Norwalk

9781467126182

$24.99

Established in 1817 by the "Sufferers" from Connecticut, Norwalk was founded by settlers who had their homes destroyed by British troops during the Revolutionary War. As restitution, the federal government provided the land grant known as the Firelands. Located in North Central Ohio on gently rolling plains just south of Lake Erie, the settlement prospered with the spread of the railroads and quickly developed into a robust industrial community. From 1870 to 1970, Norwalk experienced a golden age filled with tragedy and triumph. It sat at the crossroads of transportation, which drove its economy. Starting with the stagecoach and continuing with the railroads, interurban lines, and trucking, the city served as a hub for traffic in all directions. Yankee ingenuity met Ohio opportunity as the city combined its New England-village charm with industrial power. Its historic Main Street features businesses, churches, and homes that are a source of curiosity for tourists in this place where the past coexists with the present. Indeed, Norwalk still thrives as an ideal small town.

Gold Hill

9780738581798

$24.99

Gold Hill is a product of the frontier days, when bold men sought golden riches despite ongoing hardships. The 1860 discovery of the famous Gold Hill Pocket, overlooking the present townsite, brought about its name with a gold rush that continued for decades and spilled into the nearby creeks and valleys, including mines with names like the Millionaire, Lucky Bart, and Roaring Gimlet. In 1884, the railroad bypassed neighboring settlements, which made Gold Hill a center depot and created ghost towns along the way. While the cry of "Gold! Gold! Gold!" filled the air, women and families drove in roots that tamed the town. When the area's mining and lumbering industries phased out, Gold Hill was then rediscovered in the late 20th century by folks searching for a small-town life, exquisite surroundings, and proximity to the legendary Rogue River. Wine tasting and vineyards replaced areas where stagecoaches once stopped and orchards grew.

Woodstock

9781467125987

$24.99

Set in outstanding natural beauty, many Vermont communities have a unique sense of history and place, and Woodstock has long been considered among the most vibrant and beautiful of them all. Nestled within the eastern foothills of the Green Mountains and the Ottauquechee River valley, from the time of its founding in 1761, the story of Woodstock has been a tapestry rich with culture, architecture, and events. Early in the town's development, Woodstock was designated by Vermont as the seat of government for Windsor County, and in turn, this brought an influx of lawyers and other professionals together with business and real estate entrepreneurs. The joining of several early turnpikes in Woodstock meant more travelers through town. In years after 1875, when the Woodstock Railway opened, the town became an even greater hub for tourists and those on business. By the early 20th century, Woodstock with its great scenic beauty was recognized as a premier destination for year-round recreation.

Catalina by Sea:

9780738531168

$24.99

A fancy flight of lyrics specifies that Santa Catalina Island is "26 miles across the sea." But mapmakers put the distance at 19.7 miles from the closest island point, Doctor's Cove (near Arrow Point), to the closest mainland locale, Point Fermin at San Pedro. Today boats and helicopters operating out of the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Newport Beach, and Dana Point transport musing songwriters and everyone else to Catalina for the song's much-promised "romance, romance, romance, romance," as well as fishing, sightseeing, and gainful employment. But the history of getting to and from the island's ports of Avalon and Two Harbors has been an epic across centuries of business and pleasure, involving a collective flotilla of side-wheelers, yachts, lumber schooners, steamships, water taxis, converted military vessels, crew boats, and today's fast and convenient jet boats.

Meridian

9780738591223

$24.99

Meridian, the queen that rose up along the banks of Sowashee Creek in a land once home to the Choctaw, first beckoned settlers to its lush green valley in 1831. The town rose to prominence through the visions of Richard McLemore, Lewis A. Ragsdale, and John Ball and was empowered by the arrival of the railway system and later the factories of the manufacturing era. Meridian survived General Sherman's torch and withstood yellow fever, fires, and tornadoes, blossoming into one of the largest and most progressive cities in the state. Home to Naval Air Station Meridian and the birthplace of Jimmie Rodgers, the "father of country music," Meridian is the heartbeat of Lauderdale County, with a history that runs as deep as the Mississippi.

