American History & Leaders

No house better reflects the personality and interests of its owner than Theodore Roosevelt's cherished Sagamore Hill. After Roosevelt returned to Oyster Bay following the death of both his beloved wife and mother, he and his second wife, Edith, made the house a home for their growing and rambunctious family. What began as the perfect getaway from unhealthy New York City summers in his grandfather's day became the Summer White House during Roosevelt's presidency. He hosted political guests like Henry Cabot Lodge and cultural luminaries like novelist Edith Wharton. Roosevelt spent his final years happily at Sagamore Hill, and after his death in 1919, the Theodore Roosevelt Association and the National Park Service preserved the house. With previously unpublished photographs and a detailed guide to the house and grounds, historian Bill Bleyer recounts bygone days at Roosevelt's haven.

Ford's Theatre in downtown Washington, DC, is best known as the notorious scene of Pres. Abraham Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865.

It is among the oldest and most visited sites of national tragedy in the United States. First constructed in 1833 as a Baptist church, the property was acquired by John T. Ford and converted into a theater in 1861. Presenting almost 500 performances before the assassination, Ford afterward sold the building to the federal government. A century later, the National Park Service reconstructed the theater, and Ford's Theatre Society began presenting live performances there in 1968. Since then, the two organizations have partnered to offer more than 650,000 annual visitors an array of quality programming about Lincoln's presidency and legacy. Today, patrons can explore the Tenth Street "campus," consisting of the theater, interactive museum galleries, the house where Lincoln died, and the Center for Education and Leadership.

In 1933, the United States was struggling to survive the Great Depression. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt promised a "New Deal" to put the nation back to work. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was launched in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, where the first camp, Camp Roosevelt, was built. The CCC was widely acclaimed as the most popular of Roosevelt's programs. In Virginia, CCC workers built Shenandoah National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the first six state parks, and more. Despite the program's success, senators from Virginia led the Congressional efforts to kill the CCC in 1942.

In Washington, D.C., a city steeped in history--from museums and monuments to statues and stations--there are perhaps no structures as prominent as the working symbols of the United States' three-branch government: the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court. Embodying our nation's complex and, at times, tumultuous history, these buildings also house invaluable pieces of our American past. A visit to these national treasures provides a lesson in both the people and events that have shaped this country. Representing the heart, soul, and strength of American independence, the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court tell a fascinating true story--one that includes presidents, vice presidents, senators, justices, and political visionaries. Touring the buildings, visitors see such familiar faces as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Susan B. Anthony, as well as learn about lesser-known figures such as Chippewa warrior Beeshekee, Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite, and Vice Presidents Daniel Tompkins and William R. King. The paintings and portraits that adorn the walls, the statues in every corner, and the rooms themselves provide commentary on the political life of a developing nation.

Dealey Plaza is famous for many things, both locally and nationally. Considered "the front door of Dallas," the park rests on a bluff near the Trinity River, where Dallas's founder, John Neely Bryan, identified a natural low-water crossing in 1841. This ford was the site of Bryan's cabin and was also the site of the first ferry and bridge over the Trinity River. Home to several Dallas County buildings and other historic structures, Dealey is not just the birthplace of Dallas; it is also the site of Dallas's first large-scale city planning solution, a traffic diverting triple underpass, and a beautiful downtown park built in the 1930s. The park was launched into national history when Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated here on November 22, 1963. Today, the site is visited by over two million annually. To preserve Dealey Plaza and its surrounding buildings, the federal government designated it a National Historic Landmark District in 1993.

Today, much of Williamsburg appears as it once was-the colonial capital of Virginia, where patriots forged many of the principles of American democracy. This historic city attracts a million visitors a year, including many world leaders. They come to walk the streets trod by George Washington, to stand in the legislative hall where Patrick Henry spoke out for liberty, and to be inspired by the words of Thomas Jefferson.

