The Creation of a Legendary Event

by Shanna Hatfield

 Although I write both contemporary and historical sweet romances, I love researching tidbits from the past for my historical books. One resource I often turn to when I'm writing my Pendleton Petticoats series is the online version of the town's newspaper from back in the day. Browsing through the newspaper gives me a general idea of what life was like at that particular time. 

The advertisements alone offer such an amazing peek into the past, a clear look at popular fashions, and words that may have been all the rage. The newsworthy events and articles also help me create a realistic world for my fictional characters. 

 Lately, I've had my nose buried in information from the autumn of 1910 for the latest book in the series. During that time, the very first Pendleton Round-Up took place in conjunction with the annual county fair. 

For nearly an entire month leading up to the events, the newspaper published at least one article (sometimes more) about the fair and rodeo each day. Excitement for this new event, a never-before-experienced rodeo, nearly leaped off the lines of print.

In fact, thoughts of the rodeo created so much anticipation, special trains were scheduled to run between Portland and Pendleton to bring in visitors for the event. 

Organizers came up with the idea of the rodeo to bring back what they felt was a fleeting way of life. They wanted the Pendleton Round-Up to be a "frontier exhibition of picturesque pastimes, Indian and military spectacles, cowboy racing and bronco busting." 

For the initial show, all the stores in town closed and 7,000 spectators descended on the arena with hundreds more left outside the gates because of a lack of seats. In true Pendleton style, workers hastily constructed an additional 3,000 seats before the second performance the next afternoon.

In addition to the rodeo events, the Pendleton Round-Up held a Westward Ho Parade (a completely non-motorized parade that continues today) and also crowned the first rodeo queen.

And the phrase "Let 'er Buck" was introduced as the tagline that was soon on everyone's lips as they marveled at a presentation unlike any they'd witnessed.

As I wrote my story, I did my best to imbue that sense of excitement and wonder that swept through the town as the very first Pendleton Round-Up took place. The only years the rodeo wasn't held was  during World War II.

When I thought about the cover for this book, it seemed only natural to include a real Pendleton Round-Up Princess in her hand-made leathers.

Dally, Book 8 in the Pendleton Petticoats series debuts May 18!

***

She’s ready to spread her wing and fly…

            He’s scrambling to set down roots.

Unconventional, Dally Douglas is as likely to be found wearing her brother’s britches and riding a horse as she is dressed in lace-trimmed finery sipping tea in the parlor. With no plans to wed, she convinces her family to allow her to stay at their ranch in Oregon. Free and unfettered, she plans to remain that way, even when the town’s beloved young doctor returns home and captures both her interest and her heart.

Charismatic, handsome, and dedicated to his work, Doctor Nik Nash finally makes his way back to Pendleton. After years of studying and gaining hands-on experience, Nik is excited to bring his skills and knowledge to the place he calls home. Focused on his career, he has no time for a woman, especially not one as lively, fascinating, and enchanting as Dally Douglas.

When a freak accident brings the two of them together, their stubborn determination may cost them the chance to know true love.

Bursting with sweet romance, this tender yet lighthearted story draws readers into a world of rustic elegant charm.

 ***

And if any of you read Dacey (American Mail-Order Brides series), Dally just happens to be her feisty daughter!

 

 For more information about the Pendleton Petticoat series, you can find the books here:
  Dacey (Prequel)
  Aundy (Book 1)
  Caterina (Book 2)
  Ilsa (Book 3)
  Marnie (Book 4)
  Lacy (Book 5)
  Bertie (Book 6)
  Millie (Book 7)
  Dally (Book 8)

***

On a side note, don't forget to download your Grandma's Wedding Quilt series (if you haven't already) while the books are on sale for only 99 cents! They also make great gifts for Mom!

You can find all 12 stories on Amazon!

The Prequel is always 99 cents.

Books 2-7 are on sale through May 14.

Books 8-12 are on sale May 12-16.