Shenandoah

9781467124287

$24.99

From a distance, Shenandoah may look like any other small town, quaint and unassuming, and yet there are many more treasures than just the ""black diamonds"" of coal that run in her veins.

Discovery of the Mammoth Vein of anthracite in the 1860s brought tens of thousands of immigrants to work the local mines; in turn, they brought their cultures and dreams of a better life in America. Within a generation, rapidly increasing population created the ""Most Congested Square Mile in the United States."" Later, a shift from coal mine to Main Street fashioned recognition for retail fineries, along with distinction as the ""City of Churches."" At the center of the Molly Maguire troubles of the 1870s and the 1902 coal strike that changed the power of the presidency, Shenandoah has long been recognized for defiance and determination. Mining disasters, financial adversity, and ruinous fires scarred memories of decades of prominence; however, Shenandoah's spirit has endured through the last 150 years.

The Caro Area

9780738583624

$24.99

In the beginning, the Caro area was part of the vast forests that covered Michigan. It was home to the Chippewa Indians, among others; but by the 1840s, the timberland with cork pine had attracted lumbermen. They were soon followed by pioneers ready to farm the now open fields. By 1855, the settlement of what would become the village of Caro had begun. The great forest fires of 1871 and 1881 made land clearing and farming even easier, and agriculture became the financial engine that drove the growth and prosperity of the area. By the beginning of the 20th century, Caro was the vibrant and busy seat of Tuscola County. The Caro Area shows this evolution through photographs of all aspects of rural and village life from settlement through World War II.

Cherryville

9780738568553

$24.99

Located in the rolling hills of the Carolina Piedmont, rows of cherry trees line the Old Post Road leading into Cherryville.

Originally called White Pine, the town was renamed for the ubiquitous cherry trees that are still celebrated with an annual cherry blossom festival. The village was spun from the wilderness during the mid-1700s, when Scots-Irish and German immigrants settled the area around Beaver Dam and Indian Creeks. These settlers brought with them their languages, religions, music, and customs; the German tradition of shooting in the New Year with muskets and black powder continues today after 250 years. With a storied history from the Revolutionary War, the advent of the railroad, and the international firm of Carolina Freight Carriers Corporation in 1932, Cherryville has grown into a sophisticated, modern town.

New Albany

9780738540634

$24.99

Until the railroads extended their steel ribbons westward, people and cargo traveling to America's frontier went by flatboat, canoe, or paddle-wheeled steamer.

The falls of the Ohio River at Louisville presented a considerable obstacle to this floating traffic, and vessels traveling on this major waterway were forced to portage their cargo around the turbulent waters. In 1812, three enterprising brothers from New York, Abner, Joel, and Nathaniel Scribner, bought land at the western end of the rapids and named their new settlement New Albany in honor of the capital of their native state. Their village became the head of downriver navigation on the Ohio and evolved from a backwoods settlement into Indiana's largest city, a lively river town where steamboats, textiles, sheet music, automobiles, and pastries have all been manufactured. Natural disasters have periodically changed the face of the city, but New Albany has always recovered due to the determination of its citizens. This collection of vintage images portrays the triumphs and tragedies of these residents.

Everglades City

9781467105729

$24.99

Today's Everglades City was originally called "Everglade" when it was but a vast formidable wilderness. Following county namesake Barron Gift Collier's arrival and subsequent establishment of both the county government seat and the company town, it became Everglades (plural) in 1923. This former desolate acreage, located approximately 45 miles south of Naples, was soon bustling, with not only shops and homes but also the construction of the Tamiami Trail, which was completed in 1928. Everglades City is home to the Western Hemisphere entrance of the Everglades National Park, bringing in tourists from around the world. The annual Everglades City Seafood Festival, held the second weekend in February, began 50 years ago to initially raise funds for playground equipment. A former commercial laundry building, dating back to the 1920s, now houses the Museum of the Everglades. Approximately 500 residents live in Everglades City year-round today.

