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From farming community to prominent neighborhood, this book gives a unique look at the past of Boca Raton, Florida using vintage images.

Boca Raton, Florida, was a tiny farming community on the southeastern coast of Florida when the state's 1920s real estate boom grew into a national phenomenon. Investors and new residents were drawn to the state from all over the country, a time Floridians referred to as ""the Boom."" In April 1925, well-known Palm Beach society architect Addison Mizner revealed his plans for an ambitious new development in Boca Raton. The plans included a gigantic oceanfront hotel, elegant mansions, golf and polo grounds, and palm-lined boulevards. The popularity of Mizner's projects stimulated many similar developments within the region, increasing the population of the town from 100 to several hundred residents. By the fall of 1926, however, the Florida land boom came to an end. Boca Raton returned, for the most part, to its small-town agricultural heritage by 1930. By the end of the 20th century, boomtime dreams were fully realized and Boca Raton became one of Florida's most prestigious addresses.

Explore the fascinating history of Hopkins, South Carolina with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

Hopkins was named for John Hopkins, a Virginian who obtained a royal land grant in 1764. The town was originally Hopkins Turnout, as the railroad had a turntable here before the line to Columbia was completed.

Trains ran from Charleston to Hopkins, and passengers continued to Columbia by stagecoach. Hopkins is home to the Congaree Swamp, originally inhabited by the Congaree tribe; they were reduced greatly by smallpox, but the area retained their name. Now a national monument, this biosphere boasts one of the most diverse forest communities in the country. Hopkins is also home to structures on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Harriet Barber House(c. 1880), the Hopkins Presbyterian Church(c. 1891), and the remains of the Hicks Chappell House(c. 1781), which burned in 2008.

Author Ann Drayton Lister, a Hopkins native and a member of the Upcountry History Museum's History Makers, Presbyterian College's Young Alumni Board, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Columbia Museum of Art, and the Greenville Museum of Artpublished this book in order to preserve Hopkins's history through the local families who generously shared their memories and photographs with her.

In 1887, local businessmen and promoters secured a minor league franchise for the city of New Orleans in the newly formed Southern League, beginning the city's 73-year love affair with the New Orleans Pelicans. From Shoeless Joe Jackson, to Hall of Famers Dazzy Vance, Joe Sewell, Bob Lemon, and Earl Weaver, to today's stars such as Jeff Cirillo and Lance Berkman, the road to the majors brought many notable players through New Orleans. From these early beginnings to the present-day New Orleans Zephyrs of the AAA Pacific Coast League, local fans have continued the tradition of baseball in New Orleans.

Time often stands still along the picturesque shores that dot one of North Carolina's favorite barrier islands.

Islanders have always loved Topsail's quiet, small-town charm and seclusion. Local author and photographer BJ Cothran shows how this beloved vacation spot and popular retirement community has survived major storms, growing pains, and modern development.

Remembering Mississippi's Confederates is a collection of never-before-seen images which document the history of these soldiers.

The Confederate States of America engaged in a battle for national survival that lasted four long and incredibly bloody years. The conflict went on for so long because thousands of rebels were willing to lay down their lives and defend their homes to the last man and last cartridge. Many of these soldiers were Mississippians--approximately 78,000 citizens of the Magnolia State can be documented as having served in the Civil War. Of this number, over 27,500 died either of disease or in combat. Remembering Mississippi's Confederates is a photographic tribute to the men who fought so gallantly for their state. Many of the images in this volume have never been published and come from the proud descendants of the soldiers themselves; others were acquired from collections spread across the United States.

Join authors George B. Henry and Linda Braden Albert as they recount the history of Friendsville, Tennessee through the lens of over 200 vintage images.

Friendsville is a small town with a rich, varied history. It had its beginnings in the late 1790s, when several related families with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) moved from North Carolina into what is now Blount County and established a Friends meeting about 12 miles from Maryville, the county seat. The families built a gristmill and a sawmill and later sold town lots. The Friendsville Post Office was established in 1850, and the town was incorporated in 1953. Friendsville has played a remarkable role in the history of the United States. The Friends, who did not support war or slavery, operated several stops on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War, helping runaway slaves, freed African Americans, and southern residents who wanted to fight for the North or move north to avoid the war. The area is now noted for its marble production, with Friendsville pink marble gracing such buildings as the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.

