Indiana History

"This is a splendid example of how to write well balanced, highly readable state history." -- The Old Northwest

"Madison has succeeded as have few other authors of state histories in blending modern scholarly concerns with the traditional narrative historiography of his state. This book is in many ways a model state history." -- Choice

Frontier Indiana

Andrew R. L. Cayton

"The research and scholarship that went into the work are excellent; so good, in fact, that the book should be on the required text list for all Transappalachian frontier courses." —History

Cayton's lively new history of the frontier period in Indiana puts the focus on people, on how they lived, how they viewed their world, and what motivated them. Here are the stories of Sieur de Vincennes, John Francis Hamtramck, Little Turtle, Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison, Tenskwatawa, Calvin Fletcher—along with many more familiar (and not so familiar) early Hoosiers.

Sales territory is worldwide
A History of the Trans-Appalachian Frontier
1996; 360 pages, 20 b&w photos, 2 maps, index, 6 x 9
cloth 0-253-33048-3 $39.95 L / £28.50
paper 0-253-21217-0 $18.95 t / £13.50

This book explores the lives and worldviews of Indiana's southern hill-country residents during much of the 19th century. Focusing on local institutions, political, economic, and religious, it gives voice to the plain farmers of the region and reveals the world as they saw it. For them, faith in local institutions reflected a distrust of distant markets and politicians. Localism saw its expression in the Democratic Party's anti-federalist strain, in economic practices such as "safety-first" farming which focused on taking care of the family first, and in non-perfectionist Christianity. Localism was both a means of resisting changes and the basis of a worldview that helped Hoosiers of the hill country negotiate these changes.

• ISBN13: 9780253206169
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"It's hard to picture this part of the country as I first remember it. Here and there was a cabin home with a little spot of clearin close by. The rest of the country was jist one great big woods and miles and miles in most every direction. From your cabin you could see no farther than the wall of trees surrounding the clearin; not another cabin in sight."

Thus begins Oliver Johnson's account of pioneer life in the Indianapolis area in the 1820s and 1830s. Elsewhere, he says, "We lived mighty happy and contented in the early days. With a good snug cabin, a big fireplace, and a supply of corn meal on hand, there wasn't much to worry about. Our big family spent many a pleasant winter evenin settin around a blazin fire while the wind and snow cut capers outside." Each chapter is a story in itself: "The Endless Tress," "To Build a Cabin," "Clearing the Land," "The Fireplace," "The Spinning Wheel," "Ills and Aches," "The Three R's," "Early Grist Mills," "Hunting Tales," "Fights and Shooting Matches," "The First County Fairs," "Driving Hogs to the River," and "How I Met Your Grandmother."

"Christopher Jordan and Ron Leonetti have done a remarkable job of depicting the amazing natural beauty of Indiana. Their stunningly beautiful photographs capture the true essence of the natural world of the state. Take a close look at their images and allow yourself to be drawn into the beauty that is found in every corner of Indiana. Expect the unexpected. Delight in the truth." —from the Introduction by Mary McConnell, Indiana Nature Conservancy

Unexpected Indiana reveals the beauty and power of the natural world in Indiana. Ron Leonetti and Christopher Jordan have covered the entire state, photographing the parks and preserves in all four seasons. From the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in the north to the cypress sloughs in the south, the full breadth of Indiana's diversity is represented, revealing a hidden splendor. Nothing manmade intrudes upon these striking photos, which range from close-ups to sweeping landscapes of forests, rivers, prairies, dunes, and swamps.

Unexpected Indiana represents a unique collaboration between two photographers. Jordan and Leonetti share a deep love of nature and a fascination with the hidden gems that can be found within the state. Working in traditional medium and large film formats, the photographers have produced a spectacular body of work that captures the essence of Indiana's natural beauty.