Effingham County

9780738560649

$24.99

The unique history of Effingham County is closely tied to the development of transportation through America's heartland.

Beginning with the old National Road, through the golden age of railroads, onward to today's interstate highway system, the county has developed alongside the nation's great transportation innovations. Given the county's location between Chicago to the north, St. Louis to the west, and Indianapolis to the east, it is easy to justify the ""Heart of the USA"" and ""Crossroads of America"" designations. Effingham County, however, is more than railroad yards and highway interchanges. This book shows the rich fabric of life woven throughout the history of the city of Effingham and smaller towns, including Teutopolis, Altamont, Beecher City, Dieterich, Watson, Mason, Edgewood, Montrose, and Shumway.

Cleveland's Playhouse Square

9780738540139

$24.99

Cleveland's Playhouse Square documents the fascinating history of the five theatres which boomed, beginning in the 1920s.

In the early 1920s, five opulent theaters--the Allen, the Ohio, the State, the Palace, and the Hanna--opened on a stretch of Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. They offered legitimate theater, vaudeville, name bands and entertainers, and films for the affluent and hardworking citizens of this booming industrial city. Unfortunately, the introduction of television and the flight to the suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s turned the theaters into ghost palaces destined for the wrecking ball. In 1970, a bold group of planners led by Raymond K. Shepardson formed the Playhouse Square Association, a nonprofit group dedicated to saving the theaters. A 25-year restoration endeavor emerged that raised $53 million, culminating in the largest theater restoration project in the world. Today Playhouse Square Center ranks second only to New York's Lincoln Center as North America's largest performing arts complex.

Guilderland, New York

9780738501123

$24.99

From an early Dutch and Palatine-settled farming
community to a sprawling suburb adjacent to a
metropolitan city, Guilderland, New York explores the
town's early crossroads, hamlets, and villages from
1880 to 1960. Through more than 200 images from the Guilderland Historical Society, this photographic
tribute to the community's rich and diverse legacy
reflects the many changes the town has experienced
through the years. Discover French's Hollow, one of the nation's first industrial parks, which began in Guilderland in the 1790s. View the natural hills and vales of Tawasentha, legendary for its Native American heritage, and the Great Western Turnpike, one of the first pioneer roads leading to the west. Many families who have had a profound influence on the community are also featured in this collection. The industry of Guilderland's early families and the town's key location have resulted in the main transportation routes, turnpikes, railroads, the New York State Thruway, corporate businesses, and the State University campus that exist today.

Los Osos/Baywood Park

9781467124096

$24.99

Los Osos and Baywood Park, on the south end of Morro Bay, were two independent areas that developed separately during different periods. Over time, they grew together. In 1974, the US Post Office eliminated the Baywood branch and declared the area as Los Osos. Residents, passionate about their neighborhoods, specifically refer to Cuesta-by-the-Sea, Baywood, or the 12 other housing areas, while nonresidents ascribe to the Los Osos name. This area, including the beautiful Los Osos Valley, has been home to artisans, fishermen, and hunters for centuries, and more recently, cattle ranchers and farmers. The town grew haphazardly in fits and starts. Quirky, rebellious, off the beaten path--all apply. People here are happy to be a bit undiscovered and prefer that it stays that way.

Corpus Christi

9780738558530

$24.99

Latin for "Body of Christ," Corpus Christi is a popular vacation destination, military town, and thriving seaport. Legend has it that Spanish explorer Alonso Álvarez de Pineda discovered and named Corpus Christi Bay in 1519. Henry L. Kinney, a trader who arrived in the area around 1838, is credited with starting the trading post that eventually grew into one of Texas's largest cities and became home to one of the nation's busiest ports. This "Sparkling City by the Sea" balances growth and industry with an appreciation for the air, water, and wildlife that attract both sportsmen and environmentalists. Corpus Christi is a bilingual, bicultural community that embraces both its Mexican and American roots.

