A Settler’s Year is a hybrid, part narrative of times past told when possible through the words left by participants, and part photo essay of historical reenactments. A Settler’s Year cycles through pioneer life in 19th century Wisconsin from spring through winter. Kathleen Ernst, better known for authoring mysteries and historical fiction, poured over accounts of pioneers from various ethnic groups, exploring their expectations as well as their encounters with beauty of the land. Lloyd Heath took photographs at Old World Wisconsin, intended as a living museum of the rural Badger State in its horse-drawn days. Well written and researched, A Settler’s Year opens a window onto the lives of immigrants who poured into Wisconsin when the state was young.
