June Willson Read, PhD draws on her own western heritage and uses personal knowledge of the Wyoming town where Burke built her dynasty to provide context for this book. June's family homesteaded near Lusk in the 1980s and owned a ranch for about 100 years. Her family is well respected, and so June was able to get inside more homes and memories than previous writers have to conduct personal interviews and get inside information about Burke.Spurred by anecdotes at Burke's 1981 estate sale and drawing on regional and family interviews, Read's five-year exploration of Burke's history reveals many facets of the double life that this legendary benefactress led. Through her research June made many contacts at museums, libraries, and similar outlets across Wyoming and in similar states. Many of these places have agreed to carry the book and would like to hold signings. Although orginally from the West, June currently lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Description
Acknowledgements; Life and Times of Marie Fisher/Dell Burke; 1. The Innocent Years 1888-1912; 2. Gold Rush Days 1912-1918; 3. Oil Fever 1919-1929; 4. Rough Times on the Prairies 1929-1939; 5. War Years and Recovery 1940-1949; 6. A Frontier Town Grows Up 1950 - 1959; 7. Make Love Not War 1960-1969; 8. The End of an Era 1970-1980; 9. The Estate Sale 1981; 10. The Demise of the Yellow Hotel; 11. Legends of Dell Burke; 12. Trinkets and Tributes; Notes