Name: San Francisco's Twin Peaks
Brand: Lynn Oakley
SKU: 9780738599915
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

San Francisco's Twin Peaks

9780738599915

$24.99

Twin Peaks is located in the geographic center of San Francisco. These distinctive hills are not only recognizable landmarks with spectacular views, they also play a major role in the safety and security of San Franciscans. Towers on Christmas Tree Point provide communication support to the police and fire departments. Firmly constructed into the bedrock of Twin Peaks are three massive municipal reservoirs that supply gravity-pulled drinking water and water for fire fighting. Roads and a tunnel were built on, around, and through the peaks with the purpose of gaining easier access to the western parts of the city. Farms and homes appeared along Corbett Road, and new neighborhoods sprang up on the slopes of Twin Peaks: Midtown Terrace, the Crown, Graystone, Villa Terraces, and Clarendon Heights, on which stands the Sutro Tower.

Cover image for San Francisco's Twin Peaks, isbn: 9780738599915

Italians of the Bay Area

9780738546643

$24.99

These images are part of the life work of Italian immigrant Gino Sbrana, who started his American life in San Francisco as a vegetable peddler. By 1911, he had launched a large photographic studio, Pisa Foto, at Columbus and Broadway in San Francisco. Later Gino founded a studio in Oakland and, in 1919, settled in San Jose. Not content to confine his artistry to the formally posed studio portrait, he traveled over the Bay Area countryside with his large wooden field camera, using soft light on the shady side of barns or under large oaks to capture his fellow countrymen. Gino posed them in the coastal mist with machetes poised to harvest cauliflower, perched atop their brandnew motorcycles, assembled by trucks loaded with produce from the fields, sleeves rolled up and holding their vino.

San Jose's Historic Downtown

9780738529226

$24.99

San Jose is the Capital of the Silicon Valley, the high-rise, economic engine of advanced technology. Yet it was once a verdant valley, inhabited by wildlife, waterfowl, and the native Ohlone people. The Spanish who founded California's first civilian settlement here in 1777 named it for Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the Spanish Expedition. Their farms fed the soldiers at the Monterey and San Francisco presidios, beginning an agricultural industry that thrived for nearly 200 years. Although serving briefly as California's first state capital, for many decades downtown was the somewhat sleepy commercial center of the Santa Clara Valley. A housing and population expansion that began in the 1950s exploded with San Jose's rebirth as a technological mecca.

Cover image for San Jose's Historic Downtown, isbn: 9780738529226

French San Francisco

9780738555843

$24.99

Nineteenth-century California was not a destination for the faint of heart, and Frenchmen are usually said to prefer their slippers to their traveling boots. Yet many visitors from France--starting in 1786 with legendary explorer Count de Lap©rouse--made their way to the remote and beautiful territory, leaving enduring accounts and images of their experience. As France's troubled revolutionary era began in the 1840s, tens of thousands of Frenchmen journeyed to California's goldfields. Some found wealth, others freedom, and some death. Many remained in San Francisco, helping shape the city and make it French from the inside.

South San Francisco

9780738529219

$24.99

Locals call it "South City." The founding fathers always intended South San Francisco to be an industrial leader, clearly distinguishing it from its northern neighbor. Fuller Paints, Pacific Coast Steel, and Western Meats made an early impact on the city's economic growth. During wartime, the development of a deep-water harbor brought shipbuilding to Oyster Point. The historic sign on Sign Hill still reads "South San Francisco: The Industrial City," but evolution is the name of the game, and the workhorse of the city's modern economy is biotech research and development.

Max Factor and Hollywood

9781467136105

$21.99

When Polish wigmaker and cosmetician Max Factor arrived in Los Angeles at the dawn of the motion picture industry, make-up had been associated only with stage performers and ladies of the oldest profession. Appalled by the garish paints worn by actors, Factor introduced the first flexible greasepaint for film in 1914. With a few careful brush strokes, a lot of innovation and the kind of luck that can happen only in Hollywood, Max Factor changed the meaning of glamour. His innovations can be experienced in every tube of lipstick, palette of eye shadow and bottle of nail lacquer used today. Join author Erika Thomas as she reveals the makeup guru's expert beauty tips and the story of how he created the most iconic golden-era looks that are as relevant today as they were nearly a century ago.

Cover image for Max Factor and Hollywood, isbn: 9781467136105

Lighthouses of the Bay Area

9780738525525

$7.99

The San Francisco Bay's first light, on Alcatraz Island, began construction in 1852. Light stations soon followed at Fort Point, Point Bonita, and the Farallon Islands. An additional 15 lights later served the bay, and a lightship was stationed outside the Golden Gate.

Cover image for Lighthouses of the Bay Area, isbn: 9780738525525

Sutter Creek

9780738546865

$24.99

Between 1848 and 1849, whispers of gold in California became a roar. The gold rush was on, and thousands established rough camps in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Among these camps, nestled in a small valley, was Sutter Creek. The town is named for the famous John Sutter, whose discovery of gold at Coloma started the rush. And though many gold-mining tent cities died out over time, Sutter Creek transitioned to a solid community with wide streets, two-story businesses, and beautiful homes. Blacksmiths, foundries, and other industries provided services to the ever-deepening mines, among the world's richest. Settlers used the ideal soil and climate to produce crops and livestock, gradually replacing head frames and hoist works, as the last mine finally closed in the 1950s. Thousands still journey to Sutter Creek, some for gold, but most are attracted by the rich heritage still visible along historic Main Street.

Haunted Heart of San Diego

9781467149891

$21.99

San Diego is known for its sunshine and beautiful beaches, but a dark history lurks beneath the surface. Shades of gamblers, thieves and gunfighters wander the streets, and the spirit of a young woman who died mysteriously haunts the halls of the Del. On the oldest sailing vessel in San Diego Harbor, the ghost of a small child stowaway plays with guests, and the Old Town Saloon occasionally hosts an eerie visitor seeking libations. Wyatt Earp haunts the very room he stayed in at the Horton Grand Hotel, and the former crewmembers of the USS Midway steadfastly man their posts, even after death. Join authors Brian Clune and Bob Davis as they recount the eerie tales of what may be California's most haunted city.

Los Osos/Baywood Park

9781467124096

$24.99

Los Osos and Baywood Park, on the south end of Morro Bay, were two independent areas that developed separately during different periods. Over time, they grew together. In 1974, the US Post Office eliminated the Baywood branch and declared the area as Los Osos. Residents, passionate about their neighborhoods, specifically refer to Cuesta-by-the-Sea, Baywood, or the 12 other housing areas, while nonresidents ascribe to the Los Osos name. This area, including the beautiful Los Osos Valley, has been home to artisans, fishermen, and hunters for centuries, and more recently, cattle ranchers and farmers. The town grew haphazardly in fits and starts. Quirky, rebellious, off the beaten path—all apply. People here are happy to be a bit undiscovered and prefer that it stays that way.

Cover image for Los Osos/Baywood Park, isbn: 9781467124096

Bay Area Radio

9780738589107

$24.99

The San Francisco Bay Area was a key national radio-broadcasting center during the first three decades of commercial radio. In 1909, it was home to the very beginnings of the art and science of broadcasting, when Charles Doc Herrold began sending out weekly voice and music programs from his radio school in San Jose. Dozens of other radio pioneers soon followed. In 1926, big broadcasting came to San Francisco when the newly formed National Broadcasting Company (NBC) established its West Coast headquarters on Sutter Street. Other national and regional networks soon set up their own broadcast production centers, and for the next 20 years, thousands of actors, musicians, announcers, and engineers were creating important programs that were heard on the West Coast as well as nationwide. During World War II, San Francisco became the key collection center for Pacific war news, and bulletins received in San Francisco were quickly relayed to an anxious nation. Conversely, powerful shortwave stations broadcast war news and propaganda back to the Pacific and entertained American troops overseas.

Cover image for Bay Area Radio, isbn: 9780738589107

Claremont

9781467131919

$24.99

Situated along the eastern border of Los Angeles County and at the foot of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains is the community of Claremont. The city, founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1907, quickly became one of Southern California's most unique communities. Known as the City of Trees and PhDs, Claremont has become famous for its lush oak-and-sycamore-lined boulevards, beautifully crafted architecture, and as the home of the highly praised liberal arts schools of the Claremont Colleges. First settled by the Serrano peoples on Indian Hill Mesa and once part of the vast Rancho San Jose, Claremont has gone through several important periods, including expanding from a frontier town to a Congregationalist hub and transitioning from a citrus powerhouse to an artist colony. Equal parts suburban community and college town, Claremont has attracted many for its picturesque setting and charming small-town feel.

Cover image for Claremont, isbn: 9781467131919

Cajon Pass, The

9780738570754

$24.99

California bloomed when modern men conquered Cajon Pass. California's two transverse (east to west) mountain ranges, the San Gabriel and San Bernardino, prevented commerce east between two-thirds of Southern California and the rest of the state. Cajon Pass, the low point between the two ranges, was first opened to business by roads that generally followed old Native American trails. When railroads pierced the divide in 1885, Northern and Southern California and states to the east benefitted. Utility trunks followed: first electrical power in about 1912, followed by telephone, and finally natural-gas pipelines. Courageous, tireless, independent pioneers settled Cajon Pass while looking for gold, mining lime, and nursing water from the ground to satisfy needs of livestock and crops. Even today, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads run their busiest freight transport tracks through Cajon Pass, and Highway 15 competes successfully with its more western counterpart, Highway 5, for record numbers of vehicles per day moving north and south through California.

