A history of the creation and growth of a regional studies center at Augustana University focused on the northern plains: the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. Founded in 1964 by writer and English professor Herbert Krause, the Center for Western Studies was established in 1970 by the Augustana Board of Regents to serve the university and the areas surrounding the university. This history focuses on the twin concerns with which directors of the center have contended: finance and governance.