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Unforgettable Vintage Images of an All-American City.

Robert Sengstacke Abbott had a vision, purpose, and a slogan that said it all: ""American race prejudice must be destroyed.""

In 1905, Abbott created the Chicago Defenderwith 25¢ and a dream in his landlady's kitchen. The Defender was a platform and voice for talents such as Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and W.E.B. DuBois. What began as a humble weekly grew into the largest and most influential Black newspaper in the country, inspiring roughly a million African Americans to leave the oppressive South for a better life in the North. Born in 1868 on the heels of the Reconstruction Era, Abbott--the son of former slaves--managed to influence the first two decades of the 20th century and was a major contributor to the prolific movement known as the ""Great Northern Migration."" Boasting a circulation of over 300,000 nationally, the Defender was secretly delivered by Pullman porters across the United States. By 1920, the paper's tagline read, ""The World's Greatest Weekly."" The story of the Defender is one of inspiration, struggle, triumph, and irreversible pathways being forged.

About half came from the extensive collections of the Public Library and the Historical Society, while the rest were borrowed from local residents. This fascinating compilation features various past and present residents of Chicago Heights, a look at its diverse ethnic groups and religious denominations, and glimpses of old downtown buildings that no longer exist. The city's church groups, ethnic clubs, businesses, factories, and transportation facilities are all pictured here. Along with detailed captions, Chicago Heights offers the rare chance to experience the history of old Chicago Heights, bringing its exciting past alive again.

The Marquette Park area on the southwest side of Chicago is comprised of two neighborhoods- Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor.

This book depicts the evolution of both neighborhoods with photographs and images of the earliest developments, buildings, and families-some of which have been professionally reproduced from original glass slides-beginning in 1876 with the arrival of John F. Eberhart, the ""Father of Chicago Lawn."" Due focus is paid to the common denominator and centerpiece of both communities-Marquette Park. Beginning with early photographs of this popular 323-acre park and golf course, Chicago Lawn/Marquette Manor takes the reader through its grand beginnings as ""the playground of the Southwest Side,"" and features activities throughout the years, including the racial strife it unfortunately acquired national notoriety for. The reader will have the opportunity to peek inside Amos Cravener's grocery store and H.E. Cain's pharmacy, c. 1900, as well as walk down 63rd Street when it was surrounded by prairie, watch as new buildings appear, and return when it is fully populated.

Discover the Chicago community that transformed into a decadent escape after the Great Chicago fire.

Known as the ""Village in the City,"" the Beverly/Morgan Park community developed as a country retreat for Chicago's social, political, and economic elite after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The area's geography also affected its development; a ridge formed by the last glacier to visit the area over 12,000 years ago placed the community at the highest elevation in the city and made it a perfect place to build large elaborate homes. With a section of the neighborhood designated as the Ridge Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, Beverly/Morgan Park instantly stands out as a unique area of the city because of its diverse architectural styles, notable history, and strong sense of community.

Once known as Junction Grove, the rich history of Englewood began in the mid-1800s as the area quickly developed into a rail and commerce crossroads.

Before 1850, the area was an oak forest with dense swamp land, but the railroad would change things forever. Several of the railroad lines crossed at what became known as Junction Grove, but in 1868, the name would change to Englewood; in 1889, Englewood became part of the city of Chicago. With its four railroad stations, Englewood has long been a transportation hub of the southwest side. This easy access helped to make Englewood one of the largest outlying business districts in the country for much of the first half of the 20th century, but the quality of life in Englewood has dropped dramatically since. Now a struggling urban area, known as Chicago's murder capital, it is also nevertheless known for its grassroots organizations and strong sense of community, on the forefront of revival.Chicago's Englewood Neighborhood: At the Junctionexplores the history of the people, places, commerce, and community that have created this ever-dynamic neighborhood.

No matter where the scattered Jews of Chicago live now, many can trace their roots to this ""Jerusalem of Chicago.""

