Name: Lincoln and Chicago
Brand: John Toman
SKU: 9781467151665
Price: 11.0 USD
Availability: InStock

Lincoln and Chicago

9781467151665

$21.99 $11.00 Save 50%

Abraham Lincoln and Chicago both generate countless books, but this is the first in-depth examination of the actual relationship between the Prairie State's biggest city and its most famous citizen.

The Illinois Rail Splitter's influence can be felt across the Land of Lincoln, but his relationship with Chicago was pivotal in his journey to the national stage. Lincoln first came to Chicago in 1847, a year before the Illinois-Michigan Canal opened and brought spectacular wealth to the region. The Midwestern metropolis is where Lincoln would meet the backers that ultimately propelled him into the White House. Tens of thousands of Chicagoans viewed his coffin at its last stop before its final destination in Springfield. John Toman and Michael Frutig explore how the people of Chicago managed to get their man into power on the eve of the greatest crisis the nation had ever faced.

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Lake Shore Cemetery of Avon Lake

9781467103718

$24.99

Lake Shore Cemetery evolved as a burial ground of necessity rather than intention.

The cemetery’s first interments were French fur trappers and Native Americans, but as migrating settlers began populating Lake Erie’s shore and a community emerged, the need for a recognized burial site arose. The diminutive graveyard, also known as Avon Lake Cemetery, claims less than one-third of an acre abutting the shoreline cliff. It holds the remains of a Revolutionary War soldier, sailors wounded in the Battle of Put-in-Bay during the War of 1812, Civil War and World War I soldiers, and a World War II Flying Tigers crewman .Within this cemetery, pillars of the community and successful farmers share sod with a court-adjudicated drunkard, an alleged lunatic, and several who spent their last days in the county’s poorhouse. Recognized as a historic landmark by the Avon Lake Historic Preservation Commission in 2013, all burial sites within Lake Shore Cemetery’s grounds are claimed. The colorful stories of its permanent residents reveal the diverse nature of the community in which they lived and died.

Sherry Newman Spenzer is a retired magistrate, local historian, and vice president of Heritage Avon Lake, the city’s historical society, which has contributed many of the images in this book. Other images are the original work of photographer Andrew S. Fowkes, and various private donors have supplied vintage photographs.

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Cedar Rapids

9780738531977

$24.99

Once called the Parlor City and now called the City of Five Seasons, Cedar Rapids has expanded and flourished since hundreds of passenger and freight trains first rolled through town in the early 1900s. With thoughtful and sensible planning, including the development of wide streets which allowed the city to grow, business pioneers became successful. Cedar Rapids became a regional hub that featured railroads, highways, and waterways. This book documents Cedar Rapids' growth by pairing old and new photographs to provide a striking comparative perspective. Cedar Rapids: Then & Now reveals how the city advanced from a humble settlement into a thriving metropolitan community.

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Shasta County

9780738528540

$24.99

Picturesque Shasta County, located at the northern end of California's Sacramento Valley, is known for its colorful history, abundant natural beauty, and unlimited recreational opportunities. First home to native tribes such as the Wintu and Yana, Shasta County was officially established in 1850, and fur trappers, cattle ranchers, and miners, lumber mills, copper smelters, and railroads soon made their indelible mark on the landscape. The region's story continued to unfold throughout the 20th century as its many lakes, parks, rivers, and the snow-capped peak of Mt. Shasta glistening in the distance welcomed visitors and enticed many to make Shasta County home.

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Growing Up in Gulfport

9781467144087

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During the ’50s and into the ’60s, Gulfport’s booming downtown was unmatched in the state, while its vibrant waterfront nightlife kept the coast rocking long after other small towns were fast asleep. Those who lived in Gulfport during that golden age have warm memories of high school bonfires on the beach, submarine races at the Rock Pile and parties at the Fiesta. After a day splashing in the Gulf, there were Wheel Burgers at Spiders, ice cream cones at Stone’s, cold beers at Elsie’s and snowballs at the Pop Corn King. This nostalgic look at boomer-era Gulfport is the surest way to step on back to the glory years.

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Seward County

9781467106009

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Many immigrants were moving through the prairie as early as the 1840s and 1850s, and the majority were using the trails located about 60 miles north of Seward County along the Platte River. This county's part of the prairie lay undisturbed and pristine until the late 1850s. In the tall grasses, the antelope, deer, and buffalo roamed freely along the Big Blue River and its tributary creeks and crystal-clear natural springs, which were previously only visited by Native Americans passing through. When people from the Eastern United States and Europe started to settle the prairie, it was a daunting undertaking.

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St. Lawrence County in the War of 1812

9781626191488

$21.99

The fledgling United States struggled to keep its freedom from Great Britain during the War of 1812, but St. Lawrence County in upstate New York played a divided role. The region shared a border--as well as close personal and business associations--with British Canada and opposed the American embargo that disrupted these relationships. While some St. Lawrence men fought bravely for America, smuggling was a common way of life. Several small battles and skirmishes took place along the river, and a local merchant even influenced President Madison's decision-making. Local historian John Austin recounts these and other events, as well as the fascinating North Country characters who influenced them, in this book on St. Lawrence County in the War of 1812.

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Forestry Sciences Lab in Mercer County

9781467106085

$24.99

Vintage images showcase the fruition of John F. Kennedy's vision to provide economic revitalization to areas in need and the lasting impact it has had on Mercer County.

John F. Kennedy was profoundly moved by the tragedy of generational poverty after touring southernmost West Virginia during his presidential campaign. Six months after his election in 1961, President Kennedy established the President’s Appalachian Regional Commission with the governors of all eight Appalachian Mountain states. On October 12, 1961, the Mercer County Commission joined forces with the president and the US Forest Service to donate a portion of the former Mercer County Poor Farm to develop the nation’s first Forestry Sciences Laboratory. President Kennedy selected well-known forester Frank Longwood as director, and Longwood assembled a group of forest scientists who were dedicated to the task of restoring and marketing the Appalachian hardwood forest. With the same dedication that rocket scientists applied to fulfill Kennedy’s dream of sending an American to the moon and back, timber scientists restored and marketed the great Appalachian hardwood forest. The US Forest Service left the site in 2016 but worked with the Mercer County Commission, the US General Services Administration, and the National Park Service's Historic Surplus Properties program to establish a site dedicated to history and public service.

William R. “Bill” Archer, an established southern West Virginia historian, has authored nine previous books with Arcadia Publishing. Sources for images and information in this book include the US Forest Service, West Virginia Division of Forestry, Mercer County archives, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, and local residents.

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Sarpy County

9781467146562

$21.99 $11.00 Save 50%

The smallest of Nebraska's ninety-three counties, Sarpy County's history looms large. The area was home to Native Americans--including the Otoe, Omaha and Pawnee tribes. Hundreds of thousands of settlers moved through the area during westward migration, and they had to cross rivers on ferries like the one operated by the county's namesake, Peter Sarpy. The addition of Offutt Air Force Base and the Martin Bomber Plant made the county an important hub during World War II and beyond. Author, historian and museum director Ben Justman offers the rich history of Sarpy County.

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Harlem Township in Winnebago County

9781467104432

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Harlem Township was once the home of early settlers from areas like Harlem, New York, and Argyllshire, Scotland. These settlers’ legacy lives on in the names of local landmarks and places like Argyle Presbyterian Church, Harlem High School, Harlem Road, and Harlem Community Center. Much of the area known as Harlem Township was once called Low Bottom by Native American Indians. The area was also referred to as North Park until incorporation in 1981. North Park was once an area dotted by cottage-style homes located on the picturesque valley of the Rock River. Rock Cut State Park draws millions of people from all over the state and offers camping, hiking trails, walking paths, sailing, fishing, and occasionally special events. Nearby Rockford Speedway has been home to the National Short Track Championships since 1966 and is currently one of only two NASCAR-sanctioned tracks in Illinois. The area now known as Machesney Park played an important role in pioneer aviation with what would become the original Rockford Airport, later renamed Machesney Airport. Harlem Township offers up vibrant living for those who crave a little bit of everything all in one place.

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South and East Chelmsford

9781467104722

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

The village of South Chelmsford evolved around an intersection of market roads with a few stores and a church in support of a quiet farming community. Heart Pond provided water for the Nickles Cranberry Company, ice for the Daniel Gage Ice Company, and now recreational activities for locals and visitors. Entrepreneur Ezekiel Byam exploited new developments to manufacture the first practical matches in America, and the arrival of the railroad in 1873 enabled convenient transport of goods and passengers. A large part of East Chelmsford was quietly purchased by a group of Boston businessmen in the 1820s. Their new venture first roared into the industrial age as a town and then as the city of Lowell. In the 1950s, State Route 3 and Interstate 495 sliced East Chelmsford into four isolated sections, and the story that remains is that of immigrant families, subdivided farmland, and a handful of businesses on the outskirts of a major city.

