Background
West, Carroll Van was born on January 29, 1955 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States. Son of W. C. and Sara Pauline (Van Hooser) W.
( Focusing on the Clark’s Fort Bottom, a twenty-five-mile...)
Focusing on the Clark’s Fort Bottom, a twenty-five-mile stretch between present-day Park City and Billings, Montana, this pathbreaking study examines the successive stages of capitalist development in Billings and the Yellowstone Valley during the nineteenth century. From the subsistence and barter economy of the Native Americans, through the fur trade era and the settlers’ introduction of a market economy, the introduction of industrial capitalism by the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the increasing influence of corporate capitalism in the latter part of the century, Carroll Van West shows how each stage affected the relationships and choices shared by the local inhabitants. By setting local events in a broader context, West not only illuminates the circumstances unique to the Yellowstone Valley but sheds new light on a central issue of western history: the interaction of local, regional, and national economies and the influence of corporate decisions made in the east on western settlement and urban development.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0803247559/?tag=2022091-20
( The harmonies of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the measured...)
The harmonies of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the measured brush strokes of painter Lloyd Branson, the intricate basket weaving of Maggie Murphy, the influence of the Agrarian literary movement, and the theater barnstorming of actor-manager Sol Smith—such are the sounds, images, and expressions of Tennessee’s arts legacy. Through its interlocking themes of tradition and innovation, A History of Tennessee Arts: Creating Traditions, Expanding Horizons traces the story of the arts in Tennessee from its formal, more academic side to its vernacular expressions of culture, self, and community. Both the formal and the vernacular contribute to an understanding of what the arts mean to Tennesseans and, in turn, what Tennesseans have to offer the culture of the state, the region, and the nation. A history of the arts in the Volunteer State becomes, then, an evolving barometer of not only where we have been as a culture, but also how we have matured as a society. This richly illustrated book, cosponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Tennessee Historical Society, covers the varieties of art in Tennessee in five parts. The visual arts and architecture section includes chapters on vernacular and high style architecture, sculpture, painting and photography, while the section on craft arts celebrates folk arts such as woodcraft, silversmithing, pottery, and textiles. The section on Tennessee’s rich literary history includes such writers as James Agee, Robert Penn Warren, and Evelyn Scott, while the performing arts are represented by a wealth of storytellers along with two centuries of stage history. Finally, Tennessee is home to—and originator of—much of the music that we know as distinctively American. Contributors to the music section examine gospel, blues, rock, soul, and, of course, country music. From prehistoric cave paintings to the “cow punk” of Jason and the Scorchers, from the elegant capitol building of William Strickland to Ballet Memphis, and from the unique cantilevered barns of East Tennessee to the chronicles of Alex Haley, the arts in Tennessee truly celebrate traditions and strive to expand our horizons. The Editor: Carroll Van West is director of the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University and senior editor of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572332395/?tag=2022091-20
( The indelible stamp of the New Deal can be seen acros...)
The indelible stamp of the New Deal can be seen across American in the public works projects that modernized the country even as they provided employment during the Great Depression. Tennessee, in particular, benefited from the surge in federal construction. The New Deal not only left the state with many public buildings and schools that are still in active use, but is conservation and reclamation efforts also changed the lives of Tennesseans for generations to come. In Tennessee’s New Deal Landscape, Caroll Van West examines over 250 historic sites created from 1933 to 1942: courthouses, post offices, community buildings, schools, and museums, along with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Cherokee National Forest, and the dams and reservoirs of the Tennessee Valley Authority. He describes the significant and impact of each project and provides maps to guide readers to the sites described. West discusses architectural styles that are often difficult to identity, and his lively narrative points out some of the paradoxes of New Deal projects-such as the proliferation of leisure parks during the nation’s darkest hours. In highlighting these projects, he shows that Tennessee owes much not only to TVA but also to many other agencies and individuals who left their mark on the landscape through roads, levees, and reforested hillsides as well as buildings. An invaluable resource for travelers as well as scholars, this book reveals a legacy of historic treasures that are well worth preserving. The Author: Carroll Van West is projects manager for the Center of Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University. The author of Tennessee’s Historic Landscapes, he most recently edited the volumes Tennessee History: The Land, the People, and the Culture and the Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. He is also senior editor of the Tennessee Historic Quarterly.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572331089/?tag=2022091-20
West, Carroll Van was born on January 29, 1955 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States. Son of W. C. and Sara Pauline (Van Hooser) W.
Bachelor, Middle Tennessee State University, 1977. Master of Arts, University Tennessee, 1978. Doctor of Philosophy, College of William and Mary, 1982.
Interpreter Colonial Williamsburg (Virginia) Federation, 1978-1981. Research assistant College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, 1979-1980, visiting assistant professor, 1980-1981. History consultant Helena, Montana, 1981-1985.
Associate professor, director Center for History Preservation, MTSU, Murfreesboro, since 1985. Associate fellow Council Great Plains Studies University Nebraska. Director Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.
( The harmonies of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the measured...)
( Focusing on the Clark’s Fort Bottom, a twenty-five-mile...)
( The indelible stamp of the New Deal can be seen acros...)
(Book by Van West, Carroll)
(hardbound)
Member Organization American Historians, Western History Association, Society for Historians of Early Republic, National Trust for History Preservation, American Association State and Local History (research grantee 1983-1984), Tennessee History Society, Vernacular Architecture Forum.
Married Mary Sara Hoffschwelle, November 29, 1980. Children: Owen William, Sara Elizabeth.