New Book Releases

The iconic home of the Chicago Cubs and one of the greatest American ballparks, Wrigley Field is captured in this bright, graphic print from the best-selling book "C is for Chicago". Featuring the world-famous red and white "Wrigley Field home of the Chicago Cubs" sign and the ivy covered walls of the outfield, this print is perfect for any Cubs fan or anyone who loves Chicago. Printed on high-quality paper, this print is ready for framing.

This graphic print of the Field Museum of Chicago's world-famous "Sue" Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur. Sue is the largest and most complete T.rex specimen and on display at the museum. This bright, bold print is ideal for anyone who is a dinosaur lover. Printed on high-quality paper, this print is ready for framing and the perfect gift for anyone who loves T.rex Dinos!

A graphic print of Chicago's favorite players' jerseys from the book "C is for Chicago".

The ultimate office, man-cave or fan-cave decoration for the Chicago sports fan, this full-color matted poster print features the jerseys of five Chicago sports legends - Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs legend #14 Ernie Banks, "Sweetness" Walter Payton #34 Chicago Bears jersey, the "Big Hurt" Frank Thomas' #35 of the Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Blackhawks icon, #9 Bobby Hull.

The poster art is from "C is for Chicago," the beloved alphabet book that features the things that make Chicago great, including Chicago Sports Legends. This bold, graphic print is printed on high-quality paper and is ready for framing. This print makes the perfect gift for fans of Chicago sports.

The ultimate office, man-cave or fan-cave decoration for the Boston sports fan, this full-color matted poster print features the jerseys of five Boston sports legends - Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams #9, the great Larry Bird #33 of the Boston Celtics, iconic Boston Bruins player Bobby Orr #4 and the winningest Super Bowl Quarterback of all-time, Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots. The poster art is from "B is for Boston," the beloved alphabet book that features the the things that make Boston so special, including the most iconic Boston players. This bold, graphic print is printed on high-quality paper and is ready for framing. This print makes the perfect gift for fans of Boston sports.

Local Luminaries, Famous Passersby & Everyone in Between

Since its founding in the early 1800s, Kalamazoo has welcomed a variety of notable characters who have shaped the community’s legacy in their own special way. Some, like Orville Gibson and Derek Jeter, are nationally recognized, while others, such as Sue Hubbell or Donald Bonevich, may be lesser known. Abraham Lincoln and Flora Temple briefly passed through town, and Mary Jackson and Gwen Frostic were among those who came here to attend college. Others, like Darwin and Opal Brown (aka Santa and Mrs. Claus) or Gene Rhodes (aka Gene the Pumpkin Man), were lifetime residents.

From founding fathers to early innovators, groundbreakers to entrepreneurs, artists to authors and athletes to entertainers, author Dianna Higgs Stampfler celebrates fifty figures in Kalamazoo-area history.

Below the bustling skyscrapers of Wall Street lie a connection to the city’s colonial and revolutionary past...

The graveyards of historic Trinity Church and St. Paul’s have endured for centuries, even as the rest of Manhattan’s cemeteries have mostly vanished amid the constantly evolving metropolis. The gravestones invoke incredible stories of famous Americans and lost figures from the history of New York.

Join author Adam Selzer as he presents the lives, mysteries and epitaphs of New York’s Trinity Church and St. Paul’s graveyards.

It was a common story in the 1980s: downtowns were dying.

Stuart was right there with the ill-fated. Businesses had largely abandoned Stuart’s historic buildings, leaving the streets deserted. The St. Lucie River, which should have been an asset, was more of a liability, befouled with pollution, some of it from the city’s sewer system. The southernmost leg of Interstate 95 hadn't been completed yet, meaning US 1, the town’s main thoroughfare, was clogged with traffic that had no intention of stopping in this dirty backwater. Indeed, downtown was in such bad shape that Martin County government was thinking of relocating its courthouse. But the city had one thing going for it: a core group of citizens who fought back to restore downtown into an award-winning showpiece. Author Blake Fontenay shares the story of Stuart’s revitalization.

The Stories Behind Iconic Venues

Theaters in the Tri-Cities featured everything from early minstrel shows of the nineteenth century to the modern multiplex movie houses of the twenty-first century. It’s a complex subject that is closely connected to the region’s overall history. The Barter Theatre is the official theater of Virginia. Memorial Hall Theater, which opened in 1904, may be the oldest operating venue in the region. The Johnson City Transit Center now sits at the previous site of four famous theaters. Robert Sorrell details the history of these iconic theaters and the influence they had on their communities.

