Wagons West books in order

Reading order

The Wagons West series by James Reasoner follows the westward expansion of the United States across 25 books. Beginning with Independence! in 1979, the series moves through the states and territories that settlers crossed and claimed during the 19th century. Each book is titled after a different location, from Nebraska and Wyoming through California, Montana, and beyond, tracing the country’s growth from east to west.

The original run of 24 books was published between 1979 and 1989, appearing at a pace of roughly two or three books per year. The series then received one additional installment, Texas Freedom!, in 2012, more than two decades after Celebration! closed out the initial sequence. Reading in order is recommended, since the books follow connected characters and storylines as they move across the expanding frontier.