Lodi

9780738575483

$24.99

From its beginning as a small pioneering settlement in 1869 to its growth into an agricultural and industrial modern city, Lodi has been touted for years as a desirable place to put down roots and raise a family. The fertile soil here on the south bank of the Mokelumne River has seen several generations of citizens proud of their city at the crossroads of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys. Following World War II, Lodi's attractiveness as a family city has caused it to boom and grow, to the delight of some and consternation of others. In 2006, Lodi celebrated the centennial anniversary of its incorporation as a city and is now trying to preserve its unique heritage and identity as the livable and lovable place that it is.

Glendora

9780738558004

$24.99

Azusa Valley, before the 1850s, was a wilderness of ancient live oak trees; thick stretches of cactus, chaparral, and sagebrush; and large boulders from thousands of years of erosion. Pioneers staked claims and began to clear the land. Though many gave up and moved back East, the permanent settlers persevered, and Glendora emerged as a town around 1887. Glendora incorporated in 1911, and an immensely profitable citrus industry kept it thriving. Today it is a quaint community, proud of its citrus-trade heritage.

Dayton

9781467133265

$24.99

Dayton's history begins with Nevada's first gold discovery in July 1849. It started with a California-bound pack train, led by trail guide Abner Blackburn, setting up camp at the mouth of a canyon that drained into the Carson River. While waiting for the snow to melt in the Sierra, Blackburn went prospecting and dug gold from the creek bed. The news of his discovery spread, and prospectors rushed to the site they called Gold Cañon--today's Dayton. In May 1851, diarist Lucena Pfuffer Parsons, traveling with a wagon train, camped at the site and reported about 200 miners living in the canyon. She noted that they were finding enough gold to trade for supplies. In 1859, after working their way up the canyon, miners discovered a large silver and gold deposit known as the Comstock Lode. This discovery led Nevada to statehood in 1864.

Bay Area Iron Master Al Zampa:

9781467119139

$21.99

Los Alamos Valley

9781467133319

$24.99

Los Alamos is a small town on its way to big things. It is a growing tourist destination yet retains its pastoral charm. The history of the Los Alamos Valley can be viewed as a microcosm of the history of California, for it contains within its span Chumash Indians, mission neophytes and horse herds, Spanish land grants, cattle ranches, vaqueros, bandits, oil bonanzas, a narrow-gauge railroad, fertile soil for bountiful crops, vast vineyards, tourism, and even an element of Hollywood. Its location on the Central Coast of California means sunny skies, cool evenings, and cool, damp breezes. The character and resilience of the Los Alamos Valley inhabitants, however, is the real story. Theirs is a history of intermingling cultures and races, a steadfast preservation of traditions, and a pioneer streak of stubborn perseverance in the face of natural and economic adversity. The images in this book were gathered as the result of a community effort.

Orange County Pioneers:

9781626197589

$21.99

Orange County's pioneer history is filled with harrowing tales every bit as entertaining as a western novel. These stories, culled from oral histories recorded by old-timers in the 1930s as part of the Works Progress Administration, offer a rarely seen look into Orange County's frontier days. From bear hunts and bullfights to social gatherings at the home of the most famous Shakespearean actress of the day, these tales are a window into the earliest days of every corner of the county. Join editor Charles Epting for these wonderfully evocative portraits of the past recounted in the words of the eyewitnesses.

On these Promising Shores of the Pacific:

9781626192768

$23.99

The original fog-soaked Saint Mary's College campus in San Francisco enrolled both boys and young men and was born in 1863 from the educational vision of Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany. In 1889, the campus moved to Oakland and was affectionately dubbed the Old Brickpile." Through fires, earthquakes, two world wars and bankruptcy, the college persevered and matured, eventually moving to its present location in Moraga Valley. From United States Navy cadets and "Slip" Madigan's Galloping Gaels to the Latin Question and iconic phone booth stuffing, historian and retired Saint Mary's College professor Ronald Eugene Isetti offers a detailed look at the college's legacy. Join Isetti as he chronicles the academic vision, institutional challenges and student traditions of one of California's oldest establishments of higher learning."

