from the first rushes to law and society.
This edition illuminates the beginnings of mining across Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon and Washington, and southern British Columbia.
Based on a wide range of primary sources, this book examines the regional movement, its economic and social life, and the early frameworks of government and law. It brings together narrative history, economic analysis, and documentary evidence to explain how mining drew people, goods, and institutions together in a vast frontier region.
What you will experience
- Context for major mining events and the people who built frontier communities
- Analysis of production, transportation, and market forces that shaped the industry
- Discussion of social changes, education, religion, and governance in mining towns
- Primary sources and reference material for further study of Pacific Northwest mining history
Ideal for readers new to the topic as well as researchers seeking a grounded, document-based overview of early mining in the inland frontier.