Arcadia Bestsellers

Historic photographs of the German and Croatian immigrants who flocked to this area on the outskirts of Allegheny City, and their customs, religions, skills, and traditions.

The Reserve Tract across from Fort Pitt was set aside in the 1780s by the government of Pennsylvania as a way of raising funds to pay the troops who had served during the American Revolutionary War. Although many areas in the commonwealth were set aside like this, few grew to such prominence as the distinct neighborhoods of Troy Hill, Spring Garden, Spring Hill, and Mount Troy. Photos of the German and Croatian immigrants who helped build a new nation by providing steel, leather products, food, and even beer; their spirit and work ethic set a standard that many Americans to this day try to emulate. The Heinz complex, the old E&O Brewery, St. Anthony's Chapel, Most Holy Name Church, and the Teutonia Mannerchor are several of the local landmarks that were established generations ago and are still being utilized today.

Picturesque Richmond Hill evolved after the Civil War on land where orchards once blossomed and cattle once grazed.

Nestled in the shadow of New York City, it is one of the city's first planned communities. The Victorian era saw the construction of Queen Anne-style mansions, and the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 brought expansion and increased traffic. Soon, newspapers began boasting about the many parks, grassy lawns, tasteful homes, and proud residents heralding a promising future. Richmond Hill contains more than two hundred vintage photographs to illustrate the unique history of the community. The oldest eatery in Queens, the Hofbrau Restaurant, was the favorite hangout of Mae West, Babe Ruth, and many others. Baseball great Phil Rizzuto made Richmond Hill his home, as did the Marx Brothers, author Amelia Edith Barr, and photojournalist Jacob Riis. Important political events took place in Richmond Hill, such as the newly rediscovered address made in 1903 by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, as well as cultural milestones, such as the composition of ""When Irish Eyes Are Smiling"" at the Hofbrau Restaurant. Richmond Hill includes these and countless other stories that make up its rich, unique history.

Sink your teeth into this frankly delicious history of Rippers, Texas Wieners, and other iconic dogs of the Garden State.

Any local will tell you New Jersey is home to a surprising number of unique local and regional hot dog styles. Chili-drenched hot Texas wieners in Paterson. Potato-packed Newark-style Italian dogs at Jimmy Buff’s. Dirty water pushcart franks topped with mustard and sauerkraut and juicy MOP dogs (that's mustard, onion, and pickle) like the ones served at Hot Dog Johnny's. The origins of New Jersey's iconic hot dogs begin well over a century ago and include obscure holes-in-the-wall and world-famous roadside stands like the historic Rutt’s Hut.

A fun deep dive for foodies, travelers, and local history buffs, author Mark Neurohr-Pierpaoli’s travel guide to the history and traditions of New Jersey's hot dog serving styles is your next great bite!

Too few know of the screen legends from Ohio and the outsized impact the state had in establishing Hollywood as the filmmaking capital of the world.

Hollywood and Ohio are much closer than one might assume. Indeed, it could be argued that Hollywood is Ohio’s offspring. The original settlement was founded as a Christian community by a young lady from Ohio. That community was pushed aside when the fledgling New York City movie industry relocated to California to find refuge from Ohio’s own Thomas Edison and his monopoly on motion picture production. Native Ohioans such as Lillian Gish, Theda Bara, and Clark Gable also stepped into the early Hollywood spotlight. And the movie industry truly became that—an industry—when the Warner brothers from Youngstown introduced sound to films, making movies a significant form of entertainment worldwide.

Author Conrade C. Hinds unspools the deep and little-known connection between Hollywood and the Buckeye State.

Hidden History of Atlantic City tells the stories of the legendary nightspots, spectacular hotels and the glittering casinos of the real Boardwalk Empire.

For decades, Atlantic City was deservedly known as the queen of resorts. All the glitz and glamour imaginable shined on the boardwalk, where visitors of all ages enjoyed breathtaking views of a pristine beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The city by the sea had grand hotels, iconic restaurants, and amusement piers. Its nightclubs introduced Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as a comedy team and booked stars like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and many more. As the city slipped from its one-time prosperity, its decay was on view nationally when it hosted the 1964 Democratic Convention, but when legalized gambling arrived in 1978, some of the legendary glamour returned.