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.” Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, this hopeless romantic is out to make it happen, one story at a time. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. Please connect with Shanna online. She loves to hear from readers.

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | Pinterest

Wheat Harvest

by Shanna Hatfield

Due to spring arriving about a month early this year, wheat harvest has begun in our area. Just the other day, we noticed the number of fields that had already been harvested. Soon, smoke will fill the sky as the farmers burn off the stubble and prepare the fields for another year.

In my Pendleton Petticoats series is set in Pendleton, Oregon, in the early 1900s, several of the stories include scenes of wheat harvest.

Back in the early years of the twentieth century, Umatilla County (where Pendleton is located) produced approximately one percent of the nation’s wheat crop. Wheat harvest brought workers to town, provided income for families, and was quite an event.

It was also a lot of hot, sweaty, backbreaking work. Growing up on a farm, I write from experience about the dusty, itchy chaff that makes the air thick and hard to breathe.

When I looked for visual inspiration, I found several photos taken in the general area.

This photo was taken in 1903 in Sherman County, Oregon. (If you’ve read the Grass Valley series, it is set in Sherman County.)
Although I had a general idea of what each piece of equipment on the machine did, I had no idea how to describe it.

 

This was another photo that provided a great visual of exactly how I pictured wheat harvest at Nash’s Folly, the main ranch in the Pendleton Petticoats series. Taken in 1902 in Walla Walla, WA, this photo shows not only the machine, but also the rolling, hilly fields prevalent in the area.

This photo, also from the oldoregonphotos.com website, shows the team of 32 pulling a hillside harvester in 1900. Because of the rolling hills, the farmers needed a machine that wouldn’t tip over on the steep inclines.

 

And here’s a crew in the early 1900s sitting with bags of golden kernels  near Arlington, OR. The woman on the end doesn’t look particularly excited to be there- but if I had to cook for a threshing crew in the unbearable summer heat dressed in layers of petticoats and long sleeves, I’d probably look really, really grumpy.

 

I also found this awesome photo that shows walls created with 100,000 sacks of wheat near Pendleton. Mission is on the Umatilla Reservation.

After gathering the historic photos and studying them, I still had no idea how to describe the equipment, so I contacted my dad and asked his sage advice. I emailed him a couple of the photos. He called me and told me what all the parts and pieces were as well as giving me the names of the different jobs of each man on the equipment.

The jigger sewed the sacks shut once they were filled. The tender made sure the cutter was going where it was supposed to while the skinner drove the team. I had no idea!

My dad, who comes from a long line of farmers, also spent several years after he and my mother first wed working in Pendleton in the early 1950s. He had first-hand experience with the terrain, the hillside harvesters, and even told me why so many of the farmers preferred mules to horses (because the mules could go all day without a problem and the horses often got sores or sick.)

As I watch the modern equipment bring in this year's crop, it makes me think of those long ago days when  a legion of four-legged and human workers were needed to harvest the wheat.

~*~ 

  

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, USA Today best-selling author Shanna Hatfield is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with relatable characters.

   When this hopeless romantic isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Contact the Author:

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Newsletter | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

Songs of Yesteryear

by Shanna Hatfield

I had such fun reading Kathryn Albright's post about cowboy music yesterday, I thought I'd continue down a musical road today.

From the time I was five until the end of my junior year of high school, my mother carted me into town once a week for a piano lesson.

Not a particularly eager student, I begrudgingly went each week mostly because it meant I'd get some sort of treat on the way home.

By the time I hit high school, I could play fairly well, although there were no hopes on my horizon for being the next great concert pianist. In fact, I much preferred to accompany members of the choir than perform solo.

One afternoon, while my mother perused summer-weight material for a new dress at the fabric shop in town, I wandered to the music store next door to browse through the latest sheet music arrivals.

As though I could hear the tinny rag-time music calling my name, a thick book of sheet music jumped out at me.

Favorite Songs of the Nineties (Dover Publications, Inc.) offered the complete original sheet music for 89 songs popular around the turn of the 20th century.