Aloha, Texas!

Texas may be famous as the birthplace of both Willie Nelson and western swing, but its thriving ukulele community also boasts a rich heritage. Say howdy to the cowboy who plays ukulele and washtub bass at the same time. Don’t leave Austin’s famous music scene without visiting one the country’s biggest ukulele clubs. Jeff Campbell picks his way across the Lone Star State, where the ukulele jams with reggae among the eastern pines and a former Singing Bellhop of Amarillo attempts to strum for fifty hours straight.

Colonial Sudbury, Massachusetts, was designated the Puritan Village by author Sumner Chilton Powell in his 1964 Pulitzer Prize–winning history of the founding of this quintessential New England town in 1638. Yet this quiet rural village also had a darker history that is often overlooked. Sudbury’s Puritan inhabitants, including some of the most prominent citizens in town, held and sold enslaved Black people throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Stories gleaned from preserved records highlight the lives of men, women and children held in bondage, including a court case involving an enslaved boy repeatedly beaten and left scarred by his master less than thirty years after the town’s founding, as well as the bill of sale of Phebey, age two, to a woman in another town. Local author Jane Sciacca uncovers the hidden side of suffering in this New England town.

A colorful Midwestern city with a colorful past

Eau Claire’s history is a rich tapestry of tragedy, mystery, and everything in between. Time after time, a round-faced man with a bristly mustache appeared amongst loggers in late nineteenth-century photos, but who was this man? In 1903, residents were left stumped when a mysterious body arrived by train from Chicago. Thirty years later, Hollywood came to Eau Claire with a world premiere of Out All Night, a comedy starring Zasu Pitts and Slim Summerville. Facing a labor shortage during World War II, the city welcomed German POWs and often worked side by side with them in the corn and pea fields.

Local authors Jodi Kiffmeyer and Diana Peterson collect the humorous, heart-breaking, and utterly befuddling stories of the city’s past. 

Long known for its Dutch heritage associated with windmills, tulip festivals, and distinct surnames, there is more to share about the town of Clymer. Traveling country roads through the rolling hills of southern Chautauqua County, a fertile valley with a village at the center that features a lone flashing red traffic light can be found. Established in 1821, Clymer has a rich history and a proud tradition of both individual and community accomplishment. Self-reliance and an entrepreneurial spirit led to the creation of public utilities, flourishing businesses, and schools that educated future professionals and farmers alike. Its small-town charm remains today, with an amazing one-stop general store, an all-you-could-need hardware store, and a widely known and popular restaurant with delicious sweet rolls.

As a retired teacher who grew up in Clymer, Rod Beckerink shares photographs and stories that act like individual pieces of a puzzle that, when put together, give a better understanding of what shaped the Clymer of today. With images primarily collected from the Clymer Area Historical Society, readers can take a trip down the nostalgic memory lane of Clymer’s past to catch a glimpse of the people, places, and events of the area’s interesting history.

Nannie Berger Hairston was a crusader for justice in twentieth-century Virginia.

Nannie Berger Hairston was born in West Virginia in 1921, half a century after the end of the Civil War. She attended segregated schools, graduated, married and started a family. When Nannie’s husband, John, lost his job in the coal mine, the Hairstons moved to Southwest Virginia. It was the height of Jim Crow, and yet, against great odds, she and John became leaders in the community, advocating for civil rights and social justice. Nannie Hairston’s advice was sought by the powerless as well as the powerful. At the time of her death in 2017, she had taken her place as an icon for truth, justice and love.

Local author Sheree Scarborough uses Nannie Hairston’s own words to tell her story.

After legendary sheriff Pat Ware was thrown from his horse on a very muddy Commerce Street, the Gainesville Daily Hesperian observed that he “had enough mud sticking to his wardrobe to start a land boom in the Panhandle.” The Hesperian had an eye for detail, down to the autumn leaf pen wiper Dr. Arthur Carroll Scott received as a wedding present and the raid on Fount Duston’s watermelon patch. Ron Melugin has pored over thousands of articles from the newspaper’s frontier era, piecing together advertisements for Botanic Blood Balm and a county clerk’s train robbing spree. It is an account of bygone Gainesville so vivid that modern readers can almost see, hear and even (in the case of the 1894 privy ordinance) smell it.

In the mid-1830s, German pioneers found an area 30 miles north of Houston thriving with pure water, an abundance of timber, and rich agricultural resources.

