Ox Cart to Automobile
Social Change in Western New York
Published on 16. August 2009
250 pages
978-0-7618-8890-1 (ISBN)
Description
This book explores changes in economic fortunes, social life, and political issues over 200 years in western New York. Why did villages spring up in particular locations in 1820? Why did dairy farming expand during the 1850s and then contract in the 1920? Why have so many factories in western New York closed their doors since World War II?
As the ox cart was replaced by the railroad, which in turn was replaced by the automobile, men and women in western New York were faced with the option to choose to farm in new ways or live and work in new places. In this book, Native Americans and early settlers, dairy farmers and milk factories, husbands and wives on the farm, shopkeepers and customers in the villages are viewed as players in a social game, each trying to score well.
As the ox cart was replaced by the railroad, which in turn was replaced by the automobile, men and women in western New York were faced with the option to choose to farm in new ways or live and work in new places. In this book, Native Americans and early settlers, dairy farmers and milk factories, husbands and wives on the farm, shopkeepers and customers in the villages are viewed as players in a social game, each trying to score well.
More details
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
10/2009
University Press of America
€62.60
Shipment within 10-20 days
Person
Thomas Rasmussen is emeritus professor of political science and environmental studies at Alfred University. He has lived for thirty-five years in Allegany County, New York, where he enjoyed hiking the Finger Lakes Trail and walking the streets of local villages.
Content
Chapter 1 1. Organizing Ideas: Central Place and Prisoner's Dilemma
Part 2 The Importance of Transportation Costs
Part 3 Specialization and Economies of Scale
Part 4 Politics and Game Theory
Part 5 Why Focus on One Western New York County?
Chapter 6 2. Distance, Elevation, and Early Settlement Decisions
Part 7 The Legacy of Rocks and Ice
Part 8 Where Did Early Migrants Choose to Settle?
Part 9 Friends, Neighbors, and Early Settlement
Part 10 Early Farms and Distance from Commerical Centers
Part 11 Elevation and Early Settlement
Part 12 Local Villages as Central Places
Part 13 Road Building in Allegany County
Chapter 14 3. Making Farms and Raising Crops: 1810-1850
Part 15 The Collapse of Iroquois Power in Western New York
Part 16 Creditors and Debtors: Land Speculators and Early Settlers
Part 17 Carving a Farm in the Wilderness
Part 18 Standard of Living in the Frontier Cabin
Part 19 Beginnings of the Dairy Industry
Part 20 Conflict and Cooperation: Games Among Neighbors
Part 21 Politics: Local Factions, Whigs and Democrats
Part 22 Taming Nature and Building Homes
Chapter 23 4. The Western New York Farm at Mid-Century
Part 24 Transition from Subsistence to Cash Crop Farming
Part 25 The VIllage as Commercial Center
Part 26 A Snapshot of Typical Farms in 1855
Part 27 Centers and Backwaters: Variation Among Towns in 1855
Part 28 The Promise of Agricultural Life
Part 29 Politics and Civil War
Chapter 30 Dairy Farming, Commerce, and Rural Industry: 1865-1900
Part 31 Dairy Farming in Western New York
Part 32 A Portrait of Two Allegany Towns in 1875
Part 33 Commercial Growth in Fillmore and Wellsville
Part 34 Farmers and Village Merchants: Another Prisoner's Dilemma Game
Part 35 Maintaining Community Values
Part 36 Women's Role as Manager of the Home
Part 37 Manufacturing in Western New York Villages
Part 38 Political Party Competition: Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion
Chapter 39 6. The Automobile and Rural Decline: 1900-1950
Part 40 Quality of Rural Life
Part 41 The Decline of Dairy
Part 42 Politics of Agricultural Decline
Part 43 Impact of the Automobile
Part 44 Housing Styles in the Automobile Age
Chapter 45 7. Life in a Barely Agricultual Western New York: 1950-Present
Part 46 Changes in the Rural Economy
Part 47 Future of the Western New York Dairy Farm
Part 48 Population Trends in Allegany County
Part 49 Measuring Economic and Social Well-Being
Part 50 The Automobile and Housing Patterns
Part 51 Local Political Issues in a Larger Society
Part 52 The Changing Landscape: From Pasture to Forest
Part 53 Today's Economica Challenges and Opportunities
Chapter 54 Bibliography
Chapter 55 About the Author
Part 2 The Importance of Transportation Costs
Part 3 Specialization and Economies of Scale
Part 4 Politics and Game Theory
Part 5 Why Focus on One Western New York County?
Chapter 6 2. Distance, Elevation, and Early Settlement Decisions
Part 7 The Legacy of Rocks and Ice
Part 8 Where Did Early Migrants Choose to Settle?
Part 9 Friends, Neighbors, and Early Settlement
Part 10 Early Farms and Distance from Commerical Centers
Part 11 Elevation and Early Settlement
Part 12 Local Villages as Central Places
Part 13 Road Building in Allegany County
Chapter 14 3. Making Farms and Raising Crops: 1810-1850
Part 15 The Collapse of Iroquois Power in Western New York
Part 16 Creditors and Debtors: Land Speculators and Early Settlers
Part 17 Carving a Farm in the Wilderness
Part 18 Standard of Living in the Frontier Cabin
Part 19 Beginnings of the Dairy Industry
Part 20 Conflict and Cooperation: Games Among Neighbors
Part 21 Politics: Local Factions, Whigs and Democrats
Part 22 Taming Nature and Building Homes
Chapter 23 4. The Western New York Farm at Mid-Century
Part 24 Transition from Subsistence to Cash Crop Farming
Part 25 The VIllage as Commercial Center
Part 26 A Snapshot of Typical Farms in 1855
Part 27 Centers and Backwaters: Variation Among Towns in 1855
Part 28 The Promise of Agricultural Life
Part 29 Politics and Civil War
Chapter 30 Dairy Farming, Commerce, and Rural Industry: 1865-1900
Part 31 Dairy Farming in Western New York
Part 32 A Portrait of Two Allegany Towns in 1875
Part 33 Commercial Growth in Fillmore and Wellsville
Part 34 Farmers and Village Merchants: Another Prisoner's Dilemma Game
Part 35 Maintaining Community Values
Part 36 Women's Role as Manager of the Home
Part 37 Manufacturing in Western New York Villages
Part 38 Political Party Competition: Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion
Chapter 39 6. The Automobile and Rural Decline: 1900-1950
Part 40 Quality of Rural Life
Part 41 The Decline of Dairy
Part 42 Politics of Agricultural Decline
Part 43 Impact of the Automobile
Part 44 Housing Styles in the Automobile Age
Chapter 45 7. Life in a Barely Agricultual Western New York: 1950-Present
Part 46 Changes in the Rural Economy
Part 47 Future of the Western New York Dairy Farm
Part 48 Population Trends in Allegany County
Part 49 Measuring Economic and Social Well-Being
Part 50 The Automobile and Housing Patterns
Part 51 Local Political Issues in a Larger Society
Part 52 The Changing Landscape: From Pasture to Forest
Part 53 Today's Economica Challenges and Opportunities
Chapter 54 Bibliography
Chapter 55 About the Author
