Name: Czech Village & New Bohemia
Brand: Dave Rasdal
SKU: 9781467117616
Price: 21.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Czech Village & New Bohemia

9781467117616

$21.99

Beginning in the 1870s, thousands of Bohemians flocked to Cedar Rapids in search of a better life. Czech immigrants courageously overcame the difficult conditions of the local packinghouse and the challenge of creating a new home. They maintained a strong cultural identity with Czech music, literature and an undying dedication to family. In the wake of a devastating flood in 2008, the people of Czech Village and New Bohemia re-imagined traditional principles to forge a remarkable resurgence toward a promising future. Author Dave Rasdal travels from the Charles Bridge to the Bridge of Lions in a celebration of Czech heritage and history in Cedar Rapids.

Cover image for Czech Village & New Bohemia, isbn: 9781467117616

Iconic Restaurants of Ann Arbor

9781467117333

$24.99

This collection of Ann Arbor's most iconic local eateries from college hangouts to elegant eateries is sure to satisfy.

What is an iconic Ann Arbor restaurant? Ask anyone who has ever spent time there as a student, traveler, or townie, and they are likely to name several favorites in an instant. From debating the best place to celebrate or console on football Saturdays to deciding where to eat after the bars close, the choices have always sparked passionate conversation. In Ann Arbor, people are known to have strong feelings about the best places for pizza, coffee, beer, burgers, noodles, and burritos. Although many of the go-to hangouts are long gone, a surprising number still thrive. And there are always a few newcomers coming along to win the hearts of the next generation of diners, nibblers, and noshers. Some are fine restaurants and taverns, and others are lunch counters, diners, carry-outs, and drive-ins—but in each and every case, they are unique and together make up a collection of iconic local eateries.

Cover image for Iconic Restaurants of Ann Arbor, isbn: 9781467117333

South Oakland County

9780738583112

$24.99

Chartered 18 years before Michigan's admission to the Union, Oakland County developed as a microcosm of the state: diverse, entrepreneurial, and prosperous. The unbridled success of the automotive industry in neighboring Detroit quickly spread north where well-to-do industry leaders located. This vibrant community produced a quality of life rivaled by few other places. This book displays pivotal "Then and Now" scenes depicting the history of Oakland County, many with national impact.

South Oakland County cover with a split modern and vintage Main Street scene and Then & Now banner

Chicago's Soldier Field

9780738551500

$24.99

Located on scenic Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Soldier Field was designed in 1919 and opened on October 9, 1924, as Municipal Grant Park Stadium. The stadium--modeled in the Greco-Roman architectural tradition with classic Doric colonnades--was designed by the Chicago architecture firm Holabird and Roche as a memorial to American soldiers who died in World War I and previous wars. Soldier Field has been the home of the Chicago Bears team since 1971; it served equally as a civic and athletic venue throughout the early and middle 20th century. It played host to the Army-Navy game in 1926, the second heavyweight boxing championship between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney in 1927, speeches by Charles Lindbergh and Franklin D. Roosevelt, rodeos, circuses, the first Special Olympics in 1968, the 1994 World Cup, and the final concert by the Grateful Dead. In 2001, the Chicago Park District faced criticism when it announced plans to renovate the stadium, which had been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1987. An extensive remodeling plan was initiated and the "new" Soldier Field drew mixed reviews when it reopened in 2003. After being rebuilt, the modern stands dwarfed the historic Doric columns, and seating was reduced by approximately 5,000, to 61,500.

Chicago's Soldier Field book cover with a grayscale stadium image and an inset photo of the building

Yorkville

9781467113113

$24.99

Yorkville's population has boomed in recent decades, but its most defining landmarks today would be familiar to its earliest settlers. Earl Adams built the area's first log cabin in 1833, near the prominent hill that is the site of Kendall County's historic courthouse, which early residents fought to rebuild after a devastating fire in 1887. Similarly, the Fox River and Blackberry Creek supported the community's early commerce, from the sawmill John Schneider built in the 1830s to the state's only man-made white-water course. Yorkville often fostered leaders who believed in making big contributions. Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican speaker of the US House of Representatives, taught sociology, economics, and speech at Yorkville High School from 1965 to 1980. Glen D. Palmer oversaw the state's first game farm before serving as the state's conservation director from 1953 to 1961. Robert Mitchler, a Navy veteran who served as a state senator from 1964 to 1981, flew a large American flag day and night in his front yard off of Route 34.

Cover image for Yorkville, isbn: 9781467113113

Wisconsin Veterans Home at King

9780738532851

$24.99

The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, Wisconsin, was incorporated in 1887 by the Wisconsin Department of the Grand Army of the Republic. Initially a retirement home for Civil War veterans and their spouses, the Home slowly evolved into a health care facility as the original members aged and new veterans arrived from World War I. Images within Wisconsin Veterans Home at King allow the reader to experience the early grandeur of the old Home. Some original buildings still exist today, and the Home currently cares for approximately 800 veterans and spouses.

Historic book cover Wisconsin Veterans Home at King showing a vintage town street and a bold title.

Petoskey in Vintage Postcards

9780738532608

$24.99

Historic Petoskey and the greater Little Traverse Bay area possess a wealth of natural and cultural gifts. The region's virgin forests, crystal clear waters, and powerful Native American heritage inspired Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to write "The Song of Hiawatha." Its plentiful wildlife and peaceful natural settings provided Ernest Hemingway with his early hunting and fishing experiences. Abundant natural resources set the stage for industries like the fur trade, lumbering, shipping, and limestone quarrying. Petoskey's ideal location on the picturesque bay has attracted visitors and adventurers since the 1870s.

In this unique volume, author C.S. Wright explores the many legacies of the Petoskey area, from the native tribes that first protected the land through the eras of industry, transportation, and tourism. A rare collection of historic postcards illustrates Petoskey's rich history, providing immaculate images of pastoral scenes, industrial achievements, striking architecture, and community development.

Petoskey in Vintage Postcards cover featuring a historic street with a welcome arch

Lake Zurich

9780738583051

$24.99

Lake Zurich, a northwest suburb of Chicago, includes a beloved body of water that shares its name and has served as its heart. But the lake did not always bear the same moniker. First known as Cedar Lake because of its many surrounding cedar trees, Lake Zurich was renamed by early settler Seth Paine, who thought its beauty resembled the well-known lake in Switzerland. Early on, visitors from Chicago and beyond journeyed by horse and buggy to relax by Lake Zurich's banks, fish and boat on its sparkling waters, and vacation in summer cottages that dotted its shores. But it has been the people of Lake Zurich who have kept its heart pumping. The celebration of their achievements is apparent throughout town. Parks are named after businessmen and local leaders like Fred Blau and Henry Hank Paulus. Schools' names highlight educators like May Whitney and Spencer Loomis. Lake Zurich's legacy will continue through its lake and the people who have loved it.

Cover image for Lake Zurich, isbn: 9780738583051

Giant City State Park

9780738584188

$24.99

Anyone wanting to understand how Giant City State Park in rural Makanda earned its name need only hike on the Giant City Nature Trail. Here they walk through the park's namesake rock formations, carved 20,000 years ago by the melting waters of a Pleistocene glacier that stopped a mere 1.5 miles from the park. Yet it wasn't until 1933 to 1941, when the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) operated its three work camps, that man blazed his most notable trail in the park's history. The CCC's work since then has been enjoyed by millions of park visitors to its stone picnic shelters, trails throughout the park, and the massive Giant City Lodge.

Cover image for Giant City State Park, isbn: 9780738584188

Cleveland Arena

9781467108065

$23.99

Cleveland Arena featured professional boxing from 1937 to 1973 and left a lasting legacy that can never be duplicated.

Many Cleveland boxers fought there during those years, including Jimmy Bivins, Joey Maxim, Chuck Hunter, Georgie Pace, and Carmen Barth. These men all came out of the Cleveland Golden Gloves. Cleveland Arena was the mecca of Ohio boxing with appearances from 50 fighters who at one time held recognition as world champions. Those fighters include such names as Henry Armstrong, Jake LaMotta, George Foreman, Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe Walcott, and Sonny Liston. Each of the arena’s 162 fight shows—feature bouts, undercards, and all results—appear here together for the first time in print, accompanied by great stories and rare photographs.

Jerry Fitch started following boxing in the 1950s. His love of the sport began while watching televised fights and eventually attending the World Welterweight Championship match between Carmen Basilio and Johnny Saxton at Cleveland Arena on February 22, 1957. He was only 10 years old. Fitch has since participated in many boxing activities; the one that has stayed with him is writing. He has written hundreds of articles for major boxing magazines and authored six books, including Arcadia’s Cleveland’s Greatest Fighters of All Time. This latest continues his journey.

Cover image for Cleveland Arena, isbn: 9781467108065

Little Cities of Black Diamonds

9780738560410

$24.99

Little Cities of Black Diamonds depicts and documents the history of the Hocking Valley Coalfield communities.

Sitting astride the 14-foot Great Vein of bituminous coal, the communities of the Hocking Valley Coalfield were inextricably linked to the fortunes of a 50-year coal boom. Life in the Little Cities of Black Diamonds was not always easy or prosperous. Employment in the mines and clay plants rose and fell with economic conditions, and labor-management conflict led to strikes and violence. Even today, smoke from a mine fire, set deep underground during a strike in the 1880s, occasionally appears at the surface. Little Cities of Black Diamonds takes an intimate look at the miners, merchants, managers, and magnates who built the cities, villages, businesses, and homes of the Hocking Valley coal boom period. Since collapse of the coal industry around 1920, much has been lost, but the coal boom legacy lives on. In places such as Shawnee, New Straitsville, Eclipse, Glouster, and Haydenville, a small group of dedicated citizens works tirelessly to record, preserve, and celebrate the region's rich heritage.

Sepia toned cover with miners posed in front of a large mining wheel for Little Cities of Black Diamonds.

