The Prairie Traveler. A Hand-Book for Overland Expeditions

A best-selling handbook for America’s mid-19th century pioneers.

Experience life on the American frontier with this important guide to cross-country travel, authored by Captain Randolph Marcy and published in New York by Harper & Brothers in 1859. It is the first of four editions (1859, 1860, 1861, 1863), reflecting its popularity and widespread appeal to those 19th-century readers interested in westward travel.

Marcy’s experiences as an Army officer, veteran of the Mexican-American war, skilled outdoorsman, and Native American negotiator shine through the book’s 340 pages. A fascinating variety of topics are covered with straightforward and often amusing vernacular. Numerous illustrations are present; showing recommended tools, examples of animal tracks, and natural landmarks encountered on the trail. A folding map and nearly thirty printed itineraries detailing known routes are also provided.

The expansion of ‘civilization’ and the growth of the nationwide rail network gradually eroded the danger and uncertainty of Western travel. While the absolute relevancy of The Prairie Traveler may have been limited to only  10 – 20 years, it remains an important document that captures well the 19th-century American ‘pre-modern’ attitudes regarding Manifest Destiny. More information can be found at my blog post here.