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Kingston

9781467103633

$24.99

With its peaceful cove and captivating mountain views, Kingston has long been a charming community on Puget Sound west of Seattle. Dubbed “Little City by the Sea,” “Gateway to the Olympic Mountains,” and “Ferry Town,” Kingston has an extensive history beyond its boating appeal. It was once a seasonal fishing and food gathering spot for indigenous people, a logging camp, and a planned location for a major resort. In the 1900s, it became a productive farming community, a smugglers’ hideout, a strategic military site, an artists’ haven, and a summer retreat for Seattle city dwellers. Today, as a major ferry port, Kingston is still a quaint village of about 2,500 people—with an hourly traffic jam. Approximately four million people pass through Kingston annually on the Washington State Ferries or stop in Kingston’s delightful marina and nearby shops.

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Toledo State Hospital

9781467104883

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

The Toledo State Hospital opened in 1888, and its design and healing approach were revolutionary for the time. First in the country built entirely on the "cottage model," its plan was intended to create a homelike atmosphere in a beautifully manicured landscape. Treatment methods were based on the "moral treatment" philosophy, the belief that calming surroundings with nutritious food, productive work, and diversion would help the disturbed mind to heal. Over the years, facilities were expanded to serve a burgeoning patient population, and medications and treatments evolved. In the 1950s, however, the population began a steady decline due to the advent of services in the community and to advances in psychotropic drugs. As the old buildings were emptied, they were demolished, and all were gone by 1981.

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Fort Carson

9781467103213

$24.99

Army scout Kit Carson rode the Southwest in many capacities. He served and retired in Colorado, and so Fort Carson is appropriately named. On land once traversed by Lt. Zebulon Pike, Camp Carson was constructed almost overnight under the watchful eye of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt and with the approval of the neighbors in Colorado Springs. Since its creation, the post has been the home and training grounds for thousands of soldiers who have fought in all wars from World War II to the current war on terror. Fort Carson continues to be a valuable asset to the community economically and in its generosity with resources when a local need arises.

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Mysterious Tales of the North Carolina Piedmont

9781467144063

$21.99

The history of the Tar Heel State is filled with mysterious and creepy tales. Legends say that several places in North Carolina have been visited by the devil, from the Devil’s Tramping Ground near Siler City to the footprint he left in the Devil’s Rock in Warren County. Learn why the Banshee of the Tar River first appeared and why her bloodcurdling screams continue to be heard. The Catsburg Ghost Train still appears on moonless nights. Sightings of Normie, the monster of Lake Norman, have been reported since the lake was created in the early 1960s. Join master storyteller Sherman Carmichael as he explores the lore of North Carolina’s Piedmont.

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The Byrd Machine in Virginia

9781467139205

$23.99

The Byrd Machine ran Virginia politics for more than half a century.

This political organization rose to power during the era of Jim Crow, wielding power and influence over everything from who got the nod to be governor to how the state maintained racial segregation. Inheriting its tactics from two previous political machines, the Byrd organization operated with a pathological hatred of debt spending, crushing the power of labor unions and forcing its will on Black schoolchildren protesting separate and unequal facilities. The nadir of its era was massive resistance, a move to close public schools rather than integrate them.

Journalist and author Michael Lee Pope details the rise and fall of the last great political machine in Virginia.

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Bizarre Bluegrass

9781467146784

$21.99

From ghost towns to circus performers to mass hysteria, the Bluegrass State is no stranger to the strange. Read stories of famed President Abraham Lincoln you’ve never heard before. Find possible solutions to the mystery of Pearl Bryan’s missing head and decipher the outrageous hoaxes involving an unsolvable puzzle and monkeys trained to perform farm work. Learn about the time when the author wrote to Charles Manson as a joke and Manson wrote back—four times. Join author Keven McQueen as he recounts some of the weirder vignettes from Kentucky lore.

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The Fargo Fire of 1893

9781467142632

$21.99

Fortitude after the flames

In 1893, Fargo was simply trying to thrive amid an impending national depression. One Wednesday afternoon in June, a ferocious fire quickly devoured hundreds of businesses and more than thirty blocks in the heart of the fledgling city. Residents were stunned, but they weren’t defeated. Through perseverance, grit and some helpful insurance money, owners immediately began rebuilding. The arduous reconstruction ended up protecting the city against unemployment and poverty.

Author Danielle Teigen describes the efforts and individuals who helped rebuild a stronger, better city. More than a century later, that resilience and determination continues to be a hallmark of the Gateway to the West.

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Pecans from Soup to Nuts

9781455624829

$22.95

The ultimate culinary guide with tasty recipes and beautiful photos: “Highly recommended for nut lovers and Southern cooks.” —Library Journal

America’s most popular native nut, the pecan offers a wealth of flavors and myriad culinary possibilities. This ultimate nut lover’s guide to the pecan presents more than three dozen recipes for dishes ranging from simple roasted pecans to Pecan Bread Dressing and decadent Pecan Truffles. The featured appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts showcase the nut’s exceptional versatility.

While they’re grown from Mexico to the Midwest, pecans have achieved their greatest celebrity in the American South, where vast pecan orchards provide the fodder for the holiday traditions of pecan pie and other comforting treats. These classic dessert recipes provide a sweet finish to this collection’s appealing savory dishes, such as Cheesy Pecan Wafers, Pecan-Ginger Chicken with Pecan-Rice Pilaf, and Stuffed Pork Chops with Asparagus and Pecan Butter.
Sodium-free, fiber-rich, and packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, pecans are not only delicious, but healthful as well. Infused with complete information about harvesting pecans, storing them, and processing them, this elegant and sumptuously photographed collection is sure to satisfy every palate.

“Captures the versatility of this amazing ingredient with creative recipes for all tastes.” —Lally Brennan, co-proprietor, Commander’s Palace Family of Restaurants

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The Long Beach Peninsula

9780738524573

$24.99

Serving as the link between Pacific waters and Willapa Bay on the southwestern tip of Washington state, the Long Beach Peninsula has carved its niche as protector and provider since the Chinook tribe first set foot on its shores. Though teeming with life in and around the ocean, its treachery has proven as striking as its beauty. From Lewis and Clark to the many species of birds that flock here yearly, this coastal region hosts a wide range of visitors and has become a thriving center for tourism as well as a haven for those who love the sea.

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Williamsburg

9780738524733

$24.99

From the days of the Powhatan Indians to the establishment of Middle Plantation nearly 400 years ago, from its rise to power for a hundred years as the capital of England's largest North American colony to its decline into as many years of obscurity, Williamsburg has been shaped by the forces of history. Beneath the remarkable surface of today's restored colonial city lies an even more fascinating glimpse into the life of a community that has weathered the full sweep of American history.

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Early Universal City

9780738570235

$24.99

Known as much today for its theme park, Universal City is also the largest and the longest continuously operating movie studio in "Hollywood." The Universal Film Manufacturing Company was formed by a dozen independent producers in 1912, and Universal City was designed to provide a single facility in which to make their films. Since its official opening on March 15, 1915, Universal City has served as a training ground for great directors such as John Ford, William Wyler, and James Whale and as home to stars like Hoot Gibson, Deanna Durbin, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Sr. and Jr., and Tom Mix. This evocative volume explores the studio that brought The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), Dracula (1930), Frankenstein (1931), and 100 Men and a Girl (1936) to the screen.

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Santa Rosa

9780738559797

$24.99

With a population of over 157,000, Santa Rosa is the fifth-largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city's size is sometimes a shock to longtime residents. When did it get so big? A farm town for much of its history, today Santa Rosa reflects a desire to retain--or even recapture-- the charm of years past while still embracing the 21st century.

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Jewish South Florida

9781455622139

$24.95

Your roadmap to Jewish life in South Florida!

A rich history and Jewish cultural tradition lie beneath the surface of South Florida. Beyond the stereotype of elderly Jews visiting sunny beaches, Florida boasts a distinctive Jewish population. The area is inhabited by Ashkenazi Jews, Sephardic Jews with roots in Spain or Turkey, and those from Cuba and other Latin American countries. This cultural mingling makes the Jewish way of life in South Florida so unique, featuring synagogues and eateries from Boca Raton, Palm Beach, and Miami. More than simply a travel guide, this book approaches each profiled location as an opportunity to bring to light the culture of the Jews that have made South Florida their home.