Murder & Mayhem in Scott County, Iowa

9781625859761

$21.99

The infamous criminal history of Iowa’s oldest county takes center stage in this true crime account of murder, robbery, and mayhem.

Scott County, Iowa has a rich and venerable history. It is where the Blackhawk Treaty was signed. It’s where the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River was built. But Scott County has a dark and history as well.

Travel down Utica Ridge Road, where young Grace Reed paid the ultimate price for spurning the affections of a local farmer. Enter the bedroom of Margaretha Nehlsen, who poisoned her children with chocolate candies. Hear the tale of Harry Hamilton, a former policeman turned career criminal who played a key part in the most notorious bank robbery in Scott County history . . .

Learn about these stories and more as Murder & Mayhem in Scott County, Iowa explores the darker side of this midwestern County and its shocking, unlawful history.

Cover image for Murder & Mayhem in Scott County, Iowa, isbn: 9781625859761

Brunswick

9780738532875

$24.99

Settlers from the East Coast began arriving in the Brunswick area, then part of the Western Reserve, in 1815 in search of better lives and land to farm. Through backbreaking labor, these courageous pioneers cleared the land and built their homesteads and mills. Eventually, churches, general stores,
blacksmith shops, and other businesses began to sprout up in what would become known as Brunswick Center. In 1901, the Cleveland Southwestern Interurban was built through the township, creating jobs and revenue, as well as a new source of fun, as families traveled to Cleveland for shopping and recreation. Brunswick became a city on October 2, 1960, and in 1965, residents celebrated the city's
sesquicentennial. Interstate 71 opened, connecting Brunswick with Cleveland in 1974. What was once a quiet farming community has now burgeoned into a lively city, boasting one of the oldest churches in the Western Reserve and Hiram Miller's Underground Railroad station.

Book cover from Images of America Brunswick showing three men with vintage motorcycles in a rural setting

Waterloo

9780738583396

$24.99

Waterloo started out like many other towns: as a small pioneer village located along the banks of the Cedar River. It must have been a breathtaking sight--a beautiful river lined with red cedar trees, prairie grasses blowing in the breeze, and abundant wildlife. After winning the battle to become the county seat in 1855, Waterloo began to grow into the metropolis it is today. The popular slogan, "Waterloo Way Wins," has proven true over the years, and one can feel a sense of pride while looking at the images in this book.

Waterloo postcard history series cover featuring a vintage Waterloo Iowa postcard with large stylized letters.

Fraser

9781467110310

$24.99

Native Americans were the first to inhabit Fraser. In fact, Mulvey Road, the oldest street in Fraser, was originally a Native American trail. As French and English pioneers settled Macomb County, Alexander D. Fras(z)er came from Detroit and established the settlement of Frazer in 1858. Many of the first inhabitants were of German descent. In 1875, a lumber business was established in Frazer by Charles Steffens, who would later serve as president of the village; his son George and George's son Walter also held that office. Another major business started in the community was Reindel Hardware, which began in 1898 and is still in operation. In 1894, Frazer was incorporated as a village. Its English and German spellings, Fraser and Frazer, were used interchangeably until 1928, when a vote was taken to establish the community with an "s." In 1905, Fraser had a major fire that destroyed many of the town's buildings, although a bucket brigade saved many of the residences from the blaze. The State Bank of Fraser was established in 1910, and in 1930 its majestic new building, which still stands today, was built at Fourteen Mile and Utica Roads. In 1956, Fraser was incorporated as a city.

Fraser Images of America cover shows a vintage Fraser Michigan parade scene in a convertible with people and a Chamber of Commerce Fraser Mich sign

Richmond Heights

9780738539928

$24.99

The city of Richmond Heights, located in St. Louis County, is a community rich in history. Incorporated in 1913, Richmond Heights was established as a residential suburb of St Louis. Early residents included the McCutcheon, Barron, Niesen, Grove, Brennan, Gay, Buehning, and DeBolt families. The introduction of modern highways and commerce altered the city's physical character, which prompted this publication. The authors hope this book encourages the citizens of Richmond Heights--and others--to embrace the city's history and promote preservation of its historic resources.

Richmond Heights 1868–1940 book cover with a sepia photo of four girls in vintage dresses

Quincy, Illinois

9780738507835

$24.99

When John Wood built his first log cabin in 1822 at what is now Front and Delaware Streets, he began a settlement that would become Quincy, Illinois.

To the east was a high bluff, and to the west, the Mississippi River. As the town grew, it moved eastward onto the bluff. In Qunicy's early days, the settlers depended on the Mississippi River for their livelihood. Today's residents still depend upon the Mississippi, but now more for transportation and for pleasure. It is difficult today to imagine what the area looked like in those early years. As with many American towns, Quincy has experienced change through the years, dramatic and subtle, both captured here in the unforgettable images of Then & Now: Quincy, Illinois.

Then and Now Quincy Illinois book cover featuring a vintage brick storefront and an old car along a brick street

Ashland

9781467110303

$24.99

Celebrating its first 100 years in 1915, Ashland was proudly living in the golden years. It was during this time that postcards gained popularity, becoming the most common form of communication before the telephone gained prominence. Card photographers traveled the nation, snapping pictures of street scenes, local attractions, and citizens. In this visual history, readers will stroll through a town busting at the seams with industry, extraordinary homes, schools, and churches, becoming familiar with its streets, people, and landmarks. These cards are surviving reminders of a significant period that contributed to the story of Ashland, taken by those traveling photographers as they captured the golden years of the early 1900s.

Cover image for Ashland, isbn: 9781467110303

University of Cincinnati Health Colleges

9781467105095

$24.99

In 1819, Daniel Drake founded the Medical College of Ohio, which later became the University of Cincinnati (UC), College of Medicine.

Thus began two centuries of innovation in health education that has made UC a globally recognized leader in educating generations of professionals in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences.As the 19th century came to a close, the importance of science-based medicine began to gain traction.Its medical faculty, including Christian R.Holmes, were primary contributors to Abraham Flexner’s now-famous report that revolutionized medical education.UC continued to shape health education throughout the 20th century, perhaps most notably by George Heuer in surgery, Benjamin Rachford in pediatrics, Herbert Flessa in emergency medicine, Laura Logan in nursing, and Joseph Kowalewski in pharmacy.And in the 21st century, the tradition continues with the vision and leadership of people like Donald Harrison in forming the College of Allied Health Sciences and creative power of Anil Menon in leading the formation of the undergraduate medical sciences program.

Cover image for University of Cincinnati Health Colleges, isbn: 9781467105095

Milwaukee Food

9781626196704

$21.99

Milwaukee's culinary scene boasts more than the iconic beer and bratwurst. It possesses a unique food culture as adventurous as any dining destination in the country. Sample the spreads at landmark hotels like the Pfister that established the city's hospitable reputation, as well as eateries like Mader's that cemented it. Meet the producers, chefs and entrepreneurs who helped expand Milwaukee's palate and pushed the scene to the forefront of the farm-to-fork movement. Milwaukee native and food writer Lori Fredrich serves up the story of a bustling blue-collar town that became a mecca for food lovers and a rising star in the sphere of urban farming.

Cover image for Milwaukee Food, isbn: 9781626196704

North Dakota Rodeo

9780738582535

$24.99

Rodeos have been around in what is now North Dakota since the early cattle drives brought cattle and ranching to the Northern Plains and Badlands. The horse culture was there much earlier, as Native American tribes used horses for transportation and hunting. Simpler than modern events, early-day rodeos offered a Sunday recreational activity after six days of hard work. Today's rodeo is much different than in the late 1800s and brings out a diverse audience--not just cowboys, cowgirls, and ranchers but also city slickers, families, white- and blue-color workers, and first-time visitors to the state and country.

Vintage rodeo scene showing a bronc rider midair on a bucking horse before a cheering crowd

Kansas City Chronicles

9781596299863

$21.99

From guerilla warfare and martial law to the elegant dresses of the Harzfeld Parisian Cloak Company, discover how everything became up-to-date in Kansas City (including the phrase up-to-date itself, which predates the song in Oklahoma!). Watch as the Jackson County Poor Farm became the state-of-the-art Truman Medical Center and learn why Old Westport is the real McCoy. Meet the resident mouse of the Laugh-O-Gram studio on Thirteenth and Forest, which took food from Walt Disney's hand as Mortimer before taking shape on Disney's drawing board as Mickey. In this collection of his best historical columns, David Jackson delivers a vivid portrait of the people, places and events that continue to shape this fascinating town.

Cover image for Kansas City Chronicles, isbn: 9781596299863

Fairmount

9780738584010

$24.99

Settled in 1829 by antislavery Quakers from the south, Fairmount benefited from the many travelers going between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis and became known as a station on the Underground Railroad. From these humble beginnings, a tight-knit community evolved that valued culture, especially education and literature. Decades later, newspaper stories marveled at the Quakers' Fairmount Academy and the number of accomplished individuals affiliated with the area, including writers, scientists, and college presidents. Like several Indiana towns, in 1887 this small, primarily agricultural area participated in one of the most dramatic eras in state history: the natural gas boom. Renowned artist Olive Rush was born and raised in Fairmount. The ancestors of one pioneering Quaker family, the Winslow's, raised film icon James Dean on their Fairmount farm. Garfield cartoonist Jim Davis lived near Fairmount and graduated from Fairmount High School. Their stories and those of their friends and neighbors are captured in these images that represent the best of America's heartland.

Cover image for Fairmount, isbn: 9780738584010

Indianapolis Jazz

9781626194038

$23.99

Get into the music with David Leander Williams as he charts the rise and fall of Indiana Avenue, the Majestic Entertainment Boulevard of Indianapolis, which produced some of the nation's most influential jazz artists. The performance venues that once lined the vibrant thoroughfare were an important stop on the Chitlin' Circuit and provided platforms for greats like Freddie Hubbard and Jimmy Coe. Through this biography of the bustling street, meet scores of the other musicians who came to prominence in the avenue's heyday, including trombonist J.J. Johnson and guitarist Wes Montgomery, as well as songwriters like Noble Sissle and Leroy Carr.

