Search Results: Western American History from Caravan Book Store

Octavo (9 X 6 inches) Harbor Department City of Los Angeles, 1928. staple bound booklet of 95 pages, in stiff paper covers, numerous black and white halftone photos of harbor scenes (trains bringing cargo, streetcars bringing people, ships at wharves), birds-eye-view of harbor and surrounding area, list of steamship companies, and agents, statistical charts, and graphs, large fold-out map, attractive cover illustration of a ship being met by tugs as visualized through a port hole, original, good condition (minor age toning to covers, contents clean and intact).

A short historical introduction to the Port and its progress, a harbor engineer's report, information on fire protection, fishing, labor, trucking, industrial development, and the role of various railroads, the Pacific Electric, and aviation are among the many subjects covered.

Octavo (9 x 6 inches) Santa Fe, New Mexico: San Vicente Foundation, Inc., 1949. First Edition. 156 pages, illustrated with black and white full page captioned photos; black and white sketches, at chapter headings, and one colored drawing, all done by Gerri Chandler.

Designed by Merle Armitage, printed by the Rydal Press. Hardcover, very good condition, light salmon colored paper over boards, bibliography, and index.

A scholarly study of Pima ethnobotany culture. Names and brief biographies of the Native American participants, with a description of the plants they use, and their purposes There is also a section on games and legends.

Quarto (11 1/4 by 8 3/4 inches) Denver, Colorado: Tom Klinger, 2004. First Edition. 280 pages printed on coated stock, illustrated with vintage black and white photographic portraits, maps, a gallery of photo images of Como, Colorado, views of trains, equipment, bridges, cabins, "Addendums" of time tables, engine ratings, time books, engineers, firemen & trainmen rosters, glossary, and index. Very good condition.

An homage to the legacy of the Colorado & Southern railroaders of the South Park Line; well researched, and beautifully presented.

12 mo. (6 x 4 inches) San Francisco: Marvin & Hitchcock, 1852. First Edition. 2 [v]-viii, 258 pages, original quarter blind tooled red roan, good condition, cloth boards, with wear to lower spine (lower left hinge on front cover split, but holding), gilt title at head of spine, publishers name in gilt at foot of spine, original cloth boards showing evidence of old moisture splash or spill, minor foxing on preliminary and last leaves; contents clean, intact and unaffected. Old library label beneath old inked inscription "Placed in Library because of California history contained in the (the last word is un-readable)" on front pastedown.

A fine unsophisticated example. The Norris catalogue refers to it as "The first text-book published in San Francisco."

An observation attributed to Cowan refers to it as "... the first educational work published in California after American rule." The last 12 pages are titled "Geography, History, and Present Condition of California."

Marvin and Hitchcock were San… Read More

Octavo (9 X 6 inches) San Diego, California: Liberton & Taylor, 1888. First Edition. 218 pages, illustrated with photographs and engravings, presentation inscription from W. L. Prouty who, according to the Directory of San Diego City and County for 1893-94, was the Superintendent of Streets. Good condition, original limp cloth showing wear and light stains from handling.The date and title are written discreetly on the spine.

Van Dyke was a prominent journalist who wrote several books that reflect the history of the San Diego region. In this book he states, "I have been asked to sketch the history, topography, resources and progress of the city and county of San Diego, up to date." He includes agriculture, climate, outdoor amusements, and biographies in his descriptions.

Octavo (8 7/8 by 5 7/8 inches) Smith and Company, 1952. Original edition. 94 pages, illustrated with photo portraits and drawings, map.

Hardcover, decorated brick red cloth, silhouette of Indian on horseback on front cover, good condition (minimal shelf wear to edges, not affecting contents).

Small octavo (8 X 5 1/2 inches) Out West Print Co., Los Angeles: Fremont Hotel, 1903. Original, staple bound booklet in wrappers, 34 unnumbered pages, illustrated with photos, portraits, and interior views of the hotel.

Good condition (some pages have old smudges, or evidence of moisture in the margins, not affecting contents).

"Compliments of Fremont Hotel Los Angeles, Cal."

"The Fremont Hotel, just completed, is located on the corner of Fourth and Olive streets, Los Angeles, California."

The crest of the hotel, which is also on the cover, was designed by Jessie Benton Fremont. There is also a historical account of Fremont, his exploits, and his family in relation to their contribution and importance to California.