On these Promising Shores of the Pacific:

Grand Junction's JUCO World Series

9780738532202

$24.99

Grand Junction accepted a formidable challenge in hosting the fledgling national junior college baseball tournament in 1959. Nearly half a century later, the JUCO World Series and the city of Grand Junction are inextricably linked in one of the country's longest running baseball tournaments. Dedicated leaders and a supportive community have allowed young stars Kirby Puckett, Curt Schilling, David Wells, Eric Gagne, and many others to enjoy this gem of an event on Colorado's Western Slope. Grand Junction's JUCO World Series chronicles the tourney's humble beginnings and lets the reader discover this American tradition that combines local pride with high quality baseball.

Notorious San Juans:

9781609492601

$21.99

From the shooting of a Secret Service agent in the wilds near Hesperus to the grave misfortune"? of Kid Adams, a not-so-successful highwayman, these tales from the lofty heights of the San Juans are packed with mystery, pathos and fascinating historical details. Mined from the frontier newspapers of Ouray, San Juan and La Plata Counties, these stories tell of range wars, desperadoes and cattle rustlers, lynchings, ill-tempered ranchers with trigger fingers and women fed up with their husbands. There are famous and infamous newsmen, wild stagecoach rides, scapegoats and stolen lands. Carol Turner's Notorious San Juansoffers a rowdy ride through the region's not-so-quiet history."

Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles County

9781626190207

$21.99

The variably named and numbered Pacific Coast Highway spans 1,700 miles from Canada to Mexico. Seventy-five of those create a dramatic drive through Los Angeles County, showcasing the iconic cities of Malibu, Santa Monica, South Bay, San Pedro and Long Beach. Past scenic seascapes and famous beaches, "PCH" has become over the decades a symbol for Southern California coastal life, encompassing pleasure piers and amusements parks, surfing, yachting and other water sports. No longer just a road, PCH is a ribbon of destinations and the byway through the California dream. Ride with author Carina Monica Montoya via vintage images from the California Department of Transportation and new photos by John Moss through this remarkable road's history and the picturesque coastal communities it serves.

Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles County

Running Springs

9780738546797

$24.99

For centuries, the mountains and valleys that became the Running Springs area have swelled with natural resources, supplying the hunting and gathering needs of Native Americans who harvested acorns and herbs and hunted deer and other wildlife to sustain themselves through the winters in the valleys below. Nineteenthcentury gold prospectors passed through the Running Springs vicinity on their way to the Holcomb Valley. Lumbermen came to harvest the virgin timber, supplying the construction requirements of the booming population of Southern California as well as the need for "shook," the thin-shaved boards used to make packing and shipping boxes for the fast-growing citrus industries. The early days of Running Springs are detailed in this winding trip through San Bernardino County's namesake mountains in vintage photographs, which also profile the nearby settlements of Arrowbear Lake and Green Valley Lake.

Corona

9780738529912

$24.99

Several times in the late 20th century, Corona was cited as the fastest-growing city in California, doubling and tripling its former sleepy-town size of around 25,000 in the 1970s to 150,000 in a matter of just decades. Corona has come a long way from its former offshoot identity as South Riverside in the late 19th century. Incorporated as Corona in 1896, it
survived as a dry-farming community until the arrival of citrus crops. Its status as a way station for travelers between Los Angeles and the outlying desert communities was dramatically altered in the mid-1910s when it became an internationally recognized road-racing draw for the likes of Barney Oldfield and other great speedsters of the day. As a
bedroom community today for workers in Orange and Los Angeles Counties, it is virtually a prototype of Southern California suburban growth.

Sacramento's Southside Park

9780738547961

$24.99

Sacramento's Southside Park neighborhood sits south of California's state capitol and north of the Old City Cemetery. Built on a former slough, it was inhabited by generations of immigrants and working-class families. The neighborhood's many ethnic communities, including Portuguese, Italian, Mexican, and Japanese, came together in Southside Park, the neighborhood's namesake. Whether for fireworks displays on the Fourth of July, for a trip back to Gold Rush days at Roaring Camp, or simply to paddle the lake in a rented boat, Southside Park provided a place of respite and recreation in this bustling city. The neighborhood surrounding the park faced many challenges as Sacramento grew--including freeway
construction, urban renewal and redevelopment, and problems with crime--but its residents faced these challenges with a tradition of political activism, community participation, and a strong sense of civic pride that is still evident today.

