New Book Releases

In this exciting new volume, collector and author Alan F. Smith shares his postcards and photos of Ripley County, Indiana. These images allow the reader to respect the trials, tribulations, and triumphs experienced by those who lived in Ripley County through the years. The towns and villages featured in this volume, like those in all rural areas, had their favorite saloons, general stores, hotels, churches, homes, and interesting historic landmarks. Fortunately for us, these carefully preserved postcards and photographs provide us with a glimpse into this fascinating past.

Discover the vibrant history of Elwood, Indiana, endearingly termed "the Heart of Hoosierland." Elwood is a resourceful town and a vibrant example of Midwestern values.

In 1852, Elwood, Indiana, was a tiny settlement located in Pipe Creek Township of Madison County. Its residents sustained their meager lifestyle as farmers, lumberers, and merchants, but the nation's westward migration was on its way, bringing railroads, people, opportunities, and growth. Nothing bolstered the city's expansion like the 1886 discovery of a seemingly endless reserve of natural gas throughout East Central Indiana. The cheap and plentiful fuel ushered in a new industrial-based economy that prospered greatly. Unfortunately, the gas supply was not infinite, and by the early 1900s, many towns, such as Elwood, were struggling to survive. Elwood, however, reinvented itself and bloomed again.

Discover the rich, unique history of Italians in Indianapolis, Indiana through vintage images in this pictorial history.

In 1910, Indianapolis had the smallest foreign stock population of any city north of the Ohio River, and city historians merely ignored the presence of the ethnic communities. In the 1920s, the Hoosier capital supposedly lacked a cosmopolitan character, and the Ku Klux Klan gloried in the slogan ""100% American."" However, the size of a community does not indicate its significance in municipal life. Rather, immigrants and their descendants make a difference because of their talents and available local opportunities. Residents of Italian origin have contributed mightily to Indianapolis's economy, culture, and professional and religious life. The first to arrive were the Sicilians who developed the city's fruit and vegetable trade and the Friulani who engaged in terrazzo-mosaic tile work. Early immigrants became grocers, shoemakers, tailors, and barbers. Later, primarily after World War II, many American-born of Italian descent moved into Indianapolis, excelling in business and professional fields, including law, medicine, and education. The community has continued to grow, adding to its numbers the Italian-born but married to American military or engaged in skilled labor in carpentry, tailoring, salesmanship, and food preparation.

Those early pioneers paved the way for women who would play baseball as both amateurs and professionals up to the present day. Some were headlining stars on barnstorming teams, while others organized and operated their own teams, and from the 1890s through the 1930s they were known as Bloomer Girls, due to the baggy pants created by Amelia Bloomer. In 1988, the American Women's Baseball Association began play in the Chicago area. With play starting in 1990, the Washington (DC) Metropolitan Women's Baseball League is now the oldest operating women's amateur baseball league in the country. In 2001, a true baseball World Series was held in Toronto, Canada, with women's baseball teams from the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia. That event will celebrate its fifth season in 2005.

Featuring more than 200 vintage postcards, Angola and Steuben County captures fleeting images that reflect the interesting and significant scenes of Steuben County's towns and day-to-day activities at the turn of the century. From thriving squares and bustling industries, to pleasant residential and lake areas, these postcards embrace the past and offer a glimpse into the lives and activities of a different era.

Offering a unique visual history of the area through preserved one-cent postcards, this book portrays the socials, events, buildings, homes, and residents of a by-gone era from the towns of DeKalb County, including Corunna, Garrett, Spencerville, St. Joe, Waterloo, and many other small towns and rural areas.

The images in this work illustrate the story of one of the first Catholic women's colleges in Indiana from shortly after the Sisters of the Holy Cross arrived from Le Mans, France in 1843 to present day. Envisioned by these women of faith as a place to enrich the minds and spirits of the girls of the frontier, Saint Mary's began its tradition of pioneering education for women. This original mission enabled the college to adapt to the contemporary needs of its students and continue to grow and become a regional leader in science, education, and the arts.

As the number of students increased, and the community and world around the campus changed, Saint Mary's College evolved by continuing to honor tradition. The pictures reflect the evolution of the student body, campus, and academic life.

Established at the foot of Hoosier Slide, a natural landmark, Michigan City had attracted a diverse group of pioneers, industrialists, and fun-lovers by the late 1800s. Hoosier Slide is now gone. While the rugged dunes in the east have been replaced by resort communities, the beauty that first captivated settlers is as evident now as it was in the early part of the 20th century.

Founded in 1842 by David Foster, a frontier trader, Kokomo has since become the home to many of the nation's most influential inventions. From the birthplace of the automobile to the introduction of stainless steel and the development of canned tomato juice, Kokomo has been a leader in ingenuity, earning its nickname, the "City of Firsts." In this collection of reminiscent images, Kokomo, Indiana illustrates the charming history of an area which has developed from a small community to what is now one of the largest cities in Indiana. The book is an exploration of the city's streets and a stroll through the history of its growing neighborhoods, tracing the fascinating past of a bygone age.

From the steel mills to the churches to Gary's City Hall, Gary's East Side offers a touching look at this close-knit community. The east side of Gary was a place where people knew their neighbors, where children went to school together, and married high school sweethearts. The area has changed, but a new Gary is emerging. Gary's East Side presents the history of this area in poignant detail and points to the heartening future. Author John Trafny's skillful compilation promises to bring back fond memories of this historic neighborhood.

Captured here in more than 220 postcard images is an important chronicle of the past 100 years in the "City of Mineral Water." This visual record showcases the sanitariums--including the glorious Home Lawn and its sibling, the Martinsville--industries and businesses, buildings and people, courthouse square, and special events that shaped the past and influenced the present. This fascinating retrospective is an indispensable companion to and expansion of Morgan County, the authors' first book in Arcadia's Postcard History Series.

The Lincoln family moved from Kentucky, crossing the Ohio River and settling in an area known as Little Pigeon Creek in December 1816. Now known as Lincoln City, the town is just one of several stops on a back roads tour that takes wanderers through many historic sites, representing important moments in the life of a great man. Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, is buried here, and the cabin where his cousin lived and Lincoln spent the night still stands. Those who want to retrace Lincoln's life in southern Indiana can do so easily by following the narrow roads that traverse the 20-mile area where he lived and traveled during those 14 years when he called Indiana home. The people of the region still claim Lincoln as one of their own.