Overland Monthly facts for kids
The Overland Monthly was a popular magazine published in California, United States. It came out every month during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It shared stories, poems, and articles, often focusing on life in the American West.
Contents
The Magazine's Beginning
The Overland Monthly started in 1868. A bookseller named Anton Roman, who was born in Bavaria, created it. He had moved to California during the exciting time of the California Gold Rush. This was when many people rushed to California hoping to find gold.
Anton Roman wanted his magazine to help California grow. He chose Bret Harte to be the first editor. Harte was a famous writer. The first issue came out in July 1868 in San Francisco. It featured works by Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard, and Ina Coolbrith. These three writers were very important in California at the time.
Growing Popularity
The magazine quickly became popular. Critics liked it, and it made money. In 1869, Anton Roman sold the magazine to John Carmany. Bret Harte then asked for more money and full control over what went into each issue. Carmany agreed, so Harte could focus completely on the magazine.
During this time, the Overland Monthly did very well. Even famous writer Mark Twain said that important literary leaders in America praised the magazine.
Bret Harte's Famous Work
In September 1870, Bret Harte published a very famous poem in the magazine. It was called "Plain Language from Truthful James." Later, people knew it as "The Heathen Chinee." This poem made Harte even more popular.
Because he was so well-known, Harte thought about teaching at the University of California, Berkeley. He also had an offer to buy the Overland Monthly. But he turned down both ideas. Instead, he left California to find even greater fame as a writer in the eastern United States.
Later Years of the Magazine
After Bret Harte left, the magazine changed hands a few times. In 1880, the original publishers started a new magazine called The Californian. This magazine later joined with Overland Monthly in 1882.
By January 1883, it was back to being just The Overland Monthly. The magazine promised its readers that its articles would be honest and not just hidden advertisements. It continued to be published in San Francisco for many years. In 1923, it combined with another magazine called Out West. The new magazine was called Overland Monthly and the Out West magazine. It stopped being published in July 1935.
Important Writers and Artists
Many talented writers, editors, and artists worked with the Overland Monthly magazine. They helped make it a special place for new stories and ideas from the American West. Some of these important people included:
- Robert Ingersoll Aitken
- Ambrose Bierce
- Noah Brooks
- Alice Cary
- Willa Cather
- Frona Eunice Wait Colburn
- Bret Harte
- Ina Coolbrith
- Edgar Fawcett
- Henry George
- John Brayshaw Kaye
- Charmian Kittredge
- Netta Eames
- Clarence King
- Kinahan Cornwallis
- Jack London
- Josephine Clifford McCracken
- Joaquin Miller
- John Muir
- Hugo Wilhelm Arthur Nahl
- Lola Ridge
- Charles Taze Russell
- Stephen Powers
- William Saroyan
- Herman George Scheffauer
- Charles Howard Shinn
- Milicent Shinn
- Clark Ashton Smith
- Charles Warren Stoddard
- Augustus Gabriel de Vivier Tassin
- Douglas Tilden
- Mark Twain
- Frances Fuller Victor
- Laura Lyon White
- Joseph Widney
Some of the editors who led the magazine were:
- Milicent Shinn (from 1883 to 1894)
- Rounsevelle Wildman (from 1894 to 1897)
Images for kids
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SF Chronicle Mutt and Jeff advertisement in the Overland, 1916
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Overland Monthly, January 1919
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Overland Monthly advertisement in the The Black Cat of April 1912
