Name: Hill Air Force Base
Brand: George Allen Larson
SKU: 9781467106436
Price: 12.5 USD
Availability: InStock

Hill Air Force Base

9781467106436

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Dive into the military history of Hill Air Force Base as author George Larson explores why this base in northern Utah has played such an important role in supporting the conflicts in both World Wars as well as in Korea and Vietnam, and has helped to develop the United States Air Force into what it is today.

Hill Air Force Base is located 30 miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah. It was named in honor of Maj. Ployer Peter Hill, who was killed in a crash of a Boeing B-17 at Wright Field. In World War II, the base became a maintenance, supply, and temporary surplus aircraft storage depot. Hill supported US forces in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. It also became a maintenance and support facility for the Air Force's turbojet aircraft and missiles during the Cold War. One of the base's important missions is support for the Utah Test and Training Range. Currently, Hill Air Force Base has 78 F-35s assigned to the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings. Lt. Col. George A. Larson, USAF (Ret.), served more than 22 years as an intelligence officer. He is a military and aviation writer who has published numerous books and hundreds of magazine articles.

Red Sox in 5s and 10s

9781467145084

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

The Boston Red Sox have blown hot and cold over the decades. These lists of Top 5s and 10s cover both the highs and lows of a team that has endured a long history of both joy and sorrow. They won the first World Series ever played and then five more pennants in the next fifteen years. Famously, from 1918 until the magical year of 2004, the Sox endured eighty-six seasons without a championship, although they lost pennants and world championships on the last possible day more times than fans care to remember. Finally, in 2004, they won it all. Loyal fans will always remember the joy of Mo Vaughn's grand slam on opening day in 1998 and will likely never forget the agony of Game 6 in 1986. Through it all, unforgettable names like Buckner, Yaz, Tony C. and Big Papi still resonate in the shadows of Fenway Park. From the greatest pitchers to the worst opening days, author Bill Nowlin recounts the highs and lows of Boston's most celebrated sports franchise.

History Lover's Guide to Florida, A

9781467143387

$23.99

Florida is a state of transplants. Even people who relocated here decades ago still claim their birthplace as their home. They might change their mind if they knew that the Sunshine State owns one of the richest histories in the nation. Decades before the Pilgrims, the Spanish celebrated Thanksgiving in Florida. Centuries before the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York, the holiday was celebrated in St. Augustine, where urban renewal was underway when Jamestown settlers arrived. Author James Clark offers a lifetime of places to explore and thousands of facts to fascinate, tracing the state's long history from Pensacola to the Florida Keys.

Chappaquiddick Tragedy

9781455621149

$26.95

The truth behind Ted Kennedy's fateful crash into Poucha Pond.

“My friend Mary Jo just happened to be in the wrong car at the wrong time with the wrong people.”
—Rosemary Keough, the second passenger

One fateful night in Massachusetts, Sen. Ted Kennedy was involved in a fatal crash after driving his car from a party on Martha’s Vineyard. After launching his Oldsmobile 88 across Dike Bridge and into Poucha Pond, Kennedy escaped the submerged car and headed back to Edgartown. Why didn't he save the drowning woman in the rear seat of the car? More importantly, why was Mary Jo Kopechne in the rear seat if the two were traveling together? Suspicion and intrigue have clouded the public's opinion of Kennedy and his involvement with this “crime” for years, but the truth, as revealed here, takes all of the evidence into account and presents a clear explanation of the death at Chappaquiddick.

Bigfoot in Maine

9781467147484

$23.99

The dark woods of Maine have been the setting for many eerie and unexplained events, none more captivating than sightings of a giant hominid known as Bigfoot. But what makes this corner of New England such a perfect place for this cryptid to live? Learn about the ecology and geography that support the legend and meet the people forever changed by close encounters with it. From previously unpublished eyewitness accounts to modern-day media portrayals, author and illustrator Michelle Souliere presents this detailed history of the phenomenon and folklore that has lurked in shadows for generations.

