The Geography of The Light of Western Stars

Abstract

The Light of Western Stars has a fascinating geography. Set during the Mexican Revolution on the western flank of the Peloncillo Mountains in New Mexico's "Booth eel" region, astride the state line with Arizona, this region is perhaps as wild and remote today as it was when Zane Grey authored the story one hundred years ago. Zane Grey's setting features many authentic place names- almost every town, valley, and mountain mentioned is accurately located in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona- but two confounding fictional town names require some geographical imagination.