Carlsbad

9780738569925

$24.99

Once a small coastal community known for avocados and flower fields, Carlsbad has grown into a sprawling suburban city, with a small beach-town feel that still maintains ties to its roots. The discovery of its mineral wells in 1885, and the subsequent naming of the city after the famed European spa in Karlsbad, Bohemia, put Carlsbad on the map as a world-class resort destination. Miles of beautiful beaches, and three lagoons located within its boundaries, have shaped Carlsbad into a recreational destination as well. The Flower Fields, with vibrant rows of colorful ranunculus, now serves as a reminder of the past and a link to the future, as shopping and businesses have grown up around them, helping Carlsbad evolve into the diverse, progressive city it is today.

Hidden History of Sonoma County

9781467138277

$21.99

The enterprising spirit that led to Sonoma County's storied agricultural heritage defined its earliest denizens. Sail the seas with Captain Bodega y Quadra, whose name graces the coast and beyond, and wave farewell to the last train out of the redwoods. Discover the fate of Charles Henley, spirited from the county jail in 1876 by masked vigilantes. Learn about the rise and fall of Sonoma's tobacco growers and the historic opening of the Jenner Bridge as the automobile rose in popularity. John Schubert and Valerie Munthe reveal Sonoma County's enthralling history.

Cover image for Hidden History of Sonoma County, isbn: 9781467138277

San Pedro's Cabrillo Beach

9780738559971

$24.99

Named after the famous European explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro is a recreational complex established in 1927 and located at the foot of one of the world's largest breakwaters protecting the Port of Los Angeles. A regional destination for beachgoers, the wave-swept Cabrillo attracts beachcombers to the tide pools in the adjacent rocky shores of the rugged Palos Verdes Peninsula. During spring and summer, onlookers watch the grunion mate and lay their eggs in the outer beach's wet sand. The protected beach has long been popular with young families who enjoy the calm harbor waters. A public boat launch allows easy access, and the breakwater's boulders have traditionally attracted fishermen and pelicans. Many of the million annual beach visitors enjoy exploring local marine life at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Los Angeles's regional clearinghouse for ocean issues, which began in 1935 as the Cabrillo Marine Museum in the Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse.

Cover image for San Pedro's Cabrillo Beach, isbn: 9780738559971

Tulare

9781467130868

$24.99

Today's Tulare is a modern bedroom community, home to more than 60,000 people in the heart of California's great San Joaquin Valley. Few, however, remember Tulare's historic frontier and railroad days. Tulare was originally founded by the Southern Pacific Railroad as the terminal for its southern division. Interestingly enough, the railroad billed Tulare as the future county seat. Sadly, in 1891, Southern Pacific moved the roundhouse and machine shops to Bakersfield and the division headquarters to Fresno. In spite of this crippling event, Tulare has managed to reinvent itself from a rough-and-tumble frontier town to an agricultural bedroom community. This book showcases some of Tulare's more well-known images from the 1880s up until today, capturing its development from railroad town to the modern era.

Cover image for Tulare, isbn: 9781467130868

Caltrain and the Peninsula Commute Service

9780738576220

$24.99

The rail line now called Caltrain was started in the 1860s to create a faster alternative to stagecoaches and ships between the key cities of San Francisco and San Jose. Operated by Southern Pacific for many years, the Peninsula Commute Service is the oldest continuously operating passenger railroad in the West and boasts seven depots in the National Register of Historic Places. This indomitable iron horse has filled a vital transportation role, from evacuating San Franciscans during the 1906 earthquake to getting commuters to work. With the dawn of the 21st century, Caltrain reinvented itself yet again with its innovative Baby Bullet express trains.

Caltrain and the Peninsula Commute Service

Mexican American Baseball in East Los Angeles

9781467124713

$24.99

Mexican American Baseball in East Los Angeles highlights the unforgettable teams, players, and coaches who graced the hallowed fields of East Los Angeles between 1917 and 2016 and brought immense joy and honor to their neighborhoods. Off the field, these players and their families helped create the multibillion-dollar wealth that depended on their backbreaking labor. More than a game, baseball and softball were political instruments designed to promote and empower civil, political, cultural, and gender rights, confronting head-on the reactionary forces of prejudice, intolerance, sexism, and xenophobia. A century later, baseball and softball are more popular than ever in East Los Angeles. Dedicated coaches still produce gifted players and future community leaders. These breathtaking photographs and heartfelt stories shed unparalleled light to the long and rich history of baseball and softball in the largest Mexican American community in the United States.

Cover image for Mexican American Baseball in East Los Angeles, isbn: 9781467124713

Surfing in San Diego

9780738547565

$24.99

San Diego County has nearly 75 miles of picturesque coastline on the mighty Pacific Ocean, and for decades, San Diego has boasted of producing some of the world's finest surfers. But here surfing is more
than a sport--it is a Southern California lifestyle--and as such has heavily influenced the beach towns throughout the county. Much research points to surfing having come to Southern California in 1907,
and it may have taken hold in San Diego as early as 1910. Join with us in this wonderful pictorial journey through San Diego's little-known surfing past.

Cover image for Surfing in San Diego, isbn: 9780738547565

Hot Rodding in Ventura County

9780738599687

$24.99

Stretching from Ventura to Santa Maria, California, a vibrant and colorful community of hot rod clubs bloomed throughout the middle of the 20th century. Hot Rodding in Ventura County takes a look at the people, places, and, above all, the cars that made up this historic period in automotive culture. Take a look into the golden years of hot rodding through vintage images of the first national championship drag races; visit long-lost drag strips such as Goleta, Saugus, and Santa Maria; and gain access to hot rodding's paramount clubs like the Motor Monarchs, the Kustomeers, and the Pharaohs.

Cover image for Hot Rodding in Ventura County, isbn: 9780738599687

African Americans of San Francisco

9780738576190

$24.99

Beginning in the 1840s, black men and women heard the call to go west, migrating to California in search of gold, independence, freedom, and land to call their own. By the mid-1850s, a lively African American community had taken root in San Francisco. Churches and businesses were established, schools were built, newspapers were published, and aid societies were formed. For the next century, the history of San Francisco's African American community mirrored the nation's slow progress toward integration with triumphs and setbacks depicted in images of schools, churches, protest movements, business successes, and political struggles.

San Francisco in World War II

9780738530505

$24.99

Everything changed on the morning of December 7, 1941, and life in San Francisco was no exception. Flush with excitement and tourism in the wake of the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, the city was stunned at the severity of the Pearl Harbor attack, and quickly settled into organized chaos with its new role as a major deployment center for the remainder of the war. "Frisco" teemed with servicemen and servicewomen during and after the conflict, forever changing the face of this waterfront city. Warships roamed the bay, and fearsome gun embankments appeared on the cliffs facing the sea, preparing to repel an invasion that never happened.

Cover image for San Francisco in World War II, isbn: 9780738530505

Alameda by Rail

9780738547060

$24.99

Across the great bay from San Francisco, the city of Alameda evolved into an island hometown of fine Victorian and Craftsman architecture and a port containing a naval air station, shipbuilding center, and the winter home of the long-gone Alaska Packers fleet of "tall ships." But Alameda also was a busy railroad town. In 1864, a passenger railroad with a ferry connection created a commute to San Francisco. In 1869, the city became the first Bay Area terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad. Alameda became an island because a railroad allowed construction crews to dig a tidal canal, separating it from Oakland in 1902. Later generations rode steam, then electric, trains to a grand ferry pier where ornate watercraft guided them the 20 minutes to San Francisco. An auto tube, and later the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge, hastened the demise of ferry, then rail, operations before World War II.

Yosemite's Historic Hotels and Camps

9780738599977

$24.99

Yosemite National Park is a place of extraordinary natural beauty with renowned waterfalls, spectacular granite rock formations, and serene meadows. Although indigenous peoples already inhabited Yosemite, settlers of European descent found their way there beginning in 1851. To serve the steady growth of tourists and visitors, lodging and accommodations have always been central to the park's history. The popularity of postcards starting in the early 1900s and lasting several decades coincided with the growth of the park's hotels and camps, transportation, and entertainment. This book of vintage postcards illustrates and chronicles those places and events. It provides visitors with an understanding and appreciation for the unique and diverse places made available to tourists throughout Yosemite's history.

Surfing in Huntington Beach

9781467102773

$24.99

Officially known as Surf City USA®, Huntington Beach is a surf town like no other. Ever since Hawaiian transplant George Freeth walked on water beside the famous Huntington Beach Pier in 1914, the city has had a storied relationship with surf culture that endures to this day. Combining a rough-and-tumble working-class spirit leftover from the city's epic oil boom with its role as a popular beach resort destination, Huntington Beach has produced some of surfing's most memorable personalities and moments. From legendary surfing heroes to long-standing competitions and titans of industry, these vintage photographs trace the evolution of this once small seaside settlement into a West Coast surf mecca, where surfing truly is a way of life.

