Explore the foundational history of the American West through a nuanced lens. This pivotal work offers a comparative analysis of frontier society in the Willamette, Utah, and Boise Valleys between 1850-1900. Discover how family, land, and societal shifts shaped settler aspirations during a transformative period of American expansion. An indispensable resource for students, historians, and scholars of social history and comparative studies, it illuminates the diverse realities of 19th-century American frontier life. Ideal for academic libraries and research.