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Muhlenberg County

9780738585703

$24.99

Muhlenberg County, known for coal mining and music, is also celebrated for its close family ties. The Kirtley brothers (above) exemplify the strength of family as they pose on the grave of their father in 1922.

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Lost Restaurants of Fort Lauderdale

9781467144605

$21.99 $11.00 Save 50%

So many iconic Fort Lauderdale restaurants have come and gone. From steakhouses to floating eateries and a doughnut shop that catered to a strictly adult audience, these dining destinations served up everything from gourmet seafood to post-beach chill food. Here, you can have another slice at Pizio's Drive-Inn, another heaping plate of pasta at Tina's Spaghetti House, a guilt-free brandy snapp at Fred Wenner's and a final long night at Porky's Hideaway. From the snow crab bisque at Mango's to the key lime baked Alaska from The Caves, authors Todd Bothel and Dan Santoro also serve up vintage recipes that allow readers to re-create classic dishes from these beloved Fort Lauderdale institutions.

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Dobbs Ferry

9780738592961

$23.99

Named after the operator of a primitive ferry that in Colonial and Revolutionary days transported citizens across the Hudson, Dobbs Ferry is an integral piece of New York City history.

Dobbs Ferry takes its name from the operator of a primitive ferry that in Colonial and Revolutionary days provided the first passage across the Hudson River north of New York City. In the 19th century, the river and the new castles built on its banks attracted tourists who christened the area the heart of the American Rhine. Judith Doolin Spikes, writer, and Anne Marie Leone, photographer, coauthor a weekly then-and-now column in the Rivertowns Enterprise.

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Solvang

9780738559353

$24.99

"Denmark in America" describes the charming village of Solvang, California. What began as a Danish colony has become something entirely different than what the founders intended. Following World War II, Danish-style architecture was emphasized in this Santa Barbara County coastal community, and generations of visitors have come to Solvang for the annual Danish Days celebration. However, understanding Solvang as merely a tourist destination would overlook the historical foundation upon which the Danish colony was established in the Santa Ynez Valley--to establish a cultural community for religious and educational purposes in the desirable California climate. This book celebrates the old Solvang as well as the one millions of tourists know today.

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Grosse Pointe

9780738550794

$24.99

Grosse Pointe is one of the oldest communities in the Midwest, dating back to the mid-1600s. Its history tells a classic American story of the
transformation of Native American hunting grounds to the fertile farms of European settlers to an affluent suburb that grew with fortunes of industrialism in the 20th century.

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Out in Evansville

9781467153874

$23.99

From arrests and ostracization to public festivals and drag shows, the LGBTQ+ people of Evansville have walked a twisting path to their current existence.

In the early days of the city, local newspapers harassed and bullied members of this group, even going so far as to encourage them to commit suicide. A series of murders in the 1950s and 1960s left Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender population of Evansville without justice and validation. The AIDS epidemic of the 1980s did the same. Happily, things have changed. Today, the city’s LGBTQ community is out and proud, and thousands attend the annual Pride parade down Main Street.

Looking back on more than a century of uneven progress, Kelley Coures unfolds this often tragic yet at times hopeful story.

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Cold War Kansas

9781467146630

$21.99

Kansas played an outsized role in the Cold War, when civilization's survival hung in the balance. Forbes Air Force Base operated nine Atlas E intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites. Schilling Air Force Base was the hub for twelve Atlas F ICBMs. McConnell Air Force Base operated eighteen Titan II ICBMs. A Kansas State University engineering professor converted a discarded Union Pacific Railroad water tank into his family's backyard fallout shelter. A United States president from Kansas faced several nuclear war scares as the Cold War moved into the thermonuclear age. Landry Brewer tells the fascinating story of highest-level national strategy and how everyday Kansans lived with threats to their way of life.

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Presidential Visits to New Jersey

9781467153089

$23.99 $12.00 Save 50%

All Hail the Chief in the Garden State

Some, like Abraham Lincoln in 1861, came to garner support. Others, like N.J. Governor Woodrow Wilson in 1912, remained and rode that support to the White House. And still, others, like James Garfield in 1881, came to die. New Jersey's past is full of memorable Presidential visits – and home to some lesser-known ones. Thousands of people came out to support Teddy Roosevelt, his cousin Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Others like Franklin Pierce, Benjamin Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, and even more recently, Donald J. Trump saw the Jersey Shore as the perfect rest stop from the hustle and bustle of the capital. The story of these visits and others like them transcend politics to show the historical significance of not just the great men, but also that of the Garden State.

Author Peter Zablocki presents the heated elections, political events, and critical moments of Presidents in New Jersey.

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Cold War Oklahoma

9781467142250

$21.99

Oklahoma might seem like an unexpected place for Cold War tensions to boil over, but the state played a key role in a conflict that threatened global annihilation. Altus Air Force Base served as a hub for twelve intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites; in 1964, a missile housed at the Frederick site exploded, although the nuclear warhead remained unaffected. Ordinary citizens lived under the shadow of nuclear war as well. A former OU faculty member accused of committing espionage for the Soviet Union fled the country, while a SWOSU professor dug his own fallout shelter in Weatherford—by hand. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, an emergency siren malfunction sent terrified Elk City parents scurrying to local schools to pick up their children. Landry Brewer presents a fascinating cross-section of the era, from top-level strategy to the details of daily life.

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Raleigh

9781596296381

$21.99

Since its establishment in 1792 as the permanent and unalterable seat of government of the state of North Carolina, Raleigh has seen many changes. Historian Joe Mobley offers a detailed and compelling portrait of North Carolina's capital as it has evolved from town to thriving metropolis, from the Civil War and Reconstruction through the Great Depression and Raleigh's coming of age in the decades following World War II. Learn about the many obstacles Raleigh has overcome on its way to becoming a major center of economic, social and political life in North Carolina.

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Palm Beach

9780738598604

$24.99

Discover the history of Palm Beach in this book as we see the evolution of the area in stunning images.

Once referred to as a veritable paradise by Florida developer Henry M. Flagler, Palm Beach has transformed from a small frontier community to a remarkably picturesque historic town. The seaside resort's charm is found in its diverse architecture, landmarks, mega-mansions, beaches, and land and streetscapes.

Cover image for Palm Beach, isbn: 9780738598604

Hotels and Inns of Long Island's North Fork

9781596297258

$21.99

By the early twentieth century, the coastal bays of the North Fork were filled with new and enterprising hostelries. From the Miamogue and the Great Peconic Bay House in Jamesport to the Clark House and Wyandank in Greenport, the area offered some of the finest accommodations outside New York City. In this comprehensive collection of images, historians Geoffrey Fleming and Amy Folk highlight the industry that has supported life on the North Fork for over 350 years. From the John Budd House- an enduring example of seventeenth-century English architecture in America- to the contemporary bed-and-breakfasts that offer visitors a charming respite, this book captures the essence of a region beloved by generations of vacationers and residents alike.

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Cromwell

9781467102704

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Once known worldwide as Rosetown, Cromwell has enjoyed multiple identities in its nearly 370-year existence. Initially called Upper Houses, the village was a tiny religious and agricultural outpost of the larger Middletown colonial settlement on the Connecticut River. Gradually, substantial maritime activities developed to define the community. However, by the mid-19th century, Cromwell had become an independent rural town with small farms and businesses, its river port no longer of consequence. Later, the famed greenhouses and floral industry provided international recognition. Small manufacturers and quarries also contributed to the economy. By the late 20th century, the village had become a suburban community, its cohesion impacted by the construction of major highways as well as significant commercial and residential development. At each incarnation, the town has pushed out toward its defining geographic boundaries, and the conflict between the old and the new has created changing patterns of social, economic, and political organization.

Cover image for Cromwell, isbn: 9781467102704

La Mirada

9781467148382

$21.99

La Mirada began with a vision. Andrew McNally, of the mapmakers Rand McNally and Company, saw the beautiful rolling hills as the perfect place to grow olives and lemons and purchased 2,600 acres of land that would become the modern city it is today. Originally planned as a collection of country estates, the area attracted dairy farmers and citrus growers who operated alongside the McNally Ranch, well known for its olive oil. During the building boom after World War II, families flocked to the area, drawn by idyllic spaces like Neff Park, and voted to incorporate in 1960. Join authors Glen Cantrell and Raymond Fernandez as they share the story of a thriving La Mirada.