Wings over Florida

9780738501857

$24.99

Florida's contribution to aviation history cannot be underestimated. Wings over Florida chronicles the story of flying in the "Sunshine State," from the early pioneers in gliders and balloons, to the recent developments in the space program. The story of Florida in flight is even older than its statehood, with Colonel John Sherburne planning to use balloons as early as 1840 in the Second Seminole War. Not only was the first scheduled passenger airline (the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line) begun in Florida, but it is also home to the world's oldest international airline.
Many heroes and heroines of the air came from Florida. Even those who were not Floridians by birth spent time flying in the ideal conditions that Florida provided. Pioneers, such as Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Peter Sones, and Jacqueline Cochran, all took to the air over Florida.

The Italian-American Immigrant Theatre of New York City

9780738500973

$24.99

Italian-American theatre sprang to life in New York City shortly after waves of Italian immigrants poured into this country in the 1870's. The mass migration brought both the performers and the audiences necessary for theatrical entertainment. Hungry for recognition, support, and social exchange, the men and women from Italy formed amateur theatrical clubs as one way of satisfying emotional needs. By 1900, the community had produced the major forces that created the Italian-American theatre of the ensuing decades. In The Italian-American Immigrant Theatre of New York City, author Emelise Aleandri regenerates the excitement of the stage through striking photographs, programs, and other memorabilia generously loaned by families of the theatre community. She follows the fortunes of the earliest nineteenth-century companies and introduces those that arose in the twentieth-century. Within these pages are scenes of comedy, tragedy, vaudeville, and radio, featuring stars such as Mimi Cecchini, Guglielmo Ricciardi, Concetta Arcamone, Antonio Maiori, Rita Berti, Farfariello, and Olga Barbato.

The Italian-American Immigrant Theatre of New York City

Coupeville

9780738588957

$24.99

The second-oldest town in Washington is Coupeville, founded in 1853. Until the white settlement of the 1850s, the Lower Skagit Indians lived in four villages on Penn Cove, fishing and gathering plentiful plants and berries. Sea captains, such as Capt. Thomas Coupe, were drawn to the area's deepwater port and the opportunities it offered to transport timber from surrounding forests. At the same time, pioneer farmers, like Isaac Ebey, marveled at the rich soil of nearby Ebey's Prairie, where they planted crops and wrote to friends and relatives, inviting them to come and share the bounty. Together, captains of the sea and soil created a town of distinctive Victorian houses and enterprising businesses that inhabitants and visitors enjoy today.

McCurtain County

9780738582696

$24.99

McCurtain County has been home to several of the most interesting and diverse people and historical events that Oklahoma has ever known. The Choctaw Indians migrated to what is now McCurtain County in 1831. All of McCurtain County was located in the Appukshunubbee District, which held court near present-day Ringold. With Oklahoma's statehood in 1907, county officials began to work on a county courthouse in Idabel. In the years following statehood, the lumber and timber industry thrived in the county. Towns began to sprout up and expand near the county's several sawmills. Agriculture has also contributed to the success of McCurtain County with many pastures, ranches, tree farms, and pecan orchards. The county's economy still depends heavily on agriculture today, but recently, the tourism industry has also flourished within the county. The Beavers Bend State Park, established in the 1930s, along with the Broken Bow and Pine Creek Lakes and the Mountain Fork River, brings countless tourists to the area. The rich history and pristine beauty of McCurtain County has always been a source of pride to all who have ever called it home.

Along Route 52

9781467120944

$24.99

Created through an act of the Delaware Legislature in 1811, the Wilmington and Kennett Turnpike would become one of the most important roads in New Castle County. Linking the city of Wilmington, Delaware, to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, it would become crucial in the transportation of goods from a growing industrial Wilmington to Philadelphia and the eastern counties of Pennsylvania. Kennett Pike, as it would come to be known, operated as a toll road until it was purchased in 1919 by industrialist Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954). Du Pont would work over the next year and a half to widen and modernize the highway and eliminate its tolls. When work was completed, he sold the road back to the state for just $1. Kennett Pike has continued to grow through the 20th century, with dozens of private estates gracing its borders. Villages such as Greenville and Centreville have been characterized by their country charm and local businesses, including Shields Lumber & Coal and Buckley's Tavern.

