As men and women traveled west to settle America's untamed lands, they led a simple existence, often carrying the barest necessities from one location to another. Yet they also carried with them their own popular culture in the form of folk songs, legends, and literature, which has often been mythologized into our present American popular culture. Through primary sources such as letters, diaries, and photographs, the author draws parallels and makes distinctions between the pioneers and cowboys of the past and those of today. Students and fans of the Old West will find this volume a rich source of history for this time period.