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Chicago in 50 Objects

9781467146753

$21.99

When investigating the mysteries of Chicago's past, it's helpful to examine the physical evidence. From a fiddle played by a Chicago pioneer and a jersey worn by Michael Jordan to a relic of the Great Chicago Fire and the guns used in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, these talismans chronicle the city's tragedies and triumphs. Some heirlooms shed new light on familiar figures like Louis Sullivan, while others commemorate the contributions of less heralded visionaries like Frances Glessner Lee. Joseph Gustaitis explores Chicago's history through fifty carefully chosen objects, a collection that includes stockyard knives, the world's first portable radio and Nelson Algren's typewriter.

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Hidden History of Prescott

9781467146807

$21.99

Prescott, known as the "First Capital of Arizona Territory," has a history rife with colorful characters and notable events. The growing town included members of the Yavapai Tribe, early inhabitants whose reservation was established in 1935, and Chinese immigrants, who were rumored to have built an entire network of underground tunnels. Fraternal organizations and secret societies sought to wield influence over the community, including the Masons, who held their first meeting in 1865. Explore the origins of the controversial Smoki People and the rise and fall of the Prescott Rifles, a short-lived vigilante group. Join author and historian Parker Anderson as he delves into the fascinating past of this unique town.

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Red Sox in the Hall of Fame

9781467107860

$23.99

For nearly 50 consecutive years, three players toiled their trade in the shadow of Fenway Park’s revered left field Green Monster. Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, and Jim Rice became legends in Boston sports history and eventually baseball immortals with their inductions into the Baseball Hall of Fame. These three lead a remarkable cast of baseball giants who have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and also spent time as members of the Boston Red Sox organization. A few distinguished players include Cy Young, Carlton Fisk, Babe Ruth, Wade Boggs, Bobby Doerr, Tris Speaker, and Pedro Martinez. Collectively, they are all part of one of the greatest sports stories ever told, the Red Sox in the Hall of Fame.

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Hidden History of Vincennes and Knox County

9781467145558

$23.99 $12.00 Save 50%

The Battle of Fort Sackville appears in every history of Vincennes and Knox County, yet so much more defines this area. Everyone is familiar with George Rogers Clark, but few know about ordinary but accomplished figures like diplomat Hubbard Taylor Smith and Civil War veteran Joseph Roseman. The Stibbins murder of 1911 and other long-forgotten crimes once shocked the county, and visits by politicians and entertainers, including Buffalo Bill Cody, enthralled residents before quickly slipping from memory. Weather made history, too, such as the destructive hailstorm that pounded northern Knox County in 1907. With the help of rare photographs, local historian and Sun-Commercial columnist Brian Spangle brings to life these stories and more.

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Historic North Country Disasters

9781467145008

$23.99

There is a tragic history in New York's North Country of human folly, natural disasters, deadly explosions, terrible train wrecks and other calamities. The famous Barnum & Bailey Circus suffered deeply after its train crashed between Norwood and Potsdam in 1889 and many animals died. Beloved Thousand Island Park was almost entirely destroyed by a devastating fire in 1912, leveling hotels and businesses, and the once-thriving park never fully recovered. The great Massena earthquake measured 5.9 on the Richter scale in 1944 and caused tremendous structural damage, including destroying nearly all chimneys in the area. Author Cheri L. Farnsworth compiles both the man-made and natural disasters that shocked the North Country in the hundred years between 1850 and 1950.

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True Tales of Kansas

9781467146845

$21.99

True Tales of Kansas offers the historic, never-before-heard stories that make the state what it is. The historic tales of the Sunflower State and its people are as interesting as the days are long. A pair of brothers went from making airplanes to tractors and soon became part of John Deere. Kansan Captain Donald K. Ross won the first Congressional Medal of Honor at Pearl Harbor. The first telephone exchange in the area was invented by a Mr. Strowger because a rival funeral director had a girlfriend who was an operator for the local telephone company and kept sending his business to her friend. Nannie Jones, who stood up to Jim Crow racism and won her case in court, is memorialized by a headstone in Highland Cemetery. Author Roger Ringer details these stories and more.

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Tampa Bay Music Roots

9781467104098

$24.99

When the Peerless Quartet wrote “Way Down On Tampa Bay” in 1914, Tampa Bay’s musical roots started growing.

Tampa Bay is where Ray Charles created his first song, Hank Ballard wrote and recorded “The Twist,” and the Rolling Stones cranked out their hit “Satisfaction.” Stephen Stills attended both Plant High School and Admiral Farragut Academy, and Jim Morrison studied at St.Petersburg Junior College. Ella Fitzgerald kicked off her career on the storied Central Avenue in Ybor City. Savatage, Stranger, Diamond Grey, the Outlaws, Bleeding Hearts, Blackkout, the Arena Twins, Tampa Red, and Cheeky Monkey are all artists who have made a huge impact both locally and nationally. From its rock ‘n’ roll boom in the 1960s to the birth of death metal in the 1980s ...Tampa Bay has had a rich musical history!

In this book, national recording artist Charlie Souza (the Tropics, Tom Petty’s Mudcrutch, and the New Rascals) and Keith Wilkins (longtime bay-area music columnist, concert promoter, and founder of the Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society) have compiled over 150 photographs and accompanying details in order to help preserve and honor Tampa Bay’s rich musical history and give the talented artists who comprise it the respect they rightfully deserve.

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Jewish Community of the North Shore, The

9780738513294

$24.99

The Jewish Community of the North Shore captures the vibrant history of Jewish immigration, entrepreneurship, and community life north of Boston. The first major influx of Jewish immigrants to the region came in the late nineteenth century as eastern Europeans fled oppression and persecution in search of a new life in the land of freedom and promise. Many Jews found work in the tanneries of Peabody, known worldwide as the Leather City, and in the shoe factories of Lynn, while others ran their own businesses, including kosher butcher shops, newspapers, and retail trade stores in Salem and Beverly. Culled from the impressive archives of the Jewish Historical Society of the North Shore, this rare compilation pays tribute to the Jewish immigrants who settled north of Boston and their descendants who became prominent business, spiritual, and community leaders.

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The Boston Marathon

9781467104579

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Many things compose the Boston Marathon-Olympians, record holders, Greek gold-dipped wreaths, running hamburgers and fries, statues, snow, trailblazers, and Heartbreak Hill. Paul C. Clerici's Images of Modern America: The Boston Marathon tells the expansive story of the oldest continuously run marathon and showcases over 165 images that span the decades. From Clarence DeMar, both Johnny Kelleys, Roberta "Bobbi" Gibb, and John Hancock to Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Ibrahim Hussein, Bob Hall, and Ernst van Dyk; from Kathrine Switzer's literal run-in with Jock Semple to the 1970s running boom, the centennial celebration, and Meb Keflezighi's restoration victory, this global footrace and gathering of community is presented in a display of vibrant, historical, and exciting images, some of which from private collections rarely seen and some never-before published.

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Hidden History of Plano

9781467142946

$21.99

Did you know that Plano once had a winning semipro baseball team? And its own university, boasting a pagoda imported from Malaysia? Or that the city once proudly proclaimed itself the "Mule Capital of the World'?? Meet the Native American Planoite who walked in space, the African American entrepreneur who prospered in Jim Crow Texas and the man behind the "mystery stone'? uncovered in the Collinwood House. Visit a military tank, a five-hundred-year-old tree and the pioneer cemetery started by a smallpox epidemic. From the town's contributions to World War II to the secrets lurking beneath Collin Creek Mall, unlock the astonishingly large storehouse of Plano's hidden history.

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New Orleans Impressionist Cityscapes

9781455616800

$29.95

This collection of paintings examines the different areas of New Orleans in unique and intimate ways and, by doing so, captures the distinctive spirit of the city through extraordinary brushwork and vivid color. With 130 paintings and accompanying text demonstrating the growth and vivaciousness of the Crescent City, this devotional illuminates the beauty of one of the world's liveliest cities.

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Chicago Artist Colonies

9781467143226

$24.99

For more than a century, Chicago’s leading painters, sculptors, writers, actors, dancers and architects congregated together in close-knit artistic enclaves. After the Columbian Exposition, they set up shop in places like Lambert Tree Studios and the 57th Street Artist Colony. Nationally renowned figures like Theodore Dreiser, Margaret Anderson, Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan became colleagues, confidants and neighbors. In the 1920s, Carl Sandburg, Emma Goldman, Ernest Hemingway, Ben Hecht, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Clarence Darrow transformed the speakeasies and bohemian bistros of Towertown into Chicago’s Greenwich Village. In Old Town, Renaissance man Edgar Miller and progressive architect Andrew Rebori collaborated on the Frank Fisher Studios, one of the finest examples of Art Moderne architecture in the country. From Nellie Walker to Roger Ebert, Keith Stolte visits Chicago’s ascendant artistic spirits in their chosen sanctuaries.