Connecticut and Rhode Island Covered Bridges

9780738575407

$24.99

During their heyday in the mid- to late 1800s, more than 150 covered bridges dotted the landscape of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Since that time, floods, fires, and progress have claimed all but three of the historic structures. Covered bridges were heavily concentrated in the hills of northwestern Connecticut, spanning the Farmington, Housatonic, and Naugatuck Rivers. In Rhode Island, most were built by the railroads in Woonsocket, Providence, and other communities in the northern part of the state, though few pictures are known to exist. Connecticut was the birthplace of two of the nation's best known covered bridge designers: Ithiel Town and Theodore Burr. Half of the covered bridges currently standing in the United States are supported by trusses patented by Town or Burr.

Connecticut and Rhode Island Covered Bridges

Italians in West Virginia

9780738587509

$24.99

Images of America: Italians in West Virginia offers a new understanding of how immigrant laborers and their communities shaped the state's regional history. Shortly after its secession from Virginia, West Virginia appointed an immigration officer to handle the wave of antebellum immigrant laborers entering the state to work in agriculture, forestry, railway construction, and the coal industries. In 1910, there were 13,286 Italians in West Virginia; in 1920, there were 14,167. This volume has over 200 photographs that have been collected from West Virginia archival collections and Italian families, illustrating aspects of the immigrant experience. The photographs highlight the regional origins of the Italians, their work, communities, leisure, ethnicity, family life, and religion.

Sayre

9780738582528

$24.99

Sayre, Oklahoma, was founded shortly after the railroad arrived on September 14, 1901. Before that, it was known as Riverton because of its location near the North Fork of the Red River. When the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad completed its line to Sayre, businesses sprang up overnight, causing many people from surrounding communities to move closer to the rail. Sayre's historical downtown area is home to many buildings that date from the city's founding in 1901. When Route 66 was constructed through Sayre, transportation was solidified as the community's main industry. The town began to grow again when Farmrail launched an American Short Line Regional Railroad through Sayre and its surrounding area in 1981. Through the years, many legendary people have called Sayre home, including horseman Walter Merrick, world champion bull rider Justin McBride, bronc riders Gene Ross and Jonas DeArmon, and singer Roger Miller. The community is known for its natural beauty, sensational sunsets, and a flat landscape that allows one to see for miles in every direction.

Ocean City

9780738501222

$24.99

Discover the beloved town of Ocean City, Maryland and it's vibrant, historic past.

Originally the land of the Algonquian people, the barrier island on which Ocean City is now located, served as a protective wall for the mainland Delmarva peninsula. It was a somewhat remote area until five men, having formed the Atlantic Hotel Company Corporation, built the first lodging facility, and Ocean City as a coastal resort began to take root. From the cattle grazing in the mid-1800s to the few blocks of buildings constructed at the turn of the century, from the infamous storm of 1933 to the overwhelming growth of the 1940s, Ocean City has had a rich and vibrant history. This volume offers a historical perspective of Ocean City from its inception to 1946, a period when growth was steady but slow. Now boasting over eight million visitors annually, the area is Maryland's golden-haired child and its second-largest city during peak summer weekends when an average of 300,000 tourists arrive.

WNAX 570 Radio

9780738540191

$24.99

Life on the northern plains was lonely in the early 20th century. Farmers and ranchers went for weeks without hearing any voices other than those of their families. Then, in 1922, Al Madson, proprietor of a Yankton radio parts shop, made a radio transmitter. He formed a broadcasting company, and on November 25, 1922, WNAX broadcast its first program. People of the northern plains now had a daily "visitor." Gurney Seed and Nursery Company owned the station for its first 16 years, adding distinctive innovations to its programming. In its constant commitment to agriculture, the station has influenced the history of the five-state area it covers. Lawrence Welk got his start there. Wynn Speece, known as the Neighbor Lady, still broadcasts daily after starting at WNAX in 1941.

