Name: Historic Tales of Fort Benton
Brand: Ken Robison
SKU: 9781467154871
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Historic Tales of Fort Benton

9781467154871

$23.99

“…more romance, tragedy and vigorous life than many a city a hundred times its size and ten times its age.” - Historian Hiram M. Chittenden

Deep in the heart of Blackfoot country on the Upper Missouri River, trade relations opened cautiously in 1831. A series of trading posts and clashes followed. By 1846, Fort Benton had become the center of commerce with Indigenous tribes, including the Blackfoot who dubbed it “many houses to the South.” Drawing settlers from eastern states, the head of steamboat navigation became known as “the world’s innermost port.” As a result, the fort became a multicultural melting pot and home to the “Bloodiest Block in the West.” Award-winning historian Ken Robison brings to life dramatic sagas of a rapidly developing frontier, from vigilante X. Beidler to the Marias and Ophir Massacres.

Cover image for Historic Tales of Fort Benton, isbn: 9781467154871

San Gabriel

9781467130615

$24.99

San Gabriel is often referred to as the "birthplace of the Los Angeles region." The area's first inhabitants were native peoples often called Gabrieleño because of their association with the San Gabriel Mission, which was founded in 1771; the mission became the fourth and most productive of the 21 California missions built along El Camino Real. Saloons and gambling halls arrived during the Wild West era, and shoot-outs became commonplace. Joshua Bean owned one such saloon until his 1852 murder. His brother, the future judge Roy Bean, inherited and operated his Headquarters Saloon until Roy was run out of town by local authorities. The vintage images in this book chronicle San Gabriel through the 20th century, covering city growth and oddities, including early resident William Money, the region's first documented cult leader and founder of the Moneyan Institute, and the infamous "Man From Mars" bandit, who terrorized the community with grocery store robberies.

Around the Spanish Peaks

9780738576244

$24.99

Rising up to 13,623 feet above the plains, the twin Spanish Peaks in southern Colorado have been a beacon to travelers for centuries. Native Americans from the Comanche and Ute tribes pitched their teepees in the lush river valleys around the mountains. Spanish explorers from Mexico followed legends of gold here. Migrants on the Santa Fe Trail sighted the peaks at the end of their long trek across the Great Plains. Coal mining and railroads brought a new wave of settlers to the region in the 1870s. Today, visitors head to Walsenburg, La Veta, and Cuchara to enjoy the incredible mountain scenery and year-round recreational activities.

Santa Fe Springs

9780738575766

$24.99

Before its incorporation in May 1957, Santa Fe Springs had a vibrant past that brought the area to prominence several times throughout its history. It was the hub for the early Spanish rancho of Jose Manuel Nieto, the holder of the largest Spanish land grant in California. Later, after a sulfur hot spring was discovered in the area, it became a popular destination for those seeking its curative powers; visitors headed to the Fulton Wells health resort, which was built around the sulfur spring. Following an oil strike in 1919, a dramatic change occurred in the area as oil derricks and refineries soon covered the landscape. Santa Fe Springs then became a destination for those seeking their fortunes. Such famous people as Alfonso Bell and J. Paul Getty started their careers here in one of the largest oil strikes in the country. Today, Santa Fe Springs is a thriving city, proud of its fusion between residents and industry and its roots that go back to a small, Native American, Tongva village.

Douglas

9780738580593

$24.99

The town of Douglas is located in east-central Wyoming in a gentle valley, with the mountains of Medicine Bow National Forest on one side and the beautiful Wyoming plains on the other. Established in 1887 by the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad, the town was named by representatives from the railroad's Chicago headquarters after the great orator and Illinois senator Stephen Douglas. Douglas, probably known best for his part in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, was an enthusiastic advocate of westward expansion. To many of the locals--and by official proclamation in 1985--Douglas is considered the "Home of the Jackalope," an animal well known in American folklore as being part antelope and part jackrabbit. Be it fact or fiction, the town has successfully marketed the Jackalope through festivals, souvenirs, and even hunting licenses. The area is rich in history, from military establishments, immigrant trails, ranching, and homesteading, to its beautiful scenery, such as the Ayres Natural Bridge, depicted on the cover.

