Wyoming from Territory to Statehood

by Lewis L. Gould

Reprint of a classic study of Wyoming politics from the mid-1860s to 1896, originally published by Yale U. Press in 1968 under the title a political history, 1868-1896 . With a new preface by the author. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

298 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1989

About the author

Lewis Ludlow Gould is Eugene C. Barker Professor Emeritus in American History at the University of Texas in Austin. Gould earned an A.B. from Brown University in 1961, and an M.A. (1962) and Ph.D. (1966) from Yale University.

Reviews

[Schoppie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gould's book about Wyoming's politics between 1868 (when Wyoming became a territory) and 1896 (after statehood) documents the struggle for Wyoming to find political stability during the rapidly changing decades of the Guilded Age. The author makes the case that Wyoming agriculture, other than the booming cattle industry, was underdeveloped and limited Wyoming's economy. This was due, in part, to the arid nature of the much of the lands in the state, and Wyoming had to pursue a different political path than many other western states. While numerous political personalities are covered in this book, Gould focuses on Willis Van Devanter and Francis E. Warren. Van Devanter helped to organize the Republican Party and pave the way for Warren's political elections and successes as U.S. Senator from Wyoming. Warren recognized the need for large amounts of federal aid for Wyoming until the state attained self-sufficiency. This dependence on federal aid has remained vital to Wyoming's economic success. Warren believed that the best way for Wyoming to obtain the federal aid and patronage was through political stability, which developed into an effective political machine which he controlled, with Van Devanter's masterful organizing skills to assist him. Democratic disorganization and in-fighting in Wyoming combined with the ascendency of the Warren-controlled Republican machine to create a situation of GOP dominance in Wyoming that lasted until the Great Depression.

While the book is a bit dated, and currently reprinted from a previous edition and publisher, the author makes valid points and uses a wealth of primary documents to make his case - including the Francis E. Warren papers housed at the University of Wyoming. Anyone interested in Wyoming politics and statehood would do well to consult Gould's book in addition to T.A. Larson's masterful history of the state. Not only is this book a valuable resource for students of the Equality State, but also to persons interested in the development of the greater American West and federal-state relations in the second half of the 19th Century.