Prospects of Greatness: The Rise of Midwestern Cities during the Gilded Age By Lawrence H. Larsen and Barbara J. Cottrell

Abstract

From Sandusky and Terre Haute to Hannibal and Eau Claire, the urban Midwest came of age during the two decades following America’s Civil War, a saga told in a pleasant style by Lawrence H. Larsen and Barbara J. Cottrell. At the heart of Prospects of Greatness is “city building,” the process whereby settlements such as county seats can become urban centers as they gain greater purpose and larger populations. In these locations, public services such as policing and firefighting become more formal, moving from the responsibility of evening constables and volunteer brigades to trained, full-time professionals. Citizens and local government officials no longer tolerate backyard cesspools and outhouses, as expectations for sanitary health become elevated. Sewer systems, water mains, health codes, and building regulations follow. The growing list of civic obligations requires focused, informed decision-making—sophistication that usually comes with weightier tax bills.