Yuma Proving Ground

9781467104500

$23.99

The Yuma Proving Ground's early history began in 1849 with the establishment of Army outposts in the region. When the United States entered World War II in 1942, the Army established a large-scale training center that expanded from eastern California into western Arizona. Gen. George S. Patton Jr. was assigned to develop the Desert Training Center as a location to train personnel and test equipment in the harsh desert for the war effort. As part of the Desert Training Center, Camp Laguna and the Yuma Test Branch were founded to conduct specific training and testing in support of the war effort. In 1951, the Yuma Test Branch was renamed the Yuma Test Station, and by 1957, the Army began training personnel on military freefall. In 1963, the Army renamed the Yuma Test Station as the Yuma Proving Ground. Today, the Yuma Proving Ground stands near the original sites with the continued task of testing equipment and training personnel.

Los Angeles Underworld

9781467106382

$24.99

From the blackhanders and bootleggers of the early 20th century to political corruption and the rise and eventual toppling of a Mafia family, the history of organized crime in Los Angeles visually chronicled within this work possesses the same level of intrigue, glamour, and murder as the films that made the City of Angels iconic. Los Angeles Underworld showcases an extraordinary collection of rare and previously unpublished images pulled directly from family photo albums and top secret police files.

New England Candlepin Bowling

9781467105705

$24.99

Candlepin bowling is hard. So hard, in fact, that no one has ever bowled a perfect game. The pins are tall and skinny, the balls are small enough to fit in a player's hand, and the fallen pins are not cleared between rolls. Originating in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the late 19th century and played today mostly in New England and eastern Canada, the game has a rich and colorful history. In the days before automation, sure-footed pin boys manually reset the pins and returned the balls. A long-running, top-rated Boston television show regularly transformed unassuming candlepinners into regional celebrities. And the game has something called a Half Worcester. Author and photographer Susan Mara Bregman bowled at dozens of candlepin centers, combed through dusty archives, and interviewed industry insiders to create this affectionate look at one of America's quirkiest pastimes.

Chicago's First Crime King

9781467140553

$21.99 $11.00 Save 50%

Michael Cassius McDonald arrived in Chicago as a teenage scam artist who quickly sketched a blueprint for running the city through its criminal underworld. Chicago's original mob boss, he procured presidential pardons, stuffed mayoral ballot boxes and operated the town's plushest gambling parlor. But he was also a philanthropist who befriended Clarence Darrow, employed Theodore Dreiser, promoted the World's Fair and funded the Lake Street L. His scandalous private life mirrored the tumult of his career, with more than one marriage mired in a love triangle and a murder trial. Kelly Pucci charts the rise of Chicago's first kingpin.

Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay

9781467141161

$23.99

The story of Chesapeake pirates and patriots begins with a land dispute and ends with the untimely death of an oyster dredger at the hands of the Maryland Oyster Navy.

From the golden age of piracy to Confederate privateers and oyster pirates, the maritime communities of the Chesapeake Bay are intimately tied to a fascinating history of intrigue, plunder and illicit commerce raiding. Author Jamie L.H. Goodall introduces infamous men like Edward "Blackbeard'? Teach and "Black Sam'? Bellamy, as well as lesser-known local figures like Gus Price and Berkeley Muse, whose tales of piracy are legendary from the harbor of Baltimore to the shores of Cape Charles.

Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon

9781467104784

$24.99

Most visitors travel to Sedona to view the towering red rock sandstone formations dotted with juniper pines and to hike and explore Oak Creek Canyon, along with other beautiful canyons that were once showcased by the Westerns filmed in Sedona. After the ancient peoples who farmed departed the area, the Homestead Act of the 1870s advertised free land and lured cattle ranchers and farmers, but by the 1960s, tourism reigned, and Sedona became a destination for outdoor activities, art, fine dining, unique shopping, relaxation, and luxury resorts.

