Welcome to American West

 

From early topographical sketches and pioneers’ accounts, to photographs of Buffalo Bill and his ‘Wild West’ stars, explore the fact and the fiction of westward expansion in America from the early eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Browse a wide range of rare and original documents including printed books, journals, historic maps, broadsides, periodicals, advertisements, photographs, artwork and more.

 

Nature and Scope

American West brings together collections of original and rare documents from the Newberry Library spanning the eighteenth to mid-twentieth century. Read more about the nature and scope of this collection.

Language Statement

Learn about the context of the language and terminology that can be found throughout American West.

Essays

Discover more about the context of the material featured in American West.

Thematic Areas

The material in American West has been organised thematically. Discover more about the content of these themes.

Maps

Explore American West, through contemporary maps of North America and data maps illustrating trends in climate, population and trade.

Indigenous Histories and Cultures in North America

Explore more content from The Newberry Library on the histories and cultures of Indigneous Peoples in America.