The Romance of the American West

The American West was a land of unprecedented opportunity settled on the concept of self-reliance and self-governance inherent to the human spirit. It became the stage on which the drama of a new country unfolded. The turbulent storyline and all of its participants became part of the mythology of America — a mythology as potent and powerful as the Gods of Greece or Rome. While much of the West’s interior has been tamed, its infinite spaces, cavernous gorges, raging rivers, and sky-piercing peaks offer the same inspirations as they did to the first who dared take them on. Centuries on, it still offers glimpses into the unconquered ruggedness and silent grandeur of its former self. The 'Romance of the American West' project pays homage to the land that inspired the mythology. It reveals the West as it was, and it reminds us that as the modern civilized world accelerates, there are brief moments among its remote interior that recall a time before it was all set in motion. As freedom and hope are fundamental to us all, may these images preserve the sense of opportunity available to us in our lifetimes just as the West provided to those in centuries past.