Through a combination of biographies, histories of the western states, and overview entries on complex topics, the four-volume encyclopedia examines more than stereotypes of cowboys and Indians, opening the door to the diversity of the western experience, from the 18th through the early 20th centuries. Over 1700 alphabetically-arranged entries, 2000 pages, and more than 100 photographs fully define in one source the concerns of the traditional West within the broader framework of social history.