Twentieth-century residents of Williamsburg have witnessed dramatic changes in their community. First, before World War II, was the re-creation of the Historic Area-the fulfillment of a vision seen by a clergyman and financed by John D. Rockefeller Jr. In recent decades there has been an ongoing burst of construction to accommodate the influx of visitors and newcomers. Once an almost forgotten, out-of-the-way place, Williamsburg has become a thriving city and one of America's most popular tourist destinations. With photographs from the archives of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and local newspapers, Williamsburg presents a record of building activity and the restoration that returned the city to the eighteenth century and made its streets into pathways to the past. Included are the transformations of the city's two principal institutions, the College of William and Mary and Eastern State Hospital, as well as a photographic curtain call for Paul Green's outdoor drama The Common Glory. The people who have participated in making Williamsburg a vibrant, modern community and the famous visitors who have celebrated its heritage are highlighted in this fitting tribute to an American landmark.

On September 17, 1960, Sen. John F. Kennedy, the Democratic
nominee for president, flew to Greenville for a campaign rally
on the campus of East Carolina College. Kennedy's ECC rally was
part of a marathon daylong blitz that continued statewide through
Greensboro and Charlotte. The campaign intended to go as far west
as Asheville but due to inclement weather concluded with dinner at
the governor's mansion in Raleigh and a rally at Reynolds Coliseum.
With photographs as key primary sources, John F. Kennedy's North
Carolina Campaign explores what happened that day, why it happened,
and its significance in North Carolina's political history. While the
book focuses on the East Carolina College rally, which was the first
of the day, Kennedy's subsequent rallies ultimately bore statewide and
national significance, making it impossible to examine only one stop
without contextualizing it in relation to the remainder.

Since the days of sail, Hyannis has been the hub of Cape Cod. In the nineteenth century, the village, located along Nantucket Sound, was also one of the most important ports between Boston and New York. Hyannis was home to scores of sea captains, and the economy was tied to the sea. By the 1870s, the heyday of sail was waning, but the attraction to the sea had spawned a new and lasting industry. The discovery of Hyannis as a vacation destination began a parade of summer visitors that has been the lifeblood of the local economy ever since. In 1960, the village was catapulted onto the world stage when one of its summer residents, John F. Kennedy, was elected president. Hyannis and Hyannis Port offers a snapshot of the village's rich and colorful history from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. The book takes readers back in time to meet some of the village's prominent residents and see historic homes. It shows fascinating vintage images of some of the early industries in the village, such as the manufacture of candles and artificial pearls. Hyannis and Hyannis Port gives readers a glimpse into the Kennedy family's life on Cape Cod and allows readers to see the sheer beauty of Hyannis Harbor.

Created by the federal government in 1933 to revitalize a region twice the size of New England, the Tennessee Valley Authority began as an experiment of unprecedented proportions. Seen here through picture postcards, the dramatic achievements of the TVA take on a personal aspect, as individuals visit the hydroelectric projects and enjoy the newly created recreational opportunities. Tangible benefits are also documented, such as improved navigation, new roads and bridges, and abundant and

inexpensive electricity. Influenced by such visionaries as Gifford Pinchot, Theodore Roosevelt, and George Norris, the agency also dealt with regional issues, including river

commerce, soil conservation, and flood control.

During his whirlwind 1903 tour of the western states, President Theodore Roosevelt paid his first visit to California. In between the appearances and pageantry, he embarked on three days of epic adventure in the wilderness of Yosemite with the famous and influential naturalist John Muir. A lover of the rugged outdoors, Roosevelt was humbled and impressed by the camping trip, which proved to be one of the most important sojourns in presidential history. Through firsthand accounts, speeches and rare photographs, author Chris Epting tells the story of a great and profound journey that had a lasting effect on conservation history and the National Park System.

Governor's wife, president's wife, United Nations delegate, teacher, political activist, author, newspaper columnist, business owner, traveler, and mother-Eleanor Roosevelt was truly "First Lady of the World." With her very busy life, she sought peace, solitude, and renewal. She found all three at Valkill, her small stone cottage on the Roosevelt Estate in Hyde Park, east of the Hudson River. A National Historic Site, Valkill is operated by the National Park Service and is the only site in the country dedicated to the preservation of the memory of a presidential first lady.

With detailed description and some two hundred stunning images-many published here for the first time-Eleanor Roosevelt's Valkill depicts the events and times of the first lady at Valkill, the place where she felt most at home. In addition, the book traces the development of the site and reveals the depression-era business that was located there, a furniture factory and metal forge known as Valkill Industries.