Carvel Ice Cream

9780738567099

$24.99

Starting as an ice-cream truck in 1929; Carvel has became the standard of ice-cream franchises across America.

When an unassuming, wide-eyed, young Greek immigrant arrived in America in 1910, the world did not yet know that this boy named Tom Carvel would grow up to be an inventor, an innovator, and, ultimately, an American icon. Holding a host of jobs, from drummer to mechanic, Carvel's relentless entrepreneurial spirit led him down a path less traveled. At 26 years old, Carvel met his future wife, Agnes Stewart. He borrowed $15 from her and began selling ice cream out of the back of his truck. What started as an old truck plugged into a pottery store is now more than 500 franchised locations throughout the nation and abroad and is one of the best loved and most recognized names in the industry. Fulfilling the American dream, Carvel is credited for patenting machinery, coining the ""buy one get one"" coupon, starring in his own commercials, and being the ""father of franchising.""

Cambridge

9780738540016

$24.99

Nestled among the foothills of eastern Ohio, historic Cambridge sits on a bluff overlooking the meandering Wills Creek. The National Road, the first federally funded interstate road, serves as its main street and has shaped
its identity, character, and economy. The first legal bridge in the Northwest Territory spanned Wills Creek here in 1802, along Ebenezer Zane's narrow trace, which preceded the National Road. In the decades before the Civil War, the city thrived, serving travelers along this important thoroughfare; later Cambridge became a regional center for the coal, glass, and pottery industries. The arrival of the interstate system in the 1960s and the nearby construction of the largest interchange in the world at the time (connecting Interstates 70 and 77) rendered Cambridge's busy main street a sleepier place but one insulated from the off-ramp culture the interstate system spawned. Today Cambridge's historic downtown has undergone a remarkable revitalization, and this town of 11,000 is an American jewel.
Cambridge celebrates the heritage of this town and offers glimpses into the lives, labor, and leisure of its residents.

Greater Carpinteria:

9780738570983

$24.99

Carpinteria once featured a racetrack at one end of town and a gargantuan statue of Santa Claus at the other--"anchor" operations highlighting this unique southern corner of coastal Santa Barbara County. A few miles south, in the northern corner of Ventura County, nestles La Conchita, where an early seaside stagecoach route and a famous banana plantation helped shape the local flavor. The historical characteristics of Summerland, on the coast north of "Carp," as Carpinteria is known, have included a J. Paul Getty oil operation and youth baseball played on fields lighted by piped-in natural gas. The three distinct communities of Greater Carpinteria are tied together by both the spectacular coastal landscapes-- beautiful beaches and majestic mountain ranges--as well as the area's intrinsically linked schools and businesses. It is an eclectic paradise between Ventura and Santa Barbara that draws a million visitors a year.

J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

9780738587523

$24.99

The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge was created as the Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge on December 1, 1945, during the administration of Pres. Harry S. Truman. The refuge was renamed in 1967 to honor J.N. "Ding" Darling, a syndicated editorial cartoonist. He wintered on Captiva Island and advocated the establishment of the refuge. Situated on a barrier island in Southwest Florida, the refuge is a jewel among the 553 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Sanibel, once cherished by the conquistadors, is renowned as one of the best places on the planet to collect seashells and watch birds. Now an island-city, incorporated in 1974, Sanibel is famous for its land development code, which helps make the city a special place. "Ding" Darling would not completely approve of what has happened to the island he once loved, but he would applaud the human effort that has saved the island's wetlands and nurtured his wildlife refuge.

Greater Syracuse

9780738501949

$24.99

An engaging history of Greater Syracuse, from its early years of salt manufacturing to its present day sports diversity.