Cover image for Indianapolis Jazz, isbn: 9781626194038

Kansas Music

9781626191778

$21.99

Despite its sparse population, Kansas is well represented in the annals of music history. The state claims some of the most popular acts from the past century, including Kansas, Count Basie, Big Joe Turner, Martina McBride, Melissa Etheridge and Charlie Parker. A wide variety of genres plays and prospers here, from blues to bluegrass. Beloved venues from mega-festivals like Walnut Valley to jam sessions just off the front porch preserve the state's tuneful heritage. Join Deb Bisel in celebrating this lyrical legacy, from Home on the Range to Dust in the Wind and beyond.

Cover image for Kansas Music, isbn: 9781626191778

Remembering McDonough County

9781596298385

$21.99

Established in 1826, McDonough County, Illinois, has experienced fascinating changes since pioneer days, including the gradual disappearance of some small communities and rural neighborhoods. Remembering McDonough County focuses on the local tradition of notable storytellers and historians as it reflects the county's strange and colorful, poignant and meaningful earlier days—in Macomb, outlying communities, ghost towns, and wild areas. Award-winning author John Hallwas sketches memorable figures like pioneer storyteller Quintus Walker, Macomb newspaper editor W.H. Hainline, and Bushnell poet Marian Stearns Curry, and he depicts beloved, legendary, and sometimes mysterious places like Vishnu Springs, Gin Ridge, Ragtown, and Scott's neighborhood. Along the way, he portrays the racehorse and Civil War hero Chickamauga, the frightening Gooseneck Ghost, and the long-forgotten Crooked Creek Terror.

Cover image for Remembering McDonough County, isbn: 9781596298385

Fox Lake

9780738540580

$24.99

Vintage postcards show the magic of the scenes and people of Fox Lake, a populsr destination of vacationing Chicagoans.

Fox Lake, nestled as it is in the the heart of the chain, has been one of the Chicago area's favorite recreation destinations for over 100 years. Starting in the late 1800s, wealthy sportsmen constructed clubs that sparked an era often referred to as the ""resort heyday."" An explosion of resorts and cottages beckoned tourists to come to hunt, fish, enjoy nature's gifts, or be entertained. In 1910, the Chicago Tribune referred to the area as the ""Vice Capital,"" noting the openness of gambling, saloons, dance halls, and more. Through the magic of vintage postcards, some of the ghosts of the past are brought to life in this book--scenery, structures, boats, and people gone but not totally forgotten.

Fox Lake book cover from the Postcard History Series showing a sepia photo of a couple in a boat on a lake.

Only in Asheville

9781626199705

$21.99

A unique blend of visionaries, risk takers and creative souls lends energy to Asheville's historic streets. Author Marla Milling traces the people and places that make her hometown a truly unique city.

Today, bohemian street performers, funky shops, exquisite art galleries, restaurants and craft breweries blend in among some of the most revered vintage architecture in the country. Discover quirky figures like a nun named Sister Bad Habit, who entertains passengers on the LaZoom bus; the Man in White living statue; and Asheville's Village Witch. Be inspired by innovative dreamers such as Julian Price, who invested millions in the once-desolate downtown Asheville, giving money to an eclectic mix of restaurateurs and shop owners.

Cover image for Only in Asheville, isbn: 9781626199705

Remembering Medina County

9781596296176

$21.99

With devilish cyclones, raging fires and marauding bears, early life in Ohio's Western Reserve was not for the faint of heart. As the county grew to be more urban and prosperous, residents forged a strong and enduring sense of community. In this collection of her Time Frame columns, Judy Totts tells the story of Civil War soldiers and runaway slaves, passionate inventors and poets. These enchanting vignettes weave a vibrant and entertaining history, from the gallant rogue Jim Brown to the giants of Seville. Through her great wit and charming style, Totts evokes the sights, sounds and smells of home and captures the true essence of Medina County.

Cover image for Remembering Medina County, isbn: 9781596296176

Morgan County

9780738551203

$24.99

Based solely on vintage postcards, this important new book is a unique addition to the small number of works devoted to the history of Morgan County.

Captured here in more than 220 commercially produced and personal real-photo postcards is a chronicle of the past 100 years in Martinsville (the county seat), Mooresville, Morgantown, Waverly, and other communities that have been imprinted on the local landscape. This visual record showcases the people, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, recreation sites, and events that shaped Morgan County--including the famous mineral water sanitariums, landmark buildings and bridges, favorite fishing holes and resorts, and disasters such as the 1913 flood of the White River.

Morgan County Postcard History Series cover with a sepia photograph of a railroad depot town

Thornville and Thorn Township

9780738588582

$24.99

Thorn Township is a farming community about 30 minutes east of Columbus, Ohio; its name derived from the plentiful thorn bushes that dominate the landscape. After the Revolutionary War, people from Virginia and Pennsylvania began to migrate to Ohio. Among those, several chose a little hill in Thorn Township to take up residence, establishing churches, businesses, and schools. In 1811, Thornville was recognized as a village. Thorn Township makes up the northern section of Perry County. Due to its rich, flat earth, farming remains the chief economic venture of the community. Originally, the northern edge of Thorn Township was known as "Big Buffalo Swamp." However, when the Ohio Canal was constructed between the 1820s and 1840s, the swamp was excavated to form Buckeye Lake. Since then, people have built their homes along the shores and canals of the lake, as well as in the villages of Thornville and Thornport.

Vintage group portrait on the Thornville and Thorn Township book cover in front of a large house.

Chicago Magic

9781626191273

$21.99

By the end of America's Golden Age of Magic, Chicago had taken center stage in front of an American audience drawn to the craft by the likes of Harry Houdini and Howard Thurston. Cashing in on a craze that rivaled big-band mania, magic shops and clubs sprang up everywhere across the Windy City, packed in customers and put down roots. Over the last century, for example, Magic, Inc. has outfitted magicians from Harry Blackstone Sr. to Penn and Teller to David Copperfield. Magic was an integral part of Chicago's culture, from its earliest venture into live television to the card sharps and hucksters lurking in its amusement parks and pool halls. David Witter keeps track of the shell game of Chicago's fascinating magic history from its vaudeville circuit to its contemporary resurgence.

Cover image for Chicago Magic, isbn: 9781626191273

Chronicles of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

9781626192171

$23.99

Wander through a history of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, told largely through the letters and recollections of early residents of the village. Current residents can get a sense of what it was like to live in their community during its formative years, as it was becoming the sort of place where literally every house has a story. In addition to giving a voice to familiar landmarks and beloved local characters, the story of Whitefish Bay also provides prime seating for the drama of Wisconsin at large during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Join editor Thomas Fehring as he fishes out the fascinating history of this remarkable coastal town..

Cover image for Chronicles of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, isbn: 9781626192171

The History of Michigan Wines

9781596299474

$21.99

Savor the taste of wines inspired by the Great Lakes as enthusiasts Lorri Hathaway and Sharon Kegerreis introduce passionate winemakers like Joseph Sterling, who ignited Michigan's first viable wine region in the 1800s along Lake Erie.

Discover how the Detroit River was used for bootlegging during Prohibition, how the raid on red wine in the Upper Peninsula generated national headlines and how Michigan became the first to repeal. Learn about the wineries that boosted production to make Michigan a leading wine producer through the 1960s, when the changing marketplace caused a slump in production and sales.Since then, new grape varietals have spurred resurgence in the industry, garnering Michigan worldwide attention for its locally influenced wines. Discover Michigan's vibrant wine history, which is vital to the second most agriculturally diverse state and top tourism region becoming a premier agritourism destination.

Cover image for The History of Michigan Wines, isbn: 9781596299474

East Village

9780738577425

$24.99

A little neighborhood in the shadow of the state capitol, East Village in downtown Des Moines used the statehouse dome as a backdrop to establish itself in what was low, mostly unusable land along the Des Moines River. Just after the dawn of the 20th century, the neighborhood burgeoned with blue-collar industry and corner stores, while boasting the convenient use of railroads for industrial development and travel. It seemed to be in competition with the west side, where the insurance industry and wealthy neighborhoods blossomed on high ground. By midcentury, though, East Village suffered as a mobile population chose suburban shopping malls over traditional mom-and-pops. By 1990, buildings were in disrepair, and crime was increasing. A group of dedicated individuals came together and, with assistance and cooperation from the city, brought East Village back into focus, with a clear urban identity that sparked a renewed sense of pride.

East Village book cover showing a sepia street scene with a vintage bus and storefronts

Classic Restaurants of Indianapolis

9781467118484

$21.99

Indianapolis boasts a few restaurants more than one hundred years old. Eateries like the legendary Hollyhock Hill and St. Elmo's Steakhouse are classic staples in the capital city. But for every legendary local restaurant that exists today, several more are mere memories. Diners can no longer feast on heaping piles of coconut shrimp at the Key West Shrimp House or sip on a Brandy Alexander at Fireside after a well-cooked steak, but their legacies still live on. Author Jeff Kamm explores the historic restaurants and most-missed locales that continue to define Indianapolis's culinary heritage.

Cover image for Classic Restaurants of Indianapolis, isbn: 9781467118484

Chicago's South Side Irish Parade

9780738577227

$24.99

Considered to be one of the largest neighborhood-based St. Patrick's Day parades outside Dublin, Chicago's South Side Irish Parade began quite modestly, with 17 children under the age of 10 marching twice around the block.

Dubbing themselves the ""Wee Ones of Washtenaw and Talman,"" the founders of this great parade marched with homemade signs, costumes, and a baby buggy while neighbors and family members cheered them on. Over the next 31 years, the parade grew into an annual event, attracting hundreds of thousands who came to celebrate Irish heritage with family and friends. In 2009, Pres. Barack Obama encouraged Taoiseach Brian Cowen of Ireland to visit the parade, calling it ""one of the great events in America.""

