1800s American history

Newton Falls was founded in 1806 and named after Newtown, Connecticut, a homage to the Connecticut Land Company, and the waterfalls on the East and West Branches of the Mahoning River. The small community was a transportation town with access to the Mahoning River, eventually the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal, and a myriad of railroads that crisscrossed throughout Newton Falls. As the industrial revolution took hold of Newton Falls, factories came and provided locals with jobs. Eventually, the Ravenna Ordnance Plant, often referred to as the Ravenna Arsenal, opened in 1942 and provided many jobs for those in Newton Falls during World War II and on. Today, Newton Falls is known for its infamous zip code, 44444; the F5 tornado that hit the city in 1985; and one of the oldest covered bridges to remain in the state of Ohio. 

Located within the Des Plaines River valley in Illinois, Lemont became a village in 1873. The Illinois and Michigan Canal opened transportation opportunities and led to the discovery of dolomite limestone (known locally as Athens marble). Quarrying limestone became Lemont’s leading industry, and it was used for buildings throughout the region, including Chicago’s famous Water Tower. Canal workers made Lemont a capital of vice in the 1890s with bars and brothels located in the area known as Smokey Row. Downtown Lemont boasts well-preserved commercial buildings from this period. Historic homes and church steeples are nestled into the valley bluff, reflecting the community’s devotion to faith, civic pride, and traditions such as the Keepataw Parade. Today, the area’s industrial past is being rediscovered and repurposed for recreational uses in its quarries and along miles of trails that connect Lemont to the rest of the region.

As one of America’s most notorious prisons, Alcatraz has been a significant part of California’s history since 1853.

The small island known in sea charts by its Spanish name Isla de los Alcatraces or “Island of Pelicans” laid essentially dormant until the 1850s, when the US military converted the island into a fortress to protect the booming San Francisco region. Alcatraz served as a pivotal military position until the early 20th century and in 1934 was converted into a federal penitentiary to house some of America’s most incorrigible prisoners. The penitentiary closed in 1963, and Alcatraz joined the National Park Service system in 1972. Since then, it has remained one of the Bay Area’s most popular attractions as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Gregory L. Wellman, a California-based consultant, reveals in these images the evolution of Alcatraz. The island’s startling transformation comes alive through the photographic collections of the Alcatraz Alumni Association, the Golden Gate National Archives, and other private collections from around the country. This stirring imagery documents the evolution of one of America’s most renowned and memorable landmarks.

Truly a frontier town when it was founded in 1839, Iowa City was created to become the new capital of Iowa Territory.

With the arrival of the railroad in 1855, growth was rapid, and the establishment of the University of Iowa in 1847 meant that town and gown literally grew up together. Industry thrived in the late 1800s. Included were the manufacture of linseed oil, corn glucose, and vanilla extracts; the production of glassware, gloves, and jewelry; and the assembly of small farm machinery. A resurgence took place in the 1950s, beginning with the establishment of a Procter and Gamble plant. Meanwhile, artists and innovators flourished. Variously called an “Athens of the West,” a UNESCO City of Literature, and the “Greatest Small City for the Arts,” Iowa City continues to attract new families, university faculty and researchers, business people, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, and retirees who find world-class medical care and enough sports, arts, and entertainment for all to enjoy.

Founded in 1884 as the company town of the United States Rolling Stock Company, Hegewisch became Chicago’s most remote and isolated neighborhood in 1889. Surrounded by waterways and railroads, the community even today is mistakenly considered an independent town. In order to gain amenities that other neighborhoods seemed to take for granted, Hegewisch often went toe to toe with bureaucrats who in some instances claimed it was not even a part of Chicago due to its remote location. In the 1970s, the city allowed landfills to burgeon on Hegewisch’s outskirts and then threatened to replace the entire neighborhood with an airport in 1989. The resilience of Hegewisch in the face of big business and politics has given it a history unique in the annals of Chicago and the Calumet Region.

Auburn was founded in 1793 and started as an agricultural community that grew sweet corn and potatoes. The city transitioned into an industrial center with factories that produced rope, shoes, and harvesting machinery. Today, Auburn is a tourist destination in the heart of the Finger Lakes, boasting the historic homes of Harriet Tubman, William H. Seward, and John Foster Dulles.

The discovery of a rich coal vein in northeast Livingston County, Illinois, in 1899 turned an open prairie into the large coal mining town of Cardiff within months. An explosion in the mine in 1903 that killed nine men looked like it might be the end of the mine and the town, but another mine shaft was sunk, and the town grew bigger than ever. However, the quality of the coal ran out in 1912. This time it was the end. The mine closed, and the buildings were transported elsewhere. The only thing left of Cardiff was its ghost town reputation. The town lasted only 13 years, but they were exciting years. This book brings the town and its people to life once again.

Explore Williston, a well-preserved historic village in the middle of Vermont’s most populous county, in this stunning collection of vintage photographs.

After it was chartered in 1763, Williston attracted settlers from southern New England and grew because of the rich farmland and abundant forests. Vermont’s first governor, Thomas Chittenden, settled here, and other families soon followed. The arrival of the railroad in 1849 brought new industries and prosperity. The Civil War and westward migration drew men and families away and impacted the town’s growth. During the first half of the 20th century, Williston was a small, rural town with an agricultural base. When the interstate highway opened and IBM established a major facility in nearby Essex, increased development brought about the need for modern municipal services. Today, Williston is a thriving commercial and residential town.

Richard H. Allen is a retired Williston teacher and the author of numerous books and articles on Vermont local history. The images presented here were gathered from the collections of the Williston Historical Society, the Vermont Historical Society, Silver Special Collections at the University of Vermont, and from Williston residents, past and present.

The village of Clinton and town of Kirkland are neighboring communities in central New York. Clinton was founded in 1787 and has served as an educational hub anchored by Hamilton College. Clara Barton, Grover Cleveland, and Leland Stanford were educated here, along with Elihu Root, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912. The natural resources of Clinton and Kirkland, including Oriskany Creek and hematite ore, facilitated local prosperity.

Clinton native Zach Lewis, an educator, journalist, and photographer, explores the area’s heritage, highlighting the evolving landscape and why he believes that “all roads lead to Clinton.”