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From automobiles to tanks, planes, and ammunition, author Michael W.R. Davis captures a visual history of Detroit's industrial conversion guaranteeing victory at home and abroad.

Gentlemen, we must out-build Hitler, proclaimed General Motors President William Knudson. Through the course of the World War II years, Detroit did exactly that. But how did the Motor City so successfully shift its focus from automobiles to become the leading producer of America's Arsenal of Democracy?

Just as Detroit symbolizes the U.S. automobile industry, during World War II it also came to stand for all American industry's conversion from civilian goods to war material. The label Arsenal of Democracy was coined by Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt in a fireside chat radio broadcast on December 29, 1940, nearly a year before the United States formally entered the war. Detroit's Wartime Industry is the pictorial history of one Detroiter's unique leadership in the miraculous speed Detroit's mass-production capacity was shifted to output of tanks, trucks, guns, and airplanes to support America's victory and of the struggles of civilians on the home front.

Detroit's Wartime Industry is the perfect book for enthusiasts of World War II, automobiles, and Detroit's unbreakable spirit. Author, historian, and journalist Michael W.R. Davis is former Executive Director of Detroit Historical Society and has previously published books on Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors.

Land of the Sky. New Age Mecca. Paris of the South San Francisco of the East. Asheville, North Carolina is all of these things and more!

Throughout the 20th Century, this city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains established itself as an artisan city, chock full of beautiful art deco buildings, and home and retreat for artists such as Thomas Wolfe, Bill Monroe, and Nina Simone. But what made this land so special? Take a journey with author Douglas Stuart McDaniel as he takes a look at the rich history of this beautiful city.

Native American tribes, including Cherokee, Creek, and Shawano, passed through Asheville and Western North Carolina, building towns and villages along the banks of the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers for more than 1,000 years. The first white settlers arrived in the Swannanoa Valley in October of 1784. After the Civil War, Asheville became a haven for the wealthy elite of Charleston and Philadelphia; as the resort era blossomed, so too did Asheville. Second only to Miami in its treasure trove of Art Deco landmarks, Asheville is an architectural and historical time capsule of national significance. It is a community with a rich heritage and history in the arts, including textiles, pottery, and modernist art.

Today Asheville is at a crossroads; attempting to balance the environmental and natural attractions of the area with commercial development is and will be one of Asheville's greatest challenges. Including archival photographs and rich with information, Asheville is a must have for both residents and visitors to this beautiful city.

New Orleans was one of the first cities to embrace street railways, and the city's love affair with streetcars has never ceased. New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line showcases photographs, diagrams, and maps that detail the rail line from its origin and golden years, its decline and disappearance for almost 40 years, and its return to operation. From the French Quarter to the cemeteries, the Canal Line ran through the heart of the city and linked the Creole Faubourgs with the new neighborhoods that stretched to Lake Pontchartrain.

This collection of photographs tells the story of how one of America's most beautiful theme parks, Idlewild, has grown throughout the years.

Located in the scenic Laurel Highlands of western Pennsylvania, America's third oldest amusement park, Idlewild, was founded in 1878 as a picnic ground along the Ligonier Valley Railroad. Its tranquil setting quickly established Idlewild as the premier place for church, school, and corporate picnics, as well as a recreational getaway for families. Idlewild added new amusements and facilities as its crowds continued to grow, but it always strove to maintain the picturesque landscape of the site. Soon a full-fledged amusement park was in operation, with throngs of visitors disembarking the trains from such places as Latrobe, Greensburg, and Pittsburgh.

Home to unique attractions like Story Book Forest, the Rollo Coaster, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe, and the SoakZone, Idlewild has been the backdrop for generations of fond memories. Idlewild's proximity to the Lincoln Highway helped the park survive the abandonment of the railroad, and careful development by the Mellon and Macdonald families and the Kennywood Entertainment Company continue to help it thrive. This collection of photographs tells the story of how one of America's most beautiful theme parks has grown throughout the years.

A fishing village that started its life as Fort Johnston, the town changed its name to Smithville, and then Southport, as it is known today, read the town's long and watery history.