Vintage photo of children in parade costumes on the cover of Chicago's South Side Irish Parade

The Professor & the Coed

9781596299108

$21.99

The Professor & the Coed documents the history of this Ohio University scandal—an illicit affair and murder.

In the sweltering summer of 1929, the people of Columbus, Ohio, were enthralled by news of the Ohio State University veterinary professor and Olympic gold medal, winning pistol shooter on trial for the murder of his twenty-four-year-old lover, who was a medical student. Local writer Mark Gribben reveals how Dr. James Howard Snook was captured and interrogated, including his gory confession of Theora Hix's death. During the trial, the details of the illicit love affair were so salacious that newspapers could only hint about what really led to the coed's murder and the professor's ultimate punishment. For the first time, read the full account of this astonishing story, from scandalous beginning to tragic end.

Cover image for The Professor & the Coed, isbn: 9781596299108

Racine's Horlick Athletic Field

9781626194441

$23.99

Launched in 1919 by William Horlick, the inventor of malted milk, Horlick Athletic Field has hosted two NFL teams, the Racine Belles professional women's baseball team (immortalized in A League of Their Own) and thousands of semiprofessional- and industrial-league games. But it is the drum and bugle corps shows that have made the stadium one of the most iconic landmarks in its corner of the state. From an archive of fond recollection and painstaking record, Alan Karls has pieced together a history of Horlick Athletic Field that justifies the reverence that drum and bugle corps have felt for the place for almost a century.

Cover image for Racine's Horlick Athletic Field, isbn: 9781626194441

Wicked Ottawa County, Michigan

9781609491741

$21.99

Prepare for a harrowing ride into the seedy side of Ottawa County history as author Amberrose Hammond unearths morbid tales of sin, scandal and crime. The lovers you find here become enemies, and the jilted, jealous and mistreated favor weaponry to verbal resolution. Ku Klux Klan members don white gowns and leave fiery crosses blazing against the backdrop of night. In this Ottawa County, Eddie Bentz, Baby Face Nelson and a crew of thugs are spraying machine gun fire outside the People's Savings Bank in Grand Haven, arguments end in miserable fashion and the missing often turn up without the capacity to out their wrongdoers.

Cover image for Wicked Ottawa County, Michigan, isbn: 9781609491741

Clermont, Fayette County, Iowa

9780738501482

$24.99

Located on the east and west banks of the Turkey River, Clermont has historically attracted settlers for both its idyllic setting and its proximity to water. Clermont's story is revealed here in over 200 vintage photographs that trace the town's progress from the early days through the late 1920s. Drawn by inexpensive and fertile land, immigrants from Germany, Ireland, and Norway came to Clermont because of the new possibilities and opportunities afforded to those living by the river. The building of the brick mill, the cooper mill, and the introduction of the railroad were all major events that resulted in Clermont's development as a trading center. With informative captions narrating your visual tour, this collection provides an intimate look at the town.

Vintage photo of a boy on a donkey in Clermont Fayette County Iowa with a town street backdrop and a sign reading Clermont Fayette County Iowa.

The Heart of Branson

9781609490041

$21.99

Millions of Americans cherish childhood memories of family trips to Branson to see performances by the Baldknobbers or the Presleys. Now they take their own children to see how new generations of those same entertaining families continue to split sides and tug heartstrings. Go backstage with Arline Chandler in places like Silver Dollar City and the Shepherd of the Hills. Reminisce in the stories of the people who made Branson into the showbiz marvel that it is today while holding on to the values of hard work and family at the town's cultural foundation. And learn about the emergence of newer acts like the Duttons, the Hughes Brothers and Shoji Tabuchi in a place where Broadway and the backwoods shake hands and SIX voices is all that is needed to produce a full orchestra.

Cover image for The Heart of Branson, isbn: 9781609490041

Wicked Ypsilanti

9781626193352

$21.99

People know Ypsilanti as a warm and friendly family city, but local historian James Thomas Mann reveals an unsavory history behind the pleasant new veneer. An offshoot of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang called God's Children, also known as the Huns of Detroit, once ran armed and naked through the streets. A lady managed to cheat death from a bullet, thanks to her steel corset. And a crooked cop managed to collect paychecks under different names multiple times. Discover these and more fascinatingly sordid stories buried in this quiet community's seemingly innocent past.

Cover image for Wicked Ypsilanti, isbn: 9781626193352

Cincinnati Boxing

9780738541129

$24.99

On August 29, 1885, Cincinnati was the scene for the first modern heavyweight championship boxing match using gloves. The Boston Strong Boy, John L. Sullivan, met Dominick McCaffrey at the city's Chester Park that day and came away with the referee's decision. By this time, Cincinnati had been a noted boxing site since the Civil War years, and over the next several decades, it developed a remarkable number of fine boxers in both the professional and amateur ranks. Out of the many gymnasiums in Over-the-Rhine and the West End came world champions such as Freddie Miller, Ezzard Charles, Bud Smith, and Aaron Pryor. This book is the story of a fascinating aspect of Cincinnati's great sports heritage--the boxing game--with all its leather-punching drama. From the frontierlike matches of the 19th-century river town to the urban ethnic and social influences of the 20th and 21st centuries, Cincinnati Boxing brings a rich part of local history to life.

Book cover Cincinnati Boxing with a vintage boxing photograph of fighters.

Haunted Wausau

9781609491109

$21.99

Walk through the "Gateway to the Northwoods" into a place teeming with apparitions, electrical disturbances, physical manifestations and veiled forces. Glide among the praying whispers in the basement of Rogers Theater or the unmanned piano music floating through the halls of the Hotel Wausau and gaze upon the unusual acorn pyramid at the Gillett home. Join Wausau Paranormal Research Society members Shawn Blaschka, Anji Spialek and Sharon Abitz as they present what they have discovered about Annie and the Blue Cowboy, the Bat-Man and the Mosinee poltergeist. This chilling collection of ghost lore searches out the dark secrets of Wausau's most public places.

Cover image for Haunted Wausau, isbn: 9781609491109

Wicked Springfield

9781596299016

$21.99

In the twenty-four years that Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield, the city saw its share of crime, corruption and scandal, much of it at the hands of Lincoln's law clients and acquaintances. Erika Holst sheds light on these shady characters, from the man being sued for divorce who claimed that he caught his venereal disease from an outhouse to Governor William Bissell, whose near duel with Jefferson Davis almost made him ineligible to hold office. Learn what prompted a congressional candidate- in an election clerked by Lincoln- to shout down his accuser as some 'spindle-shanked, toad-eating, man-granny, who feeds the depraved appetites of his patrons with gossip and slander.' Read the true stories that fed those depraved appetites, drawn from the newspapers Lincoln read and the docket where he practiced law. In these pages, discover the wicked side of Lincoln's Springfield.

Cover image for Wicked Springfield, isbn: 9781596299016

Haunted Willoughby, Ohio

9781596294325

$21.99

Make sure the flashlight is on for these historic, haunted, chilling tales of the town of Willoughby as told by one of Northeast Ohio's most respected paranormal investigators.

Willoughby, a historic town located 20-miles east of Cleveland, has a chilling history sure to engage everyone from the most casual reader of ghost stories to the most dedicated paranormal researcher. Welcome to Willoughby Cemetery, where the Girl in Blue's restless spirit lingers near her grave, waiting to engage even the most skeptical visitors. Enter Willoughby Coal & Supply Company at your own risk and delve into the mysterious death of owner Don Norris in 1947. Meet Zip, whose spirit continues to watch over the building and, according to local legend, guards a hidden treasure to this day. Face the menacing apparitions that peer from the building's darkened windows at night for all of the locals to see. From ancient Whittlesey legends, and echoes of events that have shaped the course of the town, to tales of the tragic and bizarre, Haunted Willoughby, Ohio combines folklore, local legends and mysteries, first-person accounts, historical facts, and archival and contemporary images to capture the city's supernatural past and present.

A must for any ghost hunter or lover of tales of historic haunts, join local expert Cathi Weber, who has led countless investigations around Lake County and is the founder of Willoughby Area Paranormal Education and Research Society, as she explores the traditions, spooky heritage and true stories that are part of Willoughby's high-spirited history.

Haunted Willoughby Ohio book cover with a moon over a brick house

Wabaunsee County

9780738560779

$24.99

In 2009, Wabaunsee County will celebrate its 150th anniversary. Although Wabaunsee County was first created in 1855 by the Kansas territorial legislature as Richardson County, it had no county government and was attached to neighboring Shawnee County in legal jurisdiction. In 1859, the legislature renamed the county Wabaunsee, after the Potawatomi Indian chief, and in March of that year, the first election for county officers was held. The county lies in the heart of the Kansas Flint Hills, and it boasts some of the most beautiful landscapes in the state. While located only 30 miles from the state capital in Topeka, it retains its rural atmosphere, even today. The largest of its seven incorporated towns has less than 1,000 residents. The earliest settlers lived among large populations of Native Americans. During the Civil War, the Underground Railroad operated actively in the county. In 1880, the first railroad was built in the county, and the towns along its line boomed. When a second line was introduced in 1887, the county saw its greatest growth. Today residents enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the rugged Flint Hills, lush pastures, and fertile bottomland sustaining the local economy as it has for a century and a half. A large section of highway across the county has been designated the Kansas Native Stone Scenic Byway, and tourism has begun to play an increasingly larger role in the county's economy.