As I flipped through the array of fascinating tunes, I wondered why my music teacher had been holding back on me so long. Forget about Beethoven and Mozart — here was the music that sang to my heart.

The staggering price of the book (when you're fifteen and still on an allowance) did little to deter my enthusiasm. I had to have it. Scraping every bit of change from the bottom of my purse, I excitedly purchased the book.

Broke but determined, I went home and spent several hours that evening acquainting myself with songs such as After the Ball, The Bird on Nellie's Hat, In the Good Old Summertime, and Waltz me Around Again Willie.

Where had these wonderful songs been all my life? I probably drove my family nuts that summer, playing those old tunes over and over again until I had the notes and lyrics memorized. (At least I was practicing the piano of my own free will — a huge change from past summers in my childhood!)

I still have that book of sheet music and it has served me well as I write sweet historical romances set in the 1890s and 1900s.

It's fun to incorporate some of these songs that have become so familiar to me into the stories of characters who have become my friends.

In my new release Bertie, I included one of my favorite songs because the lyrics are so fun and flirty and fit so well into the story.

If you've never heard Coax Me, here's a peek at the opening lyrics:
"A night in June,
A lovely moon,
Beneath the trees two dusky lovers wooing,
He softly sighs,
She rolls her eyes..."

Some other tunes from the book of sheet music you might recognize include:

Bicycle Built for Two

I Love You Truly 

In My Merry Oldsmobile

Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage 

Sweet Rosie O'Grady

Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay!

The Band Played On 

The Fountain in the Park

Waltz Me Around Again, Willie

While Strolling Through the Park One Day

 

~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, this hopeless romantic  is out to make it happen, one story at a time. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

 Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

 Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

Dresses I've Wished For

 by Shanna Hatfield

If I'm not wearing jeans and boots, I love to dress up. Yes, my friends think I'm weird, but what can I say... I totally am.

But I love dresses. Adore them, even.

This affection started way back in my childhood. Over the years, there have been any number of dresses that have left me completely enchanted.

Remember the dress Mary Poppins wore when she and Bert and the kids took a jolly holiday to the country?

The first time I saw this frothy white confection with the red accents and the fantastic red waist, I wanted it. I longed for it. I dreamed about it. I wanted the entire outfit, minus the parasol. It seemed trifling in comparison to this wonderful amazing dress, hat, and shoes.

Not long after my obsession for Mary’s dress calmed down, I saw Gone with the Wind. Oh, how I wanted to have Scarlett’s wardrobe. But more than anything, I wanted one dress in particular:

This beauty.

It may have been because of the color. It could have been because her waist looked so tiny and perfect in it and at that time mine was a whopping 19 1/2 inches (oh, how much I miss those days). Or maybe it was because she seemed so sassy and determined and I wanted to be like her.
Whatever the reason, I wanted this dress with a longing that went beyond description.

There have been many dress obsessions since the days of my teen years when all this longing began. Like the ice-blue Jessica McClintock dress I wanted my junior year. I tried it on multiple times, begged and pleaded with my mother, trying to rationalize why I needed a $200 dress to wear once and finally resigned myself to the fact that some girl luckier than me would be enjoying the beautiful creation.

My senior year, I fell in love with a mermaid style dress that was quite similar, in fact, to the bombshell design Rosemary Clooney wore in White Christmas.

She looked amazing. I loved every single thing about this dress from the dramatic neckline to fun mermaid skirt.

From there, my interest journeyed back several decades to  leg o'mutton sleeves.
 

I’m was so fascinated by them, in fact, I altered my wedding dress pattern to include the poufy design.

I love the beautiful details of gowns from the 1890s, like the one shown above.

 I've also got a place in my heart for Gibson Girl styles and the drawings of Charles Dana Gibson.

 

The women looked so undeniably feminine. Their clothes – they intrigue me so.