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Oklahoma Originals

9781467143523

$21.99

Fascinating characters filled the history of the Twin Territories as it became the state of Oklahoma. For some, it represented the end of a hard trail, while others sought a new beginning in a land of opportunity. Whatever their reason for coming to this heartland of America, those early Oklahomans left an indelible mark on the landscapes and streetscapes of the state today. From explorers and settlers of the early nineteenth century to oil tycoons and social activists in the first years of the twentieth century, Oklahoma saw a wide variety of men and women march across the stage during its formation. Author Jonita Mullins presents more than eighty unique stories of doctors, lawyers and chiefs, with a few outlaws, cattlemen and beauty queens thrown in for good measure.

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Nebraska Sweet Beets

9781467144278

$21.99

Sugar beets are as tenaciously rooted in Nebraska's history as they are in its soil, especially in a seventy-mile stretch of the North Platte Valley that extended into eastern Wyoming. The state's first processing facility opened in Grand Island in 1890, boasting the largest mill in the world. The height of the beet boom occurred in the early part of the twentieth century as Wyobraskan towns courted factory locations as feverishly as rival sugar companies competed for territory, and an irrigation network turned the region into America's Valley of the Nile. Some rail lines have disappeared from the map, while catastrophes like the Scottsbluff and Bayard sugar bin explosions and the Gering Molasses spill will never be forgotten. From neglected beet dumps and abandoned rail spurs to silos ready for future harvests, explore Sugar Valley's heritage with Lawrence Gibbs.

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Milwaukee Jazz

9781467103107

$24.99

Milwaukee's jazz scene has forever stood in the shadow of Chicago's illustrious institution, but it stands strong. Cream City has produced a wealth of talent, attracted top-notch transplants, and hosted legends like Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Billie Holiday, and Wynton Marsalis. From the heyday of the 1940s and 1950s to the renaissance of the 1970s, from the streets to the classrooms, from grand ballrooms to outdoor festivals, from swing to bebop, from smoky bars to dimly lit clubs like the Flame, Thelma's Back Door, and the Jazz Gallery, Milwaukee has been a hotbed of improvised music, providing a noteworthy contribution to the story of jazz in America.

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Prohibition in Cape May County

9781467140836

$21.99

With its proximity to Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore, Cape May County was a perfect location for lawbreakers during Prohibition. Rumrunners operating along the Atlantic Seaboard and Delaware Bay teamed up with backwoods bootleggers to make Cape May County a bustling center of the era’s illegal liquor business. It seemed as if every house around Otten’s Harbor in Wildwood was a speakeasy. Bill McCoy would sail from the Caribbean to Jersey with undiluted rum, gaining praise as the “real McCoy.” When authorities eventually shut down Cape May’s Rum Row, the production of Jersey Lightning just moved to the Pine Barrens. Local historian Raymond Rebmann reveals how Cape May County turned from a sleepy beach community to a smuggler’s paradise in the 1920s.

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Historic Tales of Flagstaff

9781467142410

$21.99

Flagstaff's history is a real smorgasbord of quirky characters and events.

Flagstaff, Arizona, was originally settled in the 1870s as a railroad and lumber town on the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau, amid the ponderosa pines. Now most noted for its proximity to the Grand Canyon, the city offers a tantalizing combination of history and progress. Theodore Roosevelt, the Apollo astronauts, Walt Disney filmmakers, Navajo code talkers and Pluto-discoverer Clyde Tombaugh all feature in the area’s fascinating past. Join authors Kevin Schindler and Michael Kitt as they relate the trials and triumphs that have given this town its charm, from the tumultuous days of the Wild West to the fast-paced twentieth century.

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Transforming the James River in Richmond

9781467145350

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

The James River is the centerpiece of Richmond, but by the mid-twentieth century it had been abused and neglected. Eagles and sturgeon had nearly disappeared, water-powered industry was abandoning it and the river was a sewer. Today, the river draws visitors to its wooded shorelines, restored canal and feisty rapids. At the local level, this transformation was the result of citizen action, public-private partnerships, difficult decisions by governmental leaders and the hard work of thousands of passionate advocates and volunteers. Local author and lifelong river watcher Ralph Hambrick chronicles the events, projects and controversies that brought about the dramatic change and lends a critical eye to the results.

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LGBTQ Cincinnati

9781467105118

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Cincinnati's LGBTQ history is a study in riveting contradictions. Seen as one of the more conservative cities in Ohio, Cincinnati is also the home of the first Pride march in the entire state. A strong move to censor the LGBTQ-related art of Robert Mapplethorpe at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center resulted in a nationally publicized trial where freedom of expression emerged victorious in the face of those who zealously sought to suppress the LGBTQ community's voice. The passage of Issue 3 in 1993 epitomized the tenet that minority rights should never be up for majority vote, while the repeal of Article XII eleven years later displayed the sheer power of mobilization. Through protests, celebrations, and demonstrations of unadulterated pride, Cincinnati has proven itself over and over again as a community of individuals trying to make the Queen City live up to its royal--and decidedly LGBTQ--name.

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Wilmington

9781467104937

$24.99

Tucked against the Deerfield River, Wilmington has long espoused the Vermont traits of rugged self-sufficiency coupled with a strong sense of community.

Founded in 1751 by hardy settlers in the Green Mountains, residents held logging bees, barn raisings, and community dinners, with neighbors helping neighbors to construct a town where all could thrive.When new roads connected nearby towns in the early 1800s, Wilmington’s residents banded together in 1833 to pick up and move the town to the valley via oxcarts for better economic opportunities afforded by the river and new roads.A variety of social clubs, fairs, and other events filled the community, keeping it close-knit and earning Wilmington a reputation as a place where visitors from the city could escape the hustle and bustle of urban living.That history of community continues today in the vibrant and enduring tradition of Old Home Week, a town-wide reunion held every decade since 1890 where former Wilmington residents the world over return home to celebrate friends, neighbors, community, and fond memories.

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Haunted Litchfield County

9781467143745

$21.99

Litchfield is Connecticut's least populated county, yet it boasts more ghosts and legends than anywhere else in the region. Indian spirits and curses pursue those who wronged them. Haunted caves and camps harbor spirits that once called these places home. The Clairvoyant of Colebrook communicated regularly with the dead, while some guests of the Yankee Pedlar Inn refuse to leave. From the Twin Lakes Ghost Canoe in Salisbury to the friendly literary spirit at the Bank Street Book Nook, echoes of the past abound. Tom D'Agostino and Arlene Nicholson reveal the dark secrets of the Nutmeg State's shadowy northwest corner.

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World War II Nebraska

9781467139090

$21.99

The fight against the Axis required sacrifice and dedication, and Nebraskans proudly answered the call with grit, determination and duty.

Three ordnance plants and two naval munitions depots brought employment and economic opportunities but also housing shortages and racial disturbances. The U.S. Army Air Corps established eleven air bases here, leading to community engagement through USOs and war bond drives. In central Nebraska, the North Platte Canteen welcomed thousands of service members en route to war on troop trains. Henry Doorly’s successful scrap campaign became a model for a nationwide operation. Local farmers fed the nation, K-9 war dogs trained at Fort Robinson and native sons Ben Kuroki and Andrew Higgins affected the war in very different ways.

Through detailed archival research, author Melissa Amateis tells the remarkable story of the Cornhusker State’s homefront.

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Historic Tales of Macomb County

9781467145251

$21.99

Macomb County has a long and storied history full of vibrant and driven characters. Bernard Trinity of Chesterfield Township launched a neighborhood library in his own home. The Weiss family from Clinton Township grew award-winning roses and relocated families from Japanese internment camps during World War II. Colorful politicians like Tom Welsh in St. Clair Shores and Richard Notte in Sterling Heights earned their place in local lore. A shy, unassuming Memphis art teacher turned out to be the infamous multiple personality patient Sybil. There's true crime, too, including the attempted murder of a prominent Utica doctor in 1872 and the shooting of Richmond native Gilbert "Square Deal'? Miller's grandson in 1961. Author Barb Pert Templeton collects two hundred years of Macomb County heritage.

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The Navy Capital of the World

9781596299733

$24.99

From the famous Civil War ironclads that clashed in its waters to the great battleships that gathered off Norfolk's Sewell's Point as part of President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet, the Hampton Roads region of Virginia has maintained a proud naval tradition. Into the twenty-first century, the maritime region has remained on the cutting edge of military technology as the nucleus for the birth of naval aviation and the training site for scores of men who stormed the beaches of Europe and the Pacific during World War II. With her fascinating research and incredible array of rare and striking photographs, military historian Amy Waters Yarsinske guides readers through the storied history of the navy in Hampton Roads.