Cover image for Surfing in Huntington Beach, isbn: 9781467102773

The Bay Bridge

9780738529707

$24.99

The Bay Bridge combines suspension, cantilever, tunnel, and truss constructions in an astonishing 8.4-mile-long structure. Envisioned first in 1872 by the legendary Emperor Norton, the project finally coalesced in the 1920s, although initial studies concluded that the bridge could not be built due to the bay's deep muddy waters and the area's strong earthquakes. President Herbert Hoover, who was also an engineer, took up the cause, and the $80.8-million project began in 1933. It would replace an extensive set of ferries and forever alter the landscape and commerce of the Bay Area. Over the next three years and four months, the underwater and above-water construction continued day and night, with 152,000 tons of steel, a million cubic yards of concrete, more than 70,000 miles of cable strands, and 200,000 gallons of paint. Roughly 6,500 workers built this amazing bridge, and 12 lost their lives in the process.

Sacramento's Greenhaven/Pocket Area

9780738519098

$24.99

The Greenhaven/Pocket community is located just southwest of downtown Sacramento. Geographically, its unique location is within a meandering bend of the Sacramento River, thus termed "the Pocket" because it is bounded by the Sacramento River to the north, west, and south. Captured here in over 180 vintage images are the sorrows and triumphs of the area's earliest settlers, encompassing the continents of the world and spanning over a century.

The Greenhaven/Pocket area was a rural farming community for 110 years before suburban development, with the most significant group of people contributing to the area's history and identity being Portuguese immigrants from the Azores Islands of Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, and Terceira. They began arriving a few years after the Gold Rush and by 1880, almost half of the Portuguese population in Sacramento County was within these townships that encompassed and surrounded the Riverside/Pocket area. Pictured here is the evolution of this thriving community, from the earliest founding families and their sprawling ranches, to the Japanese settlement of World War I, and finally to the innovative Greenhaven 70 plan development in the 1960s that laid the foundation for today's community.

Cover image for Sacramento's Greenhaven/Pocket Area, isbn: 9780738519098

Mariposa County

9780738529493

$24.99

One of the original 27 counties of California, Mariposa County, located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and containing more than 900,000 acres, once covered one-fifth of the state and was considered the "Mother of California Counties." First inhabited by several Native American tribes, the land that became Mariposa County saw a flood of miners and other white settlers to the area with the discovery of gold in 1849. The county produced not only $48 million in gold, but also millions in copper, lead, zinc, and chromite, among other minerals. Now home to more than 20,000 residents, as well as most of the famous Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County takes pride in the history that lives in the Gold Rush buildings lining downtown Mariposa and Coulterville's main streets and still standing in early mining towns like Hornitos and Bear Valley.

Cover image for Mariposa County, isbn: 9780738529493

The Owens Valley

9780738595931

$24.99

The Owens Valley is a bold and beautiful land where rugged alpine peaks tower over the deep trough of high desert that John Muir called "a country of wonderful contrasts." Inhabiting a rich and complex past are native people, miners, cattlemen, farmers, and city builders who laid claim, often violently, to its resources. By 1913, Owens River water was flowing south through the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and from the long and bitter conflicts that followed emerged an Owens Valley future far removed from the agrarian Eden envisioned by 19th-century pioneers. Today, unparalleled recreational opportunities draw millions of visitors annually to this "long brown land" even as reminders of a quintessential Western past linger in its open vistas, epic landscape, and enduring traditions.

Lake Tahoe

9780738530314

$24.99

The Washoe Indians called it Tah-ve, an unfathomable liquid sapphire set in a 500 square-mile watershed of alpine snow and ice. Too deep and vast to freeze, Lake Tahoe's waters have, over time, reflected pristine forests, barren hillsides littered with slash and sawdust, managed restoration, and the glow of neon casino marquees. Its spectacular natural landscape, shared by both California and Nevada, is more designed than people realize. Humans transformed most of the old trees into mine shafts and cities. When the railroad, and later the automobile, domesticated the lake, putting it within recreational reach of the middle class, much of Lake Tahoe's shore became a managed wilderness. Its location along a political border created a unique merger of naturalist and gaming economies.

Deadly San Diego

9781467152792

$23.99

Delve into a world of cold cases, serial killers and false confessions pulled straight from the archives of the San Diego Police Department. From a rash of attacks in Balboa Park to the slayings of two police officers that remain unsolved to this day, detectives have investigated several vexing and violent cases over the years. In 1931, the murder of ten-year-old Virginia Brooks was initially linked to serial slayer Gordon Stewart Northcott, later hanged for his crimes, while the mysterious death of young Dalbert Aposhian languished for seventy-two years before modern forensics closed it. Join author Steve Willard as he pulls back the curtain on San Diego's dark side.

Filipinos in Stockton

9780738556246

$24.99

The first Filipino settlers arrived in Stockton, California, around 1898, and through most of the 20th century, this city was home to the largest community of Filipinos outside the Philippines. Because countless Filipinos worked in, passed through, and settled here, it became the crossroads of Filipino America. Yet immigrants were greeted with signs that read "Positively No Filipinos Allowed" and were segregated to a four-block area centered on Lafayette and El Dorado Streets, which they called "Little Manila." In the 1970s, redevelopment and the Crosstown Freeway decimated the Little Manila neighborhood. Despite these barriers, Filipino Americans have created a vibrant ethnic community and a rich cultural legacy. Filipino immigrants and their descendants have shaped the history, culture, and economy of the San Joaquin Delta area.

Bay Area Roller Derby

9780738593180

$24.99

Roller Derby found a home in the San Francisco Bay Area following its Depression-era Chicago origins. An early television sensation, it faded to a modest existence in Los Angeles during the 1950s. Creator Leo Seltzer turned the game over to his son Jerry, who repositioned the traveling Bay Bombers from their home terrain of San Francisco to Fresno and everywhere in-between. He shined television camera lights on skaters who became the zenith in Roller Derby, including Charlie O'Connell, Annis Jensen, Joanie Weston, and more. Syndicated television games seen by millions yielded sellout crowds in every major arena in the country. However, economic and cultural changes closed Roller Derby in 1973. Passionate fans clung tenaciously to its memory. In the 21st century, the game made an astonishing return not only in Northern California but also worldwide.

The State of Jefferson

9780738530963

$24.99

The State of Jefferson was born in the hearts of pioneers who crossed craggy peaks and treacherous canyons to settle near the Oregon and California border. Isolated and feeling neglected by both state governments, they tried to create a new state as early as 1852. The persistent State of Jefferson movement finally received national attention, including articles in Time and Life magazines, and held a boisterous election of county officials in 1941, before being derailed by the onset and priorities of World War II. But solidarity and independence still run like underground springs in the border counties, where rugged individualism matches the often rugged terrain, and where highway signs, businesses, and even public radio stations proudly display the State of Jefferson name and flag.

Temecula

9780738530956

$24.99

In the far southwest corner of Riverside County, a center of commerce grew in the 19th century near the junction of the Temecula and Murrieta Creeks. A stop along the Southern Emigrant Trail and Butterfield Stage route brought a few travelers to Temecula who liked the place and stayed. A cattle baron grazed his stock in the rich pastureland and dominated the economy until the mid-1960s, when an investor bought the land to build a planned community. Today Temecula is the home of over 90,000 people. Old Town Temecula celebrates its frontier past, and the Temecula Wine Country entices visitors to take a taste. The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians operates a casino and resort near Rancho del Paisano, the former home of the author who created Perry Mason, Erle Stanley Gardner.

Calico

9780738589053

$24.99

Calico was established in 1881 during one of the largest silver strikes ever recorded in California. At its peak (1887-1896), the town's population was about 1,200, and Main Street bustled with saloons, hotels, a post office, and a one-room schoolhouse that doubled as a church on Sundays. Historians generally agree that Calico was dead by 1904, but the town always had a small population that simply refused to give up. Authentically restored by Walter Knott in the 1950s, Calico survives as one of the few "living" ghost towns from the Old West era. The images in this book cover 130 years in Calico's life. Although presented in black-and-white, the stories they tell are as colorful as the surrounding hills that gave Calico its name.

California's Citrus Heritage

9781467107679

$23.99

Since the first appearance of oranges at the Franciscan missions in the early 19th century, citrus agriculture has been an inextricable part of California's heritage. From the 1870s to the 1960s, oranges and lemons were dominant features of the Southern California landscape. The Washington navel orange, introduced by homesteader Eliza Tibbets at Riverside in the 1870s, precipitated the rise of a citrus belt stretching from Pasadena (in the San Gabriel Valley) to Redlands (in San Bernardino County). Valencia oranges dominated Orange County south of Los Angeles, while lemons thrived in coastal settlements such as Santa Paula. With the arrival of transcontinental railroads in the citrus heartland by the 1880s, Californians had access to markets across the United States. This was followed by the subsequent establishment of an impressive central organization in the form of the California Fruit Growers Exchange, and oranges became the state's most lucrative crop. Observers did not exaggerate when they dubbed the southern portion of the Golden State an orange empire.

Petaluma

9780738518992

$24.99

The river comes in and the river goes back out-this was the central fact that dictated the ebb and flow of life in early Petaluma. This river provided a natural link with San Francisco, and Petaluma became a ready-made market and eventually a prosperous trading hub. Captured here in over 200 vintage images is the story of this once fledgling creek-side village, and its evolution into one of northern California's thriving commercial centers. As waves of American settlers besieged the area following the Gold Rush, the early cabins and shanties gave way to warehouses and storefronts. Pictured here are the elements that made Petaluma prosperous: the banks, parks, bustling hotels, lively businesses, and stately Victorian homes. From the first steamer Gold plowing its way with the region's wares down to San Pablo Bay, to the nation's first pioneering commercial hatchery, Images of America: Petaluma captures the spirit and ingenuity of this riverside town and its residents.

