Centennial (novel)
Encyclopedia
Centennial is a novel by American
author James A. Michener
, published in 1974.
Centennial traces the history of the plains of northeast Colorado
from prehistory until the early 1970s. Geographic details about the fictional town of Centennial and its surroundings indicate that the region is in modern-day Weld County
. Since the novel was written, the Denver
suburb of Centennial
has been incorporated, although its location in Arapahoe County is far from Michener's fictional town of the same name. Much of his book was based on the Weld County town of Greeley
.
Many episodes in the book are loosely based on actual historical events in eastern Colorado and southeast Wyoming, which for novelistic reasons are brought to a single locale. For example, "The Massacre" is based on the Sand Creek Massacre
which took place in Kiowa County, Colorado
in 1864. Other parts of the book are loosely based on a family from Sterling
in Logan County
.
Centennial was made into a popular twelve-part television miniseries
, also entitled Centennial
, that aired on NBC
from October 1978 through February 1979, and was filmed in several parts of Colorado. In 2008, NBC Universal began to market a six volume DVD set.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author James A. Michener
James A. Michener
James Albert Michener was an American author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which were sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating historical facts into the stories...
, published in 1974.
Centennial traces the history of the plains of northeast Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
from prehistory until the early 1970s. Geographic details about the fictional town of Centennial and its surroundings indicate that the region is in modern-day Weld County
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
. Since the novel was written, the Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
suburb of Centennial
Centennial, Colorado
The city of Centennial is a Home Rule City located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States, and part of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. The city was to have a total population of 100,377 in 2010 census. Centennial is the tenth-most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its...
has been incorporated, although its location in Arapahoe County is far from Michener's fictional town of the same name. Much of his book was based on the Weld County town of Greeley
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Weld County, Colorado, United States. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Greeley is situated north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the...
.
Many episodes in the book are loosely based on actual historical events in eastern Colorado and southeast Wyoming, which for novelistic reasons are brought to a single locale. For example, "The Massacre" is based on the Sand Creek Massacre
Sand Creek Massacre
As conflict between Indians and white settlers and soldiers in Colorado continued, many of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, including bands under Cheyenne chiefs Black Kettle and White Antelope, were resigned to negotiate peace. The chiefs had sought to maintain peace in spite of pressures from whites...
which took place in Kiowa County, Colorado
Kiowa County, Colorado
Kiowa County is the second least densely populated of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 1,622 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Eads...
in 1864. Other parts of the book are loosely based on a family from Sterling
Sterling, Colorado
The City of Sterling is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Logan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 14,777 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sterling is located at...
in Logan County
Logan County, Colorado
Logan County is the 23rd most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for General John A. Logan. The county population was 20,504 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Sterling...
.
Centennial was made into a popular twelve-part television miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, also entitled Centennial
Centennial (miniseries)
Centennial is a 12-episode American television miniseriesthat aired on NBC from October 1978 to February 1979. It was based on the novel of the same name by James A. Michener. The miniseries was produced by John Wilder....
, that aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from October 1978 through February 1979, and was filmed in several parts of Colorado. In 2008, NBC Universal began to market a six volume DVD set.
Chapters
- "The Commission": The fictional preface for the book.
- "The Land": The formation of the Earth, specifically the Rockies and the land directly around Centennial.
- "The Inhabitants": A series of miniature stories about animals that supposedly lived near what would become Centennial, from the dinosaur DiplodocusDiplodocusDiplodocus , or )is a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaur whose fossils were first discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. The generic name, coined by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1878, is a Neo-Latin term derived from Greek "double" and "beam", in reference to its double-beamed chevron bones...
to the arrival of man. - "The Many Coups of Lame Beaver": A biography of Lame Beaver, an ArapahoArapahoThe Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre, whose people are seen as an early...
Native American. - "The Yellow Apron": The lives of the beaver trappers Pasquinel and Alexander McKeag.
- "The Wagon and the Elephant": Describes Levi Zendt's journey out of Pennsylvania in search of a new life in Oregon.
- "The Massacre": Frank Skimmerhorn leads the militia to massacre a group of Arapaho.
- "The Cowboys": Chronicles a cattle drive from Texas to Centennial and the establishment of the Venneford Ranch.
- "The Hunters": Describes three separate Buffalo hunts which lead to the near extermination of the Buffalo in the west.
- "A Smell of Sheep": The arrival of sheepmen in Colorado and the fights between them and the cattlemen.
- "The Crime": Describes the arrival of the Wendell family in Centennial and the crime that they commit.
- "Central Beet": Describes the establishment of the sugar beet industry and the arrival of Chicanos to Centennial.
- "Drylands": The arrival of dryland farmingDryland farmingDryland farming is an agricultural technique for non-irrigated cultivation of drylands.-Locations:Dryland farming is used in the Great Plains, the Palouse plateau of Eastern Washington, and other arid regions of North America, the Middle East and in other grain growing regions such as the steppes...
to Colorado from the perspective of the Grebe family. - "November Elegy": A snapshot of the life of Paul Garrett, a descendant of many of the characters from previous chapters.