Definitive History

Settled in the 1600s, Brooklyn Heights is one of New York's most historic neighborhoods.

Its strategic location overlooking the harbor proved instrumental during the Revolutionary War's Battle of Brooklyn. In the 1830s, steam ferries transformed it into America's first suburb, where abolitionism flourished and one of the largest Civil War Sanitary Fairs was held. Throughout the nineteenth century, wealthy philanthropists and entrepreneurs built high-styled Gothic Revival and Italianate homes and founded many landmark Brooklyn institutions. Though the neighborhood declined with the new century, it became a target of Robert Moses's urban renewal projects in the 1930s. Its designation as the city's first historic district saved Brooklyn Heights, and it has since blossomed into one of the city's most desirable neighborhoods.

Wild Edento Cotton Aristocracyis an impeccably researched and superbly written must-read for all whose hearts call Edisto home.

Beautiful Edisto Island has not always been a vacationers' haven in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Before European settlement, it was home to the Edisto Indians, who had seasonal fishing camps in the area, and a wide variety of wildlife. By the beginning of the Civil War, the wealthy planters had largely abandoned the area. What happened between those two periods is a must-read for fans of coastal South Carolina.

Author Charles Spencer chronicles Edisto's history, from the early days when English and Scottish planters and their African slaves settled the lush island paradise and established plantations that flourished until the Civil War.

Go beyond the historic Johnstown flood and explore the in-depth history of this quintessential Pennsylvania community that has endured and prospered through generations.

The flood of 1889 has often taken center stage in the history of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, but the history of this community is greater than this tragedy. In this first installment of a two-volume set, local author Randy Whittle chronicles this town's past. Beginning with the aftermath of the 1889 flood, Whittle describes the key events and issues that the community's institutions and many of its leading personalities have wrestled with from the mid-1890s. The result is an accessible and entertaining narrative that not only recounts the community history, but also the topical histories of many civic organizations, the local government and leading businesses.

The history of the city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is a testament to the strength of the people that call it home.

In the second volume of history for this stalwart Pennsylvania city, Randy Whittle shows how Johnstown pulled together, even after the devastation of a flood in 1936 that wrought massive damage throughout the community. Following World War II, the community struggled to rise above adversity in the economy and to establish civil rights for all. Johnstown is a true American city, as strong as the steel that is forged in its famous mills. From Johnstown's enormous contribution in steel and coal to the war effort to its recovery after the monumental flood of 1977, Whittle's book shows how the people of Johnstown made it the modern city it is today.

This narrative history of Hattiesburg, MS illustrates the people, places, and events that have shaped its cultural and natural history.

Founded by William Hardy at the confluence of rivers and rail lines, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is today a capital of education, healthcare, commerce and the armed forces in the Gulf South. In this new biography of the Hub City, experience its story as you never have before. Hunt and forage alongside Native American tribes centuries before European settlement. Build a cabin with pioneer lumbermen on the edge of the forest, jostling for profit in the cavernous Piney Woods. Train with soldiers at Camp Shelby on the eve of deployment in World War II, and march alongside civil rights activists during Freedom Summer in 1964. In this narrative history, author and Hattiesburg native Benjamin Morris offers a captivating account of the Hub City from its prehistory to the present day, from its darkest hours to its brightest futures.

A small island along the South Carolina coast with a white beach, live oaks, palms, pines, and vast marshes, Fripp Island captivates residents and visitors.

The ebb and flow of tides, the fortunes and difficulties of developers and the fluctuations in the residential community have shaped Fripp's history. In the years since 1963 when the bridge to Fripp was built, two constants in the island's history have been the beauty of its natural setting and its dedicated residents. Page Putnam Miller, who for twenty years served as the lobbyist for the historical profession in Washington and for the past five years has been a Distinguished Visiting Lecturer in the graduate history program at the University of South Carolina, has undertaken several years of extensive research to examine the intricate turns and twists in ownership of the resort and to explore the evolution of the residential community.

Just fifteen miles inland from Charleston, South Carolina sits the charming city of Goose Creek, a vibrant community with a history over three centuries in the making.