Laguna Niguel

9781467125918

$29.99

Laguna Niguel is one of America's earliest master-planned communities. In 1958, the Boston-based real estate firm of Cabot, Cabot & Forbes began acquiring over 7,000 acres of sheep-grazing land in south Orange County that had been owned by ranchers, including the French Basque Daguerra family and the Moulton family. Prior to that, the property was the Rancho Niguel Mexican land grant and, earlier, a part of a Niguili Native American village. The Boston firm hired noted architect Victor Gruen as the master planner and brought in investors through the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange. In 1959, the Laguna Niguel Corporation was formed, and the development began. Ansel Adams was hired to provide the original photographs of the property; Ladd & Kelsey, William Pereira, and other noted mid-century modern architects designed the housing, schools, offices, and retail centers. This development's interesting and groundbreaking concepts set the stage for how communities were created in the last half of the 20th century.

Cover image for Laguna Niguel, isbn: 9781467125918

Railroads of Placer County

9781467127646

$24.99

Though small in geographic size, Placer County is large in its rich history of railroading in California. This book covers 14 different railroads that did or still do exist in some association with Placer County. There were narrow-gauge and standard-gauge, long transcontinental, and short point-to-point railroads. Some railroads were fully contained within the county, and others just touched the county. Some railroads were short-lived operations, while others operated for decades. One railroad still functions today, undiminished after 150 years in service. This book is more than just a collection of photographs of locomotives; it provides the reader with a visual history of various aspects of the many railroads operating in Placer County over the years.

Cover image for Railroads of Placer County, isbn: 9781467127646

Los Angeles's La Brea Tar Pits and Hancock Park

9780738576114

$24.99

Ever since the first popular article on the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits was published in Sunset magazine in 1908, this amazing Ice Age fossil site has captivated the imaginations of countless people from all over the world. This "death trap of the ages" and its population of saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and other extinct animals, now displayed in the stunning George C. Page Museum, continues to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Los Angeles. George Allan Hancock donated the 26-acre site to the County of Los Angeles in 1924 to preserve this scientific treasure trove for research and the enjoyment of future generations.

Los Angeles's La Brea Tar Pits and Hancock Park

Resorts of Lake County

9780738547985

$24.99

Beginning in the 1860s, the first vestiges of the resorts of Lake County appeared around the sparkling pools of the region's many hot springs and upon the shores of Clear Lake. Lured by the supposed medicinal qualities of the water, people flocked to rustic campgrounds and cabins to "take the cure" for their ailments, drink, and bathe, staying for long periods each summer. Within a few years, ambitious
entrepreneurs bottled the springs' mineral waters and built more luxurious accommodations and amenities. Although the claims of curative waters lost sway over time, resorts equipped with extensive
recreational facilities, dance floors, live music, bountiful food, hunting, fishing, and children's entertainment continued to draw visitors in droves. Families filled the resorts in summers, and by the 1940s, large group and society meetings as well as conventions began to utilize the resorts on spring and fall weekends. Though few original resorts remain, today, in 2007, the region's business directory lists 51 Lake County resorts.

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Groveland and Big Oak Flat

9781467105286

$24.99

Big Oak Flat and Groveland provide a window into hundreds of years of California history. For millennia, the Me-Wuk people lived in harmony with the environment, tapping nature for their food and shelter. Then, in 1848, James Savage found gold, and the 49er Gold Rush brought a placer mining boom. The two towns developed almost overnight. However, the easy ore was soon depleted, and a devastating fire in 1863 contributed to a severe decline in population and prosperity. In the 1880s, improved technology led to a new “hard rock” mining boom, but in 30 years, it also turned to bust. From 1915 to 1935, Groveland was the headquarters for the giant Hetch Hetchy project, which dammed the Tuolumne River and sent its water to San Francisco. In the 1960s and 1970s, Pine Mountain Lake was developed into a successful vacation and retirement community. Over the years, local residents have contributed to the development and support of Yosemite National Park tourism, making it the “Gateway to Yosemite.”

Cover image for Groveland and Big Oak Flat, isbn: 9781467105286

Crescent City and Del Norte County

9780738530758

$24.99

The rugged coastline and wild rivers of Del Norte County were once home to the Yurok and Tolowa Indians, who built their dwellings with planks cut from virgin redwood. The Klamath River was an early supply route to the gold mines, but its treacherous waters were soon abandoned in favor of the ocean port at Crescent City. Although its lighthouse guided many heavily laden ships to safe harbor, famous shipwrecks still lie off Del Norte's rocky coast. Pack mule teams streamed east, bound for mining camps, and ranches in the Smith River and Elk Valleys developed to supply them. River salmon became a major industry, and later the ocean's bounty supported fishermen. Redwood groves fed a thriving timber industry for over a century. Never lacking in drama, Del Norte's history includes a U.S. oil tanker sunk by a Japanese submarine in 1941 and, in 1964, a tsunami that swept through Crescent City, destroying almost all of its downtown.

King City

9781467108041

$23.99

The town of King City came into existence in 1886, when the railroad arrived north of San Lorenzo Creek in the Salinas Valley of Central California. Named after Charles H. King, owner of this portion of the San Lorenzo Land Grant, King City has grown into a hub for the magnificent agricultural fields that surround it and support its economy. US Highway 101 and the Salinas River are unique features of the town, and Mesa Del Rey Airport was instrumental in the training of pilots during World War II. Author John Steinbeck's novel East of Eden is set near King City.

Farallon Islands

9781467103978

$24.99

The Farallon Islands lie almost 30 miles outside the entrance to San Francisco Bay and are comprised of over 20 islands, islets, sea stacks, and rocks, which span a seven-mile stretch of the Pacific Ocean.

Nineteenth-century sailors called them “the Devil’s Teeth,” in reference to their extreme hazard to navigation, and hundreds of shipwrecks, disasters, drownings, and deaths have occurred here.The sixth lighthouse on the West Coast was lit on Southeast Farallon Island in 1855. Only Southeast Farallon supports historic structures, several of which are maintained for management purposes.Southeast Farallon once served as home to keepers from the Bureau of Lighthouses (1853–1939), the US Coast Guard (1939–1972), and at various times the US Navy. Today, the islands are home to millions of seabirds and five species of pinnipeds.Because of their biological importance, the islands are not open to the public. They are managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration with Point Blue Conservation Science. Visitors can explore the islands by boat, at speeds of five miles per hour and from a distance the length of a football field for excellent viewing of globally significant wildlife populations.

Cultural anthropologist and author Marla Daily, of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation, has spent her career researching the histories of the California islands. The California Historical Society bestowed upon Daily its Distinguished Service Award for her extraordinary service and dedicated efforts in preserving California islands history.

Cover image for Farallon Islands, isbn: 9781467103978

Costa Mesa

9781467115766

$24.99

Perhaps no one could have foreseen the amazing transformation of Costa Mesa from a sleepy rancho to today's bustling City of the Arts. Along with other Orange County cities, Costa Mesa experienced explosive growth, redevelopment, county bankruptcy, traffic, and environmental issues. While navigating these events, Costa Mesa emerged with its own brand of Southern California cityhood. World War II brought the Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB) to town, along with 125,000 cadets. Postwar SAAAB conversion established the Orange County Fairgrounds, colleges, and housing. After incorporation in 1953, the race was on to achieve critical mass while surrounded by older, established cities. The Segerstrom family led the way to world-class facilities, such as South Coast Plaza and the Orange County Performing Arts Center. These venues shifted the city center from the traditional downtown to north Costa Mesa. Located at the confluence of three freeways and adjacent to John Wayne–Orange County Airport, Costa Mesa faces the future as the center of the South Coast Metro complex.

Cover image for Costa Mesa, isbn: 9781467115766

San Luis Obispo County Architecture

9781467160049

$24.99

California is rare among states and nations in having two cultural capitals--Los Angeles and San Francisco--and San Luis Obispo is smack in the middle. In the middle of nowhere or equidistant from everywhere, its architecture is a riot of variety: samples of practically every 19th- and 20th-century form; experiments by local builders; and one-offs by nationally known architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Julia Morgan, Richard Neutra, Edla Muir, and Warren Leopold ("Not A Licensed Architect" engraved on his tombstone), all without anxiety of influence from the outside. Where Santa Barbara, rebuilt after an earthquake during the City Beautiful movement, celebrates Spanish, Mission, and Moorish Revival, and Palm Springs embodies Mid-Century Modern, San Luis Obispo is California's capital of the eclectic. Wright's one Usonian office; Morgan's biggest and smallest commissions: Hearst Castle and her cab driver's daughters' playhouse; the world's only Greek Revival Streamline Moderne movie theater across from the Roman Revival PWA Moderne County Courthouse, like Ginger and Fred; the world's first industrial desalinization plant in a power plant modeled after an Egyptian Temple and sheathed in aluminum; Art Beal's bricolage Nitt Witt Ridge: all have an extraordinary story. Author James Papp is an architectural historian and writer of walking tours as well as a principal with Historicities, a cultural resources consultancy in San Luis Obispo. He is a member of the Oceano Economic Development Council Advisory Board, the Education Committee of the California Preservation Foundation, and the City of San Luis Obispo Cultural Heritage Committee.

