Land of Bright Promise : Advertising the Texas Panhandle and South Plains, 1870-1917

Rating:
Summary: Whatever made you settle here?
Review: Frequently when a person travels through the Panhandle-South Plains region of Texas in the months of February or March, the question of how a person came to live in such a flat, dry area arises. Blodgett's _Land of Bright Promise: Advertising the Texas Panhandle and South Plains, 1870-1917_ very clearly explains how people were attracted to the region once the railroads were laid and the Indians were relegated to reservations. Even though the idea of cheap land was attraction enough, land companies and agents apparently provided a virtual blitz of advertising to sell the unsettled area. While the region is, indeed, beautiful when crops are in full bloom and clear blue skies are visible, survival here has not been easy. Jan Blodgett provides insight into what caused the area to be settled even though only the hardiest and persistent remained. While general readers may find the book a bit tedious, as a resident of Texas and historian, I love it and use it frequently for reference.

Rating:
Summary: Whatever made you settle here?
Review: Frequently when a person travels through the Panhandle-South Plains region of Texas in the months of February or March, the question of how a person came to live in such a flat, dry area arises. Blodgett's _Land of Bright Promise: Advertising the Texas Panhandle and South Plains, 1870-1917_ very clearly explains how people were attracted to the region once the railroads were laid and the Indians were relegated to reservations. Even though the idea of cheap land was attraction enough, land companies and agents apparently provided a virtual blitz of advertising to sell the unsettled area. While the region is, indeed, beautiful when crops are in full bloom and clear blue skies are visible, survival here has not been easy. Jan Blodgett provides insight into what caused the area to be settled even though only the hardiest and persistent remained. While general readers may find the book a bit tedious, as a resident of Texas and historian, I love it and use it frequently for reference.