Cover image for Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, isbn: 9781467104784

Homes of Hollywood Stars

9781467127301

$23.99

Homes of Hollywood Stars highlights the souvenir postcards and folders that were sold to millions of tourists who visited Hollywood between 1920 and 1970--an era known as the "Golden Age of Hollywood." Some of the actors of those years permitted their elegant residences to be photographed for the pleasure of their fans who wanted to know something about the off-screen lives of their favorite players. Usually located in exclusive communities like Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Holmby Hills, Pacific Palisades, or Palm Springs, the houses were designed to show that the performer had achieved the sort of wealth and acclaim that only Tinseltown could grant. This book highlights screen favorites such as Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson, Norma Talmadge, Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Norma Shearer, Bing Crosby, Ginger Rogers, Gary Cooper, and Marilyn Monroe.

Irish Iowa

9781467139700

$21.99

Iowa offered freedom and prosperity to the Irish fleeing famine and poverty. They became the second-largest immigrant group to come to the state, and they acquired influence well beyond their numbers. The first hospitals, schools and asylums in the area were established by Irish nuns. Irish laborers laid the tracks and ran the trains that transported crops to market. Kate Shelley became a national heroine when she saved a passenger train from plunging off a bridge. The Sullivan family became the symbol of sacrifice when they lost their five sons in World War II. Author Timothy Walch details these stories and more on the history and influence of the Irish in the Heartland.

Rhode Island Trolleys

9781467129749

$24.99

The history of the trolley in Rhode Island is a fascinating and intriguing subject. Rhode Island had one of the richest and most modern trolley systems in all of New England, with historic Providence as its nucleus. In 1865, a horsecar line began providing service from Market Square in Providence to Olneyville. The evolution from horse-drawn cars pulled along a track to the electrification of the system took many years. By 1895, almost all horse-drawn cars were replaced by a robust electric trolley network of routes reaching all parts of the state. By 1954, electrified trolleys were in decline and were being replaced with gasoline-powered buses. Little remains but some images of the once beloved trolley system and its importance to those who depended on it. Through these images, one can take the trolley from Westerly to Watch Hill or ride from Providence to Rocky Point on the Buttonwoods line and be brought back to a time full of wonderment worth remembering.

New Orleans Cemeteries Postcard Book

9781589800205

$5.95

Includes raised tombs, ornate statuary, and the alleged grave of voodoo queen Marie Laveau.

Manheim

9781467106146

$24.99

Manheim is a charming little town nestled in the countryside of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Founded by an eccentric glassmaker named Henry William Stiegel in 1762, this town was born of entrepreneurship and the hardy, adventuresome spirit of early America. Despite its founder's unfortunate financial downfall, Manheim made it through the Revolutionary War and continued to grow into a center of commerce for the surrounding farmland. Through the 20th century, Manheim continually grew in pride of its history and in modernization, as electric lights, piping, and paved roads built up the town's infrastructure. Today, Manheim remains rooted in industry but also offers visitors and residents a variety of boutiques, art studios, and community events. One can also stroll through the streets of Manheim as though walking through time itself, as many buildings from the early 1900s, the 1800s, and even two from the 1700s still grace the town's streets, making it an architectural gem.

Firefighter's Night Before Christmas

9781589800540

$19.99 $10.00 Save 50%

It's the Christmas Eve shift at Firehouse One. All the firefighters are sitting down to bowls of hot chili when an old fireman stops by for a bite to eat. The firemen have to leave to fight a fire and return to find that he was not an ordinary firefighter-they were visited by Sgt. St. Nick!

Halloween Nation

9781455625482

$19.99

America's leading authority on Halloween presents interviews with spooky rock groups, amateur vampires, haunted house creators, champion pumpkin carvers, and more, all in the quest of explaining the nation's unique love affair with this holiday. The collection of essays and interviews explores the pop culture phenomenon that is Halloween, and why we celebrate it the way we do today.

The Battle of Mill Springs, Kentucky

9781609498290

$21.99

On January 19, 1862, Confederate and Union forces clashed in the now-forgotten Battle of Mill Springs.