Eleanor Roosevelt's character was shaped by the history and culture of the Hudson Valley. More than that, Eleanor Roosevelt loved the Hudson Valley. A woman who knew and cared for the whole world chose this place, Val-Kill, as her home in a cottage by a stream. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Hudson Valley Remembrance reflects her unaffected simplicity and caring interest in her neighbors' concerns. Remembered by friends, colleagues, neighbors, and young people, these qualities inspired a community-based group to lead efforts to save her home in 1977 as the country's first national historic site dedicated to a First Lady. The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill continues her work on issues that affect life today.

George Washington was first and foremost a Virginian. Born in the state's Tidewater region, he was reared near Fredericksburg and took up residence at Mount Vernon along the Potomac River.

As a young surveyor, he worked in Virginia's backcountry. He began his military career as a Virginia militia officer on the colony's frontier. The majority of his widespread landholdings were in his native state, and his entrepreneurial endeavors ranged from the swamplands of the Southeast to the upper Potomac River Valley. Historian John Maass explores the numerous sites all over the Commonwealth associated with Washington and demonstrates their lasting importance.

Springfield is the capital of Illinois and the home of Abraham Lincoln and Vachel Lindsay. The city is filled with history, and that fact is reflected in the many sculptures, monuments, and plaques that have been commissioned to commemorate this history. The city contains more than 14 statues and busts of Abraham Lincoln. Famous sculptors have created 17 statues inside the state capitol alone, and 13 more statues and sculptures are located on the capitol grounds. The state's Capital Development Board sponsors the Art-in-Architecture program and provides funding for newly commissioned sculptures in state-funded public buildings. Several major American sculptors are represented in the many works, including Leonard Volk, Leonard Crunelle, Larkin Mead, Fred Torrey, and James Earl Fraser. Works of contemporary artists such as Michael Dunbar, Richard Hunt, and Preston Jackson are also present. Oak Ridge Cemetery contains four war memorials and Abraham Lincoln's tomb. Each of the sculptures, monuments, and plaques has a story to tell and helps to make Springfield's history come alive.

Gathered from many local archives, including the Piersaull Collection, the rare and previously unpublished images presented here transport us to Hyde Park's past.

With Hyde Park on the Hudson, Margaret Logan Marquez chronicles the town's fascinating history from 1821 to 1962. We see farmers and their families, wealthy estate owners, ice boating on the river, and local churches, businesses, and schools. Through this exciting pictorial history, we experience the golden era of the region, when the popular and the powerful seemed to be playing the same tune. The outstanding example of this social harmony was the Roosevelt family, who turned this way of elegant small-town living into a national goal and a world dream. The revival of Dutch Colonial architecture brought about by President Roosevelt, the restoration of the Italian gardens at Vanderbilt, and the recent volunteer efforts to restore the stonewalls along the Post Road are testimonies to a past that is still living.

At a time when our country struggled with a deep financial depression, the United States began to see incredible numbers of men and women who could not find work. During the first days of his administration, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to create opportunities for this country's uneducated and undereducated young men to find work, help support their families, and receive training in a variety of fields. President Roosevelt's own vision brought about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Images of America: Georgia's Civilian Conservation Corps examines the role these young men played in developing three national forests, three national monuments, a national battlefield, 10 state parks, and four military installations. This book illustrates and gives voice to the CCC's rich contribution to Georgia's landscape and history and allows us to understand how the creation of this social employment program was once seen as the shining example of FDR's New Deal.

Harpers Ferry, located at the confluence of the beautiful Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, offers visitors a breathtaking view described by Thomas Jefferson as a "scene worth a voyage across the Atlantic." From George Washington's 1796 establishment of the federal armory, through John Brown's 1859 raid to foment slave rebellion and Civil War battles, and to one of the first successful colleges for African Americans, Harpers Ferry has played a significant role in America's history. Hundreds of vintage postcards, many of which are very scarce today, depict this history, the various scenic views and buildings in town, and the daily lives of townspeople over the last century.