In 1838, the Republic of Texas granted to serviceman William Hurd 320 acres. In the early 1900s, the nucleus of the landscape caught the eye of the Trinity & Brazos Railroad as a favorable stop to the Port of Houston. For 25 years, the town prospered as a major rail stop for commodities from all around the area. In May 1933, oil was struck, which catapulted the small town into one of the largest producing oil fields in the South. The oil boom created a community that has thrived on small-town culture with a melting pot of heritages. Former and current residents alike share a deep-rooted sense of community and are proud to call Tomball their “Hometown with a Heart.” 

Descendants of early pioneers and Lone Star College–Tomball Community Library staff have collected community photographs to share these historic hometown images. 

From hot air balloons to home-built aircraft, the people of Oregon pursued every opportunity to explore the skies.

By the late 1800s, air travel had captured the imagination of the entire nation. From hot air balloons to home-built aircraft, the people of Oregon pursued every opportunity to explore the skies. At the 1905 world’s fair exposition, held in Portland, audiences gazed in awe as dirigibles claimed the title of first controlled flight in the state. Soon after, airfields began to dot the countryside. In 1910, Charles Hamilton became the first pilot to fly in Oregon, and by 1926, regular air mail deliveries were commonplace. Daring early aviators like Eugene Ely, Charles Walsh and Silas Christofferson lost their lives but have never been forgotten.

Author Arthur H. Redman explores Oregon’s aviation history. 

Utilizing photographs from the Historical Society of Temple City, Donna Georgino explores the history of Temple City.  

When Walter P. Temple’s oldest son, nine-year-old Thomas, discovered oil on the family’s property in the Montebello Hills, Temple used his newfound wealth to purchase 285 acres of the Rancho San Francisquito. Temple, along with his associates Milton Kauffman, George Woodruff, and Sylvester Dupuy, established the Temple Townsite Company in 1923 and began selling plots of land designed to form a new community for the middle class. With a park, a church, a central business district, and an extension of the Pacific Electric Red Car line, the town of Temple soon became a thriving community. In 1928, the town of Temple changed its name to Temple City to avoid confusion at the post office. In 1944, the Woman’s Club initiated the Camellia Festival, an event that is still celebrated today.

Author Donna Georgino grew up in Temple City, attended Temple City schools, and currently serves as the president of the Historical Society of Temple City. The historical society was formed in 1987 by longtime residents interested in preserving Temple City’s history. In 2006, the Woman’s Club gifted/deeded its building on the corner of Kauffman and Woodruff Avenues to the society as a permanent home for the museum. 

Stories of a People

Throughout history, African Americans passed along folk tales to ease burdens and make sense of experiences. Tracing back to West Africa, this storytelling tradition provided laughter, instruction and resilience. Animal stories often were proverbs for adults and teaching points for children. Two pioneering Black schoolteachers told of their careers in education. An eyewitness described the Charleston Race Riot in 1919. Others gave testimonies of Denmark Vesey’s attempted slave rebellion. Author Damon L. Fordham presents this collection of Black South Carolina stories and narratives based on interviews and research, including his travels in Africa.

The Hawaiian island chain has long been a crossroads of cultures. Oahu’s name is sometimes translated as “the gathering place,” and its appeal is undeniable. Even before the arrival of Western powers, Hawaiian chiefs struggled for control of the island. As far back as the 1700s, many would-be colonizers had their eyes on Pearl Harbor—the United States, the British, the Russians, and the Japanese. For decades, only one thing was certain. The Hawaiian monarchy would not be left alone to rule their own people. More than a hundred years before “the day of infamy,” December 7, 1941, the story of the United States’ military occupation of Hawaii begins with the Western world’s discovery of what was at the time called Wai Momi, the beautiful and, unfortunately, strategically located “waters of pearl.”

Sarah Bellian is a historian and curator of the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum at Pearl Harbor. She previously worked in museums and public history in Texas and Idaho. During the pandemic, she began a deep dive into Hawaii’s often difficult relationship with the US military. In addition to telling stories, she enjoys craft beers, historical swordsmanship, and playing roller derby.

A Dark History Revealed

In the early twentieth century, eugenics was at the forefront of scientific discourse in the quest to understand human genetics. On Long Island and throughout the nation, eugenicists were granted unfettered access to conduct experiments on prisoners, psychiatric patients, Coney Island circus performers and more, all in an effort to legitimize a false science. The origins of the eugenics movement can be found within the Eugenics Record Office, an otherwise nondescript two-and-a-half-story administrative building at Cold Spring Harbor, New York, under the direction of Charles Benedict Davenport from 1910 to 1939. The work conducted there directly led to the forced sterilization of thousands of American citizens and the passage of anti-immigration laws and sparked a deadly global movement.

