The Land of Lure: A Story of the Columbia River Basin

Set against the stark, wind‑blown deserts and the roaring Columbia River, the novel opens in early March 1920, where abandoned shacks and broken fences testify to countless failed attempts at settlement. The narrative follows a wave of hopeful homesteaders lured by promises of irrigated farmland and a “home of your own,” as newspapers and railroads tout the Northwest as the next frontier. Through vivid description of the harsh climate, the relentless sagebrush, and the lingering specter of poverty, the story captures the fragile balance between human determination and a harsh landscape.

At the heart of the tale is Travis Gully, a farmer from Champaign, Illinois, who joins a tourist family bound for the Columbia River Basin in search of a start. As the group journeys westward, they confront the realities of a region still scarred by floods and drought, testing their resolve and questioning the myths of easy prosperity. Their experiences offer a window into the larger “Back to the Soil” movement, revealing both the allure and the brutal cost of carving a new life from the West.