All Non-Digital Titles

Lima beans have been a part of the central and southern landscape of California for over 150 years. Farmers realized the coast offered fertile soil and the natural moisture of coastal fog, and only a minimal workforce was needed until harvesting. 

Robert McAllister’s chance encounter with a ship from Lima, Peru, off the coast of Carpinteria led to a small quantity of beans being planted, and they prospered. By the 1880s, the beans were introduced in Ventura County, and Orange County followed. San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and San Diego all tried their hand at the dry farming crop, as did the farmers in Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Monterey County. California became the largest lima bean producer in the world. While other crops and city encroachment have replaced the vast acreage of lima beans, parts of the Oxnard Plain, Lompoc, Monterey, Costa Mesa, and other scattered fields continue the tradition.

Jeffrey Wayne Maulhardt is a fifth-generation descendant of two lima bean–farming families, the Maulhardts and Borchards. He has written 17 local history books, including his last book, Ventura County Lima Beans: A History. To expand on the central and southern sections of California, Maulhardt traveled the state to showcase the photographic history of the lima bean.

A fascinating pictorial history of Central Brevard County, Florida, documenting its beginning struggles to its modern day prestige.

While Brevard County is today an affluent tourist destination, its early history was one of hardship and struggle against adversity. Mosquito-ridden salt marshes to the east and the headwaters of the mighty St. John's River to the west made access hard and survival harder. Indeed, as late as 1870, fewer than 250 people lived between Titusville, near the northern end of the Indian River, and present-day Miami. The Industrial Revolution brought change, and with the arrival of the first steamboat on the lagoon came the first boom period for the region. From a subsistence existence, the area's population embraced commercial agriculture and mass tourism. Resort hotels sprang up, citrus farms flourished, and migrants arrived by the thousands to share the newfound wealth. The growth continued and expanded with the arrival of the railroad and, later, the automobile, and was crowned by the advent of the space program in the 1950s. Fueled by NASA and by the rise of the Disney complex in Orlando, the region became a mecca for those seeking the sun or the stars.

In 1893, a few enterprising businessmen purchased some land just west of Huntington, West Virginia to develop a new community.

Eventually, Central City--as it was called--bustled with industry, thriving on the five major factories that became the nucleus of the small city. Because of the booming job market, the community grew: families settled; homes, schools, and churches were built; and a government was established. When Central City was annexed into Huntington in 1909, the old industrial town all but disappeared, losing its own identity and rich history. Luckily, Central City's heritage was saved in the late 1980s, when a reunion for early families was organized and funds were allocated by the City of Huntington for the community's rebirth. Today Old Central City is touted as the Antique Capital of West Virginia and hosts Old Central City Days annually to commemorate the vibrant heritage of this almost-lost West Virginia town.

Alva Hunt and Hugh Gant began their infamous "careers" fencing automobile parts as the Florida land boom became a bust. After doing hard time in state jails, they emerged as bank robbers and embarked on a crime spree across the Deep South. In the end they were captured and served time in Leavenworth, Alcatraz and other penitentiaries. Their reign was one of terror for Florida and many Southern states. Their story reflects an intriguing period in Florida's own history--the Depression era and the desperate days when Southern gangsters were armed, notorious and deadly.

From Macon to Hawkinsville, the history of Georgia's once thriving textile mills is documented in this visual history.

Cotton was once king throughout Georgia. Reconstruction investors and railroad tycoons saw this potential to open textile mills in the South instead of sending cotton up North. Towns across Central Georgia became a prime spot to locate textile mills because of the access to cotton from local farms, cheap labor, and nearby rivers to power the mills. Textile mills were operated in cities and towns across Central Georgia such as Macon, Columbus, Augusta, Tifton, Forsyth, Porterdale, and Hawkinsville, among others. The textile mills provided employment and sometimes a home in their villages to people across Georgia as the agrarian lifestyle gave way to industrial expansion. In these mills, photographer Lewis Hine captured iconic images of child labor. After the decline of production and closing of the mills, many have been revived into new usages that honor the legacy of the mill workers and their families who lived in the villages of the textile mills across Central Georgia.

Images of America: Centralia chronicles many of the images and stories from this fascinating and colorful Pennsylvania community.