Entertainment journalist, author, and jazz performer Bruce Klauber traces the incredible history of a city that’s been up and down and over and out—and up again.

Revel at the tales of these locals boys from Southwestern Pennsylvania going west to seek their Sin City dreams.

As turmoil rocked New Castle in the 1970s, a group of young men completed their military service and came home to a bleak future. Without college degrees or marketable skills, they found few options in Western Pennsylvania. Looking for a better life, they turned their eyes west.

Las Vegas promised women, gambling, excitement, and the chance to make a buck. Over their decades on the floors of Sin City’s casinos, they would rub shoulders with gangsters and stars and keep a sharp eye out for opportunity—and for card counters.

Based on hours of exclusive interviews, author Dale Perelman unfolds this cavalier group’s frolicking adventures as they navigated their way from the belly of the downtown Golden Gate to some of the Strip’s premier casinos, all while teetering along the right side of the law.

The Black River & Western Railroad has provided over 50 continuous years of passenger excursions in rural New Jersey between Flemington and Ringoes, passing through the pristine scenery of Hunterdon County.

May 16, 1965, was the first official day of steam-powered passenger excursions, and 50 years later, on May 16, 2015, the same steam locomotive provided power for another steam-powered excursion. During those years, the railroad has grown from the simple excursion attraction of historic railroad equipment, providing the public amusement, to a regional short-line railroad. Enjoy the rich history of the Black River and Western Railroad in this collection of 15 historic black-and-white postcards.

Since 1708, the hamlet of Bay Shore has developed a rich heritage through embracing the tapestry of multiculturalism and utilizing its natural resources to build a vibrant, enduring community.

Known as Penataquit among the Secatogue Indians, Bay Shore residents have borne witness to the American Revolution, the rise and fall of the fishing industry, the boom and bust of the Gilded Age, the impact of deinstitutionalization, and community revitalization. From Bay Shore's beginning, the community has birthed artists, activists, athletes, industrialists, laborers, and politicians. The heirs of this 26,000-person hamlet's heritage continue to build and define the place as a viable community in the 21st century. Enjoy the rich history of Bay Shore in this collection of 15 historic black-and-white postcards.

The lighthouses and breakwater, pier, and reef lights across Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas were captured in postcards and mailed all over the country.

Cape Hatteras, the tallest lighthouse at 198.5 feet, is located on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and protected one of the most hazardous parts of the Atlantic coast. Lighthouses have been integral to the navigational needs of maritime traffic, and today, many are tended by associations and historical societies dedicated to preservation.

Linda Osborne Cynowa has loved lighthouses for years. With a lifelong love of history and a background in photography, she has always enjoyed visiting as well as photographing them. Her previous publications with Arcadia Publishing include Washington Township, Macomb Township, Farming in Northern Macomb County, Lighthouses and Lifesaving on the Great Lakes, Lighthouses of the North Atlantic Coast, and Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast.

Early in the twentieth century, Nutley was the home of many prominent writers and artists. Mark Twain visited often to confer with his magazine editor. On one of her many visits, sharpshooter Annie Oakley was so taken by this warm community that she and her husband, Frank Butler, bought property on Grant Avenue, built a house, and lived here for several years. With its proximity to New York City and its many acres of picturesque parkland, the town grew rapidly and was soon transformed by the laying of trolley tracks along Franklin Avenue, the relocation of the business district, and the subdivision of large estates, necessary to house the growing population. Through all of this change, however, Nutley maintained its quaint small-town atmosphere and never lost sight of the need to preserve its sense of community and history.

Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania documents the region's disappearing anthracite history, which shaped the legacy of the United States of America and the industrial revolution.