For nearly half a century, the greater Lawndale area was the vibrant, spirited center of Jewish life in Chicago. It contained almost 40 percent of the city's entire Jewish population with over 70 synagogues and numerous active Jewish organizations and institutions, such as the Jewish People's Institute, the Hebrew Theological College, and Mount Sinai Hospital. Its residents included ""King of Swing"" Benny Goodman, Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, journalists Irv Kupcinet and Meyer Levin, federal judge Abraham Lincoln Marovitz, civil rights attorney Elmer Gertz, Eli's Cheesecake founder Eli Shulman, and comedian Shelley Berman. Many of the selected images come from the author's extensive collection. This book will bring back memories for those who lived there and retell the story of Jewish life on the West Side for those who did not.

When visiting a church such as Holy Cross in Back of the Yards or Nativity Blessed Virgin Mary in Marquette Park, it is easy to stand in awe of what generations of Lithuanians in Chicago have accomplished. 

The community’s many churches, sprawling cultural institutions, schools, and countless organizations stand as a testament to its pride and work ethic. For nearly 150 years and across three waves of immigration, Lithuanians came to Chicago seeking freedom and opportunity not afforded them at home. The first people to come at the turn of the 20th century worked and lived mostly in and around the stockyards and centered their community on the parish church. Those who came after World War II, fleeing the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, were foremost committed to advocating for their homeland and keeping their heritage alive. The numerous organizations and cultural centers they established reflect this. The most recent wave revitalized an aging community, injecting new energy into existing organizations and opening new businesses, schools, and other organizations.

Justin G. Riskus is a history teacher and writer who has many fond memories of growing up in the Lithuanian communities of Chicago, Lemont, and Gary, Indiana. He is also the author of Arcadia’s Lithuanian Chicago, published in 2013. The majority of images in this book come from the archives of the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture as well as other organizations and community members. 

Illustrating the first 75 years of Chicago's influential Polish neighborhood.

Polish Downtown is Chicago's oldest Polish settlement and was the capital of American Polonia from the 1870s through the first half of the 20th century. Nearly all Polish undertakings of any consequence in the U.S. during that time either started or were directed from this part of Chicago's near northwest side. Chicago's Polish Downtown features some of the most beautiful churches in Chicago - St. Stanislaus Kostka, Holy Trinity and St. John Cantius - stunning examples of Renaissance and Baroque Revival architecture that form part of the largest concentration of Polish parishes in Chicago. The headquarters for almost every major Polish organization in America were clustered within blocks of each other and four Polish-language daily newspapers were published here. The heart of the photographic collection in this book is from the extensive library and archives of the Polish Museum of America, still located in the neighborhood today.

Between the first and second World Wars, a housing boom brought the development of luxury cooperative apartments and mansions to the neighborhood surrounding the club. After World War II, the new money of an upwardly mobile middle class replaced the old money of the original members. Membership peaked with the Golden Anniversary in 1956-only to decline as the 1960s brought racial and economic changes to the surrounding community. On July 14, 1974, the club held its last "members-only" event and closed the door on what some have described as "the party that lasted 68 years." The Chicago Park District now owns this once exclusive property. It has been restored to its original design and is now open to the public as the South Shore Cultural Center.

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.""

Baby Ruth, Milk Duds, Juicy Fruit, Cracker Jack, Milky Way, Tootsie Roll, Lemonheads - whatever your favorite candy may be, chances are it came from Chicago.

For much of its history, the city churned out an astonishing one third of all candy produced in the United States. Some of the biggest names in the industry were based in Chicago: Curtiss, Brach, Tootsie Roll, Leaf, Wrigley, and Mars. Along with these giants were smaller, family-based companies with devoted followings, such as fundraising specialist World's Finest Chocolate and the Ferrara Pan Candy Company, maker of Red Hots and Jaw Breakers. At its peak, the Chicago candy industry boasted more than 100 companies employing some 25,000 Chicagoans. This fascinating photographic history travels through more than 150 years of the candy tradeand explores its role in the growth and development of the city. Packed with vintage images of stores, factories, and advertisements, this mouth-watering book reveals how Chicago candy makers created strong bonds between people and their favorite treats.

