Sea Routes to the Gold Fields; The Migration by Water to California in 1849-1852
New York: Alfred A. Knopf [Borzoi Books], 1949. Very Good in Very Good dust-jacket First Edition, 2nd Printing. [8.5x6in]; xiv, [1], 286 pp., index i - viii, [1], [1 fold out facsimile map of the Gold Regions], 39 illustrations; Blue-gray linen cloth covers with gilt lettering, sextant, and rules on spine, blind embossed sextant and divider on front and publisher logo on back, top edge light yellow dye, fore edge untrimmed; Minor shelf wear, small faded discoloration stain on lower front cover and front end paper, partial bookseller stamp on rear end paper. Item #13128
Oscar Lewis (1893-1992) was a noted California historian and author that wrote about California and the West. His book, The Big Four, is still the reference work for the California “railroad robber barons (Collis P. Huntington, Leland Stanford, Mark Hopkins and Charles Crocker) according to Kevin Starr. Lewis was well known in San Francisco and the secretary of the Book Club of California from 1921 to 1946. This book tells about the mass migration to California between 1849 to 1852 by sea and isthmian crossings at Panama and Nicaragua. The sea and land voyages were advertised as faster, safer and less strenuous than overland travel. In the mid 1840’s, the US Post Office contracted for mail service by steamship and Panama isthmus crossing that until the Gold Rush was highly unprofitable. During the Gold Rush, these and other steamship lines played a critical role.
Price: $20.00