A once-thriving economy, Wadmalaw Island boasted cotton, indigo, and rice plantations, but even after hardship, Wadmalaw has remained a timeless representation of a bygone era.

Wadmalaw wasn't home to just plantations, but also the town of Rockville, a quaint, seaside retreat for the local planters. Lowcountry architecture was seen throughout the island in the designs of the plantation and summer vacation homes, and it became a favored holiday spot for the wealthy elite. Time and events did not leave the island unscathed though, and Wadmalaw fell victim to war and financial hardship as did the rest of the South after the Civil War. Wadmalaw weathered the harsh conditions and was able to continue its sleepy way of life into the 20th century. Rockville also became home to the well-known Rockville Regatta that brings thousands of visitors to the island every year. Despite surrounding growth that has threatened it, Wadmalaw has continued to maintain its unique noncommercial air and retains the agricultural focus on which it was founded.

Rare and vintage images document the fascinating history of Louisiana's Shreveport, from its settlement in the early nineteenth century to its modern day importance.

Shreveport, Louisiana, is a town with a history as fascinating as it is long. From the settlement of the area at the start of the nineteenth century, through the city's founding in 1836, to Shreveport's role as state capital during the Civil War, up until its present-day role as one of Louisiana's leading cities, figures ranging from snagboat operators to Huey P. Long have worked, lived, and played in this city by the Red River.

The Ormond Beach area's earliest known inhabitants were the Timucua Indians, whose primitive, blunt-nosed canoes skimmed the waters of the Halifax and Tomoka Rivers in northeast Volusia County.

Soon, hardy settlers also made their way to the area--brothers John Andrew and Charles Bostrom were attracted by the mighty oaks and sparkling spring water in 1868 and were soon followed by other rugged visionaries. As the town grew, entrepreneurs began their work, and one of the most famous area landmarks, the Hotel Ormond, was opened in 1888. At the turn of the century, the hard-packed white sands of the nearby beach became a natural proving ground for gas- and steam-driven horseless carriages--the original ""birthplace of speed."" The region was blessed with abundant resources, a mild and inviting climate, and natural beauty, all of which served to entice John D. Rockefeller, perhaps Ormond Beach's most famous resident, to spend his winters in the area. His three-story home now serves the community as a cultural center and museum.

Advertisements placed in newspapers throughout the Midwest in the early 1900s read, ""Notice to Homeseekers: Good farm land at a reasonable price,"" directing people toward picturesque Foley, Alabama.

A new town with an ideal climate and boundless resources, it was the final stop on the railroad spur to south Baldwin County that was completed in 1905. First built on an agriculture and timber economy, the town was soon home to businesses that sprang up during the population explosion. Nearby Elberta, a German colony, and the river towns of Magnolia Springs and Bon Secour also experienced accelerated growth as the area was developed. The heritage of the greatest resource--the people of Foley--is best told in the photographs long treasured by families of the earliest settlers and collected by the authors to be shared and preserved for posterity. ""

The story of firefighting in Charlotte is a tale of explosive growth and change that dates back to its humble beginnings in 1887.

The city of Charlotte credits expansion to several events, including the gold rush of the 1830s, the railroad expansion of the 1860s, and the textile boom of the 1880s. During the textile boom, the volunteer firefighters protecting Charlotte and Mecklenburg County could no longer adequately protect the growing city. Thus the Charlotte Fire Department was born. The Roaring Twenties brought in the auto age and along with it motorized fire trucks. Race tensions of the 1960s and the financial boom of the 1990s also figure in the fire department's history. Returning to her roots of growth, Charlotte is now a bustling financial and transportation hub of 650,000 residents protected by more than 1,000 firefighters living in 38 firehouses. Firefighting in Charlotte provides a photographic road map of how fire protection developed from horse-drawn engines of the 1800s to the state-of-the-art apparatus of today. Fire trucks, firehouses, and the firefighters are depicted in images obtained from personal collections, newspapers, archives, and museums.