From its Wild West days to the early twentieth century, Fort Collins boasted its share of colorful characters. British import Edith Boothroyd saved a mare from meeting a tragic fate after the bridge she and the horse were traveling across unexpectedly collapsed. In 1915, barnstormer Billy Parker built his first biplane in a local field. Happy Jack slipped away from prison after slyly convincing the jailer to loosen his restraints. And Francis Carter-Cotton left investors holding the bag when he fled to Canada after racking up $300,000 in debt. Barbara Fleming divulges these entertaining stories and more.

From its Wild West days to the early twentieth century, Fort Collins boasted its share of colorful characters. British import Edith Boothroyd saved a mare from meeting a tragic fate after the bridge she and the horse were traveling across unexpectedly collapsed. In 1915, barnstormer Billy Parker built his first biplane in a local field. Happy Jack slipped away from prison after slyly convincing the jailer to loosen his restraints. And Francis Carter-Cotton left investors holding the bag when he fled to Canada after racking up $300,000 in debt. Barbara Fleming divulges these entertaining stories and more.

Home to long-forgotten mining towns, defunct fisheries and neglected cabins, the turbulent headwaters of the Upper Rio Grande conceal a largely unknown history. Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys brought their legendary Texas swing to Crooked Creek Canyon's S Lazy U barn dance, while a comedy of errors unfolded around the ranch's secret still. Obstetrician Dr. MaryAnn Faunce, the daughter of an abolitionist and suffragette, made house calls as a real-life Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Rough-and-tumble miners drawn to Creede's silver boom found accommodations ranging from the primitive to the opulent, though none as enduring as the Creede Hotel. Upper Rio Grande native Carol Ann Wetherill and author Sandra Wagner preserve and celebrate the pioneering spirit that defined the early days in this obscure corner of southern Colorado.

Have you ever seen a giant letter on a mountain slope and wondered what it was all about? If you've traveled by car in the West, chances are you've come across at least a few of the hundreds of hillside letters that dot the landscape. Representing towns and schools from Ajo, Arizona, to Zap, North Dakota, these mountain landmarks were created by locals with hometown pride or students full of school spirit. Some letters have been around for a century, many have a story to tell, and all are beloved community icons that boldly declare to all within their viewscape: We are here. This is our place, our school, our home. Hillside Letters A to Z: A Guide to Hometown Landmarks spells out in detail this distinctive western phenomenon, exploring its origins, customs, and controversies, as well as some of the nuts and bolts (or ABCs) of letter building. Adults and children alike will enjoy an engaging collection of stories featuring 60 letters from fourteen western states. Color photographs illustrate the featured letters, and a map shows letter sites nationwide. This book also lists all 426 known U.S. hillside letters, where they are, and what they stand for. Hillside Letters A to Z is a must for curious travelers, residents and alumni of letter locations, and anyone interested in western history.