The Road West: Saga of the 35th Parallel

1980 first edition hardcover. Some minor creases and smudges on the dust cover, but you could see yourself picking this off the shelf at any bookstore. Appears unread. The book details the migration, exploration, and settlement along the 35th parallel north, a crucial southern overland route through the American Southwest. The narrative heavily covers travel through New Mexico and Arizona, leading toward the Colorado River. It profiles both legendary and everyday, unheralded frontier people who braved inhospitable landscapes, harsh terrains, and extreme hardships to pave the way westward. It links key landmarks—such as El Morro National Monument (Inscription Rock) and Zuni land—to early western expeditions, which ultimately helped chart the paths that modern transportation lines and Route 66 would eventually follow. Published by University of New Mexico Press.