Where the Rivers Run North

by Sam Morton

Winner of the Wyoming State Historical Society Award in the Historical Fiction category Experience the untamed beauty of early America in Where the Rivers Run North, a new historical novel from Sam Morton. Morton's extensively researched fiction carries the reader through three eras in the history of Abraska, or what is now southern Montana and northern Wyoming. From the days when Native American tribes dominated the landscape to the hardships of fledgling pioneer life to times of fast-paced modern development, Where the Rivers Run North introduces a shifting cast of characters as intriguing as they are diverse. One thread runs throughout--the figure of the horse, whether running wild on the plains or competing on the racetrack. Where the Rivers Run North has won a first place award in the publications division from the Wyoming State Historical Society. Morton accepted his award at the Society's annual meeting in Gillette, Wyoming on September 6th, 2008. He was nominated by the Sheridan County Historical Society. The committee chose the book as 'a well-written epic for its story of horses; the widely diverse peoples who raised, used, and sold them; and the land that shaped them all." According to the nomination, the author spent over seven years in research and provided much primary source material never before published.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Westerns, Fiction, Native Americans

Hardcover

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

Sam Morton, a native of Southern Pines, North Carolina, has worked as a horse trainer in northern Wyoming and southern Florida for over thirty years. He received a BA in history from Guilford College in 1981 and has written for several publications, including American Cowboy, Polo Players Edition, Sidelines, and Pine Straw Magazine. He resides in Big Horn, Wyoming, during the summer and Wellington, Florida, during the winter.

Reviews

[Donna Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading this book off and on for nine months. Actually I started it but did not get back to it until this week. It is a fictionalized historical account of an area of Montana and Wyoming that spans a time frame from 1840 to 2003. Events are discussed, families are narrated, Native American tribes (Crow, Cheyenne, Shoshone, Arapaho, Sioux, Blackfeet) are followed, and, remarkably, horse lines are traced.
I grew up in the area and only now am seeing this remarkable history. The book is filled with anecdotal stories from Crazy Horse and Custer to the contributions in the various wars — Mexican American, Boer War, WW I, WW II — by Native Americans, the local cowboys, and the massive number of horses trained and sent to these battlegrounds, from Cuba, South Africa, Burma, India, The Philippines and Cuba to England, France, Germany and Italy.
The colorful cowboys, horse thieves, movie stars, rodeo heroes and war heroes, are all painted with historical accuracy. Also covered are the Indian Wars, and the amazing contributions made by Native Americans in every major conflict since the 1800s. I did not know that horses have been bred and trained for polo matches all over the world.
This rich historical anecdotal book also traces the Native American tribes and the white families that have operated the ranches that populated this area with so many cowboys and horses.
A remarkable achievement.

[Noreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Sam Morton, for your labor of love. For anyone who loves the West, MT, WY, ND,SD....and horses or has hiked the Wind Rivers and Teton National Park/Forests. Listed as historical fiction, seems 95% history, 5% unsubstantiated second and third hand anecdotes (guessing). Learned so much about settling the Absaraka, Sheridan WY and Miles City, MT. The difference between a cowboy and a horseman. Some parts are very difficult to read, but worth the pain. Sheridan Inn is still in business. England was not the only country in the late 1800s early 1900s whose second and third sons immigrated as remittance men. Some of their sons became early wave of global entrepreneurs to Africa, Boer War and Kenya. Illuminating the male character. Will have to read Owen Ulph “The Leather Throne.” The British horse ranchers spent time as early Wyoming legislators, 1880-1890 timeframe. Wonder if that’s why Wyoming the first state to pass 1890 legislation for women to vote ? Took additional 30 years for 2/3 states to pass votes for women. Did Wyoming horse ranchers value their women?

[Yvonne Desa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! I've read many many books and this one is top shelf, at least for me. There are many wonderful characters in this book, however; it's main character is the horse. It begins in the year 1844 and ends in current time. The humans in this book go from Crazy Horse, Red Cloud and many other famous American Indians. The author has captured the events from the Indian wars, the working horse, it's cowboys to thoroughbreds. Mr. Morton does take some liberties with this book but I didn't mind at all because it was done in a informative and good way. Bottom line I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about our early American history.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Facts, antidotes ad fiction are woven together and takes the reader through four eras of Absaraka, Montana and part of Wyoming.

It begins with the Native American tribes that lived and hunted in this area. the horse was an interictal part of their everyday existence.

The many characters in the story were all horse owners and made their living; Rodeoing, buying, selling and breeding the very best horse. These horses would win Polo Games, horse derby's and steeple chases.
The families that settled here in the 1860's passed on their land and horses to the next generations.

