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Winning of America #5
Gateway to Empire
Alternate cover art for ISBN 0-553-26010-3
With his unmatched ability to bring our vibrant early history to life, Allan W. Eckert now presents his latest saga of the battle for the North American wilderness. Here, in all its fascinating human drama, is the struggle to control the "gateway to empire"--Chicago Portage, the vital link between the East and the untapped riches of the west. Caught up in the turbulent sweep of events are two men--John Kinzie, a successful trader with a heroic taste for a new frontiers who fought to live in mutual respect with the Indians, and Tecumseh the Shawnee leader, a man of unparalleled wisdom and courage who would see his dream of a united Indian empire betrayed. As the British move toward the war 1812 both men and their people would be trapped in a tragic conflict that would threaten the land they so passionately loved.
With his unmatched ability to bring our vibrant early history to life, Allan W. Eckert now presents his latest saga of the battle for the North American wilderness. Here, in all its fascinating human drama, is the struggle to control the "gateway to empire"--Chicago Portage, the vital link between the East and the untapped riches of the west. Caught up in the turbulent sweep of events are two men--John Kinzie, a successful trader with a heroic taste for a new frontiers who fought to live in mutual respect with the Indians, and Tecumseh the Shawnee leader, a man of unparalleled wisdom and courage who would see his dream of a united Indian empire betrayed. As the British move toward the war 1812 both men and their people would be trapped in a tragic conflict that would threaten the land they so passionately loved.
806 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 1984
4 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Allan W. Eckert
80 books293 followersAllan W. Eckert was an American historian, historical novelist, and naturalist.
Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but had been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended college. As a young man, he hitch-hiked around the United States, living off the land and learning about wildlife. He began writing about nature and American history at the age of thirteen, eventually becoming an author of numerous books for children and adults. His children's novel, Incident at Hawk's Hill, was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1972. One of his novels tells how the great auk went extinct.
In addition to his novels, he also wrote several unproduced screenplays and more than 225 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom television shows for which he received an Emmy Award.
In a 1999 poll conducted by the Ohioana Library Association, jointly with Toni Morrison, Allan W. Eckert was voted "Favorite Ohio Writer of All Time."
Eckert died in his sleep on July 7, 2011, in Corona, California, at the age of 80.
Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but had been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended college. As a young man, he hitch-hiked around the United States, living off the land and learning about wildlife. He began writing about nature and American history at the age of thirteen, eventually becoming an author of numerous books for children and adults. His children's novel, Incident at Hawk's Hill, was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1972. One of his novels tells how the great auk went extinct.
In addition to his novels, he also wrote several unproduced screenplays and more than 225 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom television shows for which he received an Emmy Award.
In a 1999 poll conducted by the Ohioana Library Association, jointly with Toni Morrison, Allan W. Eckert was voted "Favorite Ohio Writer of All Time."
Eckert died in his sleep on July 7, 2011, in Corona, California, at the age of 80.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 26, 2014
Alan Eckert’s novel, “Gateway to Empire,” covers a vast sweep of time and territory. The novel roughly follows an earlier book, “The Wilderness War, “in the author’s Winning of America series. “The Wilderness War” depicts rebellion of the Ottawa war chief Pontiac and the pro-French Native American’s eventual defeat. “Gateway to Empire” begins at that point and follows Pontiac in his later years. It continues through his eventual assassination by a Peoria warrior. Eckert transitions at this point from Pontiac to what will be the focus of the remained or the book, a white English trader by the name of John Kenzie and a Shawnee lower chief called Tecumseh and Tecumseh’s power hungry sibling nicknamed The Prophet.
Kinzie is an odd protagonist for an American novel as he is a staunch English monarchist in the British controlled Illinois country until he faces financial ruin supporting tribes who were vainly attempting to stem American encroachment into Ohio. After initial successes the tribes are led into disaster. Following the American victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Kinzie switches allegiance and becomes an American completely dedicated to the conquest of Illinois and the slim flatlands located by the Chicago River that divided the Mississippi watershed and the Great Lakes known as the Overland Portage. Control of that thin stretch of land would be a gold mine to the young American Republic and Kinzie plans to become the greatest tradesman of region. Standing in the way of these grandiose plans are the Native Americans who are being cleverly recruited into a Pan-Indian alliance inspired by Tecumseh and The Prophet.
The story is epic and masterfully told by a man who knows the time period. The founding of Chicago and the Fort Dearborn Massacre are both described in detail and had me on the edge of my seat.
Ekert’s novels can be hard to read and few of the principal characters are portrayed as complete innocents. He never moralizes or judges, he lets the descriptions of the events and facts speak for themselves. It is this type of historical narrative that I find most appealing. I would strongly recommend this book to those interested in the early American frontier.
Kinzie is an odd protagonist for an American novel as he is a staunch English monarchist in the British controlled Illinois country until he faces financial ruin supporting tribes who were vainly attempting to stem American encroachment into Ohio. After initial successes the tribes are led into disaster. Following the American victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, Kinzie switches allegiance and becomes an American completely dedicated to the conquest of Illinois and the slim flatlands located by the Chicago River that divided the Mississippi watershed and the Great Lakes known as the Overland Portage. Control of that thin stretch of land would be a gold mine to the young American Republic and Kinzie plans to become the greatest tradesman of region. Standing in the way of these grandiose plans are the Native Americans who are being cleverly recruited into a Pan-Indian alliance inspired by Tecumseh and The Prophet.
The story is epic and masterfully told by a man who knows the time period. The founding of Chicago and the Fort Dearborn Massacre are both described in detail and had me on the edge of my seat.
Ekert’s novels can be hard to read and few of the principal characters are portrayed as complete innocents. He never moralizes or judges, he lets the descriptions of the events and facts speak for themselves. It is this type of historical narrative that I find most appealing. I would strongly recommend this book to those interested in the early American frontier.
May 23, 2011
Finished on the front porch with Candy purring in my lap. Nice December day.
July 31, 2020
This was a very long historical account of how the settlers from Europe came and moved in on the Native Americans land. They kept pushing the Native Americans further west. It takes place in Illinois
near Chicago and also the Detroit area. The British tried to get the Native Americans to help them fight the Americans in the War of 1812 in this area. There are battles, scalping, and killings. John Kinzie was a successful American trader who was respected by the Native Americans. Tecumseh was an important Native American who had a large following. Many Native American tribes were mentioned in this book that I did not know came from that area. They came west due to being forced away from their own lands.
near Chicago and also the Detroit area. The British tried to get the Native Americans to help them fight the Americans in the War of 1812 in this area. There are battles, scalping, and killings. John Kinzie was a successful American trader who was respected by the Native Americans. Tecumseh was an important Native American who had a large following. Many Native American tribes were mentioned in this book that I did not know came from that area. They came west due to being forced away from their own lands.
January 1, 2020
Another excellent narrative in an excellent series. Focusing in and around the Western banks of Lake Michigan between present day Chicago and Milwaukee this is the story of the conflict between a young and united nation and Indian population. It's a dynamic tale which challenges the popular and incomplete narrative which blandly declares "we took their land". In short it's true, but that's the story in short for human civilization, everywhere throughout recorded history and books like this and the others in this series explain it so richly and even handedly they you realize all parties had heroes and villains amongst them.
October 26, 2017
One the greatest series ever. Readable real history.
May 13, 2021
Such interesting historical facts!
July 20, 2021
The detailing of characters, event descriptions were all to-the-point.
April 11, 2024
Such horrific atrocities on all sides stemming from lies and greed.
March 19, 2025
All eckert books are well researched and a great read into America's past... Own all of them!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews