Brief History

The Brief History series offers a fresh and vivid look at the history of an area, from its founding to the present day. Get to know the southern charm of Mount Dora, Florida, learn the history behind Lake Norman, the largest lake in North Carolina, and travel through the rugged heart of New England on the Boston & Maine Railroad. From the proud river town of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky to Geneva-on-the-Lake, also known as Ohio’s first summer resort, these brief histories pay tribute to small towns and beloved landmarks. [View all Brief History books]
8 products
Old Saybrook
Old Saybrook
Jewish West Hartford:
Jewish West Hartford:
A Brief History of Waterbury
A Brief History of Waterbury
Griswold Point:
Griswold Point:
Lake Waubeeka
Lake Waubeeka
Winchester, Connecticut
Winchester, Connecticut
A History of Mystic, Connecticut
A History of Mystic, Connecticut
Milford
Milford

Old Saybrook

9781467143417

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%
Here in this distinctive New England town, Main Street is the place to meet your neighbors, get a coffee, do your shopping, watch a parade, attend a concert, worship, vote or volunteer. And behind the familiar buildings is a colorful history. There's the humorist who organized his neighbors to buy land and build a town hall that later became the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. The story of how the Monkey Farm got its name. The nighttime parade that draws thousands. And the heartwarming account of the shopkeeper who sent penny candy to students with good grades. Author Tedd Levy reveals the unique buildings, events, people and heritage of this distinctive thoroughfare.
Old Saybrook

Jewish West Hartford:

9781596292048

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%
From immigrant beginnings in city tenements to modern-day life suburban life, Betty Hoffman's Jewish West Hartford profiles the vigorous and vibrant Semitic community of Connecticut's capital city.

Hartford's Jewish population has undergone dramatic and dynamic transformations since the Puritan era. Author Betty Hoffman bears witness to the key changes, including assimilation and suburbanization, while focusing on the Jewish-oriented institutions and civic associations that have come to anchor and define the community. Interlaced with poignant first-person recollections, Jewish West Hartford provides an engrossing chronicle that is both thoughtful and affectionate.
Jewish West Hartford:

A Brief History of Waterbury

9781596296602

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%
In 1681, just twenty-eight humble log cabins built around a marshy green made up what is today Waterbury, Connecticut. The town flourished, and by 1850, its brass- and button-making industries welcomed the Industrial Revolution. When the call came for the Civil War and World Wars I and II, Waterbury gave generously: buttons, to adorn United States military uniforms; and young soldiers, to fight for freedom and become heroes. A Brief History of Waterbury details the ebb and flow of this Connecticut town, the climb to its height, the struggles through adversity and scandal and the glory of modern-day triumphs. In this endlessly intriguing account, authors Edith Reynolds and John Murray uncover the true reaches of Waterbury's dynamic spirit.
A Brief History of Waterbury

Griswold Point:

9781626195714

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%
At the mouth of the Connecticut River, Griswold Point boasts a rich history filled with remarkable individuals. In 1640, Colonel George Fenwick granted the land to Matthew Griswold I, who then turned a teeming wilderness into productive farming and fishing territory. Over the centuries, many prominent Americans called Old Lyme and the Point home. Nathaniel Lynde Griswold and George Griswold built ships that served as privateers in the War of 1812. Florence Griswold invited boarders into her grand house in 1899 and transformed her home into a vibrant artists' colony for the American Impressionist movement. Local author Wick Griswold introduces the community's colorful characters who left indelible marks on history, from colonial governors and judges to adventurers and sea captains.
Griswold Point:

Lake Waubeeka

9781467149464

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%
In 1951, a small group of Jewish firefighters from New York City established a summer colony called Lake Waubeeka in Danbury, Connecticut. Today, it is a religiously, ethnically and racially diversified community of some 250 families. The vision of its founders was to create a bucolic environment away from the grit and grime of the metropolitan area. While Waubeekans did not always agree on the directions life on their mountain might take, a profound community spirit bonded homeowners. Over recent decades, Waubeeka has become a predominantly year-round settlement. While community demographics changed, a cooperative spirit has been passed from generation to generation. Join award-winning historian and Waubeekan Jeffrey S. Gurock as he recounts the fascinating developments that make this community so special.

Lake Waubeeka

Winchester, Connecticut

9781467144162

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%
Winchester and Winsted once blossomed with commerce. From cheeses that were sold to the most exclusive restaurants in major cities to tourism that proclaimed "the lake's the thing," the towns thrived. The production of clocks, clothing, knives and gold- and silver-plated coffin trimmings helped establish the region's prominence. Famous names like Rockwell, Beardsley, Boyd, Gilbert and Strong highlight the town's history, not only due to their business acumen but also because of their philanthropy. Colonel Samuel B. Horne, who earned the Medal of Honor in the Civil War, along with noteworthy journalists and artists all made their home here. And then, in 1955, disaster struck. Join local historian and author Virginia Shultz-Charette as she recounts the town's development and how the great flood changed everything.
Winchester, Connecticut

A History of Mystic, Connecticut

9781596292215

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%

Read the history of Mystic, Connecticut, from quiet farming village to wartime shipbilding powerhouse, to the charming nautical- themed destination it is today.

Tucked away in a natural port, Mystic has long been home to seagoing adventure. In A History of Mystic, Connecticut, author and former Mystic Seaport librarian Leigh Fought relates the compelling story of this picturesque coastal community. Forged from the brutal Pequot War, for years Mystic was a quiet little farming village. Then came the War of 1812. Mystic's upstart venture capitalists seized on the war's dislocations to transform the settlement into a shipbuilding powerhouse. The shipyards launched vessels by the hundreds and an industry was born. The Civil War, steam-powered ships and the decline of commercial whaling halted Mystic's shipbuilding boom. Yet the town recovered, transforming itself into the charming nautical-themed tourist destination that has enchanted millions. Read Fought's comprehensive narrative to discover Mystic's role in New England's thrilling maritime saga.

A History of Mystic, Connecticut

Milford

9781596299245

$21.99 $10.99 Save 50%

Local journalist and historian Frank Juliano takes us through the incredible stories of his town, including a series of vignettes about famous Milford residents.

Purchased for six coats, twelve iron axes, ten blankets, twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, two dozen knives, six mirrors and a kettle, the town of Milford has blossomed into one of Connecticut's most treasured places. . From the American Revolution, when seventy-three men from Milford marched to Boston to fight in the famous Battle of Lexington and Concord, to the backyard pit of a local farmhouse that was surely a stop on the Underground Railroad, Milford has its roots firmly grounded in the bedrock of American history.

Milford