Description and travel books in the Chilson Collection

Fraser Harrison, British writer and author of Infinite West: Travels in South Dakota will speak on “A Visit to Yankton, the River City” at the W. H. Over Museum in Vermillion at 7:00 PM on Monday, June 17, 2013. In honor of his visit, I present the following travel and description books from the Chilson Collection. These books were written with a different purpose in mind. They were meant to entice emigrants to buy land in the territory.

Armstrong, Moses Kimball. History and resources of Dakota, Montana, and Idaho: to which is appended a map of the Northwest. Yankton, Dakota Territory: G.W. Kingsbury, 1866.

Foster, James S. Outlines of history of the Territory of Dakota, and emigrant’s guide to the free lands of the Northwest. Yankton, Dakota Territory: M’Intyre & Foster, printers, Union and Dakotian office, 1870.

Armstrong, Moses Kimball. Information circular on Dakota Territory. Its location, soil, climate, public lands, rivers, forests, minerals, markets, schools, churches, society, towns, cities, thoroughfares, navigation and rairoads [sic]. Isssued [sic] annually from [sic] the land and title office of M. K. Armstrong, Yankton, Dakota Territory. [Sioux City, Iowa]: Sioux City Register printers, 1870.

Cross, Fred J. The free lands of Dakota; a description of the country; the climate; the beautiful valleys, and ocean-like prairies; the crops; the land laws, and the inducements offered to immigrants. Yankton, Dakota Territory: Bowen & Kingsbury, printers., Press and Dakotaian office, 1876.

Real Estate Association of the Corn Belt of South Dakota. A brief description and a few testimonials concerning the corn belt of South Dakota. Yankton, SD: Press & Dakotaian printers, 1893.

Batchelder, George Alexander. A sketch of the history and resources of Dakota Territory. Yankton, SD: Press Steam Power Printing Co., 1928. Reprint of 1870 original.