Canyon Lake

9780738547121

$24.99

Canyon Lake lies on the western edge of Menifee Valley, between Sun City and Lake Elsinore, and is both a private gated community and an incorporated city with a population approaching 10,000. This is quite a change from 1890 when only one family lived here near Salt Creek and San Jacinto River. In 1882, when the California Southern Railroad began service between Perris and Elsinore, the area was known as Railroad Canyon, but after three washouts, the line was abandoned. The Temescal Water Company later purchased the land and constructed a dam, thus creating Railroad Canyon Lake. The Evans family operated a fishing resort there for 30 years until 1968, when Temescal developed the private community of Canyon Lake. This original weekend retreat is now home to retirees and young families as the area surrounding Canyon Lake is rapidly becoming more urban.

Los Angeles's Angels Flight

9780738558127

$24.99

From 1901 to 1969, Angels Flight was America's most famous incline railway, familiar from its many appearances on postcards and in pulp fiction and film noir. It inspired the titles of five novels, including a 1999 best seller, and three films. Angels Flight's two colorful trolleys glided up and down the side of Bunker Hill in the heart of Los Angeles, carrying 100 million passengers between a downtown business district and a Victorian aerie that gradually deteriorated into a gritty slum. When the city turned Bunker Hill into an acropolis of skyscrapers, Angels Flight was packed up like a boy's electric train set and stored away for nearly 30 years. After a restoration in the mid-1990s that led to a fatal accident, Angels Flight has reopened and is now ready to claim its next chapters in Los Angeles history.

Duarte Chronicles

9781609498825

$21.99

Andres Duarte was a Mexican army veteran who was awarded a 6,595-acre grant south of the San Gabriel Mountains in 1841. Parceled out to settlers and farmers, the Rancho Azusa de Duarte began thriving when rail lines were built to access the citrus crops. Duarte was home to the City of Hope, a tuberculosis clinic that became a world-class cancer research and treatment center. The old U.S. Route 66 brought thousands of new Californians through the residential melting pot from points east. Residents have included such notables as big-band leader Glenn Miller and playwright Sam Shepard. Join coauthors Claudia and Alan Heller as they recall the people, institutions, events and natural elements that have made Duarte a unique Los Angeles County city.

Missions of Monterey

9780738596822

$24.99

The storm-tossed caravel ship San Salvador passed the coastline of Point Pinos in 1542 and propelled Portuguese shipwright and sailor Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo into history with the discovery of Alta California for the Spanish crown. An enduring legacy followed with Fr. Junipero Serra's landing in San Diego and the founding of his first mission in 1769. Into Alta California entered explorers, soldiers, and Franciscan missionaries bringing their culture, faith, and intent to colonize the New World. Father Serra's 1770 journey to Monterey, carefully planned in Mexico City, involved the arrival of a few hundred intrepid travelers over land and sea to secure Alta California's new capital. A small group consecrated Mission San Carlos de Borromeo in the pine-forested flat of New Spain's presidio. The momentum of the missions over the next 80 years resulted in California's statehood and in the raising of the American flag in Monterey by 1850.

Eagle County Characters:

9781609496975

$21.99

Long before the first ski runs were ever carved into the mountains of Vail and Beaver Creek, Eagle County drew adventurous settlers and pioneers who brought life to the mines and the Eagle River Valley. Allow local journalist and historian Kathy Heicher to introduce you to the Doll brothers as they establish their ranching and business legacy. Ride a stagecoach with Sarah Doherty, Cattle Queen of the Badlands. Follow Jake Borah through bear country with President Theodore Roosevelt and his hunting cabinet." Trail cattle alongside Ellis "Bearcat" Bearden and his ranching family. Meet a cast of characters whose stories arc across decades and reach the very roots of this beautiful mountain valley."