Author Mark Torres explores the local characters, influences, landmarks and ghastly consequences that emanated from this small Long Island facility for decades and spread throughout the world.

How Long Beach caused the death of John A. Lamb.

Immediately after his 1914 election as mayor of Long Beach, Louis Napoleon Whealton fired the chief of police and raided the city treasury. To replenish the funds, Mayor Whealton concocted a scheme to collect fines from any male “who made advances toward other men.” Two special police officers entrapped and arrested thirty-one men, dragging them before a judge to pay up or risk a public trial. When one victim refused to play along, newspapers were quick to publish the names of everyone accused, including local pharmacist and popular churchman John A. Lamb. His suicide made headlines, but the city continued to target gay men well into this century.

Author and historian Gerrie Schipske uncovers the story of a tragic death with far-reaching consequences in Long Beach.

Author Alan Brown guides the intrepid on a dark tour of the Pelican State’s most infamous residents. Louisiana beckons those the world over with its culture and Spanish moss–draped beauty. But that magnetic pull has also summoned a cast of reprobates vile enough to fill a book. In this version of Louisiana, pirate Jean Lafitte and gentlemanly train robber Eugene Bunch go ahead and help themselves to whatever they like, murderous dentist Etienne De Champs is the stuff of dentophobic nightmares, a psychotic killer known as “The Axeman” stalks the streets of New Orleans and a hail of bullets greets Bonnie and Clyde. Indeed, the sadistic Delphine LaLaurie and Voodoo Queen Clementine Barnabet are quite comfortable in this decidedly non-moss-draped history.

Connecticut radio stations and their charismatic disc jockeys played an integral role in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. They served as a vital connection between the music and their audience, providing listeners the one vehicle they most needed—a format for them to listen to their favorite songs. Learn about such memorable moments as the fierce rivalry between WDRC and WPOP, the zany antics of Joey Reynolds, and the on-air “death” of Lee “Baby” Simms. WPLR emerged as a “town hall meeting held in a frat house,” and colorful skits filled the airwaves. With in-depth interviews and timeless photos, author Tony Renzoni captures the spirit of the vibrant music scene and traces the important and influential role of past and present on-air personalities. 

A Thrilling Lost Chapter of Mob Rule

Western Pennsylvania’s New Kensington was in the grips of Mafia control throughout the 1950s, with a bevy of bookie joints, gambling casinos and brothels. An outgrowth of the Pittsburgh mob, New Kensington’s Costa Nostra ordered a group of Mafiosi to break into a National Guard station in Ohio and steal a shipment of weapons. The guns were destined for Fidel Castro, who was waging guerrilla war in Cuba. The Pittsburgh Mafia was hoping to get on Castro’s good side if he won the war to secure the reopening of gambling casinos. From a daring heist in Canada to Swiss bank accounts and CIA informants, this infamous gunrunning scheme was a high-speed saga of international intrigue. Join author Richard Gazarik as he presents a harrowing historical narrative of the criminal underworld of Western Pennsylvania.

Holbrook was established in 1881 when the railroad came through Northern Arizona. Surviving a catastrophic fire, it was the playground for the Hashknife cowboys, giving it an unparalleled Wild West history.

It also endured floods caused by the Little Colorado River, and although it was once a major stop along Route 66, it was bypassed by Interstate 40 in the 1980s. Nevertheless, Holbrook is still a vibrant community today.

Residents for more than two decades, authors William Gibson Parker and Linda Louise Parker document this rich history.

Founded in 1905, Richmond, California, boasts 32 miles of shoreline and is centrally located within the San Francisco Bay Area. From a nationally registered historic district to its critical role in World War II, Richmond fits the quintessential historic bill—both on land and at sea.

Enjoy this glimpse into a past that is still very present courtesy of two native Richmond daughters, Desiree Heveroh and Victoria Stuhr, with images from Richmond Museum of History & Culture, Point Richmond History Association, and the Richmond Public Library.

Ghost stories from Amherst, New Hampshire have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Welcome to the spooky roads of Amherst, New Hampshire! 

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. 

Did you know Town Hall once had skeletons in the basement? Or that a haunted cottage sits near the shores of Baboosic Lake? Can you believe ghostly wolves roam the forests at night, their eerie howls echoing until dawn? 

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Amherst, New Hampshire forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on! 

