Herbert Eugene Bolton

In the early years of the 20th century, Herbert Eugene Bolton opened up a new frontier in the study of American history. The Spanish borderlands, long neglected or passed over by Anglo-American historians, became his special field of endeavor. Bolton's research took him to the archives of Mexico, where he found a wealth of unpublished, even unknown, material which threw new light on the early history of the North American continent, particularly of the American Southwest. Names such as Garcés, Kino, Anza, Oñate, Escandón, and Moscoso took on new meaning.

"First published in 1921, this classic monograph is the cornerstone of Spanish Borderlands historical research. Bolton argues that Anglophilic American history should give equal weight to Spain, which occupied North America longer than any other European colonial power and whose social and cultural legacy was firmly imprinted on the continent. In beautiful narrative prose, Bolton recounts the Spanish exploration and the permanent settlement of Old Florida, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and California. Albert L. Hurtado tells the fascinating story of the writing and editing of The Spanish Borderlands and places the volume in historiographical context."--BOOK JACKET.