Albany

9781467104470

$24.99

Albany, California--just 1.7 miles square--is one of the smallest cities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Located across the bay from the Golden Gate Bridge, Albany not only has its own captivating past, but it is also tightly linked to the fascinating regional history of the Bay Area: from notorious 19th-century powder company explosions to an early-1900s plague scare and a famous actor accused of murder. This colorful collection of historical vignettes reveals little-known details about Charles MacGregor, the man who built many Albany homes; the origins of the famous Solano Stroll street fair; and how extensive train systems once linked local residents to the rest of the Bay Area. Today, Albany is known as a family-oriented "Urban Village by the Bay." The stories of the city--many obscured by time--reflect its struggle to incorporate and the circuitous path leading to the modern, vibrant community of today.

Lighthouses of Humboldt County

9781467107587

$23.99

The impenetrable coast of Humboldt County has been a historic navigational conundrum for sea captains since the 16th century. The Humboldt bar crossing, the lack of safe harbors, the storms, the unpredictable seas, and the rocky shores caused tragic shipwrecks, drownings, and maritime disasters. Beginning in 1850, the Department of the Treasury funded the construction of 11 lighthouses in California, including the Humboldt Harbor Lighthouse, the first one in Humboldt County. Due to its poor location in the sand dunes, the lighthouse was abandoned in 1892. New lighthouses were built in more appropriate locations such as Table Bluff, Cape Mendocino, Trinidad, and Punta Gorda. An increase in population on the north coast resulted in the reliance on passenger schooners and freight vessels, making these lighthouses critical to Humboldt County's economic stability and success. The Trinidad Head Lighthouse is the only one in operation today, yet the lighthouses of Humboldt County and their keepers remain integral to California's maritime history.

Columbia

9780738530215

$24.99

Columbia started life in 1850 when Dr. Thaddeus Hildreth and his brother set up the camp known as Hildreth's Diggins in the lovely Sierra foothills. More than 150 tumultuous years later, Columbia is an amazing example of a true gold rush community frozen in time. But this is no ghost town either--the downtown area, with its plank sidewalks, ornate hotels, and saloons, is preserved as a California State Historic Park. The town today is a living, breathing, modern community at peace with both its past and its present. It's easy to imagine characters from the Old West swaggering through these streets, which served as the backdrop to Gary Cooper's Marshall Will Kane in High Noon. Of course, given Columbia's frequent historical reenactments, one doesn't have to think too hard to conjure such imagery.

Cover image for Columbia, isbn: 9780738530215

Missions of San Diego

9780738596839

$24.99

California's first settlement began on a trail called El Camino Real, or The Royal Road, that was traveled by missionary pathfinders, soldiers, and conquistadors on a dramatic journey into a mysterious land. Monterey was discovered in 1603, leading to the quest. Explorers Don Gaspar de Portolá and Juan Bautista de Anza, along with ambitious Franciscan missionaries, founded 21 monumental Spanish missions and several asistencias and chapels for native neophytes, travelers, and visitors to Alta California. Following the initial landing in 1769 at San Diego's seaport, Fr. Junípero Serra founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá, California's first landmark, at the original presidio site. The mission stands today exactly where it was moved, rebuilt, and completed in 1813. The native populations of California witnessed years of change from a sleepy province to the status of US statehood. The Spanish missions forged the powerful underpinnings of the Golden State's earliest settlements 80 years prior to the world's largest migration to California, the 1849 Gold Rush.

Cover image for Missions of San Diego, isbn: 9780738596839

Hidden History of Transportation in Los Angeles

9781626196711

$23.99

Los Angeles transportation's epic scale--its iconic freeways, Union Station, Los Angeles International Airport and the giant ports of its shores--has obscured many offbeat transit stories of moxie and eccentricity. Triumphs such as the Vincent Thomas Bridge and Mac Barnes's Ground Link buspool have existed alongside such flops as the Santa Monica Freeway Diamond Lane and the Oxnard-Los Angeles Caltrain commuter rail. The City of Angels lacks a propeller-driven monorail and a freeway in the paved bed of the Los Angeles River, but not for a lack of public promoters. Horace Dobbins built the elevated California Cycleway in Pasadena, and Mike Kadletz deployed the Pink Buses for Orange County kids hitchhiking to the beach. Join Charles P. Hobbs as he recalls these and other lost episodes of LA-area transportation lore.

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San Marcos

9780738599625

$24.99

According to legend, the name San Marcos can be attributed to a group of Spaniards who, while out on a mission to capture suspected horse thieves, accidently stumbled upon a beautiful little valley on the feast day of St. Mark. This little valley would remain sparsely populated for years to come, as a Mexican land grant tenanted by vaqueros, an agricultural salvation for homesteading early Californians, and the site of small towns that would nearly disappear between the pages of history. With the arrival of the Santa Fe Railroad, eventual official incorporation in 1963, and continuous progression today, San Marcos has formed an identity as a prospering and growing community that still retains the feel of a rural small town.

Cover image for San Marcos, isbn: 9780738599625

The Sea Ranch

9780738559902

$24.99

The Sea Ranch, translated from the Spanish "Del Mar Ranch," occupies the northwest corner of Sonoma County and is renowned for its architecture and environmental sensitivity. The development of a second-home community in 1965 was just one more chapter in a long history that began in 1846. The Sea Ranch is part of the German Rancho, the most northern coastal Mexican land grant, which was confirmed by the United States following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. It was home to German cattlemen, loggers, and an early-20th-century Russian Baptist colony. Over the years, shepherds, World War II soldiers, and bootleggers have called it home. Early maps and photographs tell the history of the area, and contemporary photographs reveal remnants of historic buildings and sites on the current Sea Ranch landscape.

Cover image for The Sea Ranch, isbn: 9780738559902

Silverado Canyon

9780738559629

$24.99

Hidden in the Santa Ana Mountains below Santiago Peak is a canyon called Silverado. The Spaniards called it Canon de la Madera because of the abundance of timber. The first non-native homesteaders arrived in 1876 to tend bees and grow fruit trees. With the discovery in 1877 of quartz deposits embedded with silver, the canyon became a hotbed of activity, with possibilities of newfound fortune for the hundreds of men who arrived there. Renamed Silverado City, the heart of the canyon turned into a bustling mining town. After the silver bust, peace and quiet returned and Silverado was promoted as a health resort, a place to "take the waters" that flowed from the natural sulfur springs. Attracted by the beauty of the canyon, city dwellers began visiting. Abandoned cabins were turned into small bungalows and used as vacation homes and eventually year-round residences. Through boom and bust, fire and flood, the canyon remains a unique and enchanting part of Orange County.

Cover image for Silverado Canyon, isbn: 9780738559629

South Pasadena's Raymond Hotel

9780738559193

$24.99

Built in lavish Victorian style in 1886 atop Bacon Hill, the Raymond Hotel was the most regal feature on the skyline in the San Gabriel River Valley--a sundown silhouette of the wealth and prominence that had coalesced in the Pasadena area. It became the base of activities for Eastern tycoons' families enjoying the balmy Southern California climate, even fostering the development of the winter mansions on Orange Grove Avenue. After the original 200-room hotel with 80 chimneys burned down on Easter Sunday in 1895, the second 300-room Raymond Hotel opened in 1901. The pioneering orange groves on the sprawling grounds gave way to a golf course. Pres. Theodore Roosevelt and Charles Chaplin are just two examples of the early-20th-century celebrities who stayed there. This visually stunning collection of images is a mere sample of the vintage professional photography that exists of South Pasadena's iconic landmark.

True Tales of the Sacramento Delta

9781626196056

$21.99

May 13, 1817, marked the first recorded exploration of the Sacramento River. The expedition changed the Delta region forever. A flood of explorers from all over the world poured into the Lower Sacramento River Delta, and soon towns were settled on the banks of the river. As settlement flourished, each new community gave birth to stories of early pioneers, shipwrecks, murder, robbery, vigilante justice, bootleggers and more. Here for the first time in this remarkable collection, local historian and author Philip Pezzaglia reveals the true stories behind some of the tales that have passed through generations, becoming legends of the Delta.

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Rails Around McCloud

9780738555645

$24.99

California's northeastern corner is dominated by the 14,162-foot-tall presence of Mount Shasta. On the southeastern flank of the great mountain lies the picturesque town of McCloud. The McCloud River Railroad established its operational headquarters in the town in 1897. The next seven decades saw the railroad and the affiliated McCloud River Lumber Company carve hundreds of miles of railroad into the pine forests and lava beds east of McCloud, eventually reaching as far as Lookout to the east and the Burney Basin to the south. The McCloud River Railroad eked out a living hauling lumber, diatomaceous earth, and occasional tourists until 1992, when the new McCloud Railway Company purchased the property. In 1996, the new owners launched the Shasta Sunset Dinner Train to supplement the declining freight business. Economic conditions forced the railroad to abandon the entire railway east of McCloud in 2006, but the dinner train has kept rolling, keeping the rails west of McCloud shiny.