The coal mines, breakers, coal miners' homes, and railroads have all steadily disappeared. With only one coal breaker left in the entire state, it was time to record what would soon be lost. Unfortunately, one piece of history that persists is underground fires that ravage communities like Centralia. Blazing for over 50 years, the flames of Centralia will not be doused anytime soon. Images featured in the book include the St. Nicholas coal breaker, Huber coal breaker, Steamtown National Historic Site, Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, Eckley Miners' Village, Centralia, and the Knox Mine disaster. A hybrid history book and travel guide, Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania is one final recounting of what is gone and what still remains.

Freedomland opened on June 19, 1960, in the Baychester section of the Bronx, New York. Historically themed attractions and costumed cast members were located throughout the seven sections.

Designed by Marco Engineering of Los Angeles for International Recreation Corporation, it was the third and largest innovative theme park built across America to mimic Disneyland. Constructed in the shape of the United States and presenting 200 years of American history, Freedomland was intended to be both exciting and educational. In addition, Freedomland offered national and local stars, big bands, and daily entertainment events. Professional character actors also worked throughout the park. Through photographs, Freedomland: 1960-1964 takes a tour of all seven sections of Freedomland and more. Although it was open for just five seasons, the park's guests and cast members were fortunate to have their very own Disneyland of the East.

New York City was the center of business, commerce, manufacturing, culture, and war spirit in the North during the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln gained an important national audience at the Cooper Institute in February 1860.

Tens of thousands of young men enlisted in the city and marched off to fight. Factories churned out materiel for the soldiers. Black leaders such as Frederick Douglass mobilized African American support for the Union. Foreign dignitaries were the subject of grand celebrations on Broadway. Immigrants raised celebrated ethnic regiments, and nationally renowned newspapers debated the pressing issues of the day. In short, the city was a vital engine that powered Union efforts. Yet New York was also a divided metropolis where political differences were hashed out—sometimes violently. The deadliest urban racial violence in American history took place in Manhattan in July 1863. In this book, New Yorkers regain their place at the center of the Union war effort on both the battlefield and the home front.

Acclaimed historians Jonathan W. White and Timothy J. Orr bring New York City’s Civil War story to life through photographs and illustrations drawn from libraries, archives, and private collections around the United States. Foreword author Harold Holzer is the Jonathan F. Fanton Director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College and a leading historian of Lincoln and the Civil War in New York City.

Author Jim Cullen shares tales of the ruddy trailblazers who grappled and persevered during nation-shaping moments in the Garden State. New Jersey sits at the intersection of the most important developments in American history, from the fight for freedom to the rise of the United States as a global power. At each critical moment, key figures came forward. These profiles of important Americans—some natives of the Garden State, some not—focus on key episodes that took place here but echoed broadly. From George Washington to Thomas Edison and Whitney Houston, these men and women crisscross politics, business, religion, social activism, science and entertainment, and their critical encounters took place in cities and towns across the state.

The Town of Olive has long been a sought-after place known for its beauty and natural resources. From the late 1600s, pioneers explored the area and established homes in the majestic Blue Hills and along the Esopus River. These early pioneers made a living in agriculture, tanneries, and mills. Later, when visitors wanted to escape the heat of New York City, residents hosted boarders, and a booming industry was born. The community drastically changed in the early 1900s, when New York City came not just to visit but to look for a new source of water. This book offers a glimpse at how the Town of Olive began and how it has been affected by its proximity to the Esopus River through tourism and by industry. These images transport readers from the early 1700s to the mid-1900s and encapsulate how the various citizens of the Town of Olive through the years earned a living and spent their time and leisure. 

Melissa McHugh is an educator, a businesswoman, an archivist, and the director for the Olive Free Library in West Shokan, New York. She tells the story of the Town of Olive through photographs, many of which are from her curated exhibit about the history of the Ashokan Reservoir. 

Uncanny stories, local legends and ghostly encounters from the First State.

Delaware may be small, but every corner of it is filled with strange and unusual history. Horrifying tales of ghosts haunt places both old and new. The Castle contains many stories of mysterious specters, but the mystery of the house’s first owners is the truly creepy tale. The legend of the Devil’s Road, called a myth by some, will chill your bones and make your spine tingle. In a state so close to the sea, stories of murder and mayhem include tales of piracy and maybe even cannibalism.