Armies of inexperienced soldiers chaotically fought in the wooded terrain of south-central Kentucky as rain turned bloodied ground to mud. Mill Springs was the first major Union victory since the Federal disaster of Bull Run. This Union triumph secured the Bluegrass State in Union hands, opening the large expanses of Tennessee for Federal invasion. From General Felix Zollicoffer meeting his death by wandering into Union lines to the heroics of General George Thomas, Civil War historian Stuart Sanders chronicles this important battle and its essential role in the war.

Burke

9781467105408

$24.99

Loosely established in the early 1800s and originally named Burke's Station, the village of Burke, Virginia, provided fertile ground for farmers, politicians, and enterprising citizens. This rural hamlet, nestled in an area 20 miles from the District of Columbia, began its existence supporting the surrounding farmers needing a nexus for commerce and community. Through the decades, Burke transformed from a tiny agricultural area to its current status as a bedroom community, which conceals its vibrant connections to the past. Its rich history, as chronicled by the Burke Historical Society, shows it to have been no stranger to change and growth. It was the site of several Civil War skirmishes, including the infamous "Christmas Raid" by J.E.B. Stuart, conducted during the early years of that fateful war, and another considered to be the last in Fairfax County, fought at a local gathering place, Arundel's Tavern. From wars and railroads to roads and a racetrack as well as a successful fight to fend off the federal government's effort to build an international airport, Burke's vibrant history reveals a diverse snapshot of America, including baseball and apple pie.

The Majesty of Natchez Postcard Book

9781565543409

$9.95 $4.98 Save 50%

The perfect keepsake of a trip to beautiful, historic Natchez, this delightful postcard book also allows a slice of the antebellum South to be sent to friends and family. Stanton Hall, the headquarters for the world-famous annual Natchez Pilgrimage, and Texada, a brick building that has served as everthing from a tavern to a town meeting hall, are but two of the architectural marvels presented.

For visitors to Natchez, this postcard book will preserve many fond memories and will also allow them to send the essence of the Old South to friends and family unable to visit Natchez themselves.

Carson's:

9781609497347

$21.99

Carson Pirie Scott and Company always enjoyed a sterling reputation in Chicago, even among the merchant princes of State Street. For more than one hundred years, in architect Louis Sullivan's stunning commercial masterpiece, Carson's stood shoulder to shoulder with retail icon Marshall Field's, establishing itself as an anchor of contemporary style. It was a place that brought the world to the Midwest, from Parisian fashion to the authentic ambiance of the Mediterrenea dance numbers and the Santa's Village displays. Relive the friendly shopping experience that has kept the Carson's name alive for over a century and a half.

Harpers Ferry

9780738544144

$24.99

Although many towns have changed dramatically from the way they are depicted in old photographs, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, is an exception.

Thanks to restorations by the National Park Service, the Lower Town of Harpers Ferry appears much as it did in 1859. Established in 1763 as ""Shenandoah Falls at Mr. Harper's Ferry,"" the town became the site of one of Pres. George Washington's arsenals and armories and later was the location for John Brown's ill-fated raid.

Hidden History of Early Richmond

9781467143356

$21.99

Richmond's Civil War history is familiar to every local and visitor, but fewer know the stories of the city's early days. Did you know that some of the area's earliest settlers were Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in France? Major John Clarke designed many of Richmond's first public buildings, but did you know that he was one of the masterminds behind the area's early industry as well? Tredegar Iron Works was the arsenal of the Confederacy, but Richmond-area foundries at Westham and Bellona supplied weapons to the armies of the Revolution as well. Richmond's first penitentiary was designed by Benjamin Latrobe before his term as architect of the Capitol. Local author Maurice Robinson narrates the tales of early Richmond's seven hills and beyond.

Made in Chicago

9781467103077

$24.99

For much of the 20th century, the Chicagoland area was a manufacturing mecca due to its central geographic location and ready access to rail and water transportation. The city and suburbs mass-produced a wide range of products, including appliances, bicycles, electronics, furniture, globes, pianos, pinball machines, radios, railroad cars, sporting goods, telephones, televisions, typewriters, tools, toys, tractors, and watches. This book traces the origins of manufacturing in Chicago and explores the city's proud history of making steel and shaping metal. It also provides extensive coverage of the golden age of manufacturing in the region, including Chicago's unique contribution to the arsenal of democracy during World War II. The nostalgic journey includes stops at famous Chicago companies from the past, such as Bell & Howell, International Harvester, Pullman, Schwinn, Stewart Warner, Sunbeam, Western Electric, and Zenith.