Gibson Girl was the first national beauty standard for American women. Her neck was thin and her hair piled high upon her head in the contemporary bouffant, pompadour, and chignon ("waterfall of curls") fashions. The statuesque, narrow-waisted ideal feminine figure was portrayed as being at ease and stylish.

Speaking of stylish,  who wouldn’t want to be dressed in Rose’s wardrobe from Titanic.

I’ve always wanted a hat that could take somebody out from three-feet away.

Seriously, though, I love the look and style of the Edwardian era. It's by far my favorite.
The clothes are so pretty...

So elegant...

And make me wish I had the opportunity to wear such amazing fashions.


I keep thinking I’ll get over my obsession with beautiful clothes. So far, it hasn’t happened. While I continue dreaming of some day attending a real ball, I'm hosting an online version instead.

I hope you'll join me April 7 for the second annual Petticoat Ball on Facebook.  In addition to games, giveaways, guest authors and oodles of fun, you can share a picture of the gown you would wear to the ball if it was something you could attend in person. One lucky winner will receive a $10 gift card and be named "Queen of the Ball."

To enter, just share the photo of your gown here: http://tinyurl.com/pb2dresses

And gents are welcome to post their formal wear, too!

Hope to see you at the ball! (I'm still "shopping" for my dress!).

~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Convinced everyone deserves a happy ending, this hopeless romantic  is out to make it happen, one story at a time. When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

 Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

 Shanna loves to hear from readers. Follow her online at:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

 

Dacey - a feisty American Mail-Order Bride

  by Shanna Hatfield

A few of my fellow Sweet American Sweetheart Authors and I joined in a fun project to create a series of mail-order bride stories covering all 50 states.

American Mail-Order Brides has been a fun project and it is very exciting to watch the enthusiasm of our readers as each book releases. Beginning back on Nov. 19, one book releases each day until all 50 are available through Amazon.

My contribution to the series is Dacey: Bride of North Carolina.
 
I had absolutely no idea what to write when I chose North Carolina as my state, but then my "what if" imagination kicked into gear.

We all started with a common thread for our stories - a factory fire in Massachusetts. What if my girl had just arrived in town from a place in the West and didn't even have time to unpack her trunk before she found herself in a desperate situation. One so desperate, in fact, that it spurred her on to answer an advertisement for a mail-order bride.

To add a little twist to the story, I thought what if the groom had no idea about the ad. Instead, his meddling, yet well-meaning mother is the instigator of the plea for a wife.

Then I took at a step further. What if the groom was a wealthy plantation owner and the bride was a tomboy who likes to ride and shoot and is a feisty, fearless challenge for him.

Do you ever play "what if" as you go through your day?  

 ~*~ 

A conniving mother, a reluctant groom and a desperate bride make for a lively adventure full of sweet romance.

Braxton Douglas spends his days managing the family’s plantation and blissfully avoiding the state of matrimony. Unbeknownst to him, his mother tires of waiting for him to choose a wife and sends for a mail-order bride. When the woman arrives, ready to wed, Braxton has his work cut out for him if he plans to remain unaffected by the lively, lovely Dacey.

Dacey Butler has nothing to lose when she agrees to travel to North Carolina to marry a stranger. Eager for an opportunity to put her past behind her and enjoy a new beginning, she embraces the adventure of traveling south to marry a man she thinks is a simple farmer. Upon her arrival in Asheville, she immediately decides Braxton Douglas has no idea of her existence, and there is nothing simple about the man.

The free prequel to the series can be found HERE.
Dacey: Bride of North Carolina is book 12 in the series.

 ~*~ 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is convinced everyone deserves a happy ending and is out to make it happen, one story at a time. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances combine humor and heart-pumping moments with characters that seem incredibly real.

When she isn’t writing or indulging in chocolate (dark and decadent, please), Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

The author is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, Romance Writers of America, Sweet Romance Reads, and Pioneer Hearts.

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online:

ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

Make sure you sign up for her newsletter to get the latest on new releases and exclusive giveaways!