That history teems with all the trappings of a traditional Lowcountry city, but to many, Charleston's long historical shadow has obscured Goose Creek, and few know the real story of the people and events that define the city's past. With Goose Creek, South Carolina: A Definitive History 1670-2003, Michael J. Heitzler seeks to shed light on Goose Creek's fascinating history. The first of a two-volume set, Planters, Politicians and Patriots illuminates the foundations of Goose Creek and the lives of the Europeans and Africans who settled in the wilderness and out of it carved successful plantations - Sedgefield, Otranto, Medway and more - as large and lucrative as any in the Lowcountry.

This title from Charles Spencer recounts the history of Edisto Island from the Civil War to present day.

The Civil War hit Edisto Island hard. Between the mandated evacuation, Union occupation and the eventual emancipation of the slaves, the cotton plantation economy that had sustained the island fell to ruin. But this phoenix was to rise from the ashes of war to become one of the premier destinations for fun and sun on the South Carolina coast. Charles Spencer, in his second volume of Edisto history, recounts the events of the Civil War, the struggles of Reconstruction, the effects of the new freedman class and the island's rebirth as a favorite vacation spot and modern community in the twentieth century. Each chapter offers an enjoyable excursion into the past and a detailed look at the remarkable history of Edisto.

Discover the growth and transformation of Sarasota, Florida from deserted land of milk and honey to the thriving, charming community it is today.

Sarasota, Florida was not always the thriving urban community that residents know today. This popular tourist destination on the Gulf Coast began its course of modern development with the Homestead Act of 1862 and a promise to the inhabitants of Scotland that the land awaiting them in Florida was one of ""milk and honey where gold grew on trees."" Little did the first settlers know that within a hundred years the deserted land they then called home would transform itself not only into a bustling real estate and tourism hub, but also into a charming community with a personality all its own. From the 1920s to the 1960s, the Gulf Coast town was described as ""a community where no one was a stranger."" In the 1920s, however, a clairvoyant full-page ad in the Sarasota Herald predicted, ""Sarasota's Growth Cannot Be Stopped."" Indeed it couldn't. Sarasota soon became nationally known for its connection to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its famous art museum, and its celebration of modern architecture. A long time resident of Sarasota, Florida, Jeff LaHurd's ninth published work is his most comprehensive account of Sarasota's history to date. In this precise exploration of the city's history, LaHurd masterfully chronicles the lives lived and the fluctuating growth of Sarasota.

Beaufort, South Carolina, the Palmetto State's second-oldest town, is a paradigm of the Lowcountry and well worth a visit in this pictorial history.

As one of the oldest settlements in North America, Beaufort can trace its root deep into the rich history of the New World. This charming city beneath moss-draped oaks has a heritage that is as diverse as it is longstanding. This comprehensive look into Beaufort's past reveals a wide-ranging set of influences that helped to shape the island city's development. From the landing of Spanish sailors in 1514 to the influx of present-day sun-seekers, Beaufort has played host to a variety of inhabitants that have each added a distinct element to its captivating milieu. Author Alexia Jones Helsley calls upon a lifetime of experience as one of South Carolina's premier archivists and historians to illuminate all aspects of Beaufort's history. A native of old Beaufort and an accomplished genealogist, Helsley uses elegant, thoughtful prose to convey the duality of this Lowcountry jewel, from sparkling tides and majestic homes to hurricanes and hidden slave quarters. This vital text is unmatched in its ability to bring to life the fascinating story of a city nearly 500 years in the making.

A History of Chesapeake, Virginia chronicles the history of this famous city, from its colonial to beginnings to its modern day prestige.

An entertaining and informative history for all who love Chesapeake--and a must-read for anyone who calls this beautiful city home. Chesapeake, Virginia, is one of the newest cities in the Commonwealth, but the area is undeniably steeped in history that dates to the colonial era and before. In this exemplary volume, historian Raymond Harper traces Chesapeake-area settlement from Native Americans to early Europeans and continuing through the modern era. With fascinating detail, Harper presents the impact of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, the development of education and religion and the growth of one of the nation's most beloved cities.