From its early days as the farmer's companion to over a quarter century as the nation's premier rock-and-roll station, WLS has touched the lives of millions of listeners

Many well-known celebrities, like Gene Autry, owe their careers to the Big 89, through the famous Saturday night program The National Barn Dance. Local personalities such as Dick Biondi, Larry Lujack, and John Records Landecker became household names thanks to Chicago's 50,000-watt blowtorch. The images in Chicago's WLS Radio scan the entire history of the station, featuring engaging hosts, the biggest stars, and lots of fun. The book also covers WLS's move in the 1990s to become a leader in the news and talk format.

Burdened with bundles and baskets, a million or more immigrant children passed through the often grim halls of Ellis Island.

Having left behind their homes in Europe and other parts of the world, they made the long voyage to America by steamer ship. Some came with parents or guardians; a few came as stowaways. Whether they traveled in luxury or just barely made it to the other side of the Atlantic, they found themselves a part of one of the grandest waves of human migration that the world has ever known.Children of Ellis Islandexplores this world and what it was like for an uprooted youngster at America's golden door. There would have been an uneasiness created by a collage of language barriers, but also new friendships with other children that never would have been founded in the old world.

Children's Hospital Boston is one of the oldest, most distinguished pediatric medical centers in the world.

It grew from a modest beginning in 1869, in a single Boston brick house, to become a major pediatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School. For well over a century, this hospital has been a pioneer in providing healthcare for children, performing research in childhood and adult diseases, and training future leaders in medicine and surgery. Children's Hospital Boston presents a visual tour of the history and development of this institution. Simultaneously, this book reflects the history of pediatrics in America.

Chimney Rock and Rutherford County honors the accomplishments of one of North Carolina's most scenic counties. More than 200 vintage images, culled from postcards, newspapers, business files, and personal collections, offer a window into the county's past. Readers will learn of the county's defining moments, from its separation from Lincoln County to its supreme sacrifice during World War II of 149 young men, as well as the county's historic places, like Pine Gables (1700s), the Lake Lure Inn, and the Bechtler's Mint (1831). Readers also have the singular chance to meet well-known Rutherford County figures, including textile magnate Raleigh Rutherford Haynes, screenwriter Earl Owensby, radio announcer Jerrell Bedford, and Sheriff Damon Huskey, who served the county for 24 years.

Boston is home to one of the oldest Chinatowns in the US, when Chinese merchants, workers and stdents populated the area. Explore their history there and their part in creating a strong community and unique culture in the area.

Chinese Americans in Boston trace their historical origins to pioneering settlements of merchants, workers, and students in different parts of New England. After the 1880s, hundreds of Chinese arrived in Boston. Beginning as a bachelor male-dominated society, the Chinese in Boston gradually developed stronger bonds of family and community life. Spared natural disasters that characterized the Chinese immigrant experience in the West, Boston's Chinatown nonetheless faced challenges of urban renewal and environmental degradation. Through their participation in community organizations, merchant activities, educational opportunities, and civic protests, the Chinese in Boston persevered, simultaneously maintaining their Chinese identity and acculturating into America. They formed a close-knit community that distinguished Boston's Chinatown as one of the oldest and most enduring Chinese neighborhoods on the East Coast.

Perfect for readers interested in the abundant and thought-provoking history of the southern United States, the story of Pine Mountain is one of hardship, adaptation, and reconciliation.

Kings Gap, Bethany, Hood, Chipley, and Callaway invoke the different chapters of the story. This area of Georgia was settled in the 1830s following lotteries that distributed land acquired from the Creek Indian Nation. The catalyst for Chipley, chartered in 1882, the precursor of Pine Mountain, was the railroad. It had profound effects: subsistence farming became agriculture, local trading became commerce, and distant neighbors turned into fellow townsfolk.