Book cover Wabaunsee County with a historic town street scene and a bank storefront

Butler County

9780738560519

$24.99

Harvey L. Boston opened the Boston Studio in downtown David City in 1893. For about the next 35 years, Boston personally recorded the people and places of Butler County using photography. Boston had an eye for detail, and through his photographs, one is able to inspect and appreciate the clothing of the early years of the 20th century: from everyday styles to formal and special occasion costumes. The Boston Studio was opened toward the end of what was known as the Victorian era, a time when how a woman and members of her family dressed was a reflection of the family's prosperity. This attention to detail is very evident in the photographs taken by Boston. The various fashions worn by Butler County residents provide a wealth of information about a person's life, even when information about that person is not otherwise known. While once almost lost to history, the Boston Studio Collection of approximately 60,000 negatives has now been preserved and is available for the public to again appreciate for its historic value. The more than 200 Boston photographs carefully selected for this book demonstrate what life was like in Butler County between 1900 and 1920 and feature a cross-sampling of the people, both well known and anonymous, who were responsible for influencing the early history of Butler County.

Cover image for Butler County, isbn: 9780738560519

Washington

9780738551050

$24.99

In 1825, a blacksmith from North Carolina by the name of William Holland settled in an area east of Peoria. Holland had been employed by the United States government to manufacture rifles for the Native American population in the area, and he later laid out the original town that would be named Washington. This town soon included the proud and beloved commercial square and the beautiful neighborhoods that surround and support it to this day.

Postcard History Series book cover titled Washington with a sepia street scene

Akron-Canton Baseball Heritage

9780738551135

$24.99

Baseball has a strong presence in the Akron-Canton area dating back to its formative years in the late 1880s with such teams as the Akron Acorns (1887), the Akron Akrons (1890), and the Canton Nadjys (1889). In the 1920s, manufacturing companies such as Goodyear and Firestone fielded baseball teams that battled for local bragging rights and opportunities for players to make the big leagues. Along with these industrial leagues, professional baseball found its way to the Akron-Canton area with minor-league teams including the Akron Yankees (1935-1941), the Canton-Akron Indians (1989-1996), and the Akron Aeros (1997-). In addition to teams affiliated with major-league ball clubs, this area gave birth to independent teams such as the Canton Crocodiles (1997-2001), the Canton Coyotes (2002), and others. Besides professional baseball gracing local fields, nearby universities have storied baseball programs of their own. These schools have turned out such major-league greats as Eugene Michael, Thurman Munson, and 1980 Cy Young winner Steve Stone. Akron-Canton Baseball Heritage offers a unique look into the history of baseball in the region with historic and present-day photographs.

Akron Canton Baseball Heritage cover with a vintage batter in a red framed square against a grayscale baseball stadium backdrop

Lorain County Metro Parks:

9780738551081

$24.99

The success that is today's Lorain County Metropolitan Park District belies a 50-year history of events, people, and benchmarks that are, all at once, surprising, amazing, strange, and inspiring. Everything from the Paper Park District beginnings to the award-winning computerized reservation system, from early picnic tables made out of recycled utility cable spools to the multigenerational, year-round recreation of SplashZone, from the "out of this world" playground called Astro City to one of the country's longest foot trail bridges that crosses the Black River twice within its 1,000-foot span, from Otto Schoepfle's "garden that grew" to the cutting-edge program technology of Interactive Video Distance Learning, and from the 1969 flood and the 1992 tornado to the majestic return of the bald eagle to Lorain County is all captured here in the pictures and captions of Lorain County Metro Parks: The First 50 Years.

Lorain County Metro Parks The First 50 Years book cover with a sepia riverbank park scene.

Peoria

9780738554693

$24.99

Featuring more than 200 vintage postcards, Peoria: A Postcard History captures the changing scenes of the river and downtown Peoria from 1900 to 1950.

One of the largest cities in Illinois, Peoria is the seat of Peoria County and lies on the Illinois River where it forms Lake Peoria. Located in the state's central-farm country, Peoria is a manufacturing center known as the ""Earth-Moving Equipment Capital of the World. "" Distilling has also been important in Peoria, which was home to the world's largest distillery, Hiram Walker and Sons, in 1933. Peoria: A Postcard History will allow you to visit ""the world's most beautiful drive,"" as proclaimed by President Theodore Roosevelt during his visit to Grand View Drive in an automobile manufactured in Peoria Heights.

Peoria A Postcard History book cover featuring a sepia photo of rowers on a river.

Haunted Chippewa Valley

9781609499778

$21.99

The Chippewa Valley is nestled snugly in a vast tract of Wisconsin farmland that offered early settlers a secure place to settle into the American dream. But the valley also harbors a strange and sometimes confusing past. From the boisterous activity of the lumber boom to the lingering stillness of the Eau Claire Asylum, this northwestern corner of the Badger State is filled with tragic stories and tall tales. Cast off with the ghost ferries of Caryville or stand vigil in the small, secluded cemetery where the spirits of children come out to play. Join Devon Bell on a journey into the eerie history of the Chippewa Valley.

Cover image for Haunted Chippewa Valley, isbn: 9781609499778

Dover

9780738577128

$24.99

In 1807, Christian Deardorff and Jesse Slingluff set out for the Ohio frontier. Before leaving, the men laid out the plat of a village that would sit at the banks of the Tuscarawas River. Over the next 10 years as Deardorff toiled away in his bachelor cabin, he held on to the dream of building his vision. The original plat map the two men devised contained 256 lots with land set aside for churches, schools, and a spacious downtown square. Today, over 200 years after Slingluff and Deardorff filed their plat at Zanesville, Dover continues to reflect their vision of a pleasant little town situated on the Tuscarawas River.

Cover image for Dover, isbn: 9780738577128

The Shocking Story of Helmuth Schmidt

9781626190177

$21.99

In the fall of 1916, New York housemaid Augusta Steinbach fell in love with a man she met through a matrimonial advertisement in her local newspaper. She traveled to Detroit to marry her correspondent, but in March 1917, she mysteriously disappeared. What began as a routine search for a missing person turned into a baffling case of deception, bigamy and murder. Follow detectives as they unravel the tangled web spun by Michigan's original lonely hearts killer--a criminal mastermind the Detroit News dubbed one of America's master outlaws.

Cover image for The Shocking Story of Helmuth Schmidt, isbn: 9781626190177

Sheboygan Tales of the Tragic & Bizarre

9781609490355

$21.99

The untold stories of the tranquil town of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, that have been swept under the rug or lost over the years.

Sheboygan deserves its reputation as a conservative city clean, quiet and law-abiding. But here are some stories that have been swept under the rug or lost overboard. Venture into the mists of the Lake Michigan Triangle that have swallowed boats, planes and entire tribes. Investigate speakeasy shootings, safes burgled by a fly swatter, poisoned Christmas candy, flaming shipwrecks and the hoax that had militiamen firing on their own cattle. Or just sit down with some bizarre anecdotes about a hometown you thought you knew, from the town's first baseball game to the man freed from jail by a jug of whiskey to the deputy sheriff who had to enforce Nicholas Hoffman's first bath in 50 years.

Cover image for Sheboygan Tales of the Tragic & Bizarre, isbn: 9781609490355

Metro Detroit's High School Basketball Rivalries

9780738560144

$24.99

Few cities can claim a hardwood heritage like that found in metro Detroit. Metro Detroit has been the epicenter for cataclysmic change in the past 60 years that no other major American city has suffered, but the one constant among so much upheaval is a passionate following afforded high school basketball. The rise and fall of the automotive industry, the Motown record label's emergence and eventual relocation, social and racial unrest, and the polarization of one of America's great cities has not slowed the love and passion Detroiters-city and suburban dwellers alike-share for prep basketball.

Cover image for Metro Detroit's High School Basketball Rivalries, isbn: 9780738560144

Canton Township

9780738540986

$24.99

Canton Township: The Corn Capital of Michigan.

Canton Township, which took its name from the city in China to distinguish itself from other early American communities, has a rich agricultural heritage, evident from its nickname. The pioneers who traveled to Canton in the first half of the 19th century were a hearty breed of farmers and settlers who cleared land, built roads, and forged a life for their families in the wilderness of the Northwest Territories. No single town center emerged, but two villages--Sheldon Corners and Cherry Hill--sprang up to provide centers of community activity in their churches, post offices, and general stores. Eventually the appearance of the automobile and the expressway dramatically altered the landscape of Canton Township, leading to the commercial development and housing boom of today.

Sepia-toned group portrait on a porch for Canton Township book cover

Upper Peninsula Beer

9781626195684

$21.99

Brewing came to the Upper Peninsula in the 1600s, when French fur traders substituted pine needles for hops in batches of spruce beer. Promoted as a health drink, the evergreen suds remained in favor with the British army when it occupied the region. German immigrants drawn in by the mining boom introduced more variety to the area's fermented beverage selection, and the first of many commercial breweries opened in Sault Ste. Marie in 1850. Today, Keweenaw, Blackrocks and Ore Dock Brewing Companies are a few of the local craft brewers canning, bottling and shipping the malty flavor of the Peninsula throughout Michigan, Wisconsin and beyond.

Cover image for Upper Peninsula Beer, isbn: 9781626195684

Dell Rapids

9780738593760

$24.99

Formed by settlers in search of a new future in the early 1870s, what is now known as Dell Rapids has had its share of historical significance through the years. From the 1888 Valentine's Day fire that devastated the town's Main Street to the 1934 bank robbery perpetrated by the FBI's "Public Enemy No. 1" Maurice Denning, Dells has not been free from disaster. But resting on the pillars of faith, family, and community, the town has thrived, boasting original structures, thriving quarries, and annual traditions that have stood through time. Bolstered by innovators such as Titus Unger, whose minnow bucket is the top-selling one in the United States, and Charlotte Elliott, who is known for her work in bacteriology in corn crops, the city has its share of notable residents. From the early pioneers struggling to eke out a living and work the land to the ever-growing modern population, Dell Rapids has lived up to its name as "The Little City with Big Attractions."

