including national parks, monuments, historic sites, and other park areas

Browse below for books on National Park System areas in Iowa,
or click for:
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail,
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail

ACROSS THE PLAINS IN THE DONNER PARTY: a personal narrative of the overland trip to California, 1846-47. by Virginia Reed Murphy.
Author Virginia was 12 years old when her family left Springfield, Illinois to trek across the plains to California, their intended new home, along with 25 fellow emigrants. Along the way, her grandmother died, her pony had to be left, her family lost their oxen and had to abandon a wagon with their possessions, her stepfather killed a man and was banished from the train, and then she and her group were trapped in snows at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada crest at and near what is now Donner Lake and Truckee, California. As a result, 13 of those who started with her in Springfield, and 29 more who joined her along the way, never did cross those mountains. Here is the little girl's story, written by her later as an adult, now a part of the American epic of winning the West. Reprinted from Century Magazine with illustrations added from Frederic Remington and others. 64 pages. See sample pages, illustrations.
Check stock. ISBN: 978-0-89646-099-7. Order #: VIST0099 paper $7.95.

 

DIARY OF PATRICK BREEN: one of the Donner Party. by Frederick J. Teggart.
Diary kept by 1846-47 Donner Party emigrant who survived over-winter entrapment in Sierra snow near Truckee, California. Breen and his family all survived the ordeal, but many from other groups perished. The diary records days of snowfall, the experiences of others who were marooned with them, and the scant food available, plus delayed attempts from outside to rescue them. 7 photos, 16 pages. See sample pages, illustrations.
Check stock. ISBN: 978-0-89646-102-4. Order #VIST0102 paper $3.95.

 

THE EARTHSHAPERS. by Speerstra.
Story of Mound Builder Indian culture of Mississippi River valley. Follows Yellow Moon, a girl of twelve, through the months of a year, in daily life, migrations, and tribal festivals. An archaeologically authentic novel about an ancient native North American culture called Mound Builders. The name derives from the thousands of earth mounds they raised, primarily as burial sites, throughout the eastern and Midwestern United States. Mound excavations have revealed a wealth of information about Mound Builders: they were a peaceful, highly religious people who conducted a wide trade in items such as copper from Lake Superior and seashells from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. This is the story of the Hopewellian Mounds which are spread throughout the Mississippi basin and into western New York. Two sites in this area are mentioned--the Grave Creek Mound in West Virginia which rises 70 feet with a 300-foot diameter and the Serpent Mound in Ohio which winds and curls for almost a quarter mile. 80 pages, illustrated.
ISBN: 978-0-87961-109-5. Order #: NAGR0956 paper $6.95.

LEWIS AND CLARK: Voyage of Discovery. Murphy.
1804 exploration into America's new Louisiana Purchase; wildlife, Indian encounters. 68 color photos, 48 large-format pages.
ISBN: 0-916122-50-6. 1984. Third printing. Order #: KCPU0740 paper$8.95.

 

 

 

OREGON TRAIL CENTER: the story behind the scenery (OR). by Joyce Badgley Hunsaker.
Interpretive center at Flagstaff Hill at Baker, OR, tells of westward emigrants--who they were, how they traveled, the marks they left that sill remain. 1995.
ISBN: 0-88714-089-0 1995. First printing. Order #: KCPU3574 paper $12.95.

 

 

 

PIONEER BEAUTY SECRETS: "old and new cosmetics from the kitchen" plus "garden and insect control". by Ferne Shelton.
Early beauty aids in America were made in settlements and frontier kitchens using herbs, honey, juices, vinegar, or other supplies on hand. Some came down from grandmothers; others came from new experiments. Before 1900 few commercially mixed cosmetics were available to the public but kitchen supplies were always plentiful enough to spare for the magic of beauty. As time passed store-bought items were added to improve older mixtures such as glycerine, oils, etc. and later ready-to-use products became widely available However some of the earlier grooming aids are still enjoyed for various reasons--surprisingly simple mixtures. Today's woman can wisely choose the best of old and new. Try Kitchen Wrinkle Cream, Herbal Tonic Bath, Tonic for Red Noses, Calamity Cream, Mary's Foot Cream, and many more. Drawings, 24 pages.
ISBN: None. 1970. by Hutcraft. Order #: HUTC0630 paper$3.95.

PIONEER COMFORTS AND KITCHEN REMEDIES: old-timey highland secrets from the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. by Ferne Shelton.
America's first settlers were able from their Old World lives able to recognize and use many coastal plants. In the Appalachians they found great variety of plants some of which could be used for food, medicine, and comforts. Much has bee learned about medieval herb lore but the old-timey remedies listed here are neither suggested nor recommended. Chapters include beverages and wines, coughs and colds, aches and pains, miscellaneous miseries, perfumes, dyeing with natural colors, plants as insecticides, and lucky charms. Carrots were said to make strong eyes, horseradish was for dropsy, sage was good for loose teeth. Drawings, 24 pages.
Check stock. ISBN: None. 1965. by Hutcraft. DAMAGED--1" x 1" of upper left corner of book (covers and all pages) is missing, but contents are intact. Order #: HUTC2834 paper$3.95.