By the mid-20th century, there were efforts to promote Chipley as a site for industry and a pleasant place to visit. On May 21, 1952, Ida Cason Callaway Gardens opened its gates. Over the following years, it resulted in lasting changes and was the impetus for the alteration of the town’s name to Pine Mountain in 1958.

Chipley Historical Center was founded in 1984 to record the vanishing way of life. The center has collected and preserved photographs, documents, genealogical records, and artifacts that might otherwise have disappeared. Most of the images in this book are from the center’s archives.

Helen L. Brackett and other volunteer staff of the Chipley Historical Center compiled this record from material contributed by current and former residents.

Relieve the excitement of State Street's Christmas parade through these historic photographs, many of which have never been published ... until now!

State Street, that Great Street. The name itself stands the test of time, remembered by anyone who lived in or visited Chicago. It is the main artery of the heart of the city. It is where memories were made and kept. This book vividly recreates, for the first time, a Christmas holiday trip down State Street. You will visit many of the major shops and stores that existed during the 1940s and beyond, viewing old display windows and getting reacquainted with famous Christmas characters such as Weiboldts's Cinnamon Bear, Montgomery Wards's Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and the crown jewel of State Street, Marshall Fields's Uncle Mistletoe. Get into the Christmas spirit, taste the charm of holiday dining in State Street's fine restaurants, and the go back to that magical wonder of a child's first holiday trip to State Street, complete with a visit to Santa.

Did you know that escapees from an escargot farm keep the snail police on their toes?

The Outer Banks has a long history of unconventional characters and curious occurrences. A larger-than-life likeness of Sir Walter Raleigh was once beheaded in Manteo, and the town gave itself a royal makeover in honor of a visit from a princess. The village of Corolla was integral to the early years of the Space Race. Local author Sarah Downing shares these and many more offbeat tales.

One of the fastest-growing suburbs of Syracuse, Cicero lies on the shores of Oneida Lake, the largest lake entirely enclosed within New York.

The Cicero area was home to the Iroquois and Owasco Indian tribes. The trails they created through Cicero were transformed into the first plank road laid in the United States. Known as the crossroads of New York, Cicero's central position in the state was crucial in the distribution of agricultural resources from the north to markets throughout New York by way of the Erie Canal, located 10 miles south of Cicero. Cicero was also the home of suffragist and abolitionist Matilda Joslyn Gage, who worked with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, two leaders in the suffrage movement. From the first plank road through the modern interstate highway system, transportation has always played an important role in the development of this community. Cicero provides a snapshot of the daily life and important events in this town's colorful and dynamic history.

Fascinating images of Cincinnati's African-American heritage.

Located on the banks of the Ohio River, Cincinnati was incorporated as a town in 1802. It became a major stop on the Underground Railroad and the gateway to the North for thousands of African Americans during the Great Migration after the Civil War. Cincinnati's African-American heritage is revealed here through images of African-American life in the community, churches, education, politics, entrepreneurship, civil rights, community benevolence and sports.

For some who were buried in Cincinnati's cemeteries, the graveyard is not the last stop on life's train.

While today Cincinnati is one of the most populous and prosperous cities in the country, its past was not always as bright as its present--from the infamous murder of Pearl Bryan and the 19th century cholera epidemics, to the body snatchers and notorious "resurrection men'? who would steal freshly-interred bodies to sell to medical colleges, even going as far to steal the corpse of Pres. Benjamin Harrison's father. In a city teeming with immigrants and transients, these "sack 'em up'? grave robbers had ample opportunities to supply cadavers to Cincinnati's medical schools for a hefty profit, and if fresh graves weren't available, they simply lurked for victims in the saloons and dark alleys of Vine Street and the West End.Cincinnati Cemeteriesis not only a history of graveyards and their occupants, but also investigates the culture of death and dying in Cincinnati.

Capturing the first 50 years of Cincinnati's radio broadcasting golden era with both words and rare and often unpublished images.