Cover image for Made in Chicago, isbn: 9781467103077

Old Joliet Prison

9781467147361

$21.99

In 1857, convicts began breaking rock to build the walls of the Illinois State penitentiary at Joliet, the prison that would later confine them. For a century and a half, thousands of men and women were sentenced to do time in this historic, castle-like fortress on Collins Street. Its bakery fed victims of the Great Chicago Fire, and its locks frustrated pickpockets from the world’s fair. Even newspaper-selling sensations like the Lambeth Poisoner, the Haymarket Anarchists, the Marcus Train Robbers and Fainting Bertha became numbers once they passed through the gates. Author Amy Steidinger recovers stories of lunatics and lawmen, counterfeiters and call girls, grave robbers and politicians.

Cover image for Old Joliet Prison, isbn: 9781467147361

The Everglades

9780738591278

$24.99

Explore Florida's everglades, its history, the native tribes that called it home, and the fight to preserve the grassy wetlands documented through a collection of images.

The Everglades once blanketed a quarter of Florida. Stretching from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, its saw grass prairies, mangrove swamps, and hammocks were home to a profusion of animals, plants, and prehistoric Native Americans, as well as Seminoles, Miccosukees, and Gladesmen of historic times. In 1904, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward ran for Florida governor with the political platform of creating farmland by dredging the Everglades and spilling its water into the ocean. By 1914, this spectacular natural feature was on the verge of destruction, and environmentalist May Mann Jennings led a grassroots movement to preserve Royal Palm Hammock. In the 1930s, Ernest Coe and Marjory Stoneman Douglas fought to preserve a larger area, culminating in the creation of Everglades National Park in 1947.

History Lover's Guide to Lincoln, A

9781467144452

$23.99

Dramatic change accompanied Lincoln’s growth from a village of 30 settlers to a city of 300,000. Today, Lincoln retains the residue of its fascinating past for those who know where to look. Tour Lincoln’s storied heritage by charting the arrival of the university, penitentiary, asylum and railroads. Learn how the early churches still anchor the community. Discover the five towns that later merged into Lincoln. Visualize the artwork that best reflects Lincoln—both the person and city. Locate where Lindbergh learned to fly. Revisit the downtown Lincoln scene of what was once the largest bank robbery in the United States. Picture the once thriving Capitol Beach Amusement Park. Explore Nebraska’s capital city in the expert company of Gretchen M. Garrison.

Cover image for History Lover's Guide to Lincoln, A, isbn: 9781467144452

Hidden Images of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk

9781467142434

$21.99

When the world learned that Wilbur and Orville Wright had performed man's first powered, controlled flights at Kitty Hawk on December 17, 1903, that sleepy village became an international landmark. In addition to recording their first flight in one of the twentieth century's most famous photographs, the Wrights took hundreds of other images of the windswept clime and the people they met on North Carolina's coast. Historian Larry Tise uses their photographs to reveal people, places and events nowhere else recorded. Join Tise for a guided tour of the Wright brothers' Outer Banks encampment between 1900 and 1911.

Hidden Images of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk

The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory

9781609498320

$24.99

The commander of the three-hundred-wagon Union supply train never expected a large ragtag group of Texans and Native Americans to attack during the dark of night in Union-held territory. But Brigadier Generals Richard Gano and Stand Watie defeated the unsuspecting Federals in the early morning hours of September 19, 1864, at Cabin Creek in the Cherokee nation. The legendary Watie, the only Native American general on either side, planned details of the raid for months. His preparation paid off--the Confederate troops captured wagons with supplies that would be worth more than $75 million today. Writer, producer and historian Steve Warren uncovers the untold story of the last raid at Cabin Creek in this Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal-winning history.