PIONEER COOKBOOK: favorite campfire and kitchen recipes from early America. by Ferne Shelton.
Includes many traditional recipes made from roots, barks, leaves, and plants gathered from the woods--as well as meats such as rabbits, 'possums, birds, venison, bear, elk, etc.--depending on the skill of the gatherer or the luck of the hunter or fisher. There is blackberry nectar, locust beer, Indian pumpkin bread, hoarhound candy, long johns, roast duck, chuck wagon chops, fish cakes,, campfire corn roast, rhubarb pie, fisherman's muddle, homesteader;s beef stew--all arranged in categories of beverages and wines, breads, candy, cookies, desserts and puddings, meats, vegetables, pickles/preserves/relishes, pies and pastries, soups and stews. There are also wagon train remedies for foot corns, insect stings, sunburn, colic, and more. Drawings, 32 pages.
ISBN: None. 1973. Order #: HUTC0625 paper$3.95.

PIONEER LUCKY STONES: gem and mineral lore. by Ferne Shelton.
For centuries legends and myths told the special significance of different stones. We now classify many of those early beliefs as superstitions and folklore and today jewels are enjoyed more for their personal and sentimental value. But for anybody who wears gems and jewelry, the legends and lore of earlier times might still entertain and awaken the sense of wonder. Includes gem customs, shapes and symbols, lucky stones, days-of-the-week stones, color superstitions, gems for names, state stones, birth and anniversary stones. Drawings, 24 pages.
ISBN: None. 1974. Order #: HUTC2833 paper$3.95.

 

PIONEER PROVERBS: wit and wisdom from early America. by Mary Turner.
Some of the old sayings in this collection may already be familiar to you, for whether serious or saucy, hundreds of proverbs have endured for generations and were a prominent part of life in early America. Contents include friendship, relationships, money, luck, pleasures, simple communication, love and marriage, and more: "pick your friends, but not to pieces"; "three may keep a secret if two of them are dead; "a little nothing will get you nowhere"'; 'mix a little folly with your serious thoughts"; "nothing is so new as has long been forgotten". Drawings, 24 pages.
ISBN: None. 1971. Order #: HUTC2836 paper$3.95.

 

PIONEER SUPERSTITIONS: old-timey signs and sayings. by Ferne Shelton.
The first American settlers from Europe came from many different countries, each bringing their own native folklore and legends, reflecting the handed down customs, omens, and wisdom of centuries. There was often a saying or rhyme to fit or explain almost any occasion. These sayings were an important part of life in early America. Superstitions are presented in chapters of weather signs, healers, garden crops, love and marriage, weddings, for housewives, New Year's signs, childrens' sayings, lucky charms: "It is a sign of rain if tree leaves show undersides"; "Severe weather ahead if there is a big crop of walnuts"; a horseshoe hung props up keeps witches away; wedding good luck comes if the couple stands with their feet parallel to cracks in the floor; seeing a white cat on the road is good luck; to have good luck for a new year, wear red garters. Drawings, 24 pages.
ISBN: None. 1969. Order #: HUTC2837 paper$3.95.

SEVEN TRAILS WEST. by Arthur King Peters.
Explores the major routes that linked the eastern United States to the Far West: Lewis & Clark's route, Santa Fe Trail, Oregon/California Trail, Mormon Trail, Pony Express, Transcontinental Telegraph and Transcontinental Railroad. Portrays personalities involved, locating the routes, developing the trails and lines, and using them by emigrants, mail carriers, and travelers. Historical and  modern photographs and maps, chronology, 252 pages, index.
Inventory= 1. ISBN: 0-7892-0678-1. 2000.  Order #: MISC2709 paper$29.95.

STORIES OF YOUNG PIONEERS: in their own words. Violet T. Kimball.
"This lengthy, thorough book relies on diaries and memoirs to bring to life the experience of traveling westward in the mid-nineteenth century." —Booklist. Most people know about the hardships and dangers the pioneers encountered on the Emigrant Trail in the mid-nineteenth century. What they may not consider, however, is the strength and courage of pioneer children in the face of these difficulties. In Stories of Young Pioneers: In Their Own Words, Violet Kimball has collected memoirs, letters, and journal entries of children who were ages six to nineteen when they made the overland journey. Readers ages twelve to sixteen will discover in these pages a window into the lives of emigrant children on the trail. The book is organized by topic--including romance, animals, fun, and recreation, as well as danger, disease, and death--and peppered with detailed profiles of individual youngsters. Feel the mixed emotions of thirteen-year-old Kate Scott as she and her family leave the comforts of their home and friends in Illinois in search of a new life in the untamed Oregon Territory. Sit in the driver's seat with thirteen-year-old teamster John Stoughton as he drives his oxen across rocks, water, sand, and icy mountain passes. Unwind after a long, arduous day by joining in a hand of cards or, better yet, a night of music and dancing. Young historians will find Stories of Young Pioneers not only exciting reading but also a thorough and well-researched tool to learn more about life on the Oregon Trail, California Trail, and Mormon Pioneer Trail. For ages 10 and up. 240 pages.
ISBN: 0-87842-423-7. Order #: MOPR1221 paper $14.00.

THE MORMON TEMPLE SQUARE: the story behind the scenery. Black.
Migration history of Mormons to Utah and the edifices they built in Salt Lake City--their temple and the tabernacle with its choir, organ, and marvelous acoustics, all built so early in their history. 48 large-format pages, color illustratrions.
ISBN:0-88714-076-9. 1993. First printing. Order #: KCPU4908 paper$8.95.

 

 

List of National Park System areas in Iowa:
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail

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