Southport is a small seaside village whose rich history began as early as 1754, when Fort Johnston was built. In 1792, it was incorporated as the town of Smithville, but in 1887, with their busy fishing village growing, the citizens decided to rename it Southport in hopes it would bring a port to their town. Much to their disappointment, however, the port was located in Wilmington. In 1954, Hurricane Hazel made landfall, and the storm surge delivered to Southport was the greatest in North Carolina's recorded history. Like most seaside villages, Southport recovered and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places today. Observing Independence Day since 1795, Southport annually hosts the official North Carolina Fourth of July celebration.

Understanding the history of Alexandria, Virginia is key to the early history of the United States. This throrough overview examines its long and storied history, from former colonial tobacco port to vibrant modern community.

Alexandria has a long and storied past. Founded as a colonial tobacco port by English and Scottish merchants in 1749, the city prospered. It became the social and economic center of Northern Virginia and the upper Potomac region. When the nation's capital was established in 1791, Alexandria became a part of the District of Columbia. In 1833, a canal intended to increase tradeand revenue nearly bankrupted the city. By the time Alexandria retroceded to Virginia in 1847, it had lost its standing among maritime cities on the Eastern Seaboard. Notable residents have included politicians and military heroes, such as George Washington, Robert E. Lee, and Gerald R. Ford, as well as cultural icons Willard Scott and Jim Morrison. Today's Alexandria includes descendants of free and enslaved African Americans and the progeny of 18th- and 19th-century European immigrants who have joined with "new" Americans to create vibrant 21st-century communities.

Lake Lure, North Carolina, is known as the ""Gem of the Carolinas,"" surrounded by majestic mountain cliffs and fed by the idyllic Rocky Broad River.

Twenty-five years after Dr. Lucius Morse and his brothers Hiram and Asahil purchased Chimney Rock in 1902, their dream of creating Lake Lure and the town of Lake Lure was realized. A popular tourist destination, Lake Lure hosted famous figures through the years, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Also significant in film history, it provided the backdrop for Dirty Dancing and Last of the Mohicans. Lake Lure showcases the rich community, tourism, and recreational history of this mountain community.

Downtown Pittsburgh is the story of the great transformation of this city and its contributions to the world.

Downtown Pittsburgh is a 300-acre triangle of land where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers converge to form the mighty Ohio River. Between the rivers is a tiny spit of flat-bottom land once known as the gateway to the West, the portal to a vast, remote, unexplored wilderness. Ownership of this strategic wedge of land was fiercely contested for hundreds of years. The powerful Iroquois Nation first invaded the area in the 1600s during the Beaver Wars. When the French planted their flag in 1749, they collided with the British Empire for control of the forks of the Ohio River and all of North America. One hundred years later, this swath of frontier wilderness became the ""workplace of the world,"" the heart of the great Industrial Revolution. Immigrants arrived from around Europe to work in the glass, iron, and steel mills. Industrial giants such as Carnegie, Frick, Mellon, and Heinz forged their fortunes here.

A suburb of Boston with its own distinctive identity, Brookline, Massachusetts is explored through the years in this delightful pictorial history.

Join authors Greer Hardwicke and Roger Reed in a celebration of the people and places of Brookline from 1680 to 1940. Brookline boasts many notable historical figures such as Dr. Thomas Boylston, originator of a smallpox vaccine, King Gillette, inventor of the safety razor, and Charles Sprague Sargent, founder of the Arnold Arboretum. Among these notable figures residing in Brookline were many wealthy Boston merchants who maintained estates in the popular suburb.

The exquisite images in this collection provide views of a wide range of architecture, from impressive eighteenth-century estates to multi-family homes for the working class. Churches, schools, and parks are also represented, including Longwood Mall, with its famous copper beech trees imported from Europe, and Cypress Field, the first public playground in America. View designed landscapes from private estates such as Faulkner Farm to suburban developments such as Fisher Hill, and witness the changes that have occurred along Beacon Street and other major thoroughfares. Travel back in time to discover these and many other wonders in the fascinating town where both John and Robert Kennedy were born.

