The First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820, presents books, periodicals, maps, letters, journals and other materials that document the travels of the first Europeans to travel past the Appalachians into what was then the American west. Also included is material documenting the lives of women and Africans-American slaves traveling into this unknown territory. This collection is made up of collections from the University of Chicago and the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Kentucky.
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These online exhibits provide context and additional information about this collection.
These historical era(s) are best represented in the collection although they may not be all-encompassing.
- The New Nation, 1780-1815
- Expansion and Reform, 1801-1861
Related Collections and Exhibits
- African-American Experience in Ohio
- Prairie Settlement: Nebraska Photographs and Family Letters, 1862-1912
- Map Collections: Discovery and Exploration
- Pioneering the Upper Midwest: Books from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, ca. 1820-1910
Recommended additional sources of information.
Specific guidance for searching this collection
For help with general search strategies, see Finding Items in American Memory.