Quarto in oblong format (11 by 14 1/2 inches) Oakland, California: Thompson & West [Printed by Pacific Press Printing and Publishing House], 1880. First, Original Edition. [3] iv-vi [2], [1] 12-192 pages; eighty-seven full page lithographic views, including a double page bird's-eye-view of the Wolfskill Ranch; full page colored map showing the Western States of Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California dated 1878.

Good condition: stamped-embossed original cloth over boards, with title in gilt centered on the front cover; professionally re-backed, with new corners, new endpapers to match the period; title in gilt on spine. Loss to lower right margin of one view, not affecting that image, archival repair to tear in margin of another plate, not affecting that image; another view, and pages 19-22, 37-38, 129-130 provided in facsimile, and are compatible to the contents - the book is in otherwise original condition, with binding and contents intact.

The fine plates are of local businesses, residences, farms,… Read More

Small octavo (7 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches) San Bernardino, California: Times-Index Press, 1902. Original First Edition. 130 pages, frontis portrait of author, black and white pen and ink illustrations by Constance Farris, contents good, wrappers fragile (stiff and brittle charcoal wrappers repaired on front cover where split, repair to chip at upper right corner of front cover, contents not affected by both repairs), privately issued in a small edition, Rocq 7052, Cowan.

Topics include: Mexican pioneers, Indians, missions, San Bernardino branch mission, secularization, San Bernardino land grants, Isaac Williams of Rancho del Chino (first American to settle that part of the State of California); Mexican customs, Mormons, etc.

Small quarto (10 x 7 inches) San Francisco: Published by the Passenger Department of the Central Pacific Railroad Company and Leased Lines, Including the Southern Pacific Railroad and Connections, October, 1883. first two leaves are railroad ads for Central Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads [9]-63 pages [1], 20 illustrations in descriptive text, map, brown cloth binding, covers bordered top and bottom with line and decorative rules in blind, title in gilt on front cover. Very good condition, original cloth over boards.

The journalist and promotor, Truman, begins: "This illustrated volume has been prepared in the interest of two general classes - emigrants, from all sections of the civilized world, seeking for permanent homes in a healthful agricultural country, of the first part, and the people generally of California, of the second part, who are anxious to share their splendid lands and their incomparable climate with other industrial men and women of their own kind fron all quarters of the… Read More

Small quarto (10 3/4 X 8 inches) Los Angeles: Warren F. Lewis, 1952. Original First Edition. xxix, 326 pages, illustrated by numerous black and white plates, original dust jacket designed by Harry Garo, bibliography, index. Inscribed by author on the half title. Very good condition (protected in its original shipping box), hardcover brick colored cloth binding, title in gilt on spine against a black background, gilt mortar and pestle illustration on front cover.

" ... a definitive study of the mission Indians: how they lived, where they lived, what they ate, their amusements, their arts and their crafts."

Octavo (9 x 6 inches) Los Angeles: Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, 1929. Wayside Press, original stapled booklet of 64 pages printed on coated stock, illustrated with black and white photos of local scenery and landmarks, a few conceptual maps showing the location of communities in relation to each other, large geographical map in center showing major routes in and out of Southern California, several aerial views, colorful cover art showing the bounty and opportunities of the region against snow capped mountains, descriptive text.

Good condition (a few minor blemishes due to age, or from having been read, or shelved casually, but not affecting contents: top right corner of front cover shows old bend marks; small repaired tear at lower left of front cover near spine).

An informative promotion for Southern California County's varied communities, including: Hollydale (near Downey), Clearwater and Hynes, Wildbrook, Zelzah, Lamanda, Wilmar, and Spadra. Emphasis is on the opportunities for industry,… Read More

Small quarto (9 1/4 by 6 inches) Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Museum, 1970. First Edition. 197 pages illustrated with black and white vintage captioned photographs of locomotives, stations, people; maps, plus 7 pages showing a selection of rare New Mexico railroad passes, and an index. Hardbound in original jacket, very good condition.

A well respected Western author's historical perspective on a colorful State's railroad history.

Small quarto (9 1/4 by 6 inches) Hanford Stationery and Printing Company, 1886. Original First Edition. 72 pages, large foldout map (18 1/2 by 24 inches) attached to back wrapper, bound in original sewn wrappers, very good condition.