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Detour Iowa

9781467143455

$21.99

Iowa history ranges from the natural to what's been made by humans over many centuries. Find and hold the fossilized remains of sea creatures that lived 375 million years ago. Walk through a small-town home where one of the nation's most infamous--and unsolved--murders occurred in 1912. Savor pastries that originated in the Netherlands before the 1840s and watch where wheat is ground into flour in a windmill first built in Denmark and then rebuilt in Elk Horn. Listen to time softly tick away in an elaborately carved clock that auto pioneer Henry Ford tried and failed to buy in 1928 for $1 million. Join writer-photographer Mike Whye on trips to the known, little-known and unknown historic places in Iowa.

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Plymouth Railroads

9781467104692

$24.99

According to a Detroit Free Press article of March 14, 1872, “The advent of the railroad has completely changed the course of life of the inhabitants of this village, which is the first of importance going west from Detroit.” The two railroads that came to Plymouth in the early 1870s changed the course of history for the once-sleepy town. Within 20 years, the railroads would be used to transport repeat orders for the booming air rifle industry to all corners of the United States. The rail lines made industry possible for a small burg outside of the metropolitan area of Detroit. Because of the distance to other cities, passenger transportation was always an important mission of railroads. These needs were met between 1899 and 1928 by the Detroit, Plymouth & Northville Railroad (Interurban). Later, enhanced passenger service ran on the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) line between Detroit and Grand Rapids, stopping in Plymouth (1946–1971).

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Lakeland

9781596297029

$21.99

Join Lakeland residents Randall M. MacDonald, Susan Priest MacDonald and Sarah E. MacDonald as they explore the differences between the Lakeland of yesterday and today. Historical images of eclectic buildings and notable scenes stand side by side with their modern equivalents in order to depict the changes that have occurred in Lakeland over the past century. Take a look at downtown Lakeland, Munn Park and local lakes as they were transformed by transportation, industry and technology. This fascinating book documents how the rural crossroads of Lakeland turned into a thriving modern city.

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Glendale

9780738578958

$24.99

More than a century ago, the building of a canal allowed a barren and dry area to flourish. Soon settlers were drawn to the canal, and they created a thriving community. From those early beginnings, Glendale has become one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

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Last Rites

9781596298347

$21.99

Last Rites chronicles one man's dramatic descent into the seedy world of New England mobster Raymond Patriarca and his underboss, Gennaro Jerry Angiulo. In the early 1980s, Gigi Portalla, a well-liked student, athlete and Revere prom king, transformed into a mafia hit man after discovering that his biological father was Big Eddy Marino. Portalla rose through the ranks within the Angiulo organization, joining famous Boston wise guys like Sean Cote, Joseph J.R. Russo and Bobby Carrozza. Drawing on wiretaps, court testimonies and interviews through personal relationships with the criminals in question, Revere writer William J. Craig uncovers the depths of criminality. Portalla clung to a self-imposed moral code, striving to find honor within thievery, even as the lure of his family's past eclipsed his promising future.

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Kentucky's Civilian Conservation Corps

9781596297296

$21.99

By the time Franklin D. Roosevelt took his first oath of office, the Great Depression had virtually gutted the nation's agricultural heartland. In Kentucky, nearly one out of every four men was unemployed and relegated to a life of poverty, and as quickly as the economy deflated, so too did morality. The overwhelming majority of unemployed Americans, who are now walking the streets…would infinitely prefer to work, FDR stated in his 1933 appeal to Congress. So began the New Deal and, with it, a glimmer of hope and enrichment for a lost generation of young men. From 1933 up to the doorstep of World War II, the Civilian Conservation Corps employed some 2.5 million men across the country, with nearly 90,000 enrolled in Kentucky. Native Kentuckian and CCC scholar Connie Huddleston chronicles their story with this collection of unforgettable and astonishing photographs that take you to the front lines of the makeshift camps and through the treacherous landscape, adversity, and toil. The handiwork of the Kentucky forest army stretches from Mammoth Cave to the Cumberlands, and their legacy is now preserved within these pages.

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The Road to Derry

9781596296503

$21.99

When the Ulster Scots arrived in New Hampshire in 1719, there were no roads in Derry (then called Nutfield). Led by the Reverend James McGregor, the Moses of the Scotch-Irish in America, the entire congregation of Aghadowey had trekked from their home county of Londonderry, Ireland, to start their lives anew, undeterred by British prejudice or Anglican intolerance. These hardy men and women were great walkers, and during the eighteenth century a warren of footpaths crisscrossed East Derry Hill. Richard Holmes retraces their footsteps, walking the road of Derry's history from its rough-and-tumble politics and early educational institutions through its dramatic split from Londonderry Parish to the sprawling shoe factories of the Industrial Revolution. In this first history in decades, Holmes demonstrates that the hometown of Robert Frost and astronaut Alan Shepherd is also home to a hardworking, free-thinking, vibrant community.

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Swedesboro and Woolwich Township

9781467103749

$24.99

Prior to 1870, the main routes of commerce entering Swedesboro were Kings Highway by land or Raccoon Creek by water.

When the Swedesboro Railroad was completed in October 1869, it started a new era of growth in the Swedesboro-Woolwich area. Produce was loaded on railcars for distant markets.Warehouses and industry exploded adjacent to the rail yard. New banks, hotels, and businesses crowded along both sides of Main Street. Economic expansion brought more residents and new housing construction. The prosperity of the Swedesboro area from 1870 to 1950 is preserved in detail on postcards and in photographs reprinted on these pages.

Lois M. Stanley is a retired high school English teacher and longtime Swedesboro resident. Russell C. Shiveler Jr. grew up in Woolwich Township and is a farm boy at heart. Both coauthored an earlier work published by Arcadia Publishing entitled Images of America: Swedesboro and Woolwich Township. This book is produced with the cooperation of the Swedesboro-Woolwich Historical Society.

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Chesapeake Reflections

9781596297586

$21.99

Between the Indian and Dividing Creeks, near the mouth of the Rappahannock River in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay, sits a parcel of land called Bluff Point.

Like most bayfront villages, the bountiful resources and majestic landscape of this area that once sustained watermen and sportsmen alike have been depleted as over-harvesting, poaching, pollution and continued development have taken their toll, threatening the very legacy of its people. J.H. Hall's family first settled on this land shortly after the Civil War, where they maintained a tradition of farming, fishing and crabbing throughout the twentieth century. Hall's words flow as splendidly as the tides in this collection of personal reminisces and local and natural history celebrating the lives of the watermen before him and the uncertainty surrounding those today.

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Historic Crimes & Justice in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

9781626192379

$21.99

The first courts handled crimes like lying, idleness and card playing with punishments that ranged from fines to public whipping to death by hanging. Constables kept order until Portsmouth's first police officer took up the shield in 1800. But no force could keep all crime at bay. The court sentenced the beautiful, educated Ruth Blay to hanging on shaky evidence that she might have killed her baby. Business magnate Frank Jones played corrupt politics, succumbed to extramarital temptations and helped make Water Street the red-lighted rum hole destination of the eastern seaboard. Mischievous sailors came into port looking to spend their money, finding ample opportunity in Portsmouth's bowery bordellos. Retired Portsmouth police officer David Lou Ferland traces the history of Portsmouth crime and justice from the first courts to today's award-winning police department.

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Chattanooga Landmarks

9781596294479

$21.99

Chattanooga's history and heritage are embodied in the historical sites, structures and groundbreaking feats of engineering that have defined the city from its beginning. Many of the Scenic City's most important landmarks are still preserved. Yet with so many fascinating historic sites and storied destinations, seeing them all is no easy task. Fortunately, Chattanooga Landmarks offers a helpful survey of the most historically significant sites in the city and the surrounding area. Join Chattanooga local Jennifer Crutchfield as she guides you through the city's historic wonders, both natural and man-made. From the top of Lookout Mountain down to the banks of the Tennessee River and through downtown, Chattanooga Landmarks covers the breadth of the historic sites that make this Tennessee city a landmark all its own.

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The History of Long Beach Poly

9781467135283

$24.99

Long Beach Poly has produced more NFL and MLB players than any other high school. Alumni include household names like Billie Jean King, Snoop Dogg and Cameron Diaz. But before it was named the top athletic high school in America by Sports Illustrated, before it boasted nationally acclaimed academic magnet programs, Long Beach Poly had to overcome an extraordinary set of challenges. From a devastating earthquake that destroyed the original campus to racial tensions that rocked the school, Poly has persevered and excelled. Since its founding in 1895, Poly has been intrinsically woven into the fabric of the Long Beach community, affectionately known as the “Home of Scholars and Champions.” Mike Guardabascio and Tyler Hendrickson tell the story of how a school rose from the ashes to become a powerhouse.