Green River and the Gunnison Valley

9780738558776

$24.99

Early Utah pioneers passed through the area that is now Green River and decided that the land would not support a farming community. The Farrer family did not agree with this assessment, however, and they opened one of the first stores in Green River around 1883. Always a diverse town, Green River has a long-standing tradition of religious tolerance and the coexistence of different faiths. John Wesley Powell passed through during his exploration of the Colorado and Green Rivers, and the local museum was named after him. The region's economy has seen booms and busts, having survived on uranium mining and the missile base as well as on agriculture. Friday night football and the old opera house have come and gone, and now tourism has become Green River's main industry as travelers from all over the country discover the incredible beauty of the eastern Utah landscape.

Los Angeles's Olvera Street

9780738531052

$24.99

Olvera Street Mexican marketplace and its plaza form the home of Latino culture in the Los Angeles region. Still standing in this downtown location of many fiestas, including Cinco de Mayo, are the Avila Adobe, plaza church-- La Iglesia de Nuestra Se±ora La Reina de Los Angeles, Pico House, Sepulveda House, and L.A. Firehouse No. 1. El Pueblo de La Reina de Los Angeles was founded in 1781. The 1820sbuilt plaza was ruled for decades by the magnanimous Judge Agust n Olvera. Wine Street was renamed in his honor after his 1876 death and took on a back-alley toughness depicted in early Hollywood films. In the 1920s, Christine Sterling campaigned to save
the Avila Adobe from demolition and transform Olvera Street into an internationally recognized tourist destination, which opened in 1930. Today the old plaza and Olvera Street shops, restaurants, museums, and vendors draw 1 million people annually under the auspices of El Pueblo de Los
Angeles Historical Monument.

Irish Denver

9780738589077

$24.99

The very first Irish in Denver came as miners, railroad workers, soldiers, and domestic servants. These workers, cogs of an expanding American industrial empire, later gave way to 20th-century politicians, priests, and business leaders who defined Irish respectability. Denver has always been a prominent stopping point for Irish patriots and cultural icons on their way to California. Former visitors include Oscar Wilde, Michael Davitt, Eamon de Valera, and Mary McAleese. Irish cultural institutions and businesses continue to flourish across Denver, which today boasts of having the second-largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the nation.

Irish Butte

9780738581781

$24.99

Summoned by the call of the copper mines in Butte, Montana, Irish immigrants left a struggling Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century in search of a better life. Around the mines peppering the hills of the mining city, these determined sons and daughters of Eire built strong Irish neighborhoods that engendered the best of Irish culture and influence. Faith, family, a strong work ethic, and a sense of humor would see these immigrants through the decades. Celebrations like St. Patrick's Day and An Ri Ra, Irish language workshops, and a new generation of Irish artisans acknowledge the contributions of this influential group.

Winters

9780738569147

$24.99

Nestled along the banks of Putah Creek, just below a gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Winters is known for its old railroad bridge, opera house, Buckhorn Restaurant, and historic downtown, as well as its access to Lake Berryessa. Once part of a Mexican land grant called Rancho Rio de Los Putos, the town of Winters was born in 1875 when the Vaca Valley Railroad extended a line through the area. It became a thriving agricultural community, and from an era of booming local businesses with hotels, warehouses, and department stores once known as Apricot City, it has evolved into the town known today as "the Gateway to Lake Berryessa."

Oceano

9780738580876

$24.99

Oceano is a California beach town between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Originally part of the Rancho El Pismo Mexican land grant of 1840, Oceano first appeared as a place name on a map in 1893 and was promoted as a beach resort soon after the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1895. While most of these promotions failed during the Great Depression, the railroad depot continued as a shipping point for the area's agriculture. During this time, Oceano became a point of entry for the "Dunites," a group of artists, writers, and poets who once lived in the sand dunes south of town. Today Oceano is still the primary access and gateway to its state park beach and large sand dune complex. Many people come to enjoy the experience of driving on the beach, camping there, and venturing into the dunes on foot or by vehicle.