Written before Washington became a State, the author describes "Some of the reasons qualifying this Territory for early admission into the Union . . . . " using population figures, and a summary of information relating to 34 counties.

He covers Railroads, Mineral Resources, Indians, "Fishes and Other Marine Food Products of Puget Sound," as part of his report.

Squire was an American Civil War veteran, twelfth governor of Washington Territory, and eventually a United States Senator from the State of Washington.

A faithful reproduction of the very scarce original 1855 edition, quarto (12 by 9 1/4 inches) Los Angeles: Westernlore Press, 1959. viii, 120 pages, illustrated with 30 unnumbered leaves of engraved plates, nine woodcut illustrations, portraits, 1 folded map, textured black cloth, fabrikoid binding, with title in gilt (within an embossed framed ornament in blind) on front cover, and gilt lettering on spine. Very good condition (minor slight bend to title page, not affecting contents).

Piercy was the artist, and the original author, of this early Western travel narrative.

Octavo (8 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches) Los Angeles: Times-Mirror Printing and Binding House, 1888. 278 pages listing 1700 tracts alphabetically. Rebacked quarter cloth with title in gilt on spine, contemporary original orange printed paper over boards, with old printed advertisements for local businesses framing the title and author, centered, on the upper cover; other ads on back cover, and among the text.

Very good condition (oval stamp of "Howell and Palm Publishers" on South Spring Street in upper right corner of title page, not affecting contents, penciled name of previous owner and date 1935 at top of title page).

A very rare record of real estate holdings and development in a burgeoning California town.

Octavo (8 5/8 x 5 7/8 inches) Redlands, California, Board of Trade 1911, stapled promotional booklet of 32 unnumbered pages, original red wrappers with title on cover, illustrated with black and white half tone photos of homes of prominent citizens (including A. C. Burrage), churches, gardens, the Administration Building on the University of Redlands campus, interior view of an orange packing house, a panorama of Redlands from Smiley Heights, Hotel Casa Loma, Wissahickon Inn, Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Railway depots, Prospect Park, and a portrait of the Smiley brothers; very good condition (circular rubber stamp for "California Development" in upper right corner of first page, not affecting contents),

Promoting "The Truth About Redlands" through historical perspective, and a description of the advantages and opportunities for settling there. "A Perfect Climate, The Finest Orange Groves in the State, Beautiful Parks, Fine Residences"

Sacramento, California: Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, ca. mid 1920s. Original. Wrappers. Good. n. Octavo (9 X 4 inches) stapled paper brochure of 23 pages printed on coated stock, illustrated with historical black and white halftone captioned photographs and drawings from the California State Library, descriptive text, picturesque covers depict a miner panning in front of a cabin in the forest, minor age wear and chipping along edges, not affecting contents Promotion and historical perspective with a common theme: "Romance of Transportation," "Romance of Industry," "Romance of Commerce," Romance of Agriculture," "Romance of Outdoor Life," "Romance of Civic Growth," and "Points of Interest," with emphasis on the California Gold Rush.

Octavo (9 by 6 inches) Gatesville, Texas, 1924. First Edition. 134 pages, frontis portrait of the author, original stapled wrappers, very good condition (mild chips to top and bottom of spine, lower right corner of front cover slightly chipped; contents not affected).

The author's reminiscences that include "killings," "captures," and "escapes," while mentioning "Wild Bill," Kit Carson, "Wolf Boy," and many other early pioneers, Western characters, and incidents.

Small Quarto (10 x 7 inches) Pasadena, California, R. W. C. Farnsworth, 1883 [1]-vi, [7]-132 pages with engraved and half-tone photo illustrations, map of Pasadena in text.

"First separate directory of Pasadena; first history of the area in particular, and one of the best promotional works of its time for the Los Angeles region." - Quebedeaux: "Prime Sources of California and Nevada Local History."

Contributors include Dr. J. P. Widney, Abbot Kinney, and John Muir among other notable early Southern California personalities.

Original green cloth boards (one of several colored cloth covers known to be used for this book, blue and red being most common). Decorative gilt embossed title centered on front cover, repeated in blind on the back cover, with "Pasadena," "San Gabriel," "La Cañada," and "Sierra Madre" printed on individual decorative gilt backgrounds diagonally in the corners of the front cover.

Good condition (pages 65 and 100 have old clear tape repairs - one to the fore edge margin, and… Read More