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Sto caricando le informazioni... Garden of the Sun: A History of the San Joaquin Valley: 1772-1939di Wallace Smith
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This comprehensive history of the San Joaquin Valley begins with a study of the indigenous Native American tribes of the area and their interactions with one another. It then explores the occupation by the Spanish, the trapping industry, the arrival of settlers from the eastern United States, and the formation of expansive cattle ranches. The development of agriculture and irrigation and the subsequent battles over land and water rights are addressed. Also discussed is the grand era of the railroad, which would forever change the valley, bringing light industry and modern agricultural practices. Non sono state trovate descrizioni di biblioteche |
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Google Books — Sto caricando le informazioni... GeneriSistema Decimale Melvil (DDC)979.48History and Geography North America Great Basin and West Coast U.S. California South central countiesClassificazione LCVotoMedia:
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For me, the first 2/3 of the book was the most interesting, because it's the era that is most often ignored. The Spanish colonization of California took place along the coast. The interior valley was where Indians fled from the missions, and where they formed bands to fight and thieve against their Spanish--and then Mexican--overlords. There were still "Indian problems" into the 1850s as whites wandered into the valley as part of the Gold Rush influx. That sure isn't something I learned about in 4th grade.
My hometown played a major role in the Mussel Slough Tragedy, where settlers faced off against railroad agents and created a massacre. I've read a number of accounts of the tragedy over the years, and Smith's excessive detail here brought many new facts to light. It delighted me to see so many familiar cities and places mentioned.
There are various addenda to the book and it was recently edited to make it less redundant (which is somewhat scary, as the printed text still is quite repetitive) but it is still very much a book of the 1930s and from an author whose voice is quite present. The native population is largely ignored after the whites sweep in. There is one mention made of a black barber who is run out of town. Smith expounds on various settlements of Armenians, Danish, Swedes, Brits, etc, but says nothing about the African Americans who founded Allensworth and very little on the Chinese, besides saying they were there and very excellent workers. Smith's hometown is Kingsburg and his knowledge of that area (and bias for it) is evident.
Some of the period details amused me, like the part where it praised the alfalfa of Bakersfield as feeding the dairies of Los Angeles County. Those cows are long, long, gone.
Even with the reservations and some need to skim, this is a remarkable book. As a writer, this is a resource I intend to keep on the shelf. This is data that I can't find on Wikipedia. ( )