Centralia is the saga of a Pennsylvania community consumed by an underground mine fire. The town, founded in 1866, has often been embroiled in tragedy and controversy. Beginning with the infamous Molly Maguires, Centralia was confronted with the murder of its founder and an assault upon its Catholic priest, who cursed the town, saying, One day this town will be erased from the face of the earth. Almost one hundred years later, a vein of coal that ran underneath the town caught fire and has burned since 1962. In the 1990s, the state of Pennsylvania declared eminent domain and forced most of the town's sixteen hundred residents to leave. Ten people remain in Centralia today.

The Chain O' Lakes has been one of Chicago's premier vacation spots since the 1880s. Witness its rich history in this collection of vintage postcards.

The nine major lake basins that make up the Chain O' Lakes region - Catherine, Channel, Grass, Bluff, Marie, Fox, Nippersink, Petite, and Pistakee - are all connected by the Fox River waterway and have, for over 100 years, been northern Illinois's leading destination for inland boaters, fishermen, picnickers, or those just hoping to relax and play at the beach. Luxurious mansions and swank resorts once dotted the more than 6,000 acres of shoreline. Many are gone today; some remain but have been vastly changed, but none are forgotten.

Captured here in over 200 vintage postcards are scenes from the chain's heyday, scenes that will seem at once faraway and familiar to the water-skiers, windsurfers, and other outdoor recreationists who populate the Chain O' Lakes today.

In greater Detroit, Chaldeans from present-day Iraq have established a strong presence and a thriving community.

Chaldeans (pronounced Kal-de'an) are a distinct ethnic group from present-day Iraq with roots stretching back to Abraham, the biblical patriarch of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam who was from the ""Ur of the Chaldees."" Chaldeans are Catholic, with their own patriarch, and they speak a dialect of Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ. Chaldeans began immigrating to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, when Iraq was known as Mesopotamia (the Greek word meaning ""land between two rivers,"" the Tigris and the Euphrates). Lured by Henry Ford's promise of $5 per day, many Chaldeans went to work in Detroit's automotive factories. They soon followed their entrepreneurial instincts to open their own businesses, typically grocery markets and corner stores. Religious persecution has caused tens of thousands of Chaldeans to relocate to Michigan. Today, the Greater Detroit area has the largest concentration of Chaldeans outside of Iraq: 150,000 people.

Champlain has a rich history shaped by war, the Canadian border, and the French ancestry of many of its residents.

Founded in 1788, it was originally surveyed by renowned French colonist and explorer, Samuel de Champlain, for whom the town is named. The Great Chazy River runs through the heart of Champlain, making it an inviting location for early settlers on the Northern frontier. Once known for a graceful main street lined with stately elms, it was primarily an agricultural community with other supporting industries, including one of the country's first ski manufacturers, a boatyard, and iron and metalworking factories; such a peaceful image belies the bloody past of Champlain, as it was on the front lines for the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and even the Civil War.Champlainchronicles the town and village through images of its homes, businesses, churches, and people of the past century and a half.

Join author James Vickers as he brings the rich and illustrious history to life through the lens of vintage images.

From humble beginnings as a rustic settlement formed around a chapel on a hill--New Hope Chapel Hill--in the mid-eighteenth century, Chapel Hill has attained international recognition as one of the foremost centers of education in the United States. Despite the fact that their town is flourishing, Chapel Hillians still think of it as a village, and it is the combination of a small Southern town and a concentration of creative, progressive people that makes Chapel Hill special. Although Chapel Hill is known for its ability to move with the times, it is also aware of the importance of the past and the need to preserve local history.

From its earliest days, Charleston was a vital port of call and center of trade, which left it vulnerable to seafaring criminals.

The Golden Age of Piracy, encompassing roughly the first quarter of the eighteenth century, produced some of the most outrageous characters in maritime history. The daring exploits of these infamous plunderers made thievery widespread along Charleston's waterfront, but determined citizens would meet the pirate threat head-on. From the "Gentleman Pirate," Stede Bonnet, to Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and famed pirate hunter and statesman William Rhett, the waters surrounding the Holy City have a history as rocky and wild as the high seas. Join author and tour guide Christopher Byrd Downey as he tells the tales of Charleston during piracy's greatest reign.

Discover many of the unknown oddities of Chucktown - from its people to its foods.

To escape death the slaves hid. So begins ""Insurrection on the Stono,"" the story of a 1739 slave rebellion on the outskirts of the city. Charleston's violent and varied history emerges in the retelling of this dramatic event. In Charleston Curiosities: Stories of the Tragic, Heroic and Bizarre, South Carolina Historical Society's Michael Coker describes several centuries' worth of little-known wonders from the Holy City. Whatever happened to Osceola's head? What was it like to walk the streets of Charleston just after secession was declared? Whether presenting the colonial struggle among European powers for control of Charles Towne or the real story of the birth of she-crab soup, this eclectic and engaging volume will delight seasoned historians, residents and visitors alike.