This photographic history showcases Greene County, which is located between the ""Rhine of America"" and the scenic northern Catskill Mountains.

Greene County has long been a magnet for settlers, artists, writers, and travelers; it all began with Henry Hudson's exploration of the Hudson River and was followed by the arrival of Dutch settlers. Its geographic location between the ""Rhine of America"" and the scenic northern Catskill Mountains contributes to Greene County's allure, as do the Great Algonquin Flint Mines, fascinating remnants of the area's prehistoric inhabitants, the Mohegans. Much of the content in Around Greene County and the Catskills reflects ""everyday living,"" a sampling of its architecture, people, and activities which reflect a sense of history and changing lifestyles. The inclusion of the Dutch Bronck houses of 1663 and 1738, a National Historic Landmark homestead complex, sets the tone of this visual history. From colonial times through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Greene County (like other New York counties) has been affected by national conditions; its economic base has changed and adjusted accordingly. Different ethnic groups who have chosen Greene County as their home have enhanced the area's rich cultural heritage.

Discover how Dundalk, Maryland, was born in 1895 and developed into a hotbed of industry and military activity.

Dundalk was founded in 1895 when an Irish businessman affixed a handmade sign to a newly constructed freight station, proclaiming the name of this Baltimore County community. From then on, the area's military and industry operations took off.The Pennsylvania Steel Company fired up its blast furnaces at Sparrows Point. Brickmakers Burns and Russell, whose firm dates back to 1790, began manufacturing on a 125-acre parcel near what is now Logan Village. During the War of 1812, British forces invaded Patapsco Neck and were repelled by local militia. People lucky enough to make Dundalk their home over the years have fond memories of Riverview Park on Colgate Creek, a popular family amusement park along what is now Broening Highway, and of playing and relaxing at William McShane's Maryland Swimming Club, which boasted first-rate clay tennis courts and a bathing beach.

More than 200 vintage photographs are included in this volume, assembled from private collections and the files of the Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society Museum. They feature current and former landmarks like Harbor Field, Fort Holabird, the Brentwood Inn, Todd House, Bay Shore Park, WAYE Radio, and the Lyceum Theatre. Equally important are the images of everyday people, many of whom impacted the community through their character and profession.

In Images of America: Bay Ridge, which contains over two hundred rare, never-before-published photographs, readers can look back into the faces of those who came before them, the early schools and places of worship, and the trolleys that took the earliest commuters to work.

Bay Ridge was once a rural community of farmhouses and summer cottages that sat on the banks of the East River. First known as Yellow Hook, it included the military post at Fort Hamilton. Where British troops once marched up the banks, commuters today traverse the Verrazano Bridge. Over the years, Bay Ridge has grown into a thriving, diverse neighborhood with a proud Brooklyn history. In Bay Ridge, the Bay Ridge Historical Society has collected images from days gone by to tell the stories of an earlier time. One of the most famous contributions comes from the photographs of Samuel Winter Thomas, a photographer who lived at 3rd Avenue and 75th Street. Gazing at his nineteenth-century photographs, we see the early, rural character of Bay Ridge.

Author Beverly Mount-Douds highlight's Florida's Forgotten Coast in her book compiled of historic images collected from Gulf County citizens.

Carved out of Calhoun County on June 6, 1925, Gulf County is one of Florida's youngest counties. The county seat, Port St. Joe, was founded in 1913, and construction of the St. Joe Paper Company's plant in 1937 revitalized the area. The popular fishing site Wewahitchka was the county seat until voters elected to relocate it to Port St. Joe in 1964. Until recently, Port St. Joe was a typical company town, anchored by the paper mill headquarters. The town is near St. Joseph, where Florida's first constitution was drafted in 1838, and which was later destroyed by yellow fever and hurricane surge. Today Gulf County is a thriving, growing area of industrial and recreational resources with nostalgic reminders of a glorious past and a promising future. Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka remain away from the hustle and bustle of large cities.