James A. Michener's Centennial

Pasquinel, a French-Canadian trapper, rows up the Platte River around 1800, intruding on Indian land and looking for fur pelts. The trapper has a critical confrontation with Indian hero Lame Beaver, yet they soon become friends and the fur trading operation is started. Later, Pasquinel runs across a band of unfriendly Pawnees holding Scot fugitive McKeag prisoner. Pasquinel swaps the Pawnees a gun for McKeag, and the two men become business partners. During a trip to take pelts to St. Louis, Pasquinel marries Lise, daughter of German silversmith Herman Bockweiss, before heading back into the wilderness. Returning to Lame Beaver's Indian village, the two trappers find a number of changes and Clay Basket, Lame Beaver's daughter, becomes their charge.

Fur dealers Pasqulnel and McKeag continue trading with the Indians. Pasqulnel marries twice and begins two families. Each will play an Important role In the development of the West.

After being falsely accused of rape, Mennonite butcher Levi Zendt flees his hometown and meets with McKeag. Levi becomes deeply Involved with McKeag's family which includes Clay Basket, who married McKeag after Pasqulnel's death.

Widower Levi Zendt falls in love with Lucinda while the U.S. government destroys a peace treaty with the Indians. Zendt and McKeag join forces with Major Maxwell Mercy in an eftort to prevent war between the Indians and the gold-hungry white settlers. They succeed in signing a treaty.

Gold seekers arrive into Zendt's trading post. At the close of 1861, rich deposits of gold are found in the Rockies. At every opportunity the Indians are 'punished' until they are conquered. The attrocities committed are disregarded by a nation enflamed in the Civil War.

Skimmerhorn travels to Texas and meets Nacho, a Mexican cook, who leads him to Poteet. Trail boss R.J Poteet recruits a group ot. cowhands to drive 3.000 cattle from Texas to Colorado across rough territory.

The increasing tension between farmers and cattlemen explodes into the range wars of the 1870s: rancher Oliver Seccombe falls for Charlotte Buckland and farmer Hans Brumbaugh decides to take the law into his own hands.

Store clerk Levi Zendt journeys home back to Pennsylvania. A raging snowstorm turns the Colorado Rockies and prairielands into a sub-arctic hell. Sheriff Dumlre has his first encounter with the Wendells, a family of con-artists.

After settling in Centennial, the Wendells continue to cheat and trick their way to wealth, while Sheriff Dumlre tries to find evidence against them In a murder case. Charlotte Venneford returns from England to join Jim Lloyd. The Wendells fleece a preacher out of his home and take aim on a second mark, bringing Sheriff Dumire into a battle of wits with Philip Wendell; Oliver Seccombe dies and his widow Charlotte takes over the management of the ranch.

The comeback of Clemma, an "old flame," temporarily chills the romance blossoming on Venneford Ranch between the Widow Charlotte and her rough-hewn foreman. Charlotte depends heavily on Jim Lloyd, and also falls in love with him despite their divergent backgrounds. However, en route to marriage, Jim rekindles an earlier romance with the half-breed Clemma Zendt, granddaughter of the late Pasquinel. Clemma soon discovers she's no match for the strong-willed Charlotte, who takes matters in her own hands. Meantime, Sheriff Dumire and young Philip Wendell patch up their feud when Philip warns the sheriff —whose demise would insure family prosperity and security — of an impending gun attack. Back on the farm, Hans Brumbaugh welcomes the relatives of Nacho, the first Mexican immigrant. They arrive in Colorado after overcoming many obstacles along the route. Mervin and Maude Wendell, masters of con artistry, continue their "game" when Mervin enters the real estate business and begins amassing a fortune.

Calamity stalks a family of homesteaders, who, like many of the immigrants to Centennial, were beaten down by wind and drought. Charlotte Lloyd takes up the cause of Mexican residents who are being mistreated by local bigots. Philip Wendell perpetuates his family's dubious land dealings.

US Magazine writer Sidney Enderman is joined by historian Lew Vernor to do a story about Centennial.