William A. Richards Diaries of a Frontier Surveyor: In Nebraska and Wyoming

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Lucia McCreery shares detailed journals that document the life of surveyors in the late 19th century in the book “William A. Richards Diaries of a Frontier Surveyor: In Nebraska and Wyoming”.

The Synopsis

These unique diaries give a vivid, you-are-there view of what surveyors went through during the westward expansion. Richards, who eventually becomes governor of Wyoming and commissioner of the U.S. General Land Office, tells his story, one day at a time.

The 1869 diary covers his life in rural Wisconsin and frustration with teaching – Going west to the growing frontier town of Omaha – His surveying apprenticeship laying out townships for settlement

The 1884 and 1885 diaries cover his exploration of Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin and his return to establish a homestead and begin the large-scale irrigation project that would finance the move.

Through all the uncertainty, dangers and hardships, Richards keeps his sly sense of humor as he reveals a sometimes enchanting, sometimes harrowing tale of adventure, guts, and accomplishment.

The occasional surveying terms are explained by Wyoming’s Dr. Herbert W. Stoughton and others, in footnotes and in essays in the appendix. Dr. Stoughton has overseen surveying and mapping projects throughout the world, and frequently consulted throughout the U.S. on 17th through 20th century historical surveying matters.

Enhancing the work are biographical articles, stories about surveyors’ returns to the remote boundaries, among them the 1990s remonumentation campaign that included the state boundary “corners” established by William and his brother Alonzo, plus relevant letters and Richards’s dramatic hunting stories.

The appendix features an essay and maps of Richards’s Nebraska surveys by Gene A. Thomsen, a Nebraska deputy state surveyor and historian.

55 illustrations and photos, 22 in full color – 30 maps and diagrams

For excerpts from the diaries, see https: //www.williamarichards.com/diaries-excerpts

The Review

This was a powerful and informative read. The author’s ability to edit and bring to life the writings of the author’s ancestors as they worked to survey the wilds of the frontier. The attention to detail the author paid to the notes and experiences the author’s ancestors wrote down and the history of these experiences made this such an intriguing story.

The heart of this story rests in the balance between informative and personal writing. The ability of the author to lay out the events of the book in a professional matter and yet relate to the journey that the author’s relatives experienced added a depth of personal history that made the journal entries feel more profound. Surveyors’ impact on our history and the expertise brought to the surveyor field made this a much more informed book than ever.

The Verdict

Gripping, thought-provoking, and engaging author Lucia McCreery’s “William A. Richards Diaries of a Frontier Surveyor: In Nebraska and Wyoming” is a must-read nonfiction, history, and biography. The history and knowledge readers will gain from this book will keep them enthralled as they delve deeper into this informative read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10