Sacramento's Curtis Park

9780738530512

$24.99

This peaceful community loved by thousands of locals was once, in part, a Mexican land grant called New Helvetia, given to John Sutter. With the 1852 arrival of homesteader (and area namesake) William Curtis, who managed a 200-acre farm started by his brother, and those drawn by the California gold rush, the area began to develop and expand. In 1887, papers were filed for the Highland Park subdivision--a nod to early flood concerns. Since that time, more than 30 other subdivisions have sprung up between Broadway and Sutterville, along with the Sierra School, which has been nominated for city landmark status. Situated south of today's Broadway, the area that was once a flood plain and then an agricultural area now holds over 2,500 homes and is among the city's most vibrant neighborhoods. Houses here represent various architectural styles, from Victorian to Arts and Crafts and the various 1920s revivals. The neighborhood has an equally interesting mix of residents.

Montrose

9781467116374

$24.99

The narrow-gauge Denver & Rio Grande (D&RG) Railroad, the first rail system to challenge and successfully conquer Colorado's Rocky Mountains, arrived in the Uncompahgre (un-cum-PAH-gray) Valley on the state's western slope in 1882. Montrose was established to supply mines in the mineral-rich San Juan Mountains and provide a freight transfer depot and a shipping point for gold and silver ore. The US government had forced the Ute Indians off their traditional lands the previous year and opened the area to settlement. Land was quickly claimed and cleared as the booming mining districts created a ready market for all agricultural produce. By the 1893 repeal of the Sherman Silver Act and the US economic decline, Montrose was well established, but continued growth revealed a serious need for supplemental water. Selected as an inaugural project by the newly created US Bureau of Reclamation, the resulting Gunnison Tunnel has provided water since 1909.

Orem

9780738578828

$24.99

In 1861, a group of hardy pioneers ascended the "Provo Bench" that overlooks Utah Lake. With dreams of fruit orchards and vegetable fields, they uprooted the sagebrush, dug irrigation canals, and planted crops. These farms were successful, and they helped transform Orem into a dynamic community by the time the railroad arrived. The produce was boxed and shipped across Utah on the Orem Line, and the Provo/Orem area earned the nickname "Garden City of Utah." Incorporated in 1919, Orem was transformed again during World War II when the U.S. government constructed Geneva Steel Mill on the shores of Utah Lake. Blue collar workers joined farmers and ranchers in building a city. Orem supports higher education and is home to Utah Valley University. Although malls and subdivisions have replaced many of the orchards and the steel mill has closed, Orem remains rooted in its past while growing towards its future.

Sacramento

9780738594804

$21.99

Of the state of California and its resources, much of late years has been written and printed for dissemination among people of the eastern states. Particularly has such information been published concerning the resources of the southern section of the state. As yet but little has been written of the central section--a vast, rich, but comparatively undeveloped territory--which in the very near future will as much astonish the world by the demonstration of its agricultural wealth, as did the state in 1849 by the richness of its gold mines. In the pages following, nothing but facts, capable of absolute and satisfactory demonstration, are presented. Of the section of which this work treats, the facts furnish an ample and convincing argument of its resources and capabilities. It has been the endeavor of the writers--and they are gentlemen of state-wide reputation--to present but the actual facts.

Lake County Schoolhouses

9781467116213

$24.99

The quaint, one-room schoolhouse of the untamed frontier looms large in the collective image of the American West. The stories that surround these schoolhouses have become embedded in the nation's cultural memory: the hardships of having to walk miles to and from school, the often cramped quarters within, and the harsh lessons learned at the hand--or ruler--of the teacher. More often than not, these stories are told with a sense of nostalgia for the bygone era of rural education. This book explores the myths and realities of these iconic buildings in one rural county in California. Although this volume focuses on just a single region, the important role these schools played in the lives of those they served (or did not serve) speaks to the wider influence of schools and education throughout early California.

