Digital Spotlight: Western History and Genealogy

The WESTERN HISTORY AND GENEALOGY digital collections from the Denver Public Library contains thousands of objects chronicling the development of Western America.

Contents: This online collection contains photographs, maps, broadsides, architectural drawings and other documents exploring the people, places, and events that shaped the American West. Topics include Native Americans, pioneers, railroads, mining, western towns, and Buffalo Bill. Users can search or browse by format or subject.

Classroom Connections: This collection is useful for students exploring the history of the American West along with social studies topics connected with famous people, cultural topics, and genealogy.

Featured Digital Objects:
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show https://bit.ly/2Nh373b
Colorado Railroad Photos http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/railroad/
Native Americans https://bit.ly/2QrDCOv

To visit the collection, go to http://digital.denverlibrary.org/.

Digital Collection: Pioneers in Your Attic

Mountain West Digital Library
Pioneers in Your Attic

Contents: Launched in 2013, this collections explores a wide range of topics related to the 19th century overland migration including transportation, trail and camp life, encounters with Native American tribes, diseases, medicine and surgery, politics and government, gold rush, religion, and perspectives from multiple viewpoints.

Classroom Connections: Involve youth in tracking the the westward movement from various perspectives. Ask each student to explore a different aspect such as transportation, camp life, or encounters with Native Americans. Or, explore resources by primary source type such as diaries, letters, and photographs.

Featured Digital Objects:
Drawing of Wagon Master https://goo.gl/6aZf02
Crow, Black Lodge Camp https://goo.gl/7p2ggY

To visit the collection, go to http://mwdl.org/portals/pioneers.php.