The serene countryside of central California hides a bloody history.
Many Native tribes lived in peaceful coexistence before the discovery of gold changed everything. Dreamers and schemers converged on northern California from all over the world. Their greed for land led to government sanctioned massacres, kidnapping and slavery that left echoes still heard today. This meticulously researched book reveals the troubling truth about state paid militias, wealthy settlers, the US Army, corrupt Indian Affairs agents, California Governors and US Congressmen who were complicit in this genocide.
The Civil War brought a new wave of immigrants from the south complete with their prejudices. The hostility between abolitionists and southern sympathizers led to the Coates-Frost Feud - a shocking shootout that killed more men in less time than the OK Corral - and lasted decades.
As towns formed, and occasionally vanished, the merchants, saloon keepers, farmers, large ranchers, cowboys, outlaws and lawmen clashed. Fortunes were made and lost. Men and women were killed. You will learn the background behind these murders and who sometimes got away with it.
During the era of the Range Wars, cattle Kings and their cowboys controlled the open range, the law, the news and the people in Mendocino County for over 25 years, ruthlessly eliminating anyone who stood in their way. They used bribery, perjury, and murder. Wylackie Jack who did the dirty work for Cattle King White. George White and his 4 wives, his attempted murder, perjury and fraud in the Divorce of the Century are all described.
From old court records, forgotten memoirs and newspapers, the author has created a fascinating compilation of true stories. This well researched book will appeal to history buffs, fans of the Wild West and true crime lovers, eager to learn about the greed, violence and obsession hidden beneath the peaceful facade of Mendocino.