Oxnard

9780738529530

$24.99

Home to 185,000 residents, the seaside community of Oxnard is known for its seven miles of white-sand beaches, views of the Channel Islands, a bustling fisherman's wharf, and an agricultural history that continues to be celebrated by such popular events as the annual strawberry festival. The second half of the 20th century brought change to this coastal gem, beginning with a population boom following World War II. The establishment of military bases at Port Hueneme and Point Mugu along Ventura County's Gold Coast and the rise of electronic, aerospace, and other manufacturing industries contributed to the growth of the city and surrounding areas. With the development of Heritage Square in the 1980s and the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District in the 1990s, the citizens of Oxnard have worked to preserve their unique history.

Lost Ski Areas of Tahoe and Donner

9781467140584

$21.99

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Lake Tahoe and the Donner Summit region became California’s first developed winter sports areas. Plentiful snowfall and newly built highways opened up the summer playground for visitors year-round, and skiing flourished. The Sierra Ski Club formed in 1925, attracting members eager to experience everything the mountains had to offer. People flocked to the slopes, visiting places like Clair Tappaan Lodge in Soda Springs, boasting one of the summit’s earliest ski tows, and the Yuba Gap Lodge, a pioneer in night skiing. Join Ingrid P. Wicken, award-winning author and ski historian, as she recounts the fascinating beginnings of this celebrated ski hub.

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Angels Camp and Copperopolis

9780738559810

$24.99

The Angels Camp and Copperopolis regions offer a fascinating chapter in the history of the Mother Lode. Calaveras County's southwest corner has many tales to tell, including one of the earliest settlements of the Native American in California; two of the most famous names in Americana, Mark Twain and Black Bart; and two major events in national history, the Gold Rush and the Civil War. An important Gold Rush town, Angels Camp gained even greater fame through Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," which inspired the world-famous Jumping Frog Jubilee. At the same time, Copperopolis became a critical supplier of copper to the Union during the Civil War. Legendary outlaw Black Bart made his first and his last stagecoach holdup here. Ferries and railways served the region that also included the settlements of Hodson, Milton, Felix, Carson Hill, Dogtown, and Lost City.

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Life On Route 66:

9781609496227

$21.99

Winding through the rugged heartland of the American West, Route 66 has resonated for generations in hardscrabble stories of hopeful seekers of new homes and lives. The Mother Road has inspired books and shows by the dozens, exploring the mythology and anticipation of freedom road. But here is something new. Coauthors Alan and Claudia Heller, longtime residents of Duarte, California, along Route 66, hitched their trailer to a retirement dream and traveled the road again, in their home state and back to Chicago. They collected stories of the iconic highway, and what it means to the people who live along its way, for a series in the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group. Retrace their journey with this collection and find the people and places that make Route 66 truly historic.

Cover image for Life On Route 66:, isbn: 9781609496227

Truckee

9780738574950

$24.99

At 5,980 feet, Truckee enchants visitors with a quaintness that belies the mountain town's rugged past. The very environment in which Truckee exists--high elevation, cold, deep snows--forced its founding fathers, residents, immigrants, and transient workers to make tough decisions while attempting to keep peace in a wildly remote area. In just over 150 years, Truckee has morphed from a collection of lawless rough-and-tumble settlements to a close-knit community with a sense of adventure at its core. The Truckee area was also at the cornerstone of many 19th-century technological innovations. From logging that kept trains stoked and fed Nevada mines to an ice-harvesting industry that transformed refrigerated transportation and the largest paper mill west of the Mississippi, Truckee proved its engineering mettle.

The Ghostly Tales of San Diego

9781467198820

$12.99

Ghost stories from San Diego, California have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of San Diego comes to life--even when the main players are dead. Wander into the shops of Old Town, just keep your eye out for shoppers who might have died long ago. Or check into the Cosmopolitan Hotel for a glimpse of guests who checked in but never checked out. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Cover image for The Ghostly Tales of San Diego, isbn: 9781467198820

Morro Bay

9780738530864

$24.99

Morro Bay, on California's Central Coast, is famous for the massive rock formation that guards the mouth of its natural harbor. A remnant of an ancient volcanic plug, Morro Rock--in Spanish, el Moro, the sentinel--was spotted by explorer Juan Cabrillo as early as 1542. Once sacred to Native Americans, it is now a sanctuary for peregrine falcons and other birds, near secluded dunes, a 2,300-acre national estuary known as the back bay, and eucalyptus groves that are visited each winter by monarch butterflies. With the railroad hundreds of miles away, the small fishing town with sandy streets, surrounded by cattle and dairy ranches, once depended on the sea for transportation. Now a thriving commercial district serves both residents and tourists, and its waterfront is packed with busy seafood restaurants. Kayaks, canoes, and commercial fishing boats mingle in the sparkling waters of the bay.

True Crime Stories of Fairfield, California

9781467170260

$24.99

Murder, mystery and misdemeanors in Solano County’s seat.

From the very beginning, Fairfield hosted its fair share of criminal activity. City founder Robert Waterman, a famed sea captain accused of beating his own crew during the “hellship trials,” walked away a free man, but the fallout paved the way for seamen’s rights. A spree killer set the state mass murder record in the 1920s, and several decades later, Fairfield was chosen as the location for serial killer Juan Corona’s trial. Mass murders, missing children, political scandals and even a case involving an Armijo High School graduate turned Russian spy all have their roots in this California town.

Author and accidental historian Tony Wade shines a light on the dark past of Fairfield, California.

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California's Great America

9781467131902

$24.99

In May 1972, actor Fess Parker of Davy Crockett fame announced plans for a huge theme park complex in Santa Clara, California. Eventually, the Marriott Corporation joined the effort. Parker later departed, while Marriott continued with what was the corporation's largest project to date. Marriott's Great America opened its gates on March 20, 1976. It featured a variety of family and thrill rides on a grand scale plus live entertainment, including multiple stage shows and even a full circus. From Marriott to the park's current owner, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Great America has entertained and continues to entertain millions of guests in what is now the heart of Silicon Valley.

San Pedro

9780738581996

$24.99

San Pedro was incorporated into the City of Los Angeles in 1909, and grew into one of the world's strategic international ports. The dredging and backfilling of berths and canals have been mirrored in town through the decades as landmarks were demolished, streets altered, and some structures steadfastly maintained.

Lost Gas Stations of San Mateo County

9781467161794

$24.99

Discover the history San Mateo County's gas stations through this collection of historic photographs.

The years following the 1906 earthquake saw a migration from the city to the suburbs, farms, and orchards of the San Francisco Peninsula’s San Mateo County. Mobility on the peninsula came in the form of streetcars, trains, and buses but was soon dominated by the automobile. Beginning in the late 1920s through the 1990s, the peninsula was inundated with automobile service stations, or gas stations, where smartly dressed station attendants practically ran to one’s car to fill the tank, check oil and tire pressure levels, and clean the windshield. At the peak, the small city of San Carlos had 23 stations. Today, it has only five.

Bruce C. Cumming enjoyed a 42-year-long career in California law enforcement, serving as police chief of Menlo Park and Morgan Hill. Cumming has had an interest in all things automotive and currently owns several vintage autos and collects petroleum memorabilia. Nicholas A. Veronico is the author or coauthor of more than 45 books on art history, aviation, military, and transportation subjects. Together, they have sourced many rare, never-before-seen photographs from various county archives and private collections to document how car culture on the peninsula has changed over the years.

Cover image for Lost Gas Stations of San Mateo County, isbn: 9781467161794

California Avocados

9781467158176

$24.99

How the Golden State’s favorite fruit conquered the world.

When avocados first arrived from Mexico in the early 1800s, few Americans knew what to make of them. Intrepid settlers in California were among the first to embrace the savory green fruit, sparking a century-long love affair that transformed the state into “Avocado Land.” From battling over the best avocado varieties to coaxing the public into trying the fruit by devising delicious recipes, Golden State growers created a global phenomenon.

Author Rob Crisell explores how California’s favorite fruit became one of the most famous and iconic foods of the twenty-first century.

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Haunted Heart of Los Angeles

9781467157797

$21.99

Beneath the teeming streets of California’s largest city lies a dark history of serial killers, riots and strange encounters.

Spirits are said to mingle with the tourists on Olvera Street, and there are rumors that a curse placed on Griffith Park still causes deaths to this day. Do the victims of a massacre at Union Station still haunt the halls there, and does Dodger Stadium host the shades of the residents it displaced during its construction? Even the old Los Angeles Zoo is said to be a hotspot of animal apparitions reluctant to move on.

Author and paranormal historian Brian Clune explores the spooky side of Los Angeles.

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Saving the North Coast Redwoods

9781467157131

$24.99

The battle to preserve a natural wonder.Towering and majestic, the redwood forests of California’s North Coast once drew not visitors, but fortune-seeking timber companies. By 1917, the region had been logged for nearly 70 years and concerns arose that the rapidly disappearing redwoods could be lost. Damage wrought by logging and road construction caught the attention of Madison Grant, John Campbell Merriam, and Henry Fairfield Osborn and the Save the Redwoods League was born. Together with the State of California and the U.S. Federal Government, the League’s efforts led to the protection of the remaining old growth redwoods, creating state and national parks to preserve them for future generations.Author Susan J.P. O’Hara recounts the story of the fight to save the world’s tallest trees.

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Sequoia National Park

9780738525457

$7.99

Sequoia National Park boasts a rich history. Home to the world's largest trees and the highest peak in the continental United States, this second-oldest
national park in the country boasts a human history as inspiring as its natural splendor.