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The Historic Waterfront of Washington, D.C.

9781626193987

$21.99

The waters of the Potomac and the Anacostia Rivers surround and define the nation's capital. For centuries, these rivers have been manipulated environments--transformed by native populations, settlers, politicians and real estate developers. With docks and wharves extending from the Anacostia River to Georgetown, the architect of the young capital, Pierre L'Enfant, planned to develop the waterfront into a prosperous inland seaport. Decades later, the Civil War took a devastating toll on the District's maritime economy with civilian port facilities pressed into military service and the failure of many riverfront plantations. Author John R. Wennersten explores this early history of Washington, D.C.'s waterfront even as he tackles its twentieth-century redevelopment and the challenges the rivers face today.

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Elizabeth Park

9781467103527

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Located in Trenton, Michigan, Elizabeth Park was a gift from the descendants of the Slocum and Truax families to the people of Wayne County.

Donated in 1919, the property was transformed into an oasis providing recreational opportunities previously unavailable to the area.Besides picnicking, the park provided merry-go-rounds, swings, and slides for children as well as tennis courts, shuffleboard, and horseshoes for the adults. As time and tastes changed, the park had to evolve.In its heyday, during the 1930s, the 162-acre park saw nearly a million visitors a year; however, that number dwindled to a low point during the 1970s and 1980s. Amid many complaints to Wayne County officials, a countywide park millage was passed. Today, the park still retains some of the old but is also a carefree center of activity with boat races, antique car shows, and music festivals.

Jeff Wagar is a retired Wayne County Road Commission supervisor and lifelong resident of Trenton. As a youth, he acquired a love of history while listening to his grandfather’s stories. As a teenager, he was hired as a seasonal summer employee at Elizabeth Park. In college, he studied history, and he continues his hobby of researching local history as an adult—so much so, he is considered Trenton’s historian.

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Hip Hop in Houston

9781609499785

$21.99

Rap-A-Lot Records, U.G.K. (Pimp C and Bun B), Paul Wall, Beyonce, Chamillionaire and Scarface are all names synonymous with contemporary hip-hop. And they have one thing in common: Houston. Long before the country came to know the chopped and screwed style of rap from the Bayou City in the late 1990s, hip-hop in Houston grew steadily and produced some of the most prolific independent artists in the industry. With early roots in jazz, blues, R&B and zydeco, Houston hip-hop evolved not only as a musical form but also as a cultural movement. Join Maco L. Faniel as he uncovers the early years of Houston hip-hop from the music to the culture it inspired.

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Prattville, Alabama

9781609491949

$21.99

In 1833, a New Hampshire industrialist named Daniel Pratt moved south. Pratt established the largest cotton gin factory in the world and, with it, a town known fittingly as Prattville. Soon this humble hamlet outside Montgomery became an industrial hub, fueling Alabama's antebellum cotton production. Prattville weathered the Civil War and recovered faster than any other Alabama town, as Pratt collected on debts owed from his Northern accounts. Since then, Prattville has continued to grow in important ways, gradually shifting from an industrial epicenter to a forward-looking city and a beloved hometown. Through floods, tornadoes, damaging fires and shifting economic conditions, Prattville and its townspeople endured. Now, authors Marc and Melissa Parker ensure that Prattville's history will also endure by recounting the Fountain City's proud heritage.

Cover image for Prattville, Alabama, isbn: 9781609491949

The Diary of Asser Levy

9781455625215

$10.95 $5.48 Save 50%

In 1654, the first group of refugee Jews, fleeing persecution, arrived in America from Brazil. In New Amsterdam, they began a legal fight for religious and civil rights that helped shape the character of modern-day New York. Here middle-grade readers will be introduced to the real-life figure of Asser Levy, through imagined diary entries about his experiences.

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Remembering Greensboro

9781596298194

$21.99

Have you ever heard about the Gardner Hill gold mine or the healing powers of Apinol? Do you remember the Brightwood Inn or the antics of Slammin' Sammy Snead? Culling the best from News & Record reporter Jim Schlosser's hundreds of history-related articles, Remembering Greensboro celebrates the unique history of Greensboro and Guilford County. From memorable events like the Woolworth sit-ins and the Greater Greensboro Open to beloved local heroes, characters and celebrities, Schlosser offers something for everyone who calls the Gate City home.

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Portland's Greatest Conflagration:

9781596299559

$21.99

On the Fourth of July in 1866, joy turned to tragedy in Portland, Maine. A boy threw a firecracker onto a pile of wood shavings and it erupted in a blaze as residents prepared to celebrate the 110th anniversary of American independence in the momentous time following the Civil War. The violent conflagration killed two people and destroyed all structures on nearly thirty streets. Authors Michael Daicy and Don Whitney, both firefighters, chronicle the day's catastrophic events, as well as the bravery of those who fought the ferocious fire, dispelling the myth that ill-trained firefighting contributed to the devastation.

Cover image for Portland's Greatest Conflagration:, isbn: 9781596299559

The Great Holiday Cookie Swap

9781455625239

$17.99

December is full of holidays around the world: Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, and more. When eight cookies representing different cultures come together, they scramble for a spot on top of the holiday pile. The wise Indian shortbread counsels peace, in this rhyming picture book filled with recipes and facts about traditional cookies from Greece, Germany, Israel, central Africa, the U.S., and Mexico.

Cover image for The Great Holiday Cookie Swap, isbn: 9781455625239

Prince George's County and the Civil War

9781609498481

$21.99

Bordered by the Federal capital but separated from Virginia and the Confederacy only by the Potomac River, the citizens of Prince George's County found themselves on the front lines of the Civil War. As Maryland's largest slave-owning county, some--including members of the Bowie and Surratt families--joined the Confederacy. Many remained loyal to the Union, losing sons and property for the cause. Three forts in the county were dedicated to the capital's defense: Fort Foote, Fort Washington and Fort Lincoln. This did not prevent Confederate general Jubal Early's troops from invading in July 1864. The Rebel forces blew up rail lines in Beltsville and took the Rossborough Inn near the Maryland Agricultural College--now the University of Maryland, College Park--as their headquarters. Prince George's County and the Civil War: Life on the Border charts the course of a community caught in the midst of the bloodiest conflict in American history.

Cover image for Prince George's County and the Civil War, isbn: 9781609498481

Remembering Columbia, South Carolina

9781596291126

$21.99

Columbia, South Carolina—the capital of the Palmetto State for more than 200 years—has earned a well-deserved reputation as a history-rich Southern city. Columbia has been the site of a vast array of momentous events, and those well-documented episodes in the city's past have solidified its important historical role in the state, the South, and the country. Columbia's vibrant past, however, features much more than these well-documented events. The city's history is brimming with a fascinating cast of characters whose various exploits have helped to shape and enrich the colorful story of Columbia. Remembering Columbia, South Carolina: Capital City Chronicles, by Columbia resident and history professor Miles Richards, is a collection of historical vignettes that reveals the intriguing—but lesser known—characters and events in the city's twentieth-century history. From South Carolina Penitentiary escapees who rode a stinking trash heap to their freedom, to a pair of amorous bootleggers, to a raucous crowd gathered to greet Rudy Vallee at the train station on Gervais Street, this collection will delight Capital City residents and visitors alike.

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Portland's Past

9781609491659

$21.99

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized Portland, Maine, as the beautiful town that is seated by the sea. In this volume, Maine author Luann Yetter presents the stories from its past that not only showcase this exquisiteness but also illuminate its diverse and exciting history. The founding members of the Forest City braved the harsh winters, but not without scandals and struggles. One man raised a navy to fight the Barbary pirates threatening ships that sailed from Casco Bay, and privateers brought rum onboard and ashore. And while one Portlander traded slaves, many others worked the Underground Railroad as staunch antislavery crusaders. Discover Portland from its beginning as uncharted territory through to its development into the quintessential New England city it is today.

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Provincetown Since World War II

9781609494766

$21.99

Author Debra Lawless completes the history of the charming seaside community of Provincetown, Massachusetts, from the menace of World War II U-boats just offshore to the celebratory destination it has become today. The creative mecca boomed in peacetime with a new generation of artists and writers, including Tennessee Williams, Robert Motherwell and Norman Mailer. Andy Warhol paid for a carton of cigarettes with a signed soup can, while director John Waters wrote six screenplays here. The AIDS crisis of the 1980s and '90s had a grave impact on Provincetown, but the community cared for the sick, supported the suffering and only grew stronger. Once defined by tensions, Provincetown has become one of the country's most vibrant and welcoming gay communities. Explore the artistic paradise and the characters who make up the carnival of life in Provincetown.

