Images of America

With Around Oswego, readers are invited to experience satisfying glimpses of over one hundred years of history and change.

Active as a busy commercial port city in the 1880s, Oswego would redefine itself as a recreation and tourist destination by the 1980s. This evolution is witnessed through text and pictures, as factories, textile mills, lumber docks, coal trestles, and schooners were replaced with pleasure boats, marinas, hotels, restaurants, and parks. Familiar as well as rare and previously unpublished images document changes in the local landscape. Readers will meet some of Oswego's citizens, from international industrialist Thomas Kingford and Medal of Honor recipient and reformer Dr. Mary E. Walker, to soldiers and factory workers. Celebrate the opening of a turn-of-the-century playground, watch a circus parade, and enjoy a quiet picnic scene on a since-vanished shore line. Discover the outside world's interest in Oswego with photographs from United Nations Week in June 1943, and the World War II refugee center at Fort Ontario.

The story of whales and the whalers who followed them is inextricably tied with Long Island's rich maritime history. Before the Long Island Expressway, strip malls, golf clubs, and suburban sprawl, calls of "Thar she blows!" rang out from Long Island harbors and ships. This book chronicles the rise and fall of whaling on the island and describes local whaleship fleets that traveled to the far corners of the world, the personalities behind local enterprises, and the villages whose cultures and economies grew from the industry. Be transported to a time when whalers roamed the streets between journeys, shipbuilders worked in the harbors, captains charted their expeditions, and whaleship masts seemed to pierce the clouds in Long Island's pursuit of the largest creatures in the world.

The residents of Harlem Valley have shaped both the history and culture of our nation with bravery and integrity.

Quakers in the Harlem Valley stood firm against slavery, and the Amenia Conference, organized by Joel Spingarn, strengthened the NAACP. The Harlem Valley served as a transportation center, linking New England to the west, and was also a major supplier of iron ore in the eighteenth century. Well known for their educational endeavors, the residents of Harlem Valley established one of the oldest libraries in the state of New York. The images in this collection were made available through the efforts of many groups in the Harlem Valley area, including the historical societies of North East, Little Nine Partners, Amenia, Dover, Dutchess County, and Pawling and Quaker Hill. Join Joyce Ghee and Joan Spence for a remarkable trip down memory lane to the wonders of the Harlem Valley. This historic collection of images will serve as a valuable tool in discovering and understanding the area's history as well as appreciating its beauty. Harlem Valley Pathways is sure to be enjoyed for generations to come.

With 200 unforgettable images, Carlton and Point Breeze recounts the history of a community that developed along the shore of Lake Ontario in 1803. The first settlers hunted and fished for a living, just as Native Americans had for centuries. At Point Breeze, Oak Orchard Harbor became a shipbuilding center. The Bridges and Waterport developed as fishing villages. And Ashwood, Kenyonville, Kuckville, and Kent grew into large farms, with crops and cattle that were shipped to faraway markets. Times change, and today the waterfront's recreational appeal lures thousands of visitors. But ancient Native American burial grounds still exist here, and arrowheads and flint appear each spring when gardens are tilled and farmland gives way to golf courses.

Auburn Police traces the history of the Auburn Police Department, which dates back to the mid1800s. It portrays many of the faces of those people who have devoted 20, 30, or more years of service to their community. Although a number of aspects of law enforcement have changed over the years, the very principle of the police officer interacting with the public remains the same.

From a strategic location in the American Revolution to a resort town for New York City elite, this collection highlights the successes and daily life of Mahopac's bygone eras.

Mahopac's first known colonial settlement was founded near the large lake bearing the Algonquian name ""Macookpack"" around 1740. During the American Revolution, the area served as an important logistical center and supply depot for the American cause, despite not seeing any battles. Following the war, the hamlet developed into an early kind of farmer's market, supplying goods and produce¬--especially dairy items--region-wide. By the mid-19th century, Mahopac became a resort destination with many large hotels and boardinghouses, largely thanks to its beautiful lakes. Arrival of the railroad to Mahopac in 1872 further supported tourism in the lakeside resorts as travelers from New York City could now reach Lake Mahopac within a few hours. Drawing from the archives of the Carmel Historical Society, Putnam County Historian's Office, and the collections of the authors and others, Mahopacisn't just a history of a small town in New York State, but a history of the value that the United States is able to produce.

Oysterponds, located on Long Island at the eastern end of the North Fork, was inhabited by colonists soon after the settlement of the town of Southold in 1640. The people of the area have a proud heritage divided between the land and the sea. During the first quarter of the 19th century, the hamlet divided into two communities: East Marion and Orient. Little has changed since the Civil War, as the two communities are still composed of graceful homes and shady streets. Popular with tourists during the late 19th century, the area continues to draw artists and photographers, as well as sailing enthusiasts and fishermen, with its rural charm and miles of shoreline. Although many of the commercial enterprises that once made up the business area are long gone, the buildings remain, transformed into elegant houses that give no hint of their commercial pasts. Vintage photographs from the collection of the Oysterponds Historical Society open a window into the past and allow a brief glimpse into the history of the area.

In the early part of the 20th century, Staten Island experienced an influx of Greek immigrants drawn to America by the promise of abundant opportunities. They settled in the farms of New Springville and Bulls Head and in the busy life of Port Richmond. Staten Island's Greek Community highlights traditional aspects of Greek culture and exults in the Americanization, accomplishments, and contributions of this group. The historic images in this book capture familiar scenes such as Greek farms and roadside stands overflowing with succulent vegetables, truck farmers venturing into Manhattan to bring their produce to the Washington Market, and the Candy Kitchen in Port Richmond.