Calaveras Big Trees

9780738581187

$24.99

Augustus T. Dowd could scarcely believe his eyes when he stumbled upon one of nature's majestic wonders in 1852. Hunting down a wounded bear in the hills above the mining camp of Murphys, Dowd instead found a tree of mammoth proportions. After initial skepticism about the size of these trees, news of Dowd's discovery quickly spread. Local businessmen soon acquired the grove of 100 mammoth trees, or giant sequoia, and built accommodations for travelers. Thus began one of California's earliest tourist attractions in 1853. Dedicated as a California State Park in 1931, Calaveras Big Trees State Park hosts 250,000 annual visitors who come from around the world to marvel at these wondrous giants in their magnificent natural surroundings.

African Americans of Monterey County

9781467132602

$24.99

People of African heritage have traveled to Monterey since the 1770s, when African Spaniard Alexo Nino, a ship's caulker, traveled with Fr. Junipero Serra to Monterey via the San Antonio. For centuries since Nino, black men and women migrated to the Monterey Bay area in search of a new life. In the 20th century, some African Americans established businesses, bought homes, and encouraged family members and friends to settle in Monterey County. Others pursued military careers. Out of these communities came churches, schools, service organizations, and social groups. For the next century, the history of Monterey County's African American communities have mirrored the nation's slow progress toward integration with triumphs and setbacks that have been captured in images of employment opportunities, churches, business successes, and political struggles.

Big Sky

9780738595146

$24.99

Newsman Chet Huntley and his consortium developed Big Sky Resort in the early 1970s. Since then, it has grown to become a year-round, world-class recreation area with "the Biggest Skiing in America," four ski resorts, and a vibrant community around them. Located on the meadows of the West Fork in the Gallatin Canyon, this area was, early on, a microcosm of pioneer hardiness and activity characteristic of the Northern Rocky Mountains. Throughout its early history, one finds Native Americans, trappers, miners, loggers, cowboys, and ranchers. Some of their ventures failed and some succeeded as the land and weather allowed. The most successful ventures were the dude ranches that introduced the pleasures that remain today--hunting, fishing, trail rides, touring Yellowstone Park, and even skiing. Outdoor adventure in an authentic American Western setting was, and is, Big Sky.

Surfing in San Diego

9780738547565

$24.99

San Diego County has nearly 75 miles of picturesque coastline on the mighty Pacific Ocean, and for decades, San Diego has boasted of producing some of the world's finest surfers. But here surfing is more
than a sport--it is a Southern California lifestyle--and as such has heavily influenced the beach towns throughout the county. Much research points to surfing having come to Southern California in 1907,
and it may have taken hold in San Diego as early as 1910. Join with us in this wonderful pictorial journey through San Diego's little-known surfing past.

Granada Hills

9780738547718

$24.99

The modern history of Granada Hills began in 1913 with the completion of the Los Angeles aqueduct and the arrival of abundant freshwater to the former land of Mission San Fernando. Citrus orchards
flourished on the Sunshine Ranch, acreage originally cultivated by former senator George K. Porter. In 1926, the community of Granada was formed as a rabbit-raising colony, promising residents country living and economic prosperity. Granada added "Hills" to its name in 1942 to avoid confusion with a similarly named Northern California town, and
thanks to the postwar baby boom, the population grew by 1,000 percent between 1950 and 1960. The community soon earned a reputation as "The San Fernando Valley's Most Neighborly Town" as residents came together to celebrate the hometown team's 1963 Little League World Series victory and the formation of the nation's first all-girl American Youth Soccer Organization league, and as neighbor helped neighbor
after the devastating 1971 and 1994 earthquakes.

Wicked Virginia City

9781467144308

$21.99 $11.00 Save 50%

Perched on the side of a mountain in the Nevada desert, Virginia City existed for one reason only: to make money. The mining frenzy of the mid-nineteenth century uncovered veins of precious metals that would be expressed in billions today, attracting the enterprising madam Cad Thompson, the charismatic highwayman Nickanora and a plethora of swindlers. Miners, flush with their wages, supported a healthy economy of gambling, drinking and prostitution and even launched a few political careers. Sam Clemens, who became Mark Twain while reporting for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, called it "the livest town that America had ever produced.'? Join author Peter B. Mires as he explores the seamy side of this quintessential mining boomtown.

