"The transition to American life for Basques immigrating to the U.S. in the mid-nineteenth century was eased by the numerous Basque-run boardinghouses located throughout the American West. These boarding-houses and hotels helped immigrants minimize cultural shock and enjoy the companionship and support of their countrymen. Many served as informal employment agencies, as recreational centers for traditional handball games, and as social and cultural centers."--BOOK JACKET.

"In this meticulously researched study of Basque boardinghouses in the United States, Jeronima Echeverria offers a history of the institution that most deeply shaped Basque immigrant life and served as the center of Basque communities throughout the West.

She weaves into her narrative the stories of the boardinghouse owners and operators and the ways they made their establishments a home away from home for their fellow compatriots, as well as the stories of the young Basques who left the security of their beloved homeland to find work in the U.S."--BOOK JACKET.