It was great to read about the history of the area where I live.

[Joyce B. Lohse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Morton's epic tale set in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming and Montana, an area called Absaraka, takes the reader on a long journey through western history. This lengthy historical fiction begins and develops around the life of Crazy Horse, personalizing the trials and tribulations of Native Indians. Friction between hostile tribes, and encroaching development by Eastern pioneers, results in the inevitable cultural clashes, while native people struggle to survive.
Throughout the progression and changes that occur, the common thread is horses. Wild horse herds blend with cavalry horses and breeding stock imported by Europeans to increase the standards and quality of saddle horses in America. While ranches are built and families grow, resources of fine equine stock improve and increase in America. Ranchers in the Big Horn provide U.S. Army Remount programs with trained saddle horses to send to war. Equine sports such as endurance rides, show jumping, and polo thrived during this productive period of saddle horse breeding and training during the early 20th Century.
Morton's book is a long one at well over 500 pages. For a horsewoman, writer, western historian, and equine sports fan, this book was a pager turner from beginning to end. Morton's explanation of complex issues during Western Expansion was direct, illuminating, and diligently researched. His book is a precious treasure which shares important elements of western history in America.

[David Crawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

160 Years of Horses and Horsemen and Horsewomen in America: A book for anyone who loves horses and the history of horses and horsemen and horsewomen in America. It is written as historical fiction and covers a period of almost 160 years, from 1840 thru the close of the twentieth century, starting with the Indian wars and ending with the age of modern horse shows and dude ranches. The story is centered around an area in Southeast Montana and Northeast Wyoming referred to as Abasaraka and includes the towns of Miles City, Montana, and Sheridan, Wyoming, and the surrounding areas. Readers who have a connection with this area of the Mountain West will enjoy the story. The author is to be commended for undertaking such a monumental task and documenting so many of the personal stories relating them as individual vignettes. I felt the book could have been better organized and edited, but I can forgive the author somewhat for this because of the scope of the project he undertook. Despite this criticism, I will recommend this book to all my horse-loving friends. David B. Crawley, M.D. – Author of Steep Turn: A Physician's Journey from Clinic to Cockpit and A Mile of String: A Boy's Recollection of His Midwest Childhood

[Stella Maybury · Rating 1 out of 5]

After a couple of enjoyable opening chapters it appears that the author decided simply to reproduce his research (often in list form) and forego any notion of entertaining or engaging the reader. It felt like ploughing through reports of high school sports games written by a particularly untalented hack, employed by a tiny regional newspaper.
These, for example, within the space of just one little page:
“Horseracing had become the national and the local pasttime. Warren Brewster, Bill Eaton, David Carnahan, Alan Fordyce, and the Bones brothers were part of a racing association that replaced the pioneer racing board of Noll Wallop, Malcolm Moncrieffe, Ridgeley Nicholas, Harold Hilman, Goelet Gallatin, and Johnny Clover” and,
“The 1939 list of future race nominations ran like a Who’s Who of area horseman: Aldersons (Bomes),Eatons, Mary Irion, Brewsters, Forbes, Skinner, Luther Dunning, Dick Glenn, R.T. Helvey, TeePee Lodge, Mrs Annie Laurie Witzel, and Brown Cattle Company, among others.”
The single star is for identifying a potentially interesting subject matter.

[Drpsychorat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book I got halfway through & quit on it. The 1st sec was well written but full of historical inaccuracies which showed the author's biases. The 2nd section was about places in MT & WY where I have visited but the writing was sporadic & character development frequently had nothing to do with the story. I finally gave up b/c of his style after about 300 pages. A disappointment after trying to get into the story.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

My parents have both read this local history of Wyoming. Loving all the stories about Crazy Horse and the conflict between natives of Wyoming in the 1800's and the US Calvary. Looking forward to all of the local insight into this part of Wyoming

[Kaycee Monnens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible adaptations of real western history-makers, following the trail of the incredible equines of Absaraka.

[Ruth Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical aspect of this book is very interesting. I always enjoy learning details of specific areas, Wyoming, Sheridan, Big Horn Mountains area in this case. The first section about the Indian tribes and individuals was my favorite, even though it is also the saddest.
I would like to know which information in is historical and what is fiction- the copyright page has the standard- made up places, people and events paragraph- but that is not really true either.
The first section read like a story- the rest was more like newspaper accounts or reminiscings written down as the person spoke

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another very long book. On the historical side, maybe its necessary. On the casual reading side of things there were too many pages that talked of another battle, more scalpings, and more dead people and animals. I am very glad I finished this book. It was almost fortuitous that a couple months after finishing and discussing this book in my reading group I made a trip to South Dakota and SO MANY of the books facts were right in front of me. We visited the Lakota Museum which was a delight! I’m just not a big history buff, but “seeing” places/rivers/monuments that I had just read about was quite fun!