Baseball in Colorado Springs

9780738599540

$24.99

From Boulevard Park and Memorial Field to Security Service Field (formerly Sky Sox Stadium), Colorado Springs is a baseball town. Professional baseball arrived in 1901; the Brown Bombers, a semiprofessional black team, came in the 1940s; and the original Sky Sox won the Western League Championship in 1953, 1955, and 1958. Local players such as Ed Kent, Bill Everitt, Jim Landis, Sam Hairston, Connie Johnson, Vinny Castilla, and Todd Helton have made it to the major leagues. Rich "Goose" Gossage, a Colorado Springs native, went directly from Class A ball to the Chicago White Sox, starting his hall-of-fame career in 1972.

San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter

9780738528656

$24.99

Founded in 1850, San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, located in what was then called New Town, became the bustling anchor of commerce for the developing City of San Diego. In this new history of the area, nearly 200 striking images tell the story of the area's early boom and bust, the saloons and bordellos of infamous Stingaree Town, the urban decay of the mid-twentieth century, and the rebirth and restoration of the neighborhood over the last 30 years.

Pasadena in Vintage Postcards

9780738508191

$24.99

The postcard has been a popular part of American communication for over a century, documenting both the interest of a place and its history. Captured here in nearly 200 vintage postcards is the unique history of this California town, translated in Chippewa as "Crown of the Valley." The City of Pasadena, just north of Los Angeles, sits against the majesty of the Sierra Madre mountain range. Incorporated in 1885, the city was originally known as a resort city, filled with tourists from all over the world. Showcased here through the use of the author's personal postcard collection are vintage images of Millionaires Row, the Tournament of the Roses Parade, the Mt. Lowe Railway, and the Alpine Tavern.

Legendary Locals of Mill Valley

9781467101288

$24.99

Since the 1800s, Mill Valley has attracted spirited freethinkers, entrepreneurs, nature lovers, rabble-rousers, and more than a few rock stars. Early Mill Valley booster Sidney Cushing encouraged tourism with a train up Mount Tamalpais called "the Crookedest Railroad in the World." Laura White, more concerned with protecting Mill Valley's natural beauty than attracting more people, brought the town its "Outdoor Art Club" and a tradition of conservationism. Vera Schultz broke the glass ceiling of local politics in 1946, and in 1973, 10-year-old Jenny Fulle's letter to President Nixon changed the future of America's female athletes. When an elementary school teacher named Rita Abrams wrote a song about why she loved Mill Valley, it became a national hit; so did a song about the heart of rock and roll, written by local boy Huey Lewis, who had attended that same school. The stories of Mill Valley's legendary locals--whether from 1890 or 1980--are sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes inspiring, often humorous, and always fascinating.

Ferries of San Francisco Bay

9780738547312

$24.99

Decades before San Francisco Bay was crisscrossed by bridges, an extensive network of ferries plied these green waters, moving passengers, vehicles, and freight between San Francisco, Alameda, Marin, Solano, Sonoma, and Contra Costa Counties. Very few of the ferries survive today, but at one time, elegant and sturdy vessels like the Santa Clara, Sacramento, Encinal, Eureka, Oakland, and Tamalpais ruled the waves and supported the critical commerce of this region. From the early days of single-enders, double-enders, stern-wheelers, and side-wheelers burning coal and crude oil, to more modern designs of diesel-powered craft, these vessels have long been an important link in Bay Area transport, along with their railway connections. Equipped with up to four decks, the ferries' cargoes included commuters, livestock, automobiles, mail, convicts, express packages, and even entire railroad trains.

Ka'u District

9781467133340

$24.99

Ka'u is the largest district in Hawai'i and the southernmost. Historically, it is important as the most likely landing area for the first Hawaiians and the location of the first settlement. It was the location of some of the last battles for control of Hawai'i island, and the decision of Ka'u's last ali'i, Keoua Ku'ahu'ula, to agree to a meeting with Kamehameha, which he believed would lead to his death, was a crucial event in the creation of a unified Hawaiian kingdom. After Western contact, the sugar industry dominated the economy of Ka'u, and ranching was also important. Although the sugar industry closed in 1996, the rural character has been maintained, and Ka'u now enjoys some of the longest stretches of undeveloped highway and coastline in the state. The appeal of the district's natural beauty owes much to the Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, and Ka'u has a unique location between the two segments of Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Santa Ana in Vintage Postcards

9780738507910

$24.99

Santa Ana began as the dream of early pioneers in the 1800s when the dry, desolate area was little more than windswept fields of wild mustard grass. Santa Ana celebrates this area's pioneer heritage and the people who created it, and chronicles the development of this city with fascinating vintage postcards. Santa Ana was one of the earliest incorporated cities, and became the county seat in 1889. Wealthy businessmen, successful political leaders, and even an occasional maharajah chose Santa Ana as their home. Today, Orange County is one of the most dynamic counties in California.