Dell Rapids cover from Images of America showing a sepia scene with two people on a bridge over rocky water

Haunted Mantorville

9781609491093

$21.99

Stroll into Mantorville, and you get the sense that it is a place where you could comfortably live forever. Ghosts seem to feel the same way, and this excursion into the stories of their activity keeps pace with the feverish bustle buried in the town's heritage. From ruined breweries to opera house mummies, Christopher Larsen takes the measure of one of Minnesota's most historic and haunted places. The tale of his investigations might not rob Mantorville of its charm, but when you walk into a gift shop that was once a funeral parlor, you might be a little more susceptible to a shiver.

Haunted Mantorville book cover showing a dark Minnesota town and the bold title Trailing the Ghosts of Old Minnesota.

Montgomery County

9780738577197

$24.99

Montgomery County was one of the last areas in Iowa to be settled. For many years it was considered to be uninhabitable and of little value-until the men and women with hopes and dreams began to settle, build towns, and till the rich, fertile soil. The Forks, Binn's Grove, Hungry Hollow, Frankfort, Milford, Red Oak Junction, Stanton, Villisca, and many more settlements came into being, budding with promise, but the coming of the railroad determined the survival of them all. Some are still thriving cities, while others are no more than a fading memory that only the winds of the prairie can recall.

Montgomery County Images of America book cover featuring a vintage baseball game photograph.

Haunted Joplin

9781609496326

$21.99

The barrier between Joplin's boisterous past and its present is as flimsy as a swinging saloon door. Lisa Livingston-Martin kicks it wide open in this ghostly history. In her expert company, tour a hotel with a reputation made from equal parts opulence and tragedy. Visit that house of horrors, the Stefflebeck Bordello, where guests regularly got the axe and were disposed of in mine shafts. Navigate through angry lynch mobs and vengeful patrols of Civil War spirits. Catch a glimpse of Bonnie and Clyde. Keep your wits about you--it's haunted Joplin.

Cover image for Haunted Joplin, isbn: 9781609496326

The Haunted Boonslick

9781609492083

$21.99

There is some uncertainty about the exact borders of the region that bounds the Boonslick trail but little doubt about the palpable and unsettling presence of its history. Stir up Missourians from St. Louis to Jackson County with the mention of ghosts, and after a few minutes of demurring, you will soon have more stories than you can shake a sheet at. Attend to the haunting music of John Blind Boone or the otherworldly poetry of Patience Worth. Crouch down in Civil War battlefields, crowded taverns or the uncomfortable saddle of a headless horse. Wend your way through Missouri's haunted heart: the Boonslick.

Cover image for The Haunted Boonslick, isbn: 9781609492083

Women's Baseball

9780738533803

$24.99

In 1866, just one year after the end of the Civil War, the first documented female baseball players took to the field at Vassar College.

Those early pioneers paved the way for women who would play baseball as both amateurs and professionals up to the present day. Some were headlining stars on barnstorming teams, while others organized and operated their own teams, and from the 1890s through the 1930s they were known as Bloomer Girls, due to the baggy pants created by Amelia Bloomer. In 1988, the American Women's Baseball Association began play in the Chicago area. With play starting in 1990, the Washington (DC) Metropolitan Women's Baseball League is now the oldest operating women's amateur baseball league in the country. In 2001, a true baseball World Series was held in Toronto, Canada, with women's baseball teams from the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia. That event will celebrate its fifth season in 2005.

Cover of Women's Baseball book featuring vintage photos of women playing baseball.

Cincinnati, OH:

9781439600689

$11.99

Do you know... WHAT ingredients are in Cincinnati's own chili recipe? (Hint: It's pasta perfect!) WHY Cincinnati was once nicknamed "Porkopolis?" (Hint: It had nothing to do with the weight of its citizens!) Find these answers and more in Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know--an interesting little book about a very special place on the planet!

Arcadia Kids is a new series of fun, colorful, easy-to-read books for children ages 7-11 featuring attention-grabbing cover art, inviting conversational style content, and vivid full-color images of landmarks and geography. Parents, grandparents, and savvy shoppers will appreciate the feel good factor of purchasing books that are both fun AND educational.

Colorful children's book cover Cincinnati OH Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know Arcadia Kids

Kankakee

9780738540603

$24.99

Kankakee County was organized in early 1853. In June 1853, the village of Kankakee Depot, later known as the city of Kankakee, was declared the new county seat. The establishment of both Kankakee County and the city of Kankakee owed a great deal to the railroad, particularly the Illinois Central Railroad. By the end of the 19th century, the county had become an important railroad hub where several important lines converged and the city had become a commercial and manufacturing center. By 1900, Kankakee was a growing community possessing a vibrant economy and many fine public and private buildings. The city was also host to the Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane, renamed the Kankakee State Hospital in 1910, which at the beginning of the 20th century was the second-largest mental health facility in the United States. It was probably the Kankakee River that most clearly defi ned the community. Many of Kankakee's citizens boated on the beautiful river and enjoyed good times at the "new-fangled" amusement facility, Electric Park. The over 200 vintage postcards displayed in this book illustrate the exciting period from 1900 to 1916.

Cover image for Kankakee, isbn: 9780738540603

Sister Lakes

9780738551463

$24.99

Selected from over 1,000 postcards representing 125 years of Michigan history, discover the life and times of this favorite Michigan destination.

For over 125 years, generations of vacationers have made the annual journey to the Sister Lakes region of southwest Michigan. Their experiences and photographs represent a cultural snapshot of a summer spent at a group of Midwest lakes.

Sister Lakes postcard history book cover with a vintage lakeside group photograph

Walworth County Fair

9780738534459

$24.99

Dubbed the "Great Fair" in 1918, the Walworth County Fair is one of the largest in the United States. The fair festivities have been summer's final fling and a chance to welcome the coming autumn for generations of local residents and
visitors alike. Each Labor Day weekend, thousands of enthusiasts from across the Midwest flock to the city of Elkhorn; in early years, 19 special trains even shuttled visitors from southeastern Wisconsin and every town along the length of the state line. Through a collection of 200 vintage images, author Taylor Pipes details the fair's rich history from its founding in 1851 to the present. Photographs depict celebration and fire, 4-H judging and
showing animals, and the rides and food booths that form an integral backdrop for any fair.

Walworth County Fair book cover showing a crowded sepia toned fairground with tents and people.

Preston

9780738532363

$24.99

Nestled in a lush valley along the banks of the Root River, Preston, Minnesota, is ideally located at the geographic center of Fillmore County. The earliest settlers found the area rich with everything they needed to build a community: timber, building stone, water power, and fertile soils. By 1860, Preston was a bustling business and government center in the heart of the most populous county in Minnesota. With rare and vintage photographs culled from the collection of the Fillmore County History Center, as well as from the albums and scrapbooks of many local residents, this book brings together nearly 200 images of Preston and its environs.

Cover image for Preston, isbn: 9780738532363

Chippiannock Cemetery

9780738577418

$24.99

Built on a ridge named for the great Native American spirit Manitou, Chippiannock Cemetery has honored the dead of Rock Island County for over 150 years. Chippiannock, which means village of the dead in the Sauk and Fox languages, is truly a village. People from all walks of life are buried in the majestic rolling grounds. From railroad and lumber barons to blacksmiths and riverboat captains, here one will find the people who made this land along the Mississippi River thrive. Upon stepping through the gates of Chippiannock, one finds memorials to the dead, ranging from artistic and stately to simple or humble. Each stone tells a story-whether it is a cenotaph in honor of Civil War major general John Buford or the two Dimick children who passed away on the same day in 1878 of diphtheria. Today Chippiannock remains an active, living cemetery, beloved by locals and considered a jewel of the Quad Cities.

Cover image for Chippiannock Cemetery, isbn: 9780738577418

A Chicago Firehouse

9780738518572

$24.99

From its humble beginnings in 1884 as a one-story frame building with one bay to house Hose Company 4 and its team of horses, Engine Company 78 has been the firefighting sentinel at the end of Waveland Avenue, sitting in the shadow of Wrigley Field. Using vintage photographs and moving stories from firefighters themselves, Karen Kruse captures the spirit and heroism of this historic Chicago landmark. Captain Robert F. Kruse served the Chicago Fire Department for 30 years, half of those at Wrigleyville's Engine 78. Growing up within the tight-knit firefighting community, Ms. Kruse records the dramatic and touching stories from her father's and his peers' experiences, and combines them in this volume exploring the unique history of Lakeview's firehouse, including a foreword by Mike Ditka and preface by Fire Commissioner James Joyce. With details about little known historic districts and a brief guide to Chicago's cemeteries and their relations to firefighters, A Chicago Firehouse: Stories of Wrigleyville's Engine 78 relays in first-hand accounts some of Chicago's most fiery tragedies, the brave men who battled them, and the diversity of the neighborhood that housed them.

Book cover for A Chicago Firehouse featuring a vintage firefighter helmet and Engine 78

Forgotten Hoosiers

9781596297463

$21.99

Vowing to overcome the sin of seriousness, Indiana-born humorist Don Herold lived up to his promise. Gifted with a droll sense of humor and a vivid imagination, he was one of the most widely read, if least remembered, Hoosiers. In Forgotten Hoosiers, journalist Fred D. Cavinder presents a collection of biographical sketches charting the lives of noteworthy Hoosiers who have been overlooked, as well as acclaimed figures whose Hoosier origins have been obscured. From Harland David Sanders, the pioneering Kentucky colonel who developed the world-famous chicken franchise, to Samuel G. Woodfill, whom many have called the greatest hero of World War I, Hoosiers- both known and unknown- have continued to make their marks across the country and the world.

Cover image for Forgotten Hoosiers, isbn: 9781596297463

Where Cleveland Played

9781596292703

$21.99

Cleveland shrines, now gone save for League Park's crumbling remnants, hosted American sports heroes and icons, rock legends and hockey stars.

Babe Ruth launched his 500th home run at League Park, where Indians great Bob Feller, all cleft chin and leg kick, debuted. A young and seemingly weightless Michael Jordan sunk the Cavs and Craig Ehlo at Richfield. Jim Brown broke the will of opponents at Municipal, where both Larry Doby--the first black American Leaguer--and Frank Robinson--baseball's first black manager--shattered color barriers. Morris Eckhouse and Greg Crouse delve into the city's lost sports sanctuaries, where Clevelanders rejoiced and wept, experiencing moments of jubilation and ineffable sadness that remain glowing and raw.