The Syracuse area has always had its own distinct character, defined in early years by its salt manufacturing, and in later years by its railroads, architecture, diverse industry, and great sports moments. At the same time, life here has been shaped by events and trends that occurred on a broader scale. As a new century dawns, it becomes an opportune time to reflect upon the far-reaching experiences and impact of the twentieth century. In the early 1900s, like many American communities, greater Syracuse was transformed by the arrival of the automobile, the influx of new immigrants, and the changes brought about by the widespread availability of electricity. In the years that followed, greater Syracuse weathered the economic havoc of the Great Depression and the sacrifices of World War II, but emerged into a new era of prosperity and growth. During this period, the region adjusted to the construction of giant expressways, shopping centers, suburban housing, and the dawn of the television age. These developments left the community enjoying expanded opportunities while facing new challenges for urban revitalization.

Aurora Revisited

9780738575988

$24.99

The town of Aurora was settled in 1804 and soon became a social and commercial center in Western New York. Visitors came to Aurora to get a glimpse of world-famous trotting horses at the Hamlin and Jewett farms and to see the Roycroft community of writers and craftsmen. Aurora Revisited tells the stories of notable citizens, including the 13th US president, Millard Fillmore, who established his first law office on Main Street; Iowa governor Horace Boies; and artist Margaret Evans Price, who designed the first pull toys for her husband's company. With more than 200 images spanning over a century, Aurora Revisited pays tribute to the men and women who sacrificed during times of war and chronicles the community's transition into a suburb that cherishes and promotes its historic roots.

Eastern Montgomery County

9780738501901

$24.99

Montgomery County was incorporated in 1784 from a portion of Philadelphia County. The county's early settlements and land grants date back to the founding of Pennsylvania in the 1680s. During the American Revolution, Valley Forge and the Whitemarsh encampments took place here, making Montgomery County nationally famous. Philadelphia's influences in art, culture, and architecture have had a lasting impression in the county. The postcards and descriptive text in Eastern Montgomery County illustrate the rich historical heritage of the area, dating back from its very beginning up to the mid-twentieth century.

Benicia

9780738529332

$24.99

A special Bay light falls on beautiful Benicia, on the north shore of the Carquinez Strait. Two U.S. citizens, Robert Semple and Thomas Larkin, bought the land from Mexican Army General Mariano Vallejo for $100 and the promise to name it for Vallejo's wife in 1847. The next year a customer at Von Pfister's Benicia waterfront store let slip the secret of the gold discovery at Sutter's Mill. Benicia's deep water harbor attracted Pacific Mail and Steamship Company, the first major California industry, the famous Matthew Turner shipyards, tanneries, and the Central Pacific Railroad, which made Benicia its transcontinental terminus. State legislators made the town their third state capital in 1853.
That oldest surviving capitol building still stands along with many historic buildings, including the stately structures of a U.S. military base that began with the Benicia Barracks in 1849 and continued to serve until 1964.

Cover image for Benicia, isbn: 9780738529332

West Sacramento

9780738529455

$24.99

West Sacramento, in Yolo County, is just across the river from the state capital that shares part of its name. But it has a very distinct history. First called Washington, the area became an agricultural and industrial center that attracted Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian immigrants and helped to feed and supply the growing metropolis of Sacramento and surrounding counties. In 1911, the ambitious West Sacramento Land Company laid down electric rail links to downtown Sacramento and cleared the land for what they hoped would be large-scale developments and population growth. Eventually West Sacramento did grow, and in 1987 the communities of West Sacramento, Broderick, Bryte, and Southport joined together to become one of the newest incorporated cities in the state.

Hartford

9780738563664

$24.99

Of the five Upper Connecticut River valley towns chartered by the royal governor of New Hampshire on July 4, 1761, the town of Hartford became the most diverse and pivotal within the region. Located at the intersection of the Connecticut and White River valleys, by the early 19th century Hartford played an important role in the development of river travel, as well as the turnpikes and stage lines crossing northern New England. By mid-century, White River Junction, one of Hartford's many diverse villages, was the region's most important railroad center. Within other areas of Hartford, abundant waterpower allowed for substantial development of manufacturing at Quechee, Dewey's Mills, Hartford Village, and Wilder. Like other towns in the Connecticut River valley, agriculture flourished in the town's rural areas. By the mid-20th century, two of the Northeast's most important new interstate highways crossed within Hartford's borders.