[Jack Darida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off strong as a history of Native Americans, horses, pioneers, and cavalry in the Yellowstone river valleys of Wyoming and Montana, including notables such as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, George Custer and the US Cavalry. Unfortunately, after the first section, the pace changed and it became a retelling of anecdotes and name dropping. The horses are the one constant throughout the history of the region, from Buffalo hunts to wars to cowboys to rodeos to horse racing and polo. The horses are the true heroes. 3.5 stars.

[Rajmund Dabrowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a newcomer to the Wild West, I am absorbed with history, much of which is book-based, but now settling in Colorado, I am touching the history everywhere I go. Wyoming connects me with the story in Sam Morton's book. Anything about the people who lived here and initially owned the land is a part of my heart. Reminders of the defense of their way of life are what we need these days. They knew it all, we know so little. A great read!

[Carol Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love horses. You will like this book.
If you love Western history. You will like this book.
If you like books written by an author who lives amidst the history he writes about you will learn a lot.

This book really does exemplify the past when horses were a huge part of the US economy and how they bore their influence even all the way to England from Sheridan, Wyoming.

Great read!

[Jessi-Lyn Reuter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived where this book is based and as an avid lover of the western culture this book is a passionate read about the western way of life and how horses shaped and contributed to the development of the Powder River Basin. It touches both on the rise and fall of horse culture from the indigenous tribes and their horses to the last true cowboys.

[bear.hare · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a must read for horse lovers. So much fascinating information. Got me excited for visiting Yellowstone NP and surrounding area soon.
Perhaps misnamed as historical fiction? Seemed more like a narrative nonfiction, but the “fiction” label had me wondering what was true and what wasn’t. Also several parts needed some editing, but overall a very interesting read.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really feel like this book tried to cover too many people, places and time periods. Because of that, this book seemed disjointed and scattered. Some parts are painful to read, how the Indian tribes were treated but especially the treatment of the horses. We read this for our book club so it will be interesting to hear everyone’s opinions.

[K.E. Lanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book! We were headed to Wyoming and the Sheridan area, and a friend recommended this historical fiction book on the history of the Big Horn Mtns. I really enjoyed the great stories of real folks who lived in the area. A horse person’s delight!

[James Boles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

The history is unbelievable. It is impossible to put down. This story is entertaining and the fact that it is all true is inspiring.

[Amanda Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A winded collection of raw, beautifully and honestly told tales of a time long forgotten.

[Christina Crooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good, loved all the history it!!!!

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a classic. Not my normal read but really liked it. Part of my summer of reading Western novels.

[bert-bobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Read about 25% and that was all about the people and interesting details.

[Bill P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morton's tome has a disclaimer on the CIP page that it is a work of fiction and undoubtedly he used a fair amount of imagination bringing the historical characters to life but this is much more a history of a region than any kind of narrative drive. Starting with a fanciful imagining of the life of Crazy Horse through his death at the hands of soldiers while in custody, the book uses the Indian wars as a stage setter for the people that followed into the Montana-Wyoming region known as Absarka. After the Indian wars concluded the book becomes mostly a tale of the men and women who raised what were then and apparantly are still world reknown thoroughbred horses through good times and bad, bitterly cold winters, supplying army's with horses for duty and battle, people with the famous and unknowns. The lack of narrative drive should have been a drawback for the book, but somehow it was compelling reading at the same time.

[Reff Girl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hardly ever quit something, but I reached page 12 and surrendered. There was no way I could continue to read this book. The author failed to grasp and hold a reader with a sense of wonder and place and who's use of dialogue bordered on parody. How can you turn the Big Horn mountains into a crushing bore? Mr. Morton clearly spells out that this is a work of fiction, but when you so poorly document actual quotes that you use, it makes me question your initial research.

For readers who want readable Western history about this era, seek authors like Robert Utley, Peter Hassrick, and William Goetzmann

[Damon · Rating 3 out of 5]

a historical novel about the area where i was born and raised. given to me by my aunt. the book has a few editing problems such as repeated phrases. i think it's a good description of the geography of the region, with some good characters. the author is very flattering of the region, so i like him for that!