Michigan is home to an amazing array of food and drink brands, each with a fascinating story behind it.

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals like Kellogg’s and Post changed how the world eats, and Gerber first made baby food commercially available. But the Wolverine State is bursting with many other notable edibles, such as Faygo, American Spoon, Jiffy, Sanders and Vernors. Better Made uses Michigan potatoes for its chips. Fudge, pasties and anything made with cherries are also local standards. Others are gone but not forgotten, like Awrey’s and Twin Pines.

Authors Gail Offen and Jon Milan explore the history and stories behind all of these and many, many more.

Learn about efforts underway to save the historic and environmentally important Fourth Street Preserve.

IIn 1670, the first officially deeded land in Lewes was granted by the Duke of York to the town’s earliest settler, Helmanias Wiltbanck—30 of the original 104 acres of Wiltbanck’s beloved preserve remain pristine and undeveloped today, right in the heart of Lewes. Three families owned this land for 312 of the past 355 years. Their tales involve attacks by pirate ships and the British, death and survival during the “fever years” and a prominent but forgotten judge who helped write the original Delaware Constitution and fund its Revolutionary War troops.

Local author and preservation leader Michael Rawl tells these stories and unfolds the long history of this piece of the heart of Lewes.

How the Golden State’s favorite fruit conquered the world.

When avocados first arrived from Mexico in the early 1800s, few Americans knew what to make of them. Intrepid settlers in California were among the first to embrace the savory green fruit, sparking a century-long love affair that transformed the state into “Avocado Land.” From battling over the best avocado varieties to coaxing the public into trying the fruit by devising delicious recipes, Golden State growers created a global phenomenon.

Author Rob Crisell explores how California’s favorite fruit became one of the most famous and iconic foods of the twenty-first century.

Dr. Bobbie Chew Bigby (Cherokee) and Randy Palmer (Kiowa/Choctaw) have collected colorful photographs showcasing one of the earliest, longest-running, and most cherished American Indian cultural attractions in the country, Indian City USA.

Located in Anadarko, Oklahoma, Indian City USA was open from the mid-1950s through the end of the 2000s. Drawing on vibrant postcard images, family photographs, and maps, together with the oral histories of those who worked and lived there, this book provides a unique view into Indian City USA and what made it so special for so many people.

Dr. Leo Mallette is an adjunct faculty at Pepperdine University’s doctoral program. He has collected postcards depicting Rancho Mirage starting with the dude ranches in the 1940s and accelerating with the country clubs in the 1950s.

The city of Rancho Mirage is a low-density resort town with a population that was about 17,000 during the 2020 census. It is in the Coachella Valley, near Palm Springs, and about 110 miles east of Los Angeles. Rancho Mirage encompasses an approximately three-mile-wide swath that includes most of the area south of Interstate 10, extending south past the Whitewater River, Highway 111, and into the Santa Rosa Mountains. It was incorporated in 1973 and is home to many world-class golf courses.

Founded by the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad in 1880, Winslow evolved from a company boomtown into a small city whose historic character is defined primarily by its location along US Route 66 since the highway’s designation in 1926. Now Historic Route 66, it runs the length of Winslow on Second and Third Streets, which are lined with renovated early- to mid-20th-century buildings.

As director of the Winslow Historical Society’s Old Trails Museum, author Ann-Mary J. Lutzick researches and writes about how Winslow’s rich history is reflected in its buildings and sites along Route 66 and beyond, many of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Most know Detroit as the hometown of Motown legends like Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. And they’re all here! But beyond the well-known list of famous Detroiters awaits a veritable who’s who of pop culture, sports, TV, movies and more.

Christie Brinkley, Robin Williams, Sonny Bono, Lucille Ball, Charles Lindbergh, Robert Wagner, Lizzo, Tom Selleck, Ty Cobb, the creator of Gumby, the guy who portrayed Jaws in the James Bond films, and many more.

Compiling over 100 names and places, author Steve Platto leads a celebrity tour of the Motor City that readers can take with them on their own travels or explore from the comfort of home.

Take a Bite of Philadelphia's Storied Sandwich History

Philadelphia boasts some of the most delicious original sandwiches and passionate sandwich aficionados. From the classic cheesesteak to the delectable roast pork, the city’s cultural and ethnic diversity has resulted in many of America’s most established meals between bread. Join author and bona fide sandwich obsessive Mike Madaio as he journeys through the history and eateries behind Philadelphia’s most iconic sandwiches and discovers some unsung heroes along the way.