Delaware native and paranormal historian Josh Hitchens invites you to join him on a journey through the spooky side of the First State.

Captivating and entertaining, this new collection of historic images brings to life the past of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, focusing on the period between the mid-1800s to the 1940s.

Captivating and entertaining, this new collection of historic images brings to life the past of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, focusing on the period between the mid-1800s to the 1940s. With insightful captions and breathtaking images, readers are introduced to many of the early residents who shaped the future of this area of Shaler Township, and we are transported back in time to see early homes and places of work, play, worship, and education. In 1800, John Shaw Sr. purchased 600 acres of land just 8 miles north of the city of Pittsburgh. He built a log sawmill to prepare lumber for his home, and later built a log gristmill which stood until 1845 when his son replaced it with a larger mill. The new mill stood on property across from the local school, and the area became known as Shaw's Glen. During the period covered in this book, Shaler Township, incorporated in 1837, grew from a quiet milltown of just 2,000 residents to a bustling suburb of the Steel City. Today, over 33,000 people call this area home.

Covering more than 8,000 squares miles and spanning the roughly triangular area between Quebec; Dorset, Vermont; and Glens Falls, New York, the Champlain Valley has a rich heritage celebrated in hundreds of historical markers, monuments, mosaics, murals, and photographs. Although human inhabitation of the region began 10,000 years ago, these monuments to the past are considerably newer, with the earliest among them recognizing the European colonizers and settlers who followed Samuel de Champlain to the shores of Lake Champlain beginning in the 17th century. By the 18th century, the entire region was populated by villages, towns, and cities, all placed against the backdrop of the surrounding Adirondacks and Green Mountains and finding life in the network of rivers and fertile valleys of the Lake Champlain Basin. This collection brings together images from throughout the Champlain Valley, offering a vision of life and the ways markers celebrate local memories and ancestors.

Take a trip down the Pennsylvania Avenue of years past, the heart of Baltimore's African-American community, when the streets vibrated with life and bass.

From 1930 to 1980, Baltimore was a key city to the success of Black entertainers, such as The Ink Spots, Cab Calloway, Sammy Davis Jr., Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and countless others, while The Avenue's hottest night spots such as the legendary Royal Theater, the Regent Theater, the Sphinx, and Club Casino bumped and jived until the early hours of morning. Along with the DJS and promoters who helped cultivate the city's musical talents, and the people who were just there to have a groovy time, African-American Entertainment in Baltimorecaptures the brilliance of the city's musical heritage.

The original DuPont Highway was the nation's first divided highway when its expansion between Dover and Wilmington was completed in 1934.

Found on maps as Route 13 between Dover and Wilmington and as Route 113 between Dover and the southern border with Maryland, it had been officially dedicated 10 years earlier as the Coleman DuPont Road. Thomas Coleman du Pont, a descendant of E. I. du Pont and a two-time U.S. senator, had championed the road and paid nearly $4 million of his own money toward its completion, even after turning the project over to the newly created Delaware State Highway Department. While other philanthropists started schools, libraries, parks, and hospitals, Coleman du Pont said, I will build a monument a hundred miles high and lay it on the ground. He was close. The DuPont Highway measured 96.7 miles.

Elizabeth, the first state capital of New Jersey and the birthplace of Princeton University, was founded in 1665.

Not named for the powerful English queen of the same name, as most would assume, but rather for the wife of Sir George Carteret, one of the two original proprietors of the colony, Elizabeth was an illustrious city that was extremely influential during the Revolutionary and Colonial periods, and home to numerous distinguished political and military figures. Over time, Elizabeth developed into an important industrial and economic center, welcoming the Singer Sewing Machine Company in 1873 and becoming a recognized leader in automobile manufacturing long before Detroit. As the years went on, the culturally diverse city came to serve as a crossroads for many commuting to jobs in Newark and New York City. Authors Jean-Rae Turner and Richard Koles have assembled a remarkable collection of vintage photographs of Elizabeth, documenting its history from 1665 to 1965.

Vintage images document the historical transformations of Crown Heights and Weeksville.