Like radio listeners in many other cities its size, Greater Cincinnatians have kept their ears tuned to their local radio stations for music, news, and entertainment for nearly a century. However, unlike those cities, Cincinnati enjoyed several unique broadcast stories ranging from some of the earliest forays into radio dramatics to the country's first 500,000-watt superpower radio station. The listeners were treated to several up-and-coming celebrities like Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Andy Williams, and ""Fats"" Waller; the rise of three major communications corporations; and ultimately, an amazing array of nationally broadcast network shows and talents that, for a brief period, placed the city's broadcasters behind only New York and Chicago in terms of importance.

In nearly 200 rarely seen photographs and vintage postcards, discover Cincinnati as you've never seen it before.

Since its inception in 1788, Cincinnati has evolved from a brawling pioneer town to a thriving Midwest metropolis, experiencing rapid growth and unprecedented social and technological change. Highlighted in this volume are the city's spectacular architectural achievements, its centers of culture and learning, its hubs of industry and transportation, its legendary sports tradition, its diverse neighborhoods, and, above all, the spirit of its citizenry. Through these striking images, together with the insightful text, authors Kevin Grace and Tom White take the reader on a unique visual tour of this historic river city. It is a tour well worth taking.

Dating all the way back to 1812, the history of brewing in Cincinnati is a long and illustrious narrative. These days, Cincinnati's brewing culture is experiencing a multifaceted renaissance with a promising outlook.

In the mid-19th century, the Queen City's rapidly expanding German population definitively transformed the industry, making Cincinnati one of the nation's foremost brewing centers. Principally based in the vibrant Over-the-Rhine district, the golden age of brewing in Cincinnati saw the creation of architecturally spectacular brewery structures, a proliferation of related industries, as well as an abundance of saloons and beer gardens. The enactment of Prohibition crippled this formerly booming industry, however, and although local brewers returned to revive their tradefollowing the repeal of Prohibition, the industry would never regain its former prominence. Cincinnati's Brewing History offers a concise overview of the history of brewing and beer culture in the region through vintage and contemporary images, as well as brewing collectibles.

Visit the history of the orphanage in Cincinnati that changed the lives of children left by themselves after their parents died in a cholera outbreak in the 1800s, and went on to become an outstanding Cincinnati institution.

In 1849, a cholera epidemic devastated Cincinnati, taking the lives of 4,114 residents. The First German Protestant Aid Association proposed creating a home for the orphaned children and established the German General Protestant Orphan Asylum in Mount Auburn. The annual Orphan Feast and parade began in 1851 and was one of the largest one-day festivals in Cincinnati for 137 years. In 1949, the orphanage moved to 62 acres straddling Mount Washington and Anderson Township. The orphanage's name changed to Beech Acres, after the beech trees lining the property. In the 1980s, the orphanage closed and the focus shifted from restorative to preventive social services for children and families. The increased focus on strengthening the relationship between parents and their children resulted in a change to the current name, Beech Acres Parenting Center.

Established in 1852, Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest public market in continuous operation.

Located just outside of Cincinnati's city limits on land donated by James Findlay, the area was known as the "Northern Liberties'? for the social liberties taken there beyond the reach of city jurisdiction, such as prostitution, bootlegging, and thievery. In an effort to protect "the housewives'? from shopping there, city officials annexed the Findlay Market area into Cincinnati, but this did little to quell Findlay Market's outlying spirit. This spirit has contributed to its longevity, outlasting every other municipal market in the city, and a rebelliousness that infuse the generations of vendors and shoppers; they have forged strong relationships with one another and continue to demand the City of Cincinnati wrestle with the complex urban challenges surrounding this beloved institution.

With its undulating hills and sweeping views of the river valleys, located less than eight miles from downtown Cincinnati, Mt. Lookout quickly grew from rural farms to a picturesque suburb that could have inspired Norman Rockwell to paint it. Originally a small village called Delta, Mt. Lookout was annexed by the City of Cincinnati in 1870 and was renamed after the new Cincinnati Observatory was built at the end of Observatory Place. Thanks to John and Charles Kilgour, brothers who invested in real estate and public transportation, Mt. Lookout became an upscale destination by the turn of the 20th century. This book showcases the people, buildings, landmarks, and events that have made Mt. Lookout such an idyllic place for its residents to call home. It is equally important to mention the cozy, bustling Mt. Lookout Square, the heart of the town; many businesses have been open and operating for over 50 years, while Geo. H. Rohde & Sons Funeral Home has already celebrated its centennial anniversary.