This compelling look at Charleston's twentieth-century history chronicles the changes and challenges faced by Charleston as its population exploded in response to expansion of the Charleston Navy Yard. As World War II called for the United States to flex her industrial might, the shipyard rose to meet the challenge and 55,000 new residents flooded into the city.

Charleston was unprepared for such dramatic expansion: the need for labor at the yard meant the sudden appearance of good jobs, but also resulted in severe housing shortages, food rationing and dilemmas over race and gender. Ongoing workforce shortages forced the navy to look to sources of labor previously regarded as unsuitable--African Americans and women--causing dramatic changes to the status quo.

Author and historian Fritz Hamer makes use of written documents and oral histories to argue that the war's effects pulled a reluctant "Holy City" into the twentieth century, setting the stage for further modernization and growth. Warm personal accounts from a range of individuals who witnessed the city's dramatic change provide a human element in Hamer's solid research.

Well written and imaginatively conceived, Charleston Reborn will interest the general reader as well as a wide range of historians--from students of World War II and chroniclers of gender and racial history, to urban historians and scholars of the modern American South.

Life in colonial Charles Towne was dangerous—epidemic diseases, primitive medical practices, and a harsh environment led to the early demise of rich and poor alike.

When Charleston's founders moved their settlement across the Ashley River to the peninsula in 1680, they hoped for protection from pirate and Native American attacks, as well as increased trade and healthier living conditions. While they were able to secure more protection for the residents and improve trade, health conditions rapidly declined. The graveyards and public burial grounds quickly filled, and today, Charleston’s historic cemeteries are almost as common a sight downtown as the churches that define the city. These tree-shrouded glades invite tourists and residents to explore the resting places of Charleston’s most illustrious and interesting personalities.Charleston’s Historic Cemeteriesoffers a guided pictorial tour of the elaborate gravestones and elegant inscriptions dedicated to Charleston’s famous and infamous alike, including William Rhett and the pirate Stede Bonnet, Rhett’s adversary. With dozens of illustrated stories about the transformation of funerals, tombstones, and mourning customs in America over the past 300 years, this collection details how Charleston became the home of a historically unique, city-wide gallery of mortuary sculpture.

Prepare to be surprised and unnerved as the dark side of Charlotte is brought to life by native and long-time writer David Aaron Moore. Learn about Nellie Freeman, who nearly decapitated her husband with a straight razor in 1926. Discover how the ghosts of Camp Green infantrymen, the doughboys of World War I, still scream in the Southern night. Read about the seventy-one passengers who lost their lives as Eastern Airlines Flight 212 fell to the earth one foggy night in 1974. Come along and experience the grisly past of the City of Churches.

Charlotte has entered a golden age of craft brewing. Join author Daniel Hartis for a journey into the center of this of the Queen City's beer scene.

While the fermented frenzy of Charlotte's craft brewing fans may feel altogether new, it evokes a forgotten heritage that dates back to colonial days. Beginning with Captain James Jack, whose tavern was a Patriot haven burned by the British during the American Revolution.

Local beer writer, and founder of charlottebeer.com, author Daniel Hartis follows a frothy trail through the highs and lows of this sudsy story. Grab a pint and discover how Prohibition took hold of Charlotteans. Ruminate over odes to beer by the Brew Pub Poets Society, and sample the personality and spirit on tap today around this North Carolina city. Charlotte Beer includes photos and a foreword by the Executive Director of the North American Guild of Beer Writers, Win Bassett.

Join authors Vermelle Diamond Ely, Grace Hoey Drain, and Amy Rogers as they celebrate the rich history of the black community in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As in many cities in the early 20th-century South, the African-American citizens of Charlotte created their own society that mirrored the larger white community. Yet, black Charlotte was always self-sustaining, with its own schools, library, and businesses. Second Ward High School (1923-1969) was the area's first high school for blacks, and although the school and much of its surroundings have since been razed, the photo archive at the Second Ward Alumni House Museum helps keep alive the memories of the school and the entire black community.

Founded in 1768 at the crossing of two Indian trails, Charlotte has a rich heritage to match its age. Hear the personal voices of discovery, hardship, wars, privation, segregation and achievement from village to boomtown.