Windsor

9780738529028

$24.99

Legend states that the town of Windsor in Sonoma County was named for its similarity to the beautiful parklands surrounding England's Windsor Castle. Once open grasslands covered with majestic oaks, this breathtaking pastoral landscape bordering the Russian River captivated settlers, who came to start businesses or grow grain, grapes, hops, and prunes on the rich river bottomland. For decades Windsor kept the quiet rhythm of a small, independent farm community, hardly broken by the addition of an army air base and a camp for German POWs during World War II.

Cover image for Windsor, isbn: 9780738529028

Historic Tales of Alamo, California

9781467148108

$21.99

One of the oldest communities in the East Bay, Alamo is brimming with tales of hope, loss and triumph. Discover the story of the Romero brothers, who lost their rancho to a shrewd and litigious attorney, and the early pioneers who banded together to buy it back at an extraordinary sum. Learn about the deep agricultural roots that supported newcomers drawn to the temperate climate and beautiful valley. Revisit this rural community's transformation from grazing land for Mission San Jose to a beloved home for generations of ranchers, writers and activists. Join historian Beverly Lane and researcher Sharon Burke as they share fascinating tales of Alamo's past.

Pacific Grove

9780738529646

$24.99

Pacific Grove, in the pine forests on the westernmost tip of Monterey Bay, is a magnet for wildlife, tourists, and scientists. Site of the first operational lighthouse in California and the first marine laboratory on the Pacific Coast, its beaches attracted camp meetings in the 19th century. Rows of tent housing that lined the original streets grew into charming neighborhoods of seaside cottages, lit annually by the Feast of Lanterns since 1905. Botanical and biological splendor attracted scientists like Edward Flanders Ricketts, made famous by his friend and one-time Pacific Grove resident John Steinbeck. Each year hundreds of groups use its famous conference center, Asilomar, and each fall tens of thousands of Monarch butterflies make a 2,500-mile journey to hang from the pines in great clusters of wafting wings.

Commerce City

9780738580203

$24.99

Among Colorado's fastest growing cities in the 21st century, Commerce City was settled in the 1850s, located today 8 miles northeast of Denver's capitol building. Known for hog farms, truck farms, and dairies, as well as refineries and grain elevators, Commerce City was, during World War II, the site of the enormous Rocky Mountain Arsenal, a U.S. Army weapons manufacturing facility. Incorporated in 1952 as Commerce Town, the name was changed to Commerce City in 1962, which adopted home rule in 1970. Commerce City is regionally famous and nationally recognized for parks and recreation, Buffalo Run Golf Course, Mile High Kennel Club (dog racing), and nearby Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The new Commerce City Civic Center and Dick's Sporting Goods Park, which is home to pro soccer's Colorado Rapids, were completed in 2007. Commerce City remains a speedily changing municipality with a diverse cultural mix and generations of residents with strong community roots.

Ghosts of Ventura County's Heritage Valley

9781467119856

$21.99

Strange secrets and eerie tales shadow the idyllic beauty of the Heritage Valley and the meandering Santa Clara River. The spirit of a playful little boy wanders the halls of the historic Glen Tavern Inn, and the ghostly phantom of the real Zorro, Joaquin Murrieta, guards his buried gold in the foothills of Piru. The chilling cries of La Llorona echo along Sespe Creek, and a beast is still reportedly seen loping upright across the countryside near Santa Paula. Outside Fillmore, the Lady in White lingers by the old sycamore tree, sometimes materializing in cars traveling down Highway 126. Author Evie Ybarra recounts spine-tingling tales and local lore from Valencia to Ventura.

