Graveyards of the Wild West: Arizona

Author(s): Susan Tatterson and Heather L. Moulton

$24.99

Reviews:

Pre-order Information Shipping

Series: Abandoned Union
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 9781634992275
Related Topics: Abandoned Union, Arizona, West, Latest

DESCRIPTION

Arizona is one of several states that make up the Wild West in the United States. Arizona became a territory in 1863 and was later admitted into the Union on February 14, 1912, but it had a long, exciting history before that.

Miners, cowboys, and outlaws passed through Arizona on their way to California during the Gold Rush of 1849, but when copper was discovered in 1854, people stayed and mining towns all around the state sprung up. Of course, with an influx of population comes a new need for graveyards.

The cemeteries of the mining and cowboy towns, like the towns themselves, were often put together in a hodge-podge manner. Some Arizona graveyards linger in disrepair (Yuma Pioneer Cemetery) and others have become thriving tourist attractions (Tombstone).

Regardless of their conditions, the cemeteries of Arizona offer powerful and precious reminders of Arizona’s wild history.

Graveyards of the Wild West: Arizona invites you to learn not only about Arizona’s past, but to see it and meet the people whose spirit of adventure led them to live and die in an arcadian and untamed territory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Susan Tatterson is Professor of Digital Media at Central Arizona College. She began photographing America’s abandoned landscape in 2008 as part of her MFA thesis at the University of Baltimore. Her photographs have been exhibited at solo and group shows in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Arizona, as well as being featured in Baltimore Magazine, and the indie film The Curio Shop. Her website, Spirits of the Abandoned, features work from more than seventy abandoned locations across the U.S. Her work has been described by local historians as “heartbreakingly beautiful” and “simply gorgeous.” Originally from Australia, Sue moved to the United States in 2001.

Heather L. Moulton is a professor of English and literature at Central Arizona College. Her love of Wild West cemeteries blossomed when her photographer friend, Susan Tatterson, began her Abandoned series (also published by America Through Time) - most abandoned towns have nearly-forgotten graveyards perfect for photographing. Heather lives in Arizona with a menagerie of rescued fur-kids.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781634992275
FORMAT: Paperback
PUBLISHER: America Through Time
DATE: 8/24/2020
STATE: Arizona
SERIES: America Through Time
IMAGES: 129
PAGES: 128
DIMENSIONS: 6.5 (w) x 9.25 (h)

REVIEWS

good read

good photos,interesting text--could have been a little thicker

Take a trip into the Wild West pioneer past!

The book Graveyards of the Wild West Arizona by Heather L. Moulton and Susan Tatterson takes the reader on a poignant and colorful journey into the lives of men, women, and children who sought the opportunities and braved the challenges of the pioneer frontier of the Wild West and now rest in graveyards across Arizona. The book is well-researched with vivid and lively commentary and beautiful photographic illustrations. It’s a must-have for all of you who find interest and solace in somber and serene graveyards.

Excellent Wild West adventure

Beautiful, haunting photos paired with the rich history of each town offer a compelling look at some of those intrepid, and sometimes ill-behaved, folks who came before us. Can’t wait to read the rest in this series!

Spooky graveyards? Hidden history? The Wild West? Count me in!

If you like history, tales of the Wild West, and have a touch of the macabre, this book is for you.Heather Moulton unearths the stories behind some of Arizona's oldest inhabitants, many of which died from grim and gruesome events. The stories will surprise you - I had no idea so many Confederate soldiers were buried in Arizona! Or how about Jacob Waltz, the legendary "Dutchman," responsible for his lost namesake treasure in the Superstition mountains? He's here too. And most people know of Arizona's relationship with the Earp family and their associates, but how many people know where Mary Horony-Cummins (otherwise known as Big Nose Kate, Doc Holliday's longtime companion), and Celia Blaylock (aka Mattie Earp, Wyatt's wife) are buried? Yup, they're all along for the ride.Speaking of the Earp gang, you also get a tour of the famous Boothill Graveyard in Tombstone, where victims of the OK Corral shootout are buried. But Tombstone is only one of many towns covered in this book. Jerome in northern Arizona is just as haunting. Having been to Jerome many years ago, I especially enjoyed the stories behind the Old Miners Cemetery. If you ever find yourself in northern Arizona, check out the gravestones in this book and follow it with a ghost tour of downtown Jerome. You won't regret it.Susan Tatterson's photos are the perfect compliment to Moulton's tales. Her photographs bring the stories to life (pun totally intended), and I was surprised that even the daytime shots looked just as haunting as those taken at dusk. Sometimes the pictures amplified the tragedy of a particular event, and other times it reflected the sorrow of someone's story. Her photos strike the perfect balance between beauty and tragedy. In each photo the beautiful Arizona landscape resonates in the background, and as a former resident it made me long for my old days in the Grand Canyon state. That Tatterson's cemetery pictures made me a bit homesick says a lot about her talent. Or my tastes.I didn't realize Graveyards of the Wild West was a series, so I look forward to reading the New Mexico version, and I hope they cover Nevada soon (where I live today). If you're anything like me, you will love this book. Highly recommended!

Great stories of Arizona’s history

This is thoroughly researched and well written walk through Arizona’s history. The pictures are also amazing, complementing and enhancing the stories told throughout. I highly recommend this book!