How does The Great Plains shape the people who live here? If you ask Walter Prescott Webb, the answer has a great deal to do with the lack of water and timber and the common use of barbed wire, windmills, and the Colt six-shooter. Considered in the early 19th century to be a desert one had to cross as quickly as possible unless of course one was a member of a powerful American Indian tribe, the plains ultimately became a vital part of American culture that now shapes the lives of millions of people. In this episode, we discuss the book that defined how we think about the region. The University of Nebraska recently republished this classic work and we spoke with Andrew Graybill of Southern Methodist University who wrote the new version’s introduction and discussed with him the transforming effect the plains have on all who call it home.
For a copy of the book, click HERE.