Cover image for Where Cleveland Played, isbn: 9781596292703

Detroit's Statler and Book-Cadillac Hotels

9780738520254

$24.99

During the first three decades of the 20th century, Detroit's Washington Boulevard was transformed from a minor backstreet into a major commercial and social center. Three brothers named Book dreamed that Washington Boulevard would become "the Fifth Avenue of the Midwest." It was through their efforts, as well as those of businessmen like E.M. Statler, that the dream became a reality. The two fundamental developments that anchored this dream were the massive Statler and Book-Cadillac Hotels.

Between the 1920s and 1960s, Detroit's finest hotels fiercely competed with one another for the lion's share of tourist, convention, business, and dining traffic. This book serves as a comparative study of the Book-Cadillac and Statler Hotels of Detroit, and their impact on the development of Washington Boulevard. Here you will find the story of these two legendary institutions, illustrated with over 180 photographs from the Burton Historical Collection, Manning Brothers, the Walter Reuther Library, and private collections.

Sepia toned Detroit street scene with tall historic buildings and a red caption bar at the bottom.

Wichita State Baseball Comes Back

9781626193826

$21.99

There were no bats or balls on the campus of Wichita State University in the spring of 1977. Five years later, the resurrected varsity baseball program was in the final game of the College World Series, fulfilling the seemingly impossible promise made by Gene Stephenson when he began recruiting players to a place that didn't even have a practice field. Stephenson would lead the Shockers for over three decades, but those first five years with the team set him on the course that put him among the winningest coaches in college baseball history..

Cover image for Wichita State Baseball Comes Back, isbn: 9781626193826

Wicked Joplin

9781609490935

$21.99

A strange sort of pride tends to embellish infamy, like the notion that Frank and Jesse James robbed every bank in Missouri. But the citizens of Joplin need not exaggerate their community's unsavory past. Founded in the 1870s as a booming lead-mining camp, Joplin was a wide-open town from the start, and its wild reputation persisted into the mid-twentieth century. A neighboring town's newspaper aptly described Joplin as a naughty place.� Join author Larry Wood on a colorful tour of the city's raucous past.

Cover image for Wicked Joplin, isbn: 9781609490935

Wicked Hamtramck

9781596298965

$21.99

Hamtramck's population bulged to 56,000 from a mere 3,500 in the early twentieth century, a sixteen-fold increase that created the perfect environment for crime and corruption to flourish. Post-Prohibition, bars sprang up in quick order, until there were at least two hundred within this wide-open town's 2.1 square miles, giving it more bars per capita than any other city in America; even the Dodge brothers served barrels of beer to their workers. Follow local historian Greg Kowalski through the underbelly of Hamtramck, from the painted women openly flaunting their tainted charms from undraped windows to the nefarious plots crafted behind the walls of the International Workers Home on Yemens Street. Welcome to the height of Hamtramck's infamy, where anything could happen--for a price.

Cover image for Wicked Hamtramck, isbn: 9781596298965

Olmsted Falls

9780738550909

$24.99

Settled in the early 1800s, Olmsted Falls was originally known as Kingston Township before being named Olmsted Falls, after Aaron Olmstead, first purchaser of the land from the Connecticut Land Company. It merged with the Village of Westview in 1971, and the City of Olmsted Falls was established in 1972. In 1989, longtime resident and realtor Clint Williams bought many buildings in the town center and restored and redeveloped them into an area known as Grand Pacific Junction, after the Grand Pacific Hotel, once the social center of the community. It is celebrated as one of the most authentic and revitalized town center historic districts in Ohio. Many of the buildings have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Cover image for Olmsted Falls, isbn: 9780738550909

AsiaTown Cleveland

9781626195523

$21.99

For years, Cleveland's Chinese residents struggled to find a secure place in the city. Immigrants came with dreams of building a better life, but without English proficiency, prospects dimmed, and emigres often earned poor pay for long hours of strenuous work. In 1925, Cleveland police responded to an especially brutal outbreak of the tong war violence ravaging the community by arresting every Chinese person in the city, creating an international scandal. In spite of the anti-Asian sentiment of the time, the community persevered and paved the way for its current entrepreneurial success. Today, Clevelanders and tourists travel to the growing AsiaTown neighborhood to enjoy authentic Asian dinners, shop at Asian-owned stores and enjoy Asian-themed karaoke nights in newly built malls and century-old former residential homes. Alan F. Dutka vividly portrays one of the oldest and most culturally diverse neighborhoods in the city.

Cover image for AsiaTown Cleveland, isbn: 9781626195523

Wicked Indianapolis

9781609492052

$21.99

These are not the aspects of Indianapolis history you'll see flaunted in visitors' brochures.

These are the abhorrent, the grim, the can't-look-away misdeeds and miscreants of this city's past, when bicycle messenger boys peddled through the night to link prostitutes with johns and when the bigoted masses tightened their grip on the city behind mayor and Klansman John Duvall. From the unseemly to the deviant to the disastrous, Hoosier Andrew E. Stoner brings you lives as out of control as the worst wreck at the Indy 500 with a history as regrettable as it is riveting.

Cover image for Wicked Indianapolis, isbn: 9781609492052

The McKinley Monument

9781596291072

$21.99

This fascinating new book chronicles the design and construction of the McKinley National Memorial in Canton, Ohio. This magnificent structure is the final resting place for William McKinley, 25th President of the United States, his wife Ida and their two young daughters. Constructed from 1905 to 1907, the McKinley National Memorial marks the 100th anniversary of its dedication in 2007.

The McKinley Monument not only presents the construction of the memorial, it also provides a look at President McKinley's life and tragic death, a biographical sketch of architect Harold Van Buren Magonigle and the poignant dedication ceremony with keynote speaker President Theodore Roosevelt. It includes many never-before-seen photographs, including the designs that were not chosen and rare shots of some of the workers.

As the community celebrates the century mark of a spectacular national landmark, author Christopher Kenney has brought the story into the modern age, recording the extensive renovation work and conservation measures that will preserve the McKinley National Memorial for at least another 100 years.

Front cover of The McKinley Monument showing a monument and a ceremonial procession with a large crowd

Youngstown State University

9780738551272

$24.99

As Youngstown State University prepares to celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2008, this book is a reflection on its history and heritage. Starting as a YMCA law school in 1908, the institution that became Youngstown State University is now a major and vital force in the community and the region. The images collected here illustrate the transformation of the institution from a storefront operation in the downtown area, to classroom space in former mansions, to a full-blown 21st-century campus. As the community itself became more diverse, the institution that it spawned followed suit as did its student body, faculty, staff, and programs.

Youngstown State University book cover from the Campus History Series featuring a sepia group photo of students.

Southwest Garden

9780738561851

$24.99

The Southwest Garden neighborhood borders two internationally known St. Louis landmarks, the Missouri Botanical Garden, founded in 1859, and Tower Grove Park, established in 1868. The land for both the garden and the park was donated by their founder, Henry Shaw, a botanist and philanthropist. Both destinations are designated as national historic landmarks--the garden is one of the oldest in the United States, and the park shares the honor of being on the National Register of Historic Places with only three other municipal parks in the nation. The botanical garden is the best place to start a historical walking tour of the Southwest Garden neighborhood.

Southwest Garden book cover depicting a sepia market scene with three men standing outside a storefront.

Hannibal, Missouri

9781609492212

$21.99

There's something magical about Hannibal, as if the town is frozen in time, as if you can look over your shoulder and see Tom and Huck making their way down to Bear Creek, fishing poles in hand. But set aside Twain for a moment (if that is possible to do in Hannibal) and drink in the broader vistas of the town's past. Imagine the pioneers who first settled between these bluffs, the riverboat calliopes singing their tunes as they pulled into port, the smell of fresh-cut lumber. Wave to the fashionable ladies parading down Broadway during the Gilded Age or save your greeting for visitors like FDR, Truman and Carter. Take countless more imaginative steps back through Hannibal's heritage in this accessible history by Ken and Lisa Marks.

Cover image for Hannibal, Missouri, isbn: 9781609492212

A View From Chicago's City Hall

9780738563732

$24.99

A View from City Hall: Mid-Century to Millennium offers readers a richly detailed, visual road map of Chicago as viewed from the mayor's office in City Hall. Within these pages are emblematic images of Chicago evolving from blue-ribbon Mayor Martin Kennelly's 1947-1955 administration through his successors, including the city's first and second black mayors, the city's first female mayor, the city's first non-Irish mayor since 1933, and finally, the Daley "double," Richard J. and Richard M. Witness the excitement as City Hall rolls out the welcome wagon for traveling kings and queens, dignitaries, and counts, as well as figures of great historic import, including Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bishop Tutu, and Frank Sinatra. View rare scenes of the "builder" mayor tradition and the construction of such architectural triumphs as the Sears Tower, which was then the world's-tallest building. With over 200 photographs
accompanied by informative captions, this volume highlights a variety of Chicago's ethnic festivals, parades, and political campaigns, skillfully bringing each scene to life.

Book cover of A View From Chicago's City Hall showing a vintage city hall scene with bold title Mid-century to Millennium

Columbus Radio

9781467124409

$24.99

Two professors and a preacher invented Columbus radio. It began with science experiments in classrooms and a minister's desire to expand beyond his churchgoing audience. By 1922, government licenses had been issued for WEAO at Ohio State University and WJD at Denison University. At this same time, a Baptist minister went on the air for an hour each Sunday morning using a 10-watt transmitter licensed as WMAN. In this story of Columbus radio, the work of the professors and the preacher will evolve into radio with advertiser-supported programs of information and entertainment. Three important radio stations will serve a growing Columbus radio audience in different ways: WEAO becomes WOSU, a national pioneer in using radio for teaching; WMAN becomes WCOL and in the 1960s is number one in audience size; and CBS affiliate WBNS becomes the class act of Columbus radio, retaining the major share of local listeners for many decades. Including many other stations of lesser influence, the illustrated stories of Columbus radio are told in this book.

