Bay windows, steeply pitched rooflines, lacy trimwork, turrets and towers, arched windows, and columns: these fanciful Victorian-era architectural touches are charming accents to many Rocky Mountain towns and cities. Why, when, and how were typical Victorian styles brought to the American West? A good portion of this volume explores towns in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana that sprang up as a result of the mining, cattle, and agricultural communities established during the period we refer to as Victorian, 1840-1900. The authors define various styles of Victorian architecture - Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival - and discuss how these styles were transplanted in the West and how they were used in home and public building designs. A final chapter on preservation offers valuable information on the importance of preserving our architectural heritage and outlines some of the legislation that is today helping to preserve historic neighborhoods and individual buildings. Anyone interested in America's architectural past will find value in this book.