The communities of Crown Heights and Weeksville are historically significant Brooklyn neighborhoods with foundations that trace back to New York's early founding. Revolutionary War skirmishes took place there, and following the emancipation of slaves in 1827, Weeksville became the site of one of New York's earliest independent African American townships. The hills of Brooklyn's Green Mountains hindered early settlement, and as a result a plethora of community institutions instead abounded in this far-flung outpost, including a penitentiary, hospitals, almshouses, old-age homes, convents, and monasteries. Traces of some of these early structures still remain. Using vintage images, Crown Heights and Weeksville chronicles the dynamic evolution of this area from rural township to the desirable center of culture, urban convenience, and architectural beauty.

Join local historians William and Amanda Schleicher on a visual tour of Bedminster's heritage as they celebrate the town's history.

Settled in the first half of the 1700s, the fertile fields of Bedminster Township attracted Dutch, German, and Scottish farmers. During the American Revolution,the town served as a safe haven for the American army. For over a century, following the war, Bedminster returned to its previous way of life as a sleepy little farming community. In 1890, the area became home to Charles Pfizer's exclusive Essex Hunt Club. The lush green hills and dales of Bedminster were perfect for hunting foxes, and the level meadows were well suited for polo. Millionaires from New York sought to establish greatestates in Bedminster's picturesque countryside.

Images of America: Swedesboro and Woolwich Township is an educational and entertaining volume that will delight residents, visitors, and lovers of history everywhere.

In the mid-1600s, a group of Swedes from Delaware and Pennsylvania sailed up the Raccoon Creek  and began a settlement on prime farmland in southern New Jersey.

Initially known as Raccoon, the town at the center of Woolwich Township was renamed Swedesboro in 1765. Transportation links to Swedesboro by creek, highway, and railroad made the town an attractive location for mills, shops, and farms. Today many residents are descended from the area's original Swedish settlers.

Swedesboro and Woolwich Township presents a diverse collection of photographs from the 1800s to the 1970s, illustrating daily life for residents of the community.

Pittsburgh is a working city, in no small part thanks to its strong African American community.

As an integral stop on the Underground Railroad, many enslaved people traveled through Pittsburgh on their way further North, and many still decided to stay. During the Great Migration of the early 20th century, Pittsburgh was again a main destination for African Americans from the rural South; approximately 95% of these men became steelworkers. There was never one centralized neighborhood where a majority of the Black population lived, but Jim Crow discrimination was still rampant, even in a city such as Pittsburgh. Photographs captured by famed Pittsburgh photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris show the candid experiences of residents, including the achievements and celebrations of people struggling in adversity and finding happiness in their families and community.

Westminster documents the history of this town located at the center of an industrial and agricultural community.

William Winchester established Westminster in 1764 by laying out 45 town lots along the main road to Baltimore. The lots sold quickly, and soon there was a small but thriving community. When Carroll County was established in 1837, Westminster was named the county seat, bringing government officials, judges, lawyers, and visitors to the town. Hotels, homes, and stores sprang up to serve the influx of new residents and visitors. The Western Maryland Railway reached Westminster in 1861. In 1863, Confederate general J. E. B. Stuart's cavalry arrived en route to Gettysburg and battled a small detachment of Union cavalry responsible for guarding the vital railroad link to Baltimore. After Stuart's troops continued on to Pennsylvania, Union troops established an important depot, with supplies arriving from Baltimore for transport to the battlefield and wounded soldiers returning to be cared for in Westminster's hotels, churches, and homes. Westminster prospered throughout the 19th and 20th centuries as it became the center of an industrial and agricultural community.

Visit the spectacular scenery and history of the settlers, borders and tourists who populated the Eastern Poconos.

Eastern Poconos: Delaware Water Gap to Bushkill provides a visual history of one of the most picturesque areas of the Northeast. With rare insight, a vast amount of knowledge, and a great deal of research, the evolution of the region from the arrival of the first European settlers throughthe golden age of tourism and beyond is depicted. Grand old hotels and modest boarding houses that have long sincedisappeared are featured, along with spectacular scenery. Also showcased are images of ordinary and extraordinary people, from farmers who tilled the land to celebrities whose meteoric rise to stardom began in the summer stock theaters and resorts of this area.