Unforgettable San Jose Earthquakes, The

9781467156196

$24.99

When the San Jose Earthquakes first started playing soccer in 1974, no one imagined how their efforts would reverberate fifty years later. The Quakes and their fans have overcome a multitude of issues in the last five decades, including leagues collapsing, attempted rebrandings, local apathy, political indifference and even a franchise relocation, yet they never gave up. While players like Johnny Moore, Chris Wondolowski and Landon Donovan have come and gone—along with coaches, general managers and owners—the multigenerational family this San Jose team created over the last half century stands as strong as ever. Join author Gary Singh, a native and lifelong fan, as he celebrates the legendary history of the Quakes.

Cover image for Unforgettable San Jose Earthquakes, The, isbn: 9781467156196

Missions of Southern California

9780738525150

$7.99

Beginning in 1769, the Spanish built a system of missions along the coastal El Camino Real, or Royal Road. These colonial outposts brought irreversible changes to the area's Native Americans. Many remain today as monuments to a vanished way of life.

Shasta Nation

9780738529578

$24.99

This is the history of the Shasta Nation as told by the Shasta people to Betty Lou Hall, who has spent her life recording and verifying Shasta oral history with documents, photographs, and interviews. Now she presents this story of her people. Thousands of years before there was a California, the native Shasta Upper-Klamath people had a successful society in an area stretching from Crater Lake near Medford, Oregon, to just north of Redding, California. These people are far fewer today, but they are still there. Many early American settlers tried to eliminate, enslave, or forget them, and later anthropologists cut them into linguistic jigsaw-puzzle maps of origin. Meanwhile, the descendants of approximately 35 surviving families overcame both hatred and scientific scrutiny.

Amador County

9780738547015

$24.99

Located in the heart of California's gold country, rural Amador County has retained much of its gold rush?era atmosphere, even as modern times have influenced the populace and the landscape. In the early days, life was quite rugged here, and lumberjacks, hard-rock miners, and railroad men were a common sight. Today much of the community's stunning natural setting remains nearly as sylvan and pristine as it was when the county was incorporated in 1854. Proud of an extensive and colorful history that includes mining, lumber, mountaineering, Native Americans, wine making, agriculture, and railroads, Amador County residents truly enjoy this slowly evolving place they call home.

Kings Canyon National Park

9780738559964

$24.99

By 1900, tiny General Grant National Park, founded to protect a magnificent sequoia grove and one of the world's largest trees, had become virtually encircled by commercial logging enterprises. This island of preservation became the port of call for a new generation of mountain explorers heading towards the vast alpine wilderness to the east. This new generation of wilderness visionaries--including legendary preservationist and founder of the Sierra Club John Muir and the artist Bolton Brown--forged an alliance that fought to protect this breathtaking landscape. After decades of effort, Congress designated the vast Kings Canyon National Park in 1940, encompassing the sequoias of General Grant as well as some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in North America.

Sacramento Southern Railroad

9780738569864

$24.99

The Sacramento Southern Railroad was born into a famous railroad family and a busy railroad town in July 1903. The mighty Southern Pacific, which controlled the new line from the outset, built south from Sacramento along the eastern bank of the Sacramento River into the delta's rich farmland area. At its zenith, the line was about 31 miles long, serving the communities of Freeport, Hood, Locke, Walnut Grove, and Isleton. Trains on what became known as the Walnut Grove Branch hauled pears, sugar beets, asparagus and other products from the agricultural region's packing sheds and canneries. Competition from trucking and damage from flooding took a severe toll on the railroad, and the Southern Pacific largely abandoned it by 1978, but a portion lives on as a labor of love.

Cover image for Sacramento Southern Railroad, isbn: 9780738569864

Saratoga

9780738569635

$24.99

One of California's earliest communities, Saratoga was settled before the Gold Rush. Water from the hillsides provided power for a mill, and Saratoga became a center for lumbering, for milling, and for paper manufacturing. By the Civil War, the community was known as a resort for summer homes of wealthy San Franciscans. Blessed with a wonderful climate, scenic terrain, and abundant natural springs, newcomers discovered it was possible to grow a wide variety of fruits, and hundreds of orchards appeared almost overnight. By 1900, Saratoga had the largest prune and apricot orchards known in America, and was home to Sunsweet. The flowering fruit trees inspired an annual Blossom Festival that brought thousands of visitors to the Saratoga area. An outstanding school system, wonderful climate, and a strong sense of community make Saratoga one of the most wonderful places to live in California.

Greater Carpinteria:

9780738570983

$24.99

Carpinteria once featured a racetrack at one end of town and a gargantuan statue of Santa Claus at the other--"anchor" operations highlighting this unique southern corner of coastal Santa Barbara County. A few miles south, in the northern corner of Ventura County, nestles La Conchita, where an early seaside stagecoach route and a famous banana plantation helped shape the local flavor. The historical characteristics of Summerland, on the coast north of "Carp," as Carpinteria is known, have included a J. Paul Getty oil operation and youth baseball played on fields lighted by piped-in natural gas. The three distinct communities of Greater Carpinteria are tied together by both the spectacular coastal landscapes-- beautiful beaches and majestic mountain ranges--as well as the area's intrinsically linked schools and businesses. It is an eclectic paradise between Ventura and Santa Barbara that draws a million visitors a year.

San Gorgonio Pass

9780738530970

$24.99

Locals know it simply as "the pass"--big enough to include several cities and towns, state parks and Indian reservations, the Colorado Desert and the travels of every golfer, movie star, tycoon, president, camper, trucker, sun-worshiper, and everyday Joe who ever buzzed to and from Palm Springs and Los Angeles. In Riverside County between "Old Grayback," also known as Mount San Gorgonio, rising to 11,804 feet on the north in the San Bernardino Range, and Mount San Jacinto topping out at 10,804 feet to the south, the people down inside the San Gorgonio Pass have seen them all come and go, from the days of the dust-caked overland stages to the chariots on today's Interstate 10. But the past came to pass in the pass too, and the images showcased here provide windows on the making of San Timoteo Canyon, Calimesa, Beaumont, Cherry Valley and Oak Glen, Banning, Cabazon, and Whitewater into the thriving communities they are today.

Santa Cruz's Seabright

9781467124737

$24.99

Seabright, located atop towering sandstone cliffs and bordered by the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor and San Lorenzo Point, overlooks the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk and a state beach where locals and lifeguards have performed many valiant acts of ocean rescue. Originally a Victorian-era campground, the neighborhood features special amenities, including a natural history museum, thanks to a long tradition of community activism. The creation of the Santa Cruz Harbor in the 1960s completed Seabright's transition from a summer resort to a year-round neighborhood. The beach doubled in size due to the littoral drift of sand blocked by the harbor seawall, protecting the vulnerable cliffs from the assault of winter waves.

Los Angeles River

9780738547183

$24.99

For centuries, the Los Angeles River was unpredictable-- prone to flooding, a raging torrent during rare Southern California rains, and just a trickle and marshlands the rest of the year. To tame it, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers walled in the river just before World War II. Decades later, roadside signs that proclaimed "Los Angeles River" prodded the question: How can this cement drain, strewn with trash and abandoned refrigerators, be considered a river? Abused through the 20th century, the L.A. River is amid a comeback thanks to the Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) and local governments. The realization that this arroyo has been as crucial to the development and growth of the city as the climate is again alive in the community. The vintage photographs for this historic and redemptive look at one of the great natural features of Los Angeles County were collected from private and public archives.

San Francisco Zoo

9780738569154

$24.99

In 1922, philanthropist and president of the San Francisco Parks Commission, Herbert Fleishhacker, purchased a 60-acre site in southwestern San Francisco. Fleishhacker Pool was built in 1925 and an adjoining zoo added in 1929. Originally called Fleishhacker Zoo, it featured a variety of exotic wildlife. Major exhibits were built in the 1930s Depression era as part of the Work Progress Administration (WPA). This book celebrates the San Francisco Zoo's 80-year history as it revisits cherished animals and structures like Monkey Island, Storyland, and Dentzel Carousel. The zoo holds a special place in the hearts of many, as it is a great San Francisco treasure along the foggy shores of Ocean Beach.

Cover image for San Francisco Zoo, isbn: 9780738569154

San Diego's Fishing Industry

9780738559926

$24.99

San Diego has always attracted a rich diversity of immigrant groups. Between the 1880s and 1970s, many of these groups helped to create a strong and dynamic fishing industry that became a key component of the city's identity. Waves of varied immigrants continually refreshed the industry, adapting their traditional skills and technologies to San Diegan conditions. Innovations in boat design, nets, and baiting techniques reshaped the fleets that harvested tuna and sardines from the teeming waters. On shore, canning factories sprang up, seafood markets bustled with activity, and fish restaurants filled with hungry diners. The vivid stories and fascinating photographs in this volume recapture the energy and variety that were the hallmarks of San Diego's fishing industry--an industry that has left a deep multicultural imprint on today's city.

Oceano

9780738580876

$24.99

Oceano is a California beach town between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Originally part of the Rancho El Pismo Mexican land grant of 1840, Oceano first appeared as a place name on a map in 1893 and was promoted as a beach resort soon after the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1895. While most of these promotions failed during the Great Depression, the railroad depot continued as a shipping point for the area's agriculture. During this time, Oceano became a point of entry for the Dunites, a group of artists, writers, and poets who once lived in the sand dunes south of town. Today Oceano is still the primary access and gateway to its state park beach and large sand dune complex. Many people come to enjoy the experience of driving on the beach, camping there, and venturing into the dunes on foot or by vehicle.