In this extensively researched volume, accomplished author and historian Mary Kratt chronicles the history of Charlotte from the earliest Catawba inhabitants to the development of finance, culture and transportation, still centered on those ancient crossroads. Whether detailing the cotton fields and textile mills of yesterday or the banking center of tomorrow, Kratt's account is a fascinating history of the people who have made Charlotte a queen among southern cities.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the city of Charlottesville thrives amidst numerous tangible reminders of an incredibly rich history.

Founded in 1762, the heart of early Charlottesville was the stage for some of the most important figures in early American history, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. Growing side by side with Jefferson's University of Virginia, Charlottesville developed into a bustling community whose businesses, families, and celebrations were well documented in photographs beginning in the 1880s. The collection of images reproduced in Images of America: Charlottesville tells the story of the creation, growth, hardship, transformation, and success of a city beloved by residents and visitors alike.

Chatham and the Passaic River have been inextricably linked for nearly 275 years, since the town's founding under the informal name of Day's Bridge.

The name of Day's Bridge honored John Day, builder of the first span across the river, which forms the eastern edge of the town but the true nature of the town's residents is reflected in the area's permanent name, selected by villagers in 1773. Chatham is named for Great Britain's William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham, who was a champion of American liberties during that revolutionary era. The Passaic, fondly referred to by locals as ""The Fishawack,"" inspired the gradual flourishing of early mills and factories. Small shops, hotels, and especially the railroad brought nineteenth-century prosperity to Chatham's Main Street, and extended the influence of residents who commute to Newark and New York City. John T. Cunningham, New Jersey's preeminent historian, chronicles this growth and the relationship between populace and river through wonderful photographs and intriguing historic details.

The more than 200 images for personal and private collections, some published here for the first time, serve to present a stunning and fascinating commemorative pictorial album of Chatham's rich history.

At the end of the nineteenth century, in the newly created city of Chatham, the possibilities seemed endless and almost utopian. Gone were the ramshackle wooden shacks that dominated its early days, and in their place were stately homes made of brick and stone. Taverns, mills, mercantile stores, mechanics' shops, shipbuilders, and iron foundries blossomed and flourished. Tall and small ships crowded the banks of the bustling Thames River, which had become Chatham's lifeline to the world. Such is the Chatham presented in this volume, which contains nearly two hundred striking images gleaned from personal and public collections. Many of these items, some published here for the first time, serve to present a stunning and fascinating commemorative pictorial album of Chatham's rich history. They will encourage readers to take a stroll on Tecumseh Park's lovers' lane, to board a grand steamer for an exciting river excursion, to prowl a King Street teeming with bicycles, horses, and carts, and to take a ride on those strange new horseless carriages.

Discover the history of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, from the 1800s to the present in this unprecedented pictorial history.

The collaborative efforts of the Chelmsford Historical Society and the Garrison House Association have made possible this timeless tribute to Chelmsford's past. Both groups are dedicated to the preservation of Chelmsford, and they present this collection as a legacy for future generations. Included in Chelmsford are the people, places, and landmarks that have colored its history. View the early schools, churches, and civic organizations in the community as well as its industries, including Chelmsford Ginger Ale. Lone Pine, Pulpit Rock, and Beech Tree are among the landmarks pictured. The images in this collection remind us of a more traditional way of life in a simpler era in our nation's history. Step back in time with the Chelmsford Historical Society and the Garrison House Association in celebration of this community's past..

A tradition that dates back almost ten thousand years, basketry is an integral aspect of Cherokee culture. Cherokee Basketry describes the craft's forms, functions and methods and records the tradition's celebrated makers.

In the mountains of Western North Carolina, stunning baskets are still made from rivercane, white oak and honeysuckle and dyed with roots and bark. This complex art, passed down from mothers to daughters, is a thread that bonds modern Native Americans to ancestors and traditional ways of life. Anna Fariello, associate professor at Western Carolina University, reveals that baskets hold much more than food and clothing. Woven with the stories of those who produce and use them, these masterpieces remain a powerful testament to creativity and imagination.

Within these pages, the Cherokee County's rich and varied history is illuminated by vintage photographs, and its past is brought to life in the faces of its early settlers.

Created in 1836 from land held formerly by the Cherokee Indians, Cherokee County is situated in the northeast corner of Alabama, bordered by Georgia to the east.The families of the Reverend Whitefield Anthony and others settled at Mudd Creek in 1831 in what was to become Cherokee County. From these first families developed a community that would grow and change along with a young and bustling America, welcoming new industries, farming fertile lands, and building churches and schools to feed the hearts and minds of its young. The photographs in this volume, illustrating the county's past as well as how it looks in the present day, were culled from a variety of sources, including the Cherokee County History Museum, the Pine Grove Baptist Church, and the private collections of many local families. Coupled with a historical narrative, these glimpses of yesteryear will evoke fond memories for all who have made Cherokee County home.