Ghosts of Ventura County's Heritage Valley

Redwood Valley

9781467134507

$24.99

Redwood Valley was named after the majestic redwood groves between Road M and Calpella. Prior to 1857, the Pomo Indians occupied the valley along with grizzly bears, mountain lions, and eagles. The valley became a melting pot of nationalities, with people coming into it from Italy, Germany, Scotland, and Finland. They plowed the land, herded their flocks, harvested their crops, and established unique industries. The early pioneers set the tone for the valley community with their ambitions and hard-work ethic. Together, they paid for and supported schools, churches, an improvement club, the grange, fire and water districts, post offices, agricultural improvements, and stores. The infamous People's Temple was located here. Redwood Valley's 150-plus years of recorded history is rich in what it takes to make a valley into a community.

Fruita

9780738581729

$24.99

William Pabor arrived in Western Colorado before the advent of irrigation, and the land presented a barren and desolate sight. But he saw something entirely different. "In the spring of 1884, lying on the bare floor of a log cabin on the site of what is now the town of Fruita, I watched the moonbeams play on the Roan Cliffs and across Pinon Mesa," Pabor wrote. "The silence of centuries seemed resting upon the plain. . . . But visions of the possibilities of the future swept before me. I saw homes founded, I saw family circles gathered together. I saw vineyards and orchards, and rose-embowered cottages in which love and happiness and contentment abode. . . . I heard the merry voices of children yet to be born. I heard the singing of harvesters bringing in the sheaves of golden grain." Pabor soon turned vision into reality and founded the town of Fruita.

Italians in the Santa Clara Valley

9780738555621

$24.99

Attracted by the mild climate and abundance of fertile land, Italians came to the Santa Clara Valley from all regions of Italy, including Sicily, Calabria, Basilicata, Tuscany, and Piedmont. Beginning in the 1880s, the "Eden of the World" beckoned Italian immigrants as farmers, ranchers, orchardists, vegetable growers, and winemakers. Italian men, women, and children filled the numerous canneries and packinghouses supplying the rest of the nation with fresh produce. Once the largest ethnic group in the valley, Italians' impact on the region has been profound, yet is often overlooked. The photographs in this book present a special glimpse into the lives of a people whose irrepressible optimism, kindness, and can-do spirit overcame the challenges and obstacles put before them.

Idaho State Parks

9781467126168

$24.99

Idaho's state parks have been called the "jewels" of the Gem State. The story of how those jewels came to be involves political intrigue, much resistance, some philanthropy, and a touch of irony. Sen. Weldon B. Heyburn famously said that state parks were "always a political embarrassment." Idaho's first state park was named after him. Today, Idaho's 30 state parks host five million people a year. Visitors come to boat, camp, bike, climb, hike, fish, and make memories in the great outdoors. This book tells the story of Idaho's diverse state parks--from Priest Lake in Idaho's panhandle to Bear Lake in the southeast corner of the state--through a wealth of historical photographs. A variety of parks are featured, including ones that were lost, found, or never came to fruition.

Antioch

9780738530291

$24.99

When the first settlers arrived here in 1850, they could never have guessed that their tiny settlement would one day be home to over 100,000 souls, scores of factories, and the gateway to the California Delta with some of the most productive agricultural lands in the world. In earlier days, the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers were the main routes into the state's interior, as the swampy delta land had yet to be tamed. Antioch and nearby Pittsburg served as major depots for supplies to the Sierra gold fields, stockpiling lumber, produce, hay, dry goods, medicine, and fuel from the Stewartville, Empire, and Judsonville coal mines. Named in 1851 after the biblical city in Syria, this town served for many years as the Bay Area's easternmost outpost and provided its inhabitants with a bounty both man-made and natural.

Pleasanton

9780738547619

$24.99

The city of Pleasanton, located in the beautiful Amador-Livermore valley, was formed in 1867 when immigrants John Kottinger and Joshua Neal used land from their Californio wives' dowries and laid out a town. Kottinger named the city after Civil War general Alfred Pleasonton, but a postal clerical error changed the spelling to "Pleasanton" and the name stuck. The men secured Pleasanton's future by offering land to the Western Pacific Railroad for a railroad station and landing. Planning for future growth thus became a legacy that is still embraced by this modern city of 70,000 people. Today families and tourists are attracted to Pleasanton's historic downtown, where 19thcentury buildings still stand and people stroll among its many shops and restaurants.