Newsletter

Zeppole

by Shanna Hatfield

When I'm researching details for one of my historical romances, I never quite know what adventures it will lead to.
Sometimes they can be quite tasty.

When I wrote Caterina (the second book in the Pendleton Petticoats series), I researched the type of food an Italian girl who loves to cook might make in the early 1900s. I even decided to try a few recipes.

Lucky enough to stumble across a cookbook, Italian Cooking, written by Dorothy Daly in 1900, it really helped me know the types of ingredients Caterina would have used and had available as well as cooking methods.

Of my experiments, Captain Cavedweller liked Zeppole the most. 

Zeppole are Italian pastries, deep-fried of various sizes (especially if I’m the one making them!). Typically, they are about four inches in diameter.

I almost had to beat CC away with my spatula when I made these because he ate them about as fast as I cooked them.

Rich and yeasty, they were really simple to make and amazingly tasty.

Start with some very basic ingredients.

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together and set aside.

Mix yeast with warm water and let set about five minutes.

Lightly whip eggs into yeast.

Then add the flour mixture. The dough will be really sticky – not like bread dough.

Set in a warm spot, cover with a dish towel and let rise for about 20 minutes. Stir it back down and repeat the process. Can’t you almost smell the yest with those delicious looking bubbles in the dough?

Heat about four cups of oil in a heavy saucepan (you want a couple inches of oil in there) and heat over medium-high heat until a bit of dough dropped in sizzles. Drop a heaping spoon of dough (carefully!) into the oil and fry until golden brown. These sweet little babies turn themselves over so you don’t have to, unless you want to, then by all means- go right ahead!

While the Zeppole cool enough to be handled, scoop some powdered sugar into a lunch bag. Drop in a piece of the fried dough and give it a good shake then be prepared to fight people off.

You can also mix up some cinnamon and sugar…

And roll them around in it.

See wasn’t that easy?

Zeppole
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. instant yeast
1 cup warm water
3 eggs
Mix flour, sugar and salt then set aside.
Empty yeast into a large bowl with warm water. Stir until dissolved then let rest about five minutes.
Add in eggs and whip lightly then add flour and stir until well mixed.
Cover bowl with a dish towel and set in a warm place for 20 minutes. Stir down the dough and let rise again before frying.
Heat a heavy-duty pan of oil on medium-high heat until a drop of dough sizzles in the pan.
Drop a tablespoon full of the dough (think in terms of the size of a plum) into the oil, being carefully not to burn yourself on any splatters and cook until golden brown. The Zeppole turn themselves over when they are cooking, which is fun to watch.
Drain on paper towels or paper bags (to soak up the grease) then drench in sugar. I liked powdered sugar best and CC preferred cinnamon and sugar. Either is delicious.
You can also serve these with fruit or whipped cream, if you so desire. (Or stand over the bag with powdered sugar devouring these like a ravenous beast.)

~*~

  A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.” She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Romance Writers of America.  

Find Shanna’s books at: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple  

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online: ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

Images of the Past by Shanna Hatfield

The fifth book in the Pendleton Petticoats series led me down the road of researching the Umatilla Indian Reservation during the early years of the 20th century. One of the best resources I've found for gleaning the details I need is through a collection of photographs from Lee Moorhouse.

