Gravy Train stops

The 'closing' of the American Frontier is sudden, and somewhat unexpected. But it doesn't go unnoticed. Rather, it generates a widely influential theory promoting a new 'Frontier Thesis' to explain American history.

The theory suggests that the distinctive character of America wasn't forged in the East, by Pilgrims. Rather, the real story unfolds in the West, which beckons with alluring dreams of a new start and (perhaps) sudden wealth.

The extraction of gold and silver, which begins with the Gold Rush of 1849, is the final chapter in this long saga. By 1910, the mines are largely played out, leaving just ranches and the remaining sun-scorched expanses.

Arizona and New Mexico are the last of the 'lower 48' states to be admitted to the Union, both in 1912. Alaska and Hawaii, which are both distant territories, won't become states until 1959.
Frontier closes, 1910 map

  End of a Long Era
The 'Frontier Thesis' is somewhat different from previous portrayals of American growth. It casts American history as a great pageant, which pits eastern forces (which seek to control) against western forces (which always strive for freedom). The Frontier is where these forces meet.  This sounded plausible to generations of American scholars, but a simpler explanation is available. The generous supply of cheap land ever further west, and railroads to get there, gave choices to Americans that few others in history ever enjoyed.

Western farmers, 1910

  Just Getting By
Prairie farming is difficult in the best of conditions, and grimly disheartening at other times. Irrigation can ease the burden, but keeping the ditches repaired and the water flowing is a constant chore. Still, farmers manage to get by, in a lonely life where the sudden energy of the harvest is only a brief interruption. The rest of the time, settlers have little company beyond the relentless wind, and tormenting visions of perhaps having to finally chuck it all in, defeated by a hostile environment.


Northwest loggers, 1910

  Monster Trees
Western logging presents a totally different picture, but one which only applies to the rather narrow coastal region. This land rises quickly from the sea into a continuous north-south ridge called the Coastal Range.  In the north, this range is known as the Cascades, a region continuously drenched in moisture that forms the heart of western logging. Here, trees grow to enormous size, presenting a challenge that loggers eagerly accept.


Western miners, 1910

  Mines Giving Out
Western mining doesn't come to an abrupt halt, but the yield continues to dwindle. Little mining towns, sprinkled throughout the higher elevations in remote locations, seldom last more than 30 years. Afterwards, most become ghost towns. The largest mining complexes are full of machinery that enables continued production. But the glory days are largely over.


Mining towns, 1910

  Getting There
Here you can see why so many western mining towns are eventually abandoned. They're just too far from anything else. Today, ski resorts like Aspen, in Colorado, have reclaimed some of these locations.


Tombstone and Arizona silver, 1910

  Wild West Reality
It's a testament to human desire and persistence that mining opportunities lure so many men to the West. Women are scarce in these towns, which exist in a semi-lawless state. This is typified by Tombstone, Arizona, the site of the famous 'Shootout at the OK Corral.' Contrary to popular belief, Tombstone is a mining town, not a cowboy town. It hosts one of the final, brief episodes of western good luck resulting in sudden riches.