Columbus Radio book cover showing a woman at a vintage microphone with two men.

Calvin Coolidge in the Black Hills

9781467119313

$21.99

On August 2, 1927, President Calvin Coolidge shocked the nation by announcing he would not seek reelection. The declaration came from the Black Hills of South Dakota, where Coolidge was vacationing to escape the oppressive Washington summer and to win over politically rebellious farmers. He passed his time at rodeos, fishing, meeting Native American dignitaries and kick-starting the stagnant carving of Mount Rushmore. But scandal was never far away as Coolidge dismissed a Secret Service man in a fit of anger. Was it this internal conflict that led Coolidge to make his famous announcement or the magic of the Black Hills? Veteran South Dakota journalist Seth Tupper chronicles Coolidge's Black Hills adventure and explores the lasting legacy of the presidential summer on the region.

Cover image for Calvin Coolidge in the Black Hills, isbn: 9781467119313

Mackinaw City

9780738551340

$24.99

Rich in history, magnificent in scenery, and abundant in hospitality, Mackinaw City lies at the very tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and is the area's own majestic playground. From early Native American settlements, French explorers, and fur traders to Mackinaw City founding father Edgar Conkling's vision to build a business center upon the south shore of the Mackinac Straits, Mackinaw City does not disappoint anyone who visits it. Due to its strategic location on the crossroads of the Great Lakes, this area has always been a gathering place for early inhabitants. When the railroad arrived in the late 1800s, it provided needed transportation with unique railroad and car ferries to and from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Today Mackinaw City still enjoys the distinction of being one of the most popular historical resort areas in Michigan. Through the insight of talented individuals who had the foresight to capture history with the interesting and colorful medium of the postcard, one is able to learn and smile at Mackinaw days gone by.

Mackinaw City Postcard History Series cover with a sepia lighthouse photograph

West Ridge

9780738561509

$24.99

While West Ridge residents often disagree about what to call their neighborhood--West Rogers Park to some, North Town to others--the people of this north side community share a common commitment to the American dream. Drawn by inexpensive land 10 miles north of the burgeoning city of Chicago, European immigrants settled here in the 1830s along the high grounds west of a glacial ridge known today as Ridge Boulevard. Dubbed "Cabbage Heads" by their Rogers Park neighbors, the citizens of West Ridge boldly incorporated as a village in 1890, remaining independent until its 1893 annexation to Chicago. Over time, West Ridge blossomed from sparsely populated farmland into a dynamic neighborhood with Devon Avenue at its core. Now home to one of the Midwest's largest Jewish communities, a hub of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi culture, and a haven for newcomers from Russia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, West Ridge remains a port of entry for immigrants and a place where cultures coalesce. In West Ridge, one can play bridge or cricket, worship at mass or the mosque, eat kosher or curry--all within a few city blocks.

West Ridge book cover showing a sepia street scene with trolley tracks, cars, and pedestrians

The Ohio State University Neighborhoods

9780738560342

$24.99

The Ohio State University's surrounding neighborhoods predate the establishment of the nation's largest university. What emerged after the university's founding from NECKO to Glen Echo was a diverse community of people, professions, housing styles, educational experiments, and activism. Despite intense development pressures after World War II and inevitable change to a densely populated area, 80 percent of the historic housing stock remains. The university area neighborhoods have more districts on the National Register of Historic Places and city-protected historic districts than any other area in Columbus. In addition to longtime residents, the University District has been the collegiate incubator of more famous people than any other neighborhood in Ohio--humorist James Thurber, bicycle daredevil Conn Baker, writer Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Dr. Charles Pavey, vaudevillian Elsie Janis, and athlete Jesse Owens, to name a few.

The Ohio State University Neighborhoods book cover featuring three students exiting a storefront on a city street.

Haunted Lansing

9781467140478

$21.99

The founder of Demented Mitten Tours shares chilling supernatural tales from the history of Michigan’s capital.

Hastily dubbed the new capital in 1847, Lansing overcame derision and setbacks to become a booming metropolis. Yet its rich history hides chilling legends…

Bertie Clippinger plays tricks on the unwary at the Capitol Building, where the teen accidentally fell to his death when a game went horribly wrong. One of Lansing's founding families keeps a spectral vigil over its homestead, the Turner Dodge House. Malevolent spirits stalk the derelict Michigan School for the Blind. A witch's vengeful curse follows those who trespass on Seven Gables Road, one of the state's most haunted stretches.

Founder of Demented Mitten Tours and local author Jenn Carpenter leads readers to the dark side of the Capital City.

Cover image for Haunted Lansing, isbn: 9781467140478

People of the Flint Hills

9781626197237

$21.99

The Flint Hills stretch across eighty-two thousand square miles of American history in a long, rocked-up, grassed-up finger pointing from the Oklahoma border all the way to Nebraska. This history winds though the mythos of the cowboy, climbing among families built on fierce independence, respect for the land and the water, and stubborn refusal to sacrifice a way of life to enforced economic change. These stories tell the hard truths of hard people whose traditional values have carried them, have helped them prosper for five generations. Ancestral land belongs these days only to those willing to fight for it. Heaven's own sunsets wait only for the strong and the certain. The world would do well to know these hills and those who live here.

Cover image for People of the Flint Hills, isbn: 9781626197237

Rockford

9780738523415

$24.99

During the early decades of the 20th century, communication by postcard was an inexpensive and popular means of exchanging travel stories, news, and gossip across the United States. For just a few cents each, postcards connected friends and family separated by hundreds of miles. Rockford: 1900-World War I, with a collection of nearly 240 vintage postcard images, captures the details of this dynamic era and documents the Forest City's coming of age.

Inside are views of Rockford's bustling downtown, including rare glimpses of long-gone landmarks like the Grand Opera House and Orpheum Theater. Witness history in the making with Rockford's first recorded airplane flights in 1911 and experience U.S. Army doughboy life at Rockford's Camp Grant. Be there for Teddy Roosevelt's historic visits to Rockford, and marvel at the intrepid companies that turned Rockford into a national manufacturing power.

Cover image for Rockford, isbn: 9780738523415

Columbus and the Great Flood of 1913:

9781626190610

$21.99

Beginning on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, Columbus and the Ohio Valley endured a downpour that would produce the largest flood in one hundred years. Heavy rains came on the heels of an especially cold winter, resulting in a torrent of runoff over saturated and frozen ground. Rivers and streams quickly overflowed and levees failed, sending tsunami-like floodwater into unsuspecting communities and claiming four hundred lives. There were ninety-six deaths in Columbus alone when the swollen Scioto River emptied water that ran nine to seventeen feet deep through the streets of the near west side. Join Conrade C. Hinds and the Columbus Landmarks Foundation in a closer look at a flood disaster that reshaped the American Midwest.

Book cover Columbus and the Great Flood of 1913 showing a historic flood photo with people in a boat

The Athenaeum

9781467104609

$24.99

Das Deutsche Haus, now known as the Athenaeum, is one of the great architectural and historic treasures of Indianapolis. Now recognized as a national landmark, it is emblematic not just of the culture of this great Midwestern city but also of the role of German immigrants, particularly die Freidenker (the freethinkers), who sought to build a community centered on secular ideas and family. It is a cathedral to healthy minds and bodies, boldness and ingenuity, and cultural inclusiveness and the arts. This building’s 19th-century founders would approve of the Athenaeum today—a multicultural center, throbbing with life, that unites a diverse community with its past and beckons a bright future. The structure looks the same as it did a century and a quarter ago and serves much the same purpose.

Cover image for The Athenaeum, isbn: 9781467104609

The Cleveland Grand Prix

9781626195257

$21.99

Home to inventors of the first automobile, airplane and professional baseball team, Ohio is also the birthplace of the first horse show jumping grand prix in the Western Hemisphere. Longtime fans can relive the exciting victories of some of the finest horses and riders in history, while newcomers can experience the Cleveland Grand Prix's glory years as the premier summer social tradition for thousands of spectators. From harness racing to fox hunting, saddle up with equestrian authority Betty Weibel as she explains how this picturesque corner of the Chagrin Valley grew into a world-class horse sport hub.

Cover image for The Cleveland Grand Prix, isbn: 9781626195257

Anderson Township

9781467127134

$24.99

Anderson was established as a township in Hamilton County in 1793, a decade before Ohio became a state. Arriving in the 1790s and early 1800s, early settlers were able to purchase tracts of land suitable for family farms, orchards, and vineyards. Into the early 1900s, Anderson remained a farming community, growing slowly. Railroads introduced into the area in the 1870s offered new opportunities for commerce. Travel along the bordering Ohio and Little Miami Rivers fostered business and recreational activities. The natural beauty of the area attracted families looking for healthy country living. This photographic history of the agriculture, businesses, homes, schools, churches, and other community resources of the area shows how Anderson developed. Many of the amenities residents cherish have their origins in Anderson's early history. Today, Anderson is one of the most desirable places to live and work in the region.

Cover image for Anderson Township, isbn: 9781467127134

The Works Progress Administration in Detroit

9780738551814

$24.99

In the midst of the Depression, a government agency was created that changed the lives of thousands of Americans. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was more than a program that put the unemployed to work, it was a revolutionary concept that sought to improve the lives of Americans through the physical improvement of their surroundings and the physical and intellectual improvement of themselves. For the people of Detroit, the WPA built schools and libraries, provided clothing and shelter, and enriched their lives through literacy, health, and educational programs. It brought art, theater, and music to the masses through groundbreaking cultural programs and created the infrastructure necessary to allow Detroit to blossom into the "Arsenal of Democracy" and one of America's greatest cities.