American History Books

In addition to being the state capital, Richmond, Virginia, was also the capital of the South during the Civil War. Today Richmond is a vibrant city that embraces its historical past while looking toward future developments.

After Reconstruction, businesses developed, and the warehouse district - Shockoe Bottom - was rebuilt, boosting Richmond's economic growth. Then & Now: Richmond uses late-19th-century photographs of Richmond neighborhoods, churches, businesses, and schools, contrasting these historic photographs with contemporary views of the same Richmond sites such as St. John's Church, the Capitol, Broad Street, Main Street, and the Old Stone House. Then & Now: Richmond takes a step back in time and compares the glory of the past with the progress of the future.

Accompanied by Jonathan Bryan, a planter with an insatiable appetite for virgin tracts of land, Georgia's third and last Royal Governor James Wright visited Buttermilk Bluff in June 1767 and envisioned a city. St. Marys was born, and its street names reflect the surnames of the 20 founding fathers. While the county seat was removed from a quaint St. Marys on more than one occasion, today, the garden spot of Woodbine serves as the seat of county government. Formerly the rice plantation of J.K. Bedell, this small city shares a symbiotic relationship with port of St. Marys and the "City of Royal Treatment" at Kingsland. The history of the county, with its three main towns as well as the outlying, rural areas, unfolds in striking photographs from days gone by. Preserved within the pages of this treasured volume, images reveal Camden and its people in times of tragedy and triumph.

A variety of vintage images of long-forgotten treasures are included in this book. Some of the rare snapshots show the Interurban, which ran between Paris and Lexington; the Paris Opera House; early stores; church buildings and church groups; as well as many early schools. While time has changed many of the physical sites pictured in this volume, some-like the Cane Ridge Meeting House and the Bourbon County Courthouse-live on. Also showcased are the many people who contributed to the unique character of Bourbon County and its towns and hamlets, including renowned author John Fox Jr., Confederate soldiers, African-American church deacons, and lots of "everyday folks."

See the story of Western Pennsylvania's Homestead and the Steel Valley, home to the great furnaces of America that supported the nation in wars and the immigrants that provided labor and build the area's proud heritage.

Western Pennsylvania is dotted with what are known locally as mill towns, but few of these communities epitomize this definition more than the municipalities of Homestead, West Homestead, and Munhall. Commonly referred to as the Steel Valley, these towns were home to some of the greatest steel-producing operations in the world. As the Mon Valley's steel production answered the nation's call during two world wars, so did the workers who unloaded countless barges of coal and fed the mills' great furnaces that produced the material needed for weapons, armament, and tanks. Workers emigrated from every country in Europe to make their mark in America. Many of these people spoke little or no English and endured long hours of labor in often hazardous conditions. Their families brought with them the traditions of their varied European cultures, filling their communities with ethnic diversity. Through 200 photographs, Homestead and the Steel Valley conveys the proud heritage of three communities and their role in the nation's history.

With more than two hundred vintage images, Linwood presents the view along the road from Leedsville to Linwood. Treasured nineteenth-century homes throughout the community provide a glimpse of the early years. Featured are such personalities as sea captains Israel Adams and Peter Reed, blacksmith Harry Potter, teacher Lizzie Cavileer, and chief of police Jesse James. Also included are well-known locales, such as Stuber's and Hagerthey's corner stores, the Mill Pond, Linwood Station, Belhaven and Leedsville Schools, and historic area churches.

Dubbed ""America's Game"" by Walt Whitman, baseball has been enjoyed in our nation's capital by young boys playing street stickball and Presidents throwing each season's inaugural pitch.

Just 13 years after Alexander Cartwright codified baseball's rules, the Washington Nationals Baseball Club formed and in 1867 toured the country spreading the ""baseball gospel."" By 1901 the team became one of the first eight major league teams in the newly formed American League. Players such as Walter Johnson, probably the greatest pitcher of all time, and other Senators under the stewardship of owner Clark Griffith successfully led the club in 1924 to what many consider to be the most exciting World Series in baseball history.

Later, the Homestead Grays played at Griffith Stadium and fielded a team featuring legendary Negro League greats such as Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard. The powerhouse Grays, during a ten-year span, won nine Negro League World Championships, a record that may never be equaled in any team sport again.

When the Grays disbanded, the original Senators left for Minnesota in 1960, and the expansion Senators of the 1960s relocated, the city was left without a professional baseball team. While many feared that baseball in D.C. was over, a spirit remained on the diamond and is still felt today as children and adults team up in one way or another to play the national pastime in the nation's capital. Hopes for a new professional team linger, and those remembering baseball's heyday will enjoy this extensive and unusual collection of historic photos that celebrate a time when the crowds roared and Washingtonians believed that the summer game would never end.

Highland Park, New Jersey explores the rich history of this 2-square-mile town in an unprecedented collection of over 200 photographs.

Highland Park's history is one of growth and is best seen through the ever-tightening weaving of old and new architecture. As 19th century farmsteads gave way to residential developments, Highland Park's main street experienced considerable development and change; the horse and buggy gave way to trolleys and, eventually, to automobile traffic. In this unique pictorial collection, discover the charm of this New Jersey town through historic images of Highland Park's architecture, from mansions and churches to shacks. Also featured are collected memorabilia from local cultural events such as parades and horse races. While Highland Park acknowledges close ties to the city of New Brunswick, its small-town identity comes out from under New Brunswick's large shadow. Outstanding photographs of Ayres beach, the building of the railroad bridge, and the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps in dress uniforms are complemented by timely graphics from maps, advertisements, and even a raffle ticket that was saved for 95 years.

Venture into flora and fauna of Pennsylvania's Moraine State Park and uncover the hidden histories behind its natural treasures.

About 20,000 years ago, the late Wisconsinan glaciation reached its maximum extent. Glacial deposits identify the moraine, or farthest area covered by the glacier. Muddy Creek was a north-flowing stream that was blocked by the south-advancing glacier, forming a huge lake that lasted until the glacier dam began to retreat. The lake rapidly drained, eventually exposing the vast Muddy Creek basin. Dr. Frank Preston envisioned recreating the ancient glacial lake and worked with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to begin the project that became 16,725-acre Moraine State Park. Its centerpiece, man-made Lake Arthur and the surrounds, provide outstanding outdoor recreation and relaxation opportunities.

Doddridge and Ritchie Counties revisits these West Virginia counties during their formative years, acknowledging past citizens and celebrating a way of life prior to the rapid onset of technology. Time seemed to move much slower then, and people were not always in a hurry. Images of clay main streets, rustic farm houses, and horses whose hooves readily click against rocks entice readers to take a closer look, to see for themselves the people and the events that have molded these two Mountain State counties into communities where residents feel safe and blessed and visitors find unprecedented tranquility.

As Sykesville grew and changed over the years, many individuals, including Suzannah Warfield, Frank Brown, Wade Warfield, J.H. Fowble, E. Francis Baldwin, and Edwin Mellor, played important roles in the town's commercial development. But it is Sykesville's unique heritage, the great value placed on preserving that past by residents, and the resilient character of the community that has made Sykesville what it is today. Following a decline in the 1970s, the town experienced a rebirth fostered by the tenacious spirit of local officials and residents who strongly believed that the town could regain its past glory. Now, as one strolls along Sykesville's downtown streets, the past seems once again alive and the community's singular story is at the heart of it all.