The purpose of this work has been to investigate and determine, by careful and methodical procedure, the characteristics of Hamlin Garland that cause him to be recognized as a local colorist and veritist of high note in the literary field. The element of local color is most noted in his volumes, "Main Traveled Roads" and "Other Main Traveled Roads" and that of realism in "They of the High Trails" and "The Book of the American Indian". Each of these volumes has been given careful considerations.