Jason Fitzhugh is a teacher, historian, and collector. He has carefully selected over 150 images to create a nostalgic time line from Mt. Lookout’s early beginnings to the thriving, established neighborhood it is today.

For over 200 years, Cincinnati citizens created a vibrant, if at times volatile, urban culture that frequently harkens back to its remarkable past in an effort to shape its future.

Once known as a great commercial port and pork-packing center, Cincinnati developed a diverse industrial economy in a bid to remain the West's Queen City. It is a community familiar with change as new transportation systems evolved, commercial activity shifted, and poor race relations periodically erupted in unrest.

Once in a great while an important artifact is suddenly recognized as being so valuable that it demands a wide and immediate audience. Citizen USA, from the permanent collection of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) is such an artifact.

The unpublished book was written in 1943 when the author, Charles Ferguson, was the Director of Adult Education at the Manzanar concentration camp where Japanese Americans were incarcerated. In words and photographs, the story chronicles the camp experience through the voice and perspective of a young sansei girl from Hollywood, California. She describes the routine of camp life as well as the fear and uncertainty about the future that she and her family face. At the book’s conclusion she wonders, “Isn’t America still democratic?”

Produced in the form of a photo album, the unpublished work was never forgotten by the Ferguson family. After the author's death, his wife Lois donated the book to JANM in 2003.

Seeing hard truths and difficult circumstances from a child’s point of view is more powerful than ever before. This story will resonate with audiences unimagined in 1943.

An engaging history of Florida's Citrus County.

Located on Florida's Gulf Coast, Citrus County boasts a rich and diverse landscape, where modern amenities are found side by side the traces of ""old Florida"" that remain. Opportunities to experience the natural beauty of ""the real Florida"" are plentiful, and the singular history of the region, including the prehistoric creatures, native cultures, and early settlers who called the region home, is accessible in the county's wide variety of historic sites and public resources. From the countless disappointments of Spanish conquistadors searching for riches in the region to the establishment of Fort Cooper during the Second Seminole War, from the hardy pioneers who carved an existence from the Florida wilderness to the thousands of others who took part in the boom-and-bust of industry, the unique story of Citrus County continues to unfold. Today, newcomers to the area find homes in the county's planned communities, while vacationers are drawn to ""Mother Nature's Theme Park."" Restored and preserved for future generations, significant historic structures such as the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum are receiving new life and the county's past is becoming recognized as a vital treasure.

Located in South Carolina's Lowcountry, Clarendon County's history is as rich as its Southern flavor. Perfect for South Carolina history enthusiasts.

Clarendon County exists as a paradigm of Southern communities.Lake Marionrests against the Clarendon County's southern border, while cypress trees, whose limbs are decorated with Spanish Moss, flourish in the swampy lowlands. Wildlife abounds, making this a paradise for hunters and fishermen. Many know that while furthering America's cause for independence, Francis Marion fought in the area now called Clarendon and earned his nickname Swamp Fox. Five Palmetto Stategovernors, all members of Richardson and Manning families, came from the county, and the first South Carolinian crowned Miss Americawas a Clarendon native.

Still, Clarendon residents have shared in America's hardships, too; for within the confines of this small, rural community, they have found themselves time and again confronted with America's battles. Not only did residents fight in the Revolutionary Warand the War Between the States, but they also fought an important portion of the Civil Rights Movementhere.

Marguirite De Laine, F.S. Corbett, and Cecil J. Williams invite the reader to explore this celebration of Clarendon County's singular history and pays tribute to the residents who defined and developed this agrarian community. They have combined almost 200 vintage images with an educational story that both longtime residents and newcomers, young and old, are sure to enjoy.