On Turner's Trail: 100 Years of Writing Western History

Should Frederick Jackson Turner be revered as “the father of western history” or reviled as a misguided advocate of a frontier spirit and rugged individualism that denied cultural diversity and produced widespread environmental destruction? Dividing into campus over the issue, western historians place him everywhere from one end of the spectrum to the other. In this provocative new interpretation of Turner’s life, work, and legacy, Wilbur Jacobs challenges the views of traditionalists and views of traditionalists and revisionists alike. From extensive research in the Turner archives, a nationwide search for additional Turner correspondence, interviews with historians, and a lifetime of collecting Turner anecdotes, Jacobs chronicles Turner’s professional (and sometimes personal) bequest through 100 years of Western historical writing. Jacobs adds his voice to the heated debate by mixing a sophisticated critique of historical writing with stories of professional intrigue—the fights to protect Turner’s legacy, limit access to the Turner archives, and control the Western history Association. He traces the intellectual development of Turner’s frontier theory; explores the intense rivalry between two major Turnerian disciples, Frederick Merk and Ray A. Billington, as they vied for control of Turner’s legacy; and analyzes the efforts of new western historians who seek to erase Turner and Billington from the landscape of what is now called the history of the “West.” Balanced in his assessments, Jacobs treats Turner and his disciples with a sympathetic yet critical eye. He points out Turner’s limitations in dealing with environmental, racial-ethnic, and urban themes as well as the shortcomings of Merk, Billington, and other Turnerians. At the same time, however, Jacobs illuminates the major contributions of their work. Despite their intense differences, Jacobs argues, all western historians remain inextricably linked by Turner’s legacy.

About the Author :
Wilbur R. Jacobs (1918–1998) was Research Scholar at the Huntington Library and professor of history emeritus at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His many books include Francis Parkman, Historian as Hero: The Formative Years; Dispossessing the American Indian; Frederick Jackson Turner’s Legacy; and The Historical World of Frederick Jackson Turner.

Review :
"Jacobs has written a delightful book, jammed with insights. It is an indispensable companion to Billington's biography and a remarkable achievement by its author."--Montana The Magazine of Western History "Moving from intellectual biography to critical historiography, Jacobs reviews the legacy of Turner on both 'real western' and 'new western' historians. Entering the debate between traditionalists and revisionists, Jacobs provides an interesting twist by probing the divisions within each camp. Particularly noteworthy is Jacobs's reconstruction of the feud between Frederick Merk, the appointed heir, and Ray Billington, the consummate networker, for control of the Turnerian mantle."--Pacific Historical Review "Jacobs has crafted an impressive narrative out of abstract, intellectual history. Western scholars will find On Turner's Trail an interesting, personal story of historians, their ideas, and the ups, downs, and unexpected turns that reward, punish, and confound them. Jacobs' study deserves high praise and a wide audience."--Great Plains Research "Professional historians will find this volume most worthwhile, and discriminating general readers will be profoundly rewarded."--Annals of Iowa "Engagingly written, wisely argued, filled with fresh anecdotes and effective details, On Turner's Trail paints a complex portrait of a man and his ideas."--Indiana Magazine of History "Jacobs breaks from both the too-positive views of Ray Billington and the excessively negative comments of recent Turner bashers. He draws readers into his argument and supplies them with a good deal of new information, judiciously argued and pleasingly delivered. An important study."--Richard W. Etulain, editor of Writing Western History "A truly gifted historian, Jacobs has crafted a lively and readable narrative. In a convincing and provocative fashion, he argues that several self-proclaimed non-Turnerian scholars and leaders of the new western history not only owe an intellectual debt to Turner but also are unconscious disciples of him."--Jack L. August, Jr., author of From Horseback to Helicopter "A wonderfully fascinating account of the development of Turner's ideas and of their use by other historians. None who wish to understand the Turnerian legacy in American history can ignore this book. It informs, it illuminates, and if it will sometimes sadden students of the historian's craft, it will also sometimes amuse them. Great stuff!"--Allan G. Bogue, Frederick Jackson Turner Professor of History Emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Madison "A telling commentary on the persistence of Turner's influence into the era of the new Western history. Jacobs also opens a window on professional rivalry, 'warts and all, ' among some prominent Turnerians."--Norris Hundley, author of The Great Thirst: California and Water, 1770s-1990s