Irish San Francisco

9780738530499

$24.99

The Irish have always been an important part of San Francisco. An 1852 census showed that almost nine percent of the city of 36,000 hailed from Ireland; by 1900, nearly a quarter of the population had come here from the Emerald Isle. Today a walk through any part of the city will showcase influential Irish street names such as Downey, Fell, Kearney, O'Farrell, O'Shaughnessy, and McAllister. Churches such as St. Brigid's and St. Patrick's still are supported by many of the faithful, while landmark buildings such as the Fairmont, Phelan, and Flood stand sentinel over the city's bustling downtown. Many businesspeople handle their finances through the successors of the original Hibernia Bank, established here by Irish immigrants in 1859. And after work, many folks like to relax with a pint at pubs such as Kate O'Brien's, Abbey Tavern, or the Little Shamrock.

Fanny Bixby Spencer

9781609498757

$23.99

The last daughter born to Jotham Bixby, the Father of Long Beach," Fanny Bixby Spencer (1879-1930) carved her own singular and eccentric path across California history. Born to wealth and power, she chose a boldly independent, egalitarian lifestyle in an age when women's lives were largely confined to domesticity. Fanny served with the Long Beach Police Department as America's first policewoman. She was a founder of the city of Costa Mesa in Orange County. Her humanitarian efforts reached across ethnicities and social standing. Yet beyond her civic accomplishments, Fanny was provocative as a poet, artist, pacifist, suffragist, child advocate, foster mother and humanitarian. Marcia Lee Harris captures this fascinating woman's remarkable life, enhanced by Fanny's own poetry and soulful reflections."

Football in the South Bay

9781626193086

$23.99

Hardly a season passes in which one or more South Bay football stars don't shine in major college or NFL play. Vince Ferragamo led the Rams to a Super Bowl, but in Wilmington, he's the pride of Banning High School. Before he was television's Hunter" or an NFL All-Pro, Fred Dryer was an El Camino College and Lawndale High star. Wesley Walker snagged deep passes for the New York Jets but honed his skills under legendary coach Gene Vollnogle for the Carson High Colts, historically the top prep team in the South Bay. From the inspirational coaches like Mira Costa's Don Morrow and San Pedro's Mike Walsh to the greatest players raised here, author Don Lechman presents the full story of South Bay gridiron glory."

Football in Long Beach

9781609495459

$23.99

The roots of football run deep in Long Beach, where Long Beach Polytechnic High School has produced more players who have played in the National Football League than any other high school in the United States. Poly's storied program has fed the NFL a wide variety of top players, including such receivers as Johnny Morris, Gene Washington, Tony Hill, Stephone Paige, Marcedes Lewis and DeSean Jackson. This authoritative citywide pigskin history by Mike Guardabascio includes the football sagas of other area high schools, as well as the legacies of Long Beach State and Long Beach City College, which have enjoyed their own brands of national recognition.

The New Deal in Orange County, California

9781626194885

$21.99

Unpredictably harsh elements wreaked havoc in Orange County during the Great Depression. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake claimed 115 lives, shattering lands eastward across the Los Angeles County line into the Orange County cities. Then 60 people perished in the devastating 1938 Santa Ana River flood, which washed out roads and buildings and much of the county's namesake citrus industry. Orange County's 130,000 people received a greater density of federal public aid than LA County's 2.2 million and San Diego County's 210,000. Join Charles Epting on this tour of the buildings, bridges, harbors, trails, libraries, highways and other infrastructure gains--many still in use--that were revitalized by the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps and other agencies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal.

The New Deal in Orange County, California

Murder and Mayhem in the Napa Valley

9781609495442

$21.99

The picturesque vineyards of California's Napa Valley, one of the world's premier tourist destinations, disguise a tangled history of lawlessness, depravity and frontier justice. Some crimes were committed over debts, some for retribution and others in the name of love. Famed photographer Eadweard Muybridge killed a man for seducing his wife but was acquitted. Other criminals were not so lucky and met the gallows, like murderer William Roe, the state's final public execution. From the Pomo massacre--the first criminal case heard by the California Supreme Court--to the cold cases that continue to haunt the region, Napa Police Detective Todd Shulman decants the crimes of the Napa Valley, memorializing the victims and honoring the efforts of local law enforcement.