The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory

Grand Forks Air Force Base

9781467104081

$23.99 $12.00 Save 50%

In February 1952, the Air Force announced its plans to build Grand Forks Air Force Base to support Strategic Air Command bombers and tankers as well as Air Defense Command fighter-interceptors. On February 8, 1957, Air Defense Command activated the 486th Fighter Group on Grand Forks Air Force Base. In December 1957, the Air Force activated the Grand Forks Air Defense System of the North American Air Defense Command. This sector became operational with the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system to cover the air space of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota and one Canadian province (Manitoba). The first Boeing B-52H Stratofortress arrived on April 29, 1962. In 1983, the B-52Hs were replaced with B-52Gs, and on December 4, 1986, B-52Gs departed the base, replaced by B-1B Lancers in 1987. The 321st Strategic Missile Wing became operational to administrate, man, and operate the Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in December 1966. The Air Force made the formal announcement that it would remove 150 Minuteman III ICBMs with the inactivation of the 321st on July 2, 1998. After that, the Detachment 1, 9th Reconnaissance Wing arrived with the Global Hawk.

Cover image for Grand Forks Air Force Base, isbn: 9781467104081

Bull Trains to Deadwood

9781467144223

$23.99

Pandemonium wafted up out of Deadwood Gulch whenever bellowing, muddy oxen teams led wagons rattling into town. For a decade, thousands of bull trains hauled all that miners, settlers and ne'er-do-wells needed to survive in that isolated prairie oasis. The bulls, thousands of them in mile-long, meandering trains, had last known civilization in Fort Pierre, two hundred miles to the east. After weeks on the harsh prairie of the Sioux, the exhausted convoys appeared out of the prairie dust, each team of twenty or more oxen pulling sturdy, white-bonneted wagons filled with provisions. Author Chuck Cecil restores the glory of the near-forgotten yet indispensable symbols of the West that made life possible on the frontier's western fringe.

Historic Houses of the Connecticut River Valley

9781467108331

$23.99

New England's Connecticut River meanders 410 miles south from the Canadian border to Long Island Sound. After thousands of years of peaceful habitation by Indigenous people came 400 years of development around European settlements, farmsteads, shipping ports, and manufacturing mills. Farmers, boatbuilders, quarrymen, and industrialists benefitted from the river valley's fertile plains, geological resources, and waterpower. Ready access to markets at Boston, New York, the West Indies, and Europe fueled the growth of the valley's towns and major cities such as Hartford and Springfield. The valley has been home to consequential social reformers, authors, and intellectuals. Its bucolic settings attracted artists who came to the renowned colonies at Cornish and Lyme, steamboat tourists, and urban transplants with modern lifestyles. The most important houses they built, many of which are designated national historic landmarks and open to the public, and some newly discovered properties are highlighted here for their architectural significance and rich historical associations.

Historic Houses of the Connecticut River Valley

Andrew Higgins and the Boats That Landed Victory in World War II

9781455625277

$16.99

Andrew Higgins built boats that could "crunch through driftwood, bounce over logs, climb a beach," and "wham up on a sloping concrete sea wall." In World War II, that was exactly what was needed to get soldiers and Jeeps from the ocean to land. This biography for young readers traces the invention of the legendary Higgins boat-and the adventurous childhood of the remarkable man behind it.

Andrew Higgins and the Boats That Landed Victory in World War II

Putnam's Revolutionary War Winter Encampment:

9781609492311

$21.99

Putnam State Park, Connecticut's first state park, was the site of Revolutionary War general Israel Putnam's last command. In the winter of 1778-79, three thousand troops of the Continental army built and lived in "the city," a winter encampment in the valleys of northern Redding. Historian Daniel Cruson describes in fascinating archaeological detail the construction of the camp and the soldiers' daily struggle to survive. Mutiny, execution, skirmishes and the heroism of Putnam himself are revealed in this compelling history. The story of Putnam State Park doesn't end when Continental troops marched out to engage the British; Cruson takes readers from the creation of the park itself to the present day.