Cover image for Oceano, isbn: 9780738580876

San Mateo County Coast

9780738530611

$24.99

From Pacifica to Pescadero and south to the Santa Cruz County line, San Mateo County has 75 miles of stunning, rugged coastline. Development has been minimal, but a detailed history lurks among these rocky coves, sandy
beaches, and barking sea lions. After European contact, Portuguese fishermen set up shop here, establishing themselves throughout the coast and pulling in a remarkable catch from the waters. Others soon joined and built the larger cities of Half Moon Bay and Pacifica, along with smaller communities like Montara, El Granada, and San Gregorio. Fishing and agriculture have coexisted
here for decades, along with government operations such as Coast Guard light stations, defense artillery bunkers, and the Air Force station at Pillar Point.

San Francisco's Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights

9780738559803

$24.99

The prestige of Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights has long fascinated and awed San Francisco residents and visitors. The westward expansion of the city, followed by the addition of cable car lines, quickly transformed these once-barren outlands into gardens, schools, consulates, and homes, both extravagant and simple. Attracted to the stunning views and unique architecture, prominent and humble families alike have formed the fascinating role of Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights in San Francisco lore.

Cover image for San Francisco's Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights, isbn: 9780738559803

Joshua Tree National Park

9781467132817

$24.99

Human use of Joshua Tree National Park may extend as far back in time as 10,000 years. From the early Pinto Culture to modern tribes, native peoples have lived and hunted here for centuries. Indian trails helped guide Spanish, Mexican, and American explorers who gradually revealed the desert's secrets, leading to an influx of cattlemen, miners, and homesteaders between 1860 and 1930. As rugged as the desert itself, the area's pioneer history featured cattle rustlers, claim jumpers, and occasional gunfights. Grit, determination, and a fierce independence marked the lives of these early settlers, and the mines, ranches, and cabins they left behind hold many unforgettable stories. During the 1920s, Minerva Hamilton Hoyt found a unique beauty in the desert's sweeping vistas, and she worked tirelessly for the Joshua Tree area's preservation within the National Park System. Success came in 1936 when Pres. Franklin Roosevelt created Joshua Tree National Monument. With the Desert Protection Act, Joshua Tree was designated a national park in 1994.

Sonora

9780738547831

$24.99

When California's gold fever of the 1850s subsided, Sonora was a town well established as "The Queen of the Southern Mines," a community with a solid foundation. Transients working the goldfields were gone, and the mining camps' early lawlessness and impermanency were replaced by an organized township. Established as the Tuolumne County seat in 1851, Sonora soon boasted schools, churches, civic and fraternal organizations, a vast array of commercial enterprises and support services, and a diverse population. Served by early railway lines, the town quickly became a commercial hub for logging and ranching. In modern times, Sonora's surrounding natural wonders and proximity to Yosemite make it a favored destination for such outdoor activities as fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, boating, and even Western moviemaking. With many of its early buildings and stately homes still standing, Sonora has a welcoming historic downtown and residential district.

Sebastopol's Gravenstein Apple Industry

9780738581736

$24.99

The Gravenstein apple has been etched into the identity of Sebastopol, California, which is one of the few places on earth to have extensively grown this elusive apple. The Gravenstein is an early apple whose only failing is perishability, but it is celebrated for its superior flavor. Yet Luther Burbank attempted to improve on the Gravenstein, producing the Winterstein and the Bonita for home gardeners. During the last 127 years, the Gravenstein has added millions of dollars to the local economy. It has provided a reason for celebrations, from the 1910 Apple Show to today's Apple Blossom Festival and Gravenstein Apple Fair. This is the Gravenstein's story, from its European roots to small-town homage, and the part this special apple has played in one community—and the reason the current decline in apple acreage is mourned.

Cover image for Sebastopol's Gravenstein Apple Industry, isbn: 9780738581736

Soquel

9780738570815

$24.99

Soquel is a scenic town known for its antique shops, restaurants, and wineries. Winding through it is Soquel Creek, a once-powerful stream that defines the nature of the landscape and its history. The name Soquel is linked to Suquer, a leader of the native people living along the stream when nearby Mission Santa Cruz was founded in 1791. Later, during the Californio era, cattle grazed on the Soquel and Soquel Augmentation Ranchos. Fortune seekers, arriving after 1848, quickly discovered "red gold"--redwood forests, which they cut to build the pioneer settlements of California. Founded in 1852, the town expanded in the 1860s, as the sounds of logging rang in the mountains and goods were shipped from the wharf at Soquel Landing. By 1874, a railroad was charted along the coast and a resort called Camp Capitola was established at the beach. Gradually, as the mills grew quiet, Soquel shifted toward agriculture.

Santa Cruz Wharf

9781467133937

$24.99

For a century now, the Santa Cruz Wharf has shone as one of the crown jewels of the Pacific Coast, and today it serves as a gateway to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. What began as a shipping pier quickly morphed into the home of the colorful and fabled Santa Cruz Italian fishing colony. In its most recent iteration, the wharf serves as the primary destination for upward of four million annual visitors to Santa Cruz County. Since the time of the California Gold Rush in the late 1840s, there have been six wharves, or wooden piers, along the Santa Cruz waterfront, providing critical links for the local community to regional and global markets. The Santa Cruz Wharf, and all the 4,528 wooden piles that compose it, provides both external and internal vistas not found anywhere on land and is a place for contemplation, reflection, and quietude.

Cover image for Santa Cruz Wharf, isbn: 9781467133937

San Francisco Fire Department

9780738520841

$24.99

In San Francisco, history is as close as the sound of the fire engines and trucks racing by, sirens wailing. The San Francisco Fire Department took shape, as did the city, from the ashes and embers of the Great Fire of 1906. In the tumultuous seaport full of those seeking California's newly found gold, volunteer fire companies had to adapt to a teeming city full of canvas tents, wood shacks, kerosene lanterns, ocean breezes, and hilly winding streets. From a force that initially pulled hand-operated pumps and competed to be the first at a fire, traveling in horse-drawn equipment, the department has grown from a volunteer contingent of a few hundred to a company 1,800 strong and equipped to protect a city of 49 square miles, surrounded on three sides by salt water. The historic photographs of this volume document the establishment of the volunteer department on Christmas Eve 1849 and the inception of the paid force in 1866, as well as such colorful characters as Lily Hitchcock Coit, a belle who battled many a blaze with the volunteers and a portion of whose estate went to build the 210-foot Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. Striking images, many never before published, illustrate how the fire department was affected not only by the well-known inferno of 1906 but by the six blazes that leveled the waterfront in the 1850s and a number of other fires throughout the city's history.

Cover image for San Francisco Fire Department, isbn: 9780738520841

Around Trona and Searles Valley

9781467133999

$24.99

Trona was once the most populous community in the Upper Mojave Desert. Originally explored by the Death Valley 49ers in 1850, Searles Valley was formed by remnants of the Owens River Lakes. The small towns of Borosolvay, Magnesium, Burnham, and Slaterange City prospered for a period before fading. Homewood Canyon, Westend, Argus, Pioneer Point, and Trona continue to provide pleasant housing for Searles Valley residents. The valley is dominated by mining history, and Searles Valley Minerals still produces products for worldwide markets. Wyatt Earp played cards and gambled at Poeville and was arrested in 1910 in Searles Valley for claim jumping. In 1913, Stafford Wallace Austin helped create the planned town of Trona. Amelia Earhart's husband, George Putnam, died at the Trona Hospital in 1950. Sit down and enjoy the jaunt through some of the most interesting history in the West.

San Diego International Airport, Lindbergh Field

9780738589084

$24.99

Now formally known as San Diego International Airport, Lindbergh Field was named in honor of Charles Lindbergh and has been a center of aeronautic activity since its dedication in 1928. Many famous personalities and events have been associated with the airstrip, which quickly grew to include a Coast Guard Air Station, three airlines, two flying schools, and Ryan Aeronautical. In 1935, Consolidated Aircraft relocated to Lindbergh Field, transforming it into an aviation manufacturing center. Situated just three miles north of downtown San Diego, Lindbergh Field serves more than 50,000 travelers a day, making San Diego International Airport the busiest single-runway commercial airport today in the United States.

Eagle Rock

9780738569963

$24.99

Eagle Rock grew as a small farming community just north of Los Angeles on Tongva ancestral lands that had become the great eastern pasture of the Rancho San Rafael. Eagle Rock enjoyed a geographic unity and a strong identity that revolved around its prominent namesake promontory. By 1906, trolleys made for an easy commute to Los Angeles, and Eagle Rock, which incorporated as a city in 1911, became increasingly integrated in the urban fabric yet remained defined by its residential nature and small-town character. Occidental College saw the quaint neighborhood at one end of York Valley as a place to grow. The annexation of Eagle Rock by Los Angeles in 1923 brought ample water supply as well as Eagle Rock High School, a center of town life into the 21st century. Freeway construction and shifts in business patterns affected Eagle Rock's growth in the post-World War II years, but the pleasant neighborhood identity remains despite its proximity to urban bustle.