Cover image for Provincetown Since World War II, isbn: 9781609494766

Classic Diners of Connecticut

9781626192157

$21.99

Over twenty thousand miles of highways and main streets crisscross the state of Connecticut, inviting hungry travelers and locals into the more than one hundred diners that dot the roadways. Among these eateries are some of the most prized American classic diners manufactured by such legendary builders as DeRaffele, O'Mahony, Tierney and Kullman. Author Garrison Leykam hosts a road trip to Connecticut's diners, celebrating local recipes and diner lingo--order up a #81, frog sticks or a Noah's boy with Murphy carrying a wreath--as well as stories that make each diner unique. Tony's Diner in Seymour still keeps pictures of the 1955 flood to always remember the tragedy the diner overcame. Stories like these--of tragedy, triumph, sanctuary, comfort and community--fill the pages in this celebration of classic and historic diners of the Nutmeg State.

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Wythe County

9781596297364

$21.99

Though there are more automobiles than harvesters on the roads these days, folks in Wythe County, Virginia, keep their memories and traditions preserved in these conversations with the local twentieth-century farmers who spent their entire lives working this land. Visit with James Kegley, a fourth-generation farmer discussing his family's cattle and poultry drives to the train in Wytheville, and Agnes Eades as she shares stories about the night before butchering day for the hogs; join Fred Etter as he remembers the first tractor he ever saw and June Huffard as she talks about her dairy farm. Picture the days when starting the plow meant cracking the whip and Wythe County was the Cabbage Capital of the World.

Cover image for Wythe County, isbn: 9781596297364

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge

9781626190023

$21.99

Of the more than 5,200 bridges in the state of Florida, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, spanning scenic Tampa Bay, is by far the most famous. But the award-winning bridge that residents and tourists cross on a daily basis isn't the first to hold the Skyway name. Numerous versions of the current bridge have stretched across lower Tampa Bay, and each has its own remarkable history. Nevin and Ric Sitler detail the suspension cables, concrete, nuts and bolts and political battles that combined to produce the fantastic history of the Skyway bridges and other historic Tampa Bay crossings. Join this father-and-son team on their journey across the historic bay.

Cover image for The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, isbn: 9781626190023

Hidden History of Bangor

9781626190108

$21.99

When celebrity aviator Harry Atwood made the first aeroplane flight over Bangor in 1912, observers were astonished. It was a sign that the city had recovered from the great fire of 1911 that had destroyed its downtown the year before. While some events are well known, many stories from turn-of-the-century Bangor have been lost to time. In this collection, local author Wayne E. Reilly brings some of the most exciting and intriguing hidden Bangor tales to light--from a gas explosion that left a thirty-foot crater in the middle of downtown to the escape of a mayor's pet pig. Join Reilly as he reveals the hidden stories from Queen City history.

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Wines of Walla Walla Valley

9781626191686

$21.99

As early as the 1840s, French settlers brought their knowledge of wine to Washington's Walla Walla Valley. The highly fertile soil and abundant water were perfect complements to their Old World winemaking traditions, halted only by Prohibition and the historically unmerciful weather conditions. A century after the first settlers arrived, the area's wine industry reestablished itself when new pioneers like the Italian Pesciallos and Leonettis opened wineries in the early and mid-1900s, a trade that continues to thrive today. Discover the southeastern portion of the Washington Territory along Lewis and Clark's trail in a whole new light with the trailblazing vintners of the Walla Walla wine industry. Taste the history in every glass with wine writer and Walla Walla native Catie McIntyre Walker as she unearths the valley's transformation from Wild West to world-class wine region.

Cover image for Wines of Walla Walla Valley, isbn: 9781626191686

Wicked New Albany

9781609494629

$21.99

Join local historian Gregg Seidl on this deliciously wicked romp with New Albany's most heinous--the treacherous, greedy, drunken, insane and plain unfortunate.

Catch a whiff of rum and candor when Jacob Ritter sits to write one morning in 1861. His opening line: "I have killed my wife because she is a witch." When the trains roar through this New Albany, they are quite likely meeting flesh. The men in the saloons are armed and irritated. And the murderous can be most industrious, like the man who was sentenced to death, sold his body to New Albany's first physician, collected the cash, reneged on the contract and then tried to sell his corpse again. Millions have roamed these broad avenues during New Albany's nearly two hundred years. Most have been honest sorts. Others, well…

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Killing Albert Berch

9781455623556

$19.95

A dark historical reality exposed.

In 1923 Marlow, Oklahoma, at the hotel belonging to Albert and Lula Berch, Albert is murdered trying to protect his African-American porter from an angry mob. After his death, the case unravels, and the truth of Albert Berch and his murderers emerges. Tracing his own family history, Dr. Alan Berch Hollingsworth discovers that it’s not just the Marlow townspeople who have something to hide. Why did his grandfather insist on hiring an African-American porter, violating the era’s Jim Crow segregation laws? How is the KKK involved in this gruesome crime? Unlocking the secret to his grandfather’s murder, he uncovers a true crime story of racial violence in 1920s Oklahoma.

Cover image for Killing Albert Berch, isbn: 9781455623556

Gaston® Goes to Mardi Gras Ornament

9781565548893

$8.95 $4.48 Save 50%

This miniature book of Gaston Goes to Mardi Gras
to hang on your tree tells the story of how Gaston the green-nosed
alligator has returned from the swamp and is taking adventurous readers on
a tour of Mardi Gras. The things he sees on his journey are the real
events that take place during Carnival! In Cajun country, Gaston joins a
Courir du Mardi Gras group, enjoys spicy gumbo, and dances in a fais
do-do until dawn.
Gastonï¿½s voyage then leads him to New Orleans for even more new
sights. On his way, he spies a secret krewe building beautiful floats.
Gaston gets to ride along with the Krewe of Zulu as they deliver painted
coconuts to the crowds who are yelling, Throw me something,
Mister! The magnificent parade of Rex, King of Carnival, delights
Gaston. The festivities continue late into the night as krewe members
dance the night away at magical balls. Come join Gaston in his Mardi Gras
discovery!

Cover image for Gaston® Goes to Mardi Gras Ornament, isbn: 9781565548893

Kansas Tycoon Emerson Carey

9781467140799

$21.99

Emerson Carey, the powerful salt magnate of Hutchinson, Kansas, was the architect of his own rags-to-riches story on the prairie.

“I’ve seen a fly make a bull switch his tail” is a homespun quip attributed to Emerson Carey. True or not, the quote epitomizes the fearless and tenacious character of the legend who became Reno County’s benefactor. Young, awestruck Carey arrived in boomtown 1880s Hutchinson and went on to create an immense empire. Coal, ice, salt, strawboard, egg cases, bags, soda ash and streetcars—he presided over it all. From Carey’s sleeping in a coal yard with a quarter in his pocket to the founding of the exclusive Willowbrook community and attaining a net worth of more than $15 million, authors Lynn Ledeboer and Myron Marcotte relate the epic story.

Cover image for Kansas Tycoon Emerson Carey, isbn: 9781467140799

Snyder, New York

9781596296398

$21.99

In 1823, the Erie Canal sparked visions of opportunity and fortune in many, including Abraham Snyder, who traversed to the land that would become his namesake. But when Abraham mysteriously disappeared in 1832, his son, Michael, became the man of the family and consequently became a one-man powerhouse of industry and generosity. Michael Snyder's eponymous settlement became a hamlet of Amherst in western New York that boasts a rich history dating back to its origins. The Snyders and other early settlers established several town institutions and landmarks—including the first mercantile and band hall—that gave locals a sense of community. Further, because of their humanitarian spirit, residents cultivated a sense of generosity and tolerance, evidenced by the practice of donating instruments to schoolchildren and embracing the Seneca Indian tribe as equals. Lifelong resident and Snyder descendant Julianna Fiddler-Woite

Cover image for Snyder, New York, isbn: 9781596296398

Somerville, Massachusetts:

9781596294240

$20.99

Enter Somerville, a city packed with stories larger than itself, to salute a heritage that justifies the fierce pride of its citizens. Share a perch on one of Somerville's celebrated hills with Dee Morris and Dora St. Martin and watch the raising of America's first flag and the stringing of its first telephone line. Strolling from neighborhood to neighborhood, this brief history knocks on the doors of everyone from the father of Fenway Park to Missy LeHand, Franklin D. Roosevelt s private secretary and steadfast companion. Even the notoriously elusive Captain Kidd is caught for inspection as he tries to slip through a trapdoor in a bedroom closet.