Rare and vintage images act as postcards, telling the fascinating stories of Monmouth County, New Jersey.

From the 1890s through the 1930s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced were works of art. Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photos of busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America's history. This fascinating new history of Monmouth County showcases more than two hundred of the best postcards available of this region of New Jersey.

Journey through South Jersey towns and villages along the Cooper River, and their unique role in the long and rich history of the area.

The Cooper River is a meandering tributary of the Delaware River in Camden County with a rich cultural heritage. Along the Cooper River, English Quakers found safe haven from religious persecution in Colonial times, and General Washington's soldiers fought for control of Cooper's Ferry during the American Revolution. The river was ideal for industry in Camden, where many immigrants worked in the factories along its banks. From 1925 to 1928, landscape architect Charles Leavitt Jr. designed the plans for the 550-acre Cooper River Park. From 1935 to 1939, Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration carried out the plans to create open, gently sloping landscapes and wooded areas for recreation by dredging meadows and tidal wetlands. Along the Cooper River: Camden to Haddonfield focuses on the communities of Camden, Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood, Haddon Township, and Haddonfield and how each of them has played a unique role in the long and rich history of the river and its evolution into a nationally significant recreational area.

Mattituck and Laurel presents a fascinating glimpse into the historic people and businesses that shaped these two iconic hamlets on the North Fork of Long Island.

The small rural villages of Mattituck and Laurel remained relatively unchanged for more than 100 years until the railroad arrived in 1844. The Long Island Rail Road launched Mattituck-Laurel into a modern era of material progress, where business flourished and the area became a desirable location for summer visitors from New York City. The railroad station stood at the center of commerce and industry. Immigrants arrived and embarked upon new enterprises alongside the already thriving small shops and businesses. During the second half of the 19th century, Mattituck was home to a pickling factory, canning factory, large-scale creamery, and successful fertilizer business.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia started thanks to a heroic doctor's inspiration, was the first of its kind and still impacts children's lives today.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia opened its doors in 1855 amidst a turbulent time in the city. Dr. Francis West Lewis, a prominent Philadelphia physician, was deeply disturbed by the appallingly high mortality rate among infants and children in his city, a result of the poor sanitary conditions in the urban slums that arose in great numbers during the Industrial Revolution. After visiting London for the opening of Great Ormond Street Hospital, Dr. Lewis was inspired to open the first children's hospital in the United States in Philadelphia and advertised in the Public Ledger, Reception of children suffering from acute diseases and accidents will be received free of charge. The Children's Hospital continued to prosper and lead the advancement of children's health by creating many of the nation's first pediatric training programs and leading in the discovery of vaccines, lifesaving medical equipment, and pioneering treatments. Today, the hospital enjoys international recognition and continues to contribute to the advancement of children's health through a three-part mission of patient care, education, and research.

Around Bronxville brings to life more than one hundred years of carefully planned community and architectural development, including fine homes, apartments, houses of worship, and the once famous Hotel Gramatan that was demolished in 1972.

By the time the railroad arrived in 1844, the small rural community of Underhill's Crossing—soon to be renamed Bronxville—was already attracting prominent New York City families. Some came seeking permanent homes; others a summer retreat. Half a century later, believing that the future of their charming hamlet would be best served by organizing as a village, a handful of local taxpayers voted to incorporate. This community along the New York and Harlem Railroad, 15 miles from New York City, was about to become one of the most desirable residential suburbs in the metropolitan area. The book offers a visual tour of Bronxville's early downtown; William Van Duzer Lawrence's art colony, Lawrence Park; and neighboring Lawrence Park West, the home of Sarah Lawrence College. Over 200 photographs, combined with explanatory text, recapture the ambiance of people, places, and events of a past era and offer a glimpse into the private lives of some of the community's more notable residents, such as Elizabeth Custer, widow of General Custer, and the families of Jerome Kern and Joseph P. Kennedy.