Four Classic Mormon Village Studies

By Howard M. Bahr

Saints Observed: Studies of Mormon Village Life, 1850–2005 serves as a comprehensive introduction to this second volume, which makes available four of the best Mormon village studies, all previously unpublished. These postwar village studies differ substantially from earlier village studies initiated by Nelson’s work and offer in-depth investigations by observers who lived and participated in village life. Together, they capture in rich detail the dayto- day life of mid-century Mormon villagers. Editor Howard Bahr’s afterword highlights changes in the four villages across the past half-century, drawing upon recent site visits, interviews, and texts.

Howard M. Bahr is a professor of sociology at Brigham Young University, where he teaches social theory, the sociology of religion, and ethnic relations. His recent books include Toward More Family-Centered Family Sciences: Love, Sacrifice, and Transcendence (with Kathleen S. Bahr) and The Navajo as Seen by the Franciscans, 1920–1950.

Table of Contents:

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Gunlock, 1951: Edward C. Banfield
2. Virgin, 1951: Henri Mendras
3. Ramah, 1950–1951: Thomas F. O’Dea
4. Pomerene, 1946–1947: Wilfrid C. Bailey
Afterword
Notes
Bibliography

Praise and Reviews:

“Together these two informative books [Saints Observed and Four ClassicMormon Village Studies] make the Mormon village come to life as the signature settlement pattern of nineteenth-century Mormonism.”—Utah Historical Quarterly

“These ethnographies capture minute details that could only be uncovered through careful and thorough investigation of the places and their people… They are incredibly detailed and demonstrate an intimate knowledge of the lives and affairs of their subjects.”—Mormon Historical Studies

“Bahr has delivered those interested in Mormon Studies a gift by editing and publishing these little-known ethnographies.”—Nova Religio

“The volume is a treasure because it makes available several studies that were previously unpublished or difficult to acquire. The volume is also a treasure for its insights on what life was like as a Mormon and what constitutes a good ethnographic study of Mormonism.”—BYU Studies