Historical Atlas of the American West: With Original Maps
Described as “a new perspective on the history of the West,” this atlas offers more than 600 maps showing the history and development of the American West. The author states that he sees this reference as a supplement to historical texts. The maps are almost exclusively contemporary to the events that are being depicted, beginning with early examples drawn completely from the imaginations of European cartographers, long before anyone from Europe had explored any part of North America beyond the eastern seaboard.   Libraries that own Historical Atlas of the United States, also by Hayes and published in 2007, will recognize the format. Within a basic chronological arrangement, chapters explore topics such as the gold rush, the transcontinental railroad, major cities, tourism, water projects, and more. Among the maps are those created by early explorers, railroad companies, and real-estate developers. Modern maps vary from painstakingly accurate government maps to whimsically drawn guides to vacation spots from tourist bureaus. The maps are intriguing, and the accompanying text and captioned illustrations provide enough detail for the casual reader and context for the researcher to use in conjunction with other texts. An appendix lists the sources for the maps pictured. The reasonable price makes this an attractive choice for public and academic libraries. --Elaine Lindstrom