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Book Reviews Charles C. Cole, Jr. A Fragile Capital.· Identity and tbe Early Years of Colu, nbus, Ohio. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 2001. 292 pp. ISBN: 18142() 8533 cloth), $ 46.95. n the popular historical imagination,the story of the " winning of the American west is a rural story ,dominated by jinages of itidividtialistic fiontiers men , resolute American Indians, and rugged cowboys . Historians have 1(, ng been aware, houever, that the story of the development of the west should really be told as an urban story. From Richard C. Wade writing in the 19505 through William Cronon in 19905,historians have shown that western cities served as nodes of settlement and coinmerce , and as centers of pc, litics and culture. Wade,in particular, argued that historians should closely examine Pittsburgh, Cincinnati , Louisville, St. Louis and Chicago when researching the development of the transAppala chiati west during the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, the role of smaller cities like Columbus got lost in that focus. Charles C. published materials, such as gc, vernment records and newspapers (mostly from the Ohio Hist(, rical Society), (: ole tells the story of Columbus during the four decades toll() wing its creation. In focusing on a place. rather than a person or persons. C: c, le has chosen to einphasize co\ crage c,rer drama. Cole has adopted a thematic approach in charting the development of Columbus between 1812 and 1852. (: hapters focus on discrete topics such as econc,inic devel(, pment. transportation, edlication , politics,culture,religion. ic, urnalism. and the arts. He also depotes chapters tc) discussions of Columbus's experiences with the zi,() men's nio,einent.antislavery actiz'ities, aiid (, ther fornis of antchel ] Lim refc,rni. Iii each of tliese chapters, Cole narrates rather than analyzes. For example, in the chapter on econoniic developnient he describes in detail the owners of individual businesses and how their businesses operated ,but he does not generalize in order to draw a cc, Ilective portrait f btisinessnien at»ld their activiG ' ' ---' notices, and he thoroughly analyzes the autc, biographical and biographical recollections of 117. iny African Americans who took flight from slavery in Kentucky,accounts written down sc, metiiiies by African Americans and smnetinies by the white friends ot the runaways and Me, nory 2004) have added significantly to the field, as have new studies of notable participants iii 150 Dollars Reward. RANan'. 11-frin the „ 5,? crilast a . egro : In: .r. am, 1 tier on Sa'„;doy the Oth.If Jun, hA About 4 rears of. Ze. 6 fert. irehes high,s:er. der made. a 1,5 l|e 510©. 31!: uldere: 1. 9:£ 1, 1, 21: merk , rom by eentlemen. Said boy n·: 1 employed flir Ic·, 1:5ideratle tit:., r, sabc·: se, er,antby Mr. A. Al!. n. vern keeper. Loui„ ille: i„ictelligent a. J spe34, 4 He wid offincompLD,witaoegri n;an Gamed B L CK, who bas since been tekes and broust:£ back. Satil netro man Crs: r. asseenic Chillicot!: p. Ohio. aboct the Wth of June, and g Prohably krk: sg about thore st : his time. Ei, ob· 11: ct it seems.,*· 1en he stnrted. was te go te Philn· delphia. but k may change. hli roak. Fie toi cbar. gr. 1 4,* name to t!,»: c f GEURGE The-· t Me r, pard will b· 3 g„.· n ifre'utnedto fle subscn· r.r„, di. Ineor I. 0: 1. il': e. Jefer·Gos eou,ty. KIA or seier. ty-live. ( lottan if secured in any jail in the l'nited : 50, i/ h·PubNc ad mh-r, 31.: r, il 2, 1.' 22. Tii m |, e.tilli,] c „ 1 . w , .· i.qi-1 i „„ i Ihe I i.iji-% illi· . M.,tlir, itigli (Ii illi * th.·. 64 OHI O VALLF. Y 11! STORY ...

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