Moorhouse was a photographer and an Indian agent for the Umatilla Indian Reservation. From 1888 to 1916, he produced more than 9,000 images documenting urban, rural, and Native American life in the Columbia Basin, particularly in Umatilla County, Oregon, where the reservation is located. Born in Marion County, Iowa, as a child Moorhouse traveled along the Oregon Trail to Walla Walla, Washington with his family in the 1860s. He worked as a miner, surveyor, rancher, businessman, civic leader, real estate operator and insurance salesman during his lifetime. In addition to acting as an Indian agent from 1879 to 1883, he served as Assistant Adjutant General of the Third Brigade of the Oregon State Militia. Unlike most amateur photographers of the time, Moorhouse worked with and mastered the cumbersome and finicky equipment of professionals, including gelatin dry glass plate negatives, large cameras, and a tripod. Many of his photographs exhibit a keen eye and deep appreciation for his subject matter that went far beyond the amateur. His photographs of the Cayuse, Walla Walla and Umatilla tribes are not only of historical significance, but also incredibly crisp and beautiful. Moorhouse owned an extensive collection of Native American "curios" including baskets, weapons, regalia, bags and horse trappings--from a variety of tribal cultures. He exhibited the collection at local fairs and used it to adorn people who came to sit for portraits. Like so many photographs from that era, the posed portraits aren't considered accurate ethnographic documents. However, the images taken on the reservation are important records of tribal clothing and dwellings. Moorhouse collected so much more than images with his photographs since he commonly inscribed the name of the subject on his negatives. This information has played an important role in identifying members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. I thought I'd share a few of my favorites from his collection.

The "Cayuse Twins" (Al-om-pum and Tox-e-lax) became a signature piece for Moorhouse when he took their photos in 1898. He sold more than 150,000 copies of their images.

This is "Dr. Whirlwind," one of Moorhouse's favorite subjects. From information I gathered, I believe his name was David Young Chief. As a young man, he carried dispatches for Colonels Wright and Steptoe during the Indian uprisings for 1855-56. He also served as a scout during the Sheepeater Campaign of 1879. Check out the embellishments on his gun.

The details Moorhouse captured are just amazing, like the traditional dress of Chief Ka-lit-in of the Cayuse Tribe.

These are the children of Parson Motanic. You can see the girls wear the traditional wing style dresses. Their father was a successful farmer and at one time owned one of the largest properties on the reservation, raising both wheat and livestock. I think the girl on the far left and the one standing next to her look like they are full of sass and fun.

Parson became an ardent Presbyterian and served as an elder at the reservation church for many years. He was often seen driving around Pendleton in his Hudson automobile.

This is Ku-massag, also known as Agnes Davis. She appears in several of Moorhouse's photographs. Here, she wears traditional dress, including a woven hat Moorhouse often used as a studio prop.

 

And here she is in a studio pose. Isn't she stunning? Look at that beautiful skin! I, for one, am so glad Moorhouse decided to pursue photography as a passion, if not a career. Thanks to his diligent efforts (and the University of Oregon libraries), the world can get such a wonderful glimpse into a way of life that is no more.

The book all this research went into is Lacy (Pendleton Petticoats Book 5). 

Eager to make her own way in the world, Lacy Williams leaves behind her family on the Umatilla Reservation and accepts a job in Pendleton at the telephone office as an operator. The work she takes in stride, but dealing with the unfamiliar, unsettling feelings stirred by the handsome banker across the street is an entirely different matter.
Grant Hill wants a wife.
However, not just any wife will do. If that were the case, he’d make an announcement at the mercantile and cause a stampede to the church. Grant wants a woman who will look beyond his material wealth and see into his heart. When he's all but given up on the possibility that such a woman exists, he runs into the lovely Lacy Williams.
The two of them must strive to discover if the bonds of love are stronger than the bonds of tradition in this sweet historical western romance.

Here's a little excerpt:

 

Grant chuckled. “I didn’t realize you were so interested in romance.”

Her footsteps slowed to a halt. Lacy looked at Grant as if he’d begun speaking in some foreign language she didn’t understand. “There isn’t a female alive, Mr. Hill, that isn’t at least a little interested in romance. Regardless of where they come from, what they do, or who they are, every woman craves a little romance from time to time.”

  A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.” She is a member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, and Romance Writers of America.  

Find Shanna’s books at: Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple  

Shanna loves to hear from readers! Follow her online: ShannaHatfield | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | You Tube | Twitter

*****
Resources: Grafe, Steven L. Peoples of the Plateau: The Indian Photographs of Lee Moorhouse, 1898-1915. University of Oklahoma Press, 2005. Photographs: Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon For a quick overview of Moorhouse's work, you can also find many images on Pinterest.