Murder & Mayhem in the Crescenta Valley

9781609499976

$21.99

The pleasant neighborhoods of the Crescenta Valley offer no hint of the many violent and heinous crimes that have occurred between the San Gabriel and Verdugo Mountains. But ties to such macabre episodes as the Onion Field murder and the search for the Hillside Strangler left lasting scars here. Infamous criminals such as mafia boss Joe "Iron Man" Ardizzone, red-light bandit Caryl Chessman and accused yacht bomber Beulah Overell have left a black eye on La Cresecenta's history--not to mention the "Rattlesnake Murder," "Female Bluebeard" and "Santa Claus Killer." Join historians Gary Keyes and Mike Lawler as they expose the crimes and criminals that have inflicted murder and mayhem in Glendale, La Crescenta, Montrose and La Canada Flintridge.

La Purisíma Concepción:

9781626199842

$21.99

In two centuries, La Purísima Concepción went from a fledgling frontier mission to a renowned California State Historic Park. Once home to many Spanish soldiers, settlers and hundreds of Chumash Indians, La Purísima held the seat of the California Mission government under Father Mariano Payeras. It withstood catastrophic events, including widespread disease in early years and a great Southern California earthquake in 1812. Emerging from ruins for the last time in 1934, after restoration by the Civilian Conservation Corps, structures appear today as they did in the early nineteenth century. The uniquely restored California Mission complex operates as a state park in a pastoral setting. Author and archivist Michael R. Hardwick chronicles the story of La Purísima and the resilient people and culture that made a lasting influence.

Oakland's Chinatown

9780738529257

$24.99

Oakland's Chinatown has a history every bit as compelling as its more famous neighbor across San Francisco Bay. Chinese have been a presence in Oakland since the 1850s, bringing with them a rich and complex tradition that survived legalized discrimination that lingered until the 1950s. Once confined to a small area of downtown where restaurants stir-fried, laundries steamed, and vegetable stands crowded the sidewalks, Chinese gradually moved out into every area of Oakland, and the stands evolved into corner groceries that cemented entire neighborhoods. Chinese helped Oakland grow into a modern business and cultural center and have gained prominence in every aspect of the city's commerce, politics, and arts.

Auburn

9780738559445

$24.99

Auburn, the county seat of Placer County, was founded during the Gold Rush in 1848. Unlike many such towns in the Mother Lode, Auburn has remained a vibrant and growing town ever since. This city's relevance since the initial influx of gold seekers is due in part to its location at a nexus of transportation routes, both old and new. Halfway between San Francisco and Reno and at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet--above the fog and below the snow--Auburn is a very attractive place to live. Furthermore, it is a place with sincere respect for its roots, as evidenced by its restored old town, preserved courthouse building, and other historic structures throughout town.

Montana Beer

9781626190214

$21.99

Montana's brewing history stretches back more than 150 years to the state's days as a territory. But the art of brewing in Montana has come a long way since the frontier era. Today, nearly forty craft breweries span the Treasure State, and the quality of their output rivals the best craft beer produced anywhere in the country. Maybe it's because there's also a little piece of Montana in every glass, as the state's brewers pride themselves on using cold mountain water and locally sourced barley harvested from Montana's ample fields. From grain to glass, Montana Beer: A Guide to Breweries in Big Sky Country tells the story of the brewers and breweries that make the Treasure State's brew so special.

Morro Bay

9780738530864

$24.99

Morro Bay, on California's Central Coast, is famous for the massive rock formation that guards the mouth of its natural harbor. A remnant of an ancient volcanic plug, Morro Rock--in Spanish, el Moro, the sentinel--was spotted by explorer Juan Cabrillo as early as 1542. Once sacred to Native Americans, it is now a sanctuary for peregrine falcons and other birds, near secluded dunes, a 2,300-acre national estuary known as the back bay, and eucalyptus groves that are visited each winter by monarch butterflies. With the railroad hundreds of miles away, the small fishing town with sandy streets, surrounded by cattle and dairy ranches, once depended on the sea for transportation. Now a thriving commercial district serves both residents and tourists, and its waterfront is packed with busy seafood restaurants. Kayaks, canoes, and commercial fishing boats mingle in the sparkling waters of the bay.