It is the "heartland," the home of the average--middle--American. Yet the definition of the Middle West, that most amorphous of regions, is elusive and changing. In historical, cultural, political, literary, and artistic terms the region is variously drawn. It is alternately praised as a pastoral oasis and damned as a cultural backwater, fostering wholesome pragmatism and crass materialism, home to people at once resilient and embittered, hardworking and complacent. From Willa Cather to Sherwood Anderson, from "The Wizard of Oz" to "The Music Man," images of the Middle West are powerful and contradictory.

In this thoughtful book, cultural geographer James R. Shortridge offers a historical probe into the "idea" of the Middle West. By exploring what this term originally meant and how it has changed over the past 150 years, he presents a fascinating look at the question of regional identity and its place in the collective consciousness. A work of unconventional geography based on extensive research in popular literature, this volume examines meaning, essence, character--the important intangibles of place not captured by statistical studies--and explores the intimate connections between the notion of pastoralism and the definition of the Middle West.

From Abilene to Wichita and beyond, a constellation of cities glitters across the fertile plains of Kansas. Their history is entwined with that of the state as a whole, and their size and status are rarely questioned. Yet as James Shortridge reveals, the evolution of urban Kansas remains a largely untold story of competition, rivalry, and metropolitan dreams.

"Cities on the Plains" relates the history of Kansas's larger communities from the 1850s to the present. The first book to provide a comprehensive, comparative account of an entire state's urban development, it shows how Kansas's current hierarchy of cities and urban development emerged from a complex and ongoing series of promotional strategies. Railroads, the mining industry, the cattle trade-all exercised their influence over where and when these settlements were originally established.

Drawing on rich historical research filtered through cultural geography, Shortridge looks at the 118 communities that ever achieved a population of 2,500, and unravels the many factors that influenced the growth of urban Kansas. He tells how mercantilism dominated urban thinking in territorial days until after statehood, when cities competed for the capital, prisons, universities, and other institutions. He also shows how geography and size were employed by entrepreneurs and government officials to prepare strategies for economic development. And he describes how the railroads especially promoted the founding of cities in the nineteenth century-and how this system has fared since 1950 in the face of globalization and the growth of interstate highways.

Throughout the book, Shortridge demonstrates how cities competed for dominance within their regions, and he solves mysteries of growth and stagnation by evaluating them according to their abilities to respond to change. Sharing anecdotes along with insights, he tells why Wichita is "the unexpected metropolis," why the citizens of Leavenworth thought a prison was a better urban asset than a college, and how Garden City grew despite the plans of the Santa Fe Railroad.

"Cities on the Plains" provides an incisive new look not only at Kansas history but also at how American cities in general have evolved over the last century and a half.

This detailed guide to the backroads and small towns of northeastern Kansas charts a 350-mile loop from the Kansas-Missouri border west through the majestic Flint Hills. The mile-by-mile descriptions cover the following counties: Wyandotte, Johnson, Douglas, Osage, Wabaunsee, Pottawatomie, Jackson, Shawnee, Jefferson, and Leavenworth. Along the way, Shortridge's commentary on the history, economy, architecture, and demographics of the region provides a rich appreciation of the landscape and encourages lingering and thoughtful contemplation.

"Kansas perhaps needs a tour guide more than do many places," writes cultural geographer James Shortridge, "for the state is more generally viewed as a place to escape from than a place to visit." Illustrated with numerous maps and with charming pen-and-ink drawings by Antoinette Cook Smith, Kaw Valley Landscapes demonstrates that beyond the interstate highways of northeastern Kansas are ethnic enclaves, Indian reservations, sleepy rural towns, a variety of folk architecture, dramatic examples of the geological effects of glaciation--in short, "a fascinating local panorama of land and life."

"The starting point is easy to find, at the Kansas-Missouri border on I-70. It is an appropriate place because the Kansas River, whose valley is the subject of this book, here empties into the Missouri. The spot has added significance in that the viaduct over the Kaw is dedicated to Lewis and Clark. What better place," Shortridge asks, "for a modern exploring expedition to begin?"

"Kaw Valley Landscapes" is a revised edition of the guidebook originally published in 1977.

Think of Kansas City and you'll probably think of barbecue, jazz, or the Chiefs. But for James Shortridge, this heartland city is more than the sum of its cultural beacons.
In Kansas City and How It Grew, 1822-201, a prize-winning geographer traces the historical geography of a place that has developed over 200 years from a cowtown on the bend of the Missouri River into a metropolis straddling two states. He explores the changing character of the community and its component neighborhoods, showing how the city has come to look and function the way it does-and how it has come to be perceived the way it has.
Proximity to Great Plains ranches and farms encouraged early and sustained success for Kansas City meatpackers and millers, and Shortridge shows how local responses to economic realities have molded the city's urban structure. He explores the parallel processes of suburbanization and the restructuring of older areas, and tells what happens when transportation shifts from rivers to railroads, then to superhighways and international airports. He also reveals what historians have missed by tending to focus attention only on one side or the other of the state boundary.
The book is a virtual who's who of KC progress: without selective law enforcement under political boss Thomas Pendergast, Kansas City would not enjoy its legacy of jazz; without the gift of Thomas Swope's namesake park, upscale residential expansion likely would have gone east instead of south; and without J. C. Nichols, Johnson County suburbs would have developed in a less spectacular manner. Its insight into important molders of the city includes nearly forgotten names such as William Dalton, Charles Morse, and Willard Winner, plus important figures from more recent years including Kay Barnes, Charles Garney, and Bonnie Poteet.
With more than 50 photos and dozens of maps specially created for this book, Kansas City and How It Grew is unique in treating the entire metropolitan area instead of just one portion. With coverage ranging from ethnic neighborhoods to development strategies, it's an indispensable touchstone for those who want to try to understand Kansas City as both a city and a place.

Tracing the intertwined roles of food, ethnicity, and regionalism in the construction of American identity, this textbook examines the central role food plays in our lives. Drawing on a range of disciplines_including sociology, anthropology, folklore, geography, history, and nutrition_the editors have selected a group of engaging essays to help students explore the idea of food as a window into American culture. The editors' general introductory essay offers an overview of current scholarship, and part introductions contextualize the readings within each section. This lively reader will be a valuable supplement for courses on American culture across the social sciences.