Before the advent of recorded music, entertainment took place primarily around the family piano. “Sheet music” showed people who could read musical notations how to play and sing along. Sheet music entertained the masses and became a vehicle for social and political commentary, and cultural reflection and exchange. Sheet music of the mid to late 19th century often captured the romantic ideal of the West as a land of opportunity and destiny for anyone willing to dedicate their lives to the land. Through images of pristine prairies, simple living, and innumerable possibilities, printed songs sol