Discover the stories, history and meaning of Cherokee pottery and artists.

The intricate designs and complex patterns of Cherokee pottery have been developed over centuries. Both timeless and time-honored, these singular works of pottery are still crafted by the proud hands of Cherokee women in Western North Carolina. Cherokee Pottery recounts the history of a tradition passed from elder to child through countless generations. Anna Fariello, associate professor at Western Carolina University, explores the method and meaning molded into each piece, along with the stories of the potters themselves.

Then & Now: Cherry Hill documents the monumental changes that have occurred in South Jersey's largest suburban municipality over the last 100 years. This book reflects on a time when Chapel Avenue was a dirt lane, when the children of farmers were educated in one-room schoolhouses, when cows grazed on the grounds of the present Cherry Hill Mall, and when stately old houses dominated the rural landscape. Then & Now: Cherry Hill also features long-gone attractions such as the Latin Casino, the Camden County Music Fair, the original Garden State Park, Cinelli's, the Hawaiian Cottage, and the Rustic Inn.

The history of Cherry Hills Village is about the trailblazers, settlers, visionaries, and others who came to Colorado from disparate places and backgrounds with their dreams in hand and a vision of a life in the Rocky Mountains. This cast of characters created a narrative of westward expansion—a saga of migration, discovery, opportunity, and hope. Here, natives and newcomers raised families, started businesses, created a city, and established multigenerational legacies. For millennia, the area has been continuously inhabited by different cultures, including prehistoric and Indigenous peoples, followed by European immigrants. Early and more recent residents alike knew that there was something special about the place that would become Cherry Hills Village.

Dino G. Maniatis is a first-generation Colorado native who has worked in real estate and property management for over 20 years. As a soldier and strategic intelligence officer in the US Army, Major Maniatis is assigned to Army Space and Missile Defense Command. He is a longtime resident of Cherry Hills Village, where he lives with his wife, Kristin, a physician, and their daughters Angelina and Kristina. He has served on various city committees and published a short history about the city and an official poem for its 75th anniversary.

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.

Formerly known as Black River, the village of Chester lies in the hills of Morris County, New Jersey.

Located on the site of former Native American trails, Chester was incorporated as a township in 1799. Join local historian and photographer Joan S. Case for this unique and informative look at the history of Chester--with images donated by the local historical society as well as many Chester families, this pictorial history covers the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. During this period, Chester was home to one of the busiest mining districts in New Jersey, and was also an important agricultural area; local distilleries turned thousands of bushels of Chester apples into the famous "Jersey Lightning. '? Five sites in Chester, including Zephaniah Drake's Brick Hotel, have been accepted into both the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Postcard images from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century show historic scenes of the first city established in Pennsylvania.

From the late 19th century until the mid-20th century, Chester was a bustling hub of industry, historic sites, tourist attractions, and entertainment. The first city established in Pennsylvania, Chester was famous for its many mills. The area was also home to a major shipbuilding center, the Sun Ship Corporation, as well as other industries, including the Chester Brewery and Blue Naphtha brand soap. The postcards in Chester showcase historic scenes of the city and highlight the long history of this dynamic community.

Chester sits on one of the highest points in Rockingham County.

In the 1700s, ships coming into Portsmouth Harbor could be seen. The glow from the 1872 Boston fire was visible in the southern sky. An ear on the ground could hear the cannons during the Revolutionary War. The area was first called Winfield, then Chestnut Country, then Cheshire, and finally Chester in 1722 when it was established. The history of the town of Chester is amazingly rich considering its small size.

There are three sites on the National Register of Historic Places in the center of town. It was home to three governors; two senators; several representatives; a stand-in first lady; a famous cello maker; a renowned furniture maker; the Vanderbilts of New York and Newport, Rhode Island; a Tony award-winning actress; the sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial; and a private college. With all this grandeur, Chester has maintained its quaintness.

Jackie Brown is a member of the Chester Historical Society and sifted through the museum’s archives and many private collections for these images. Chester Historical Society is committed to the preservation of knowledge about the history of Chester and supports the continuing education of what shaped the community.

Unforgettable Vintage Images of an All-American City.