Arcadia Bestsellers

Ghost stories from Orlando have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

Welcome to spooky Orlando, Florida! 

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that restless spirits who went down with the ship may haunt Orlando's Titanic exhibit? Or that in Kissimmee, a headless horseman rides in search of his missing head? Can you believe that "the most magical place on earth" . . . might actually be crawling with ghosts?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Orlando forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

Recipes that Have Survived Generations 

Pensacola was one of the first European settlements in the United States. The city’s culinary history encompasses a range of diverse cultures and peoples, forming a contemporary melting pot. Weave your way through each era and learn how to create dishes that have been consumed in Pensacola throughout its entire history. Historic Native American, Spanish, French, British, Creole, early American and twentieth-century recipes are all represented on the pages within. Explore dishes like early Native American stews and corn cakes, Spanish pork and wine cuisine and British oyster pye and mushroom catsup, as well as modern fine dining treats like grouper picata and the ubiquitous fried mullet. Join author and chef Duel Christian as he takes you on a culinary journey through the history of the City of Five Flags.

Author Caren Schnur Neile offers a whole new way to explore Florida.

Dexter, Key Largo, The Yearling—all famous works of popular culture created by masters in their fields. What’s more, all three take place in Florida. This plunge into Florida-based TV, movies and fiction from the nineteenth century to the present both entertains and educates about the Sunshine State and the stories themselves. Did you know who producers originally wanted to star in Bad Boys or which product saw skyrocketing sales thanks to Miami Vice?

Florida enthusiasts will also find a good, long list of enticing shows and books to enjoy, from old favorites like Their Eyes Were Watching God, Scarface and The Golden Girls to newer masterpieces like The Florida Project and Moonlight.

Embark on a magical journey through Florida’s diverse landscapes.

Join our young protagonist aboard the Panhandle Pullman for an unforgettable adventure filled with breathtaking sights and exciting discoveries. From the emerald waters of St. George Island to the historic streets of St. Augustine, each stop offers new wonders to explore. Taste the Tupelo honey, and marvel at the wildlife of the Florida Keys. Encounter manatees and sea turtles, alligators, crocodiles. Blast off at a NASA rocket launch! All Aboard, Florida! celebrates the beauty, history, and wonders of Florida in a captivating tale for children of all ages. Climb aboard and get ready for a journey of a lifetime.

Rollins College was founded by New England Congregationalists in 1885 and is recognized as the first coeducational institution of higher learning in Florida. Built upon classical values, the Rollins College founders sought to introduce a liberal arts education to the Florida frontier.

Throughout the college’s history, Rollins has become synonymous with intimate classroom settings and collaboration, in turn cultivating strong relationships between its faculty and students. Known for its rigorous academics and athletics, renowned artistic programs, and mission for diversity and inclusion, Rollins College boasts the vast benefits of a small, private collegiate institution. 

Claire Strom has served as the Rapetti-Trunzo Chair of History at Rollins College since 2008. Her focus on the history of public health and local history is coupled with extensive field research and scholarship in the subject. Rachel Walton is a librarian and archivist by profession and a primary source researcher by training. Under their leadership, student coauthors and history majors Peyton Connor, Reagan Cooney, Helen Hutchinson, and Liam T. King contribute to the student-centered perspective illuminated within the text. All images and sources of this book are credited to the Rollins College Archives. 

From dazzling beaches to the roar of fan-filled stadiums, babies in the Sunshine State will surely recognize all the signs of a sunny day in Florida in this exciting board book!

Founder Henry S. Sanford envisioned a place that would become the transportation hub for all of southern Florida and dubbed it ""The Gate City of South Florida.""

The city that became Sanford, named for its founder, is located in central Florida on the shores of Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River, a short distance from old Fort Mellon; with its railroad and riverboat connections, as well as well-planned businesses and residential areas, Sanford became a great center for trade. The citrus industry thrived in Sanford, as well as the harvesting of celery, and by the early 1900s, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping centers in the United States and was nicknamed "Celery City'?. A disastrous fire, disease, and a deep winter freeze were just some of the early setbacks the city overcame, and today, Sanford is a progressive city that still retains its quaint charm and is dedicated to remembering its beginnings.

Around Palm Harbor reveals the early history of the unincorporated area of North Pinellas County, including the communities of Curlew, Ozona, Crystal Beach, Wall Springs, and the large eastern side of Lake Tarpon.

Families began arriving in the 1850s, and one of the early settlers was J.C. Craver, dubbed the ""father"" of both Ozona and Palm Harbor. Craver built the original Ozona school and received the first post office commission in the name of Bay St. Joseph, which included the area west of the lake and between the later towns of Dunedin and Tarpon Springs. Wildlife was abundant, and saltwater bays and freshwater lakes supplied plentiful seafood. Each community still has its own unique characteristics; however, they also remain bound together through family ties as well as the triumphs and disasters that have befallen each.

Like many Sun Belt cities, Fort Lauderdale has experienced phenomenal growth over the past several decades.

Once a wilderness home for the Seminole Indians and a few hardy pioneers, the small community grew up around Frank Stranahan's successful trading post, a convenient stop for hunters, fishermen, and sightseers preparing to head into the Everglades. But much more was in store for this rugged outback camp. Surveying Fort Lauderdale's fascinating history chronologically, this pictorial retrospective begins with the 1890s, a time when this part of the country was still part of America's frontier, isolated and wild. With the coming of the railroad and the twentieth century, an agricultural economy developed, and, soon, the Florida land boom would bring thousands of new settlers to the area. Fort Lauderdale's glistening beaches and comfortable climate earned the city anearly reputation as a tourist town and, eventually, as a Spring Break mecca.

In the 1950s, East Central Florida underwent a vast transformation with the creation of the American space program.

he sleepy fishing communities stretching from Titusville to Melbourne became home to an army of engineers, rocket scientists and technicians who would soon take Florida and the nation into the missile age. With no opportunities for advanced study nearby, a handful of determined men and women launched Brevard Engineering College in 1958. In 1966, Florida's secretary of state approved the college's petition to change its name to Florida Institute of Technology. In its short history, Florida Tech has overcome formidable hurdles and succeeded in winning a place in the top ranks of scientific and technological universities. A college on the rise, Florida Tech has not only a bright future, but a rich and colorful history that has been captured in striking photographs. The exciting story of ""Countdown College""-from the lift-off of Bumper 8 in 1950, which launched the space program in Florida, to the most recent high-tech additions to campus facilities-is the subject of this captivating new pictorial history.

View images of the early century in Daytona Beach.

From the 1890s through the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced during this ""golden age"" can today be considered works of art. Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photographs of busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of friends and neighbors 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.

Sit down for a spell with the bevy of famed writers who’ve found inspiration in the Florida sun.

From the Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca to James Patterson, writers have found inspiration in the Florida sunshine. Ernest Hemingway met his future wife at Sloppy Joe's in Key West. John Kennedy recovered from back surgery in Palm Beach while working on his Pulitzer Prize winning book. James Weldon Johnson wrote what became The Negro National Anthem at the Stanton School in Jacksonville. And Edna St. Vincent Millay watched in shock as her manuscript went up in flames in Sanibel. Florida historian James Clark tells the stories of scores of writers including Robert Frost, Jack Kerouac, John D. MacDonald, and Stephen King. Hunter Thompson driving through the streets of Key West using a bullhorn to warn the citizens, Tennessee Williams partying with Truman Capote, Ring Lardner planning a get together with Al Capone—it’s all here.

Image of America: Central Florida's World War II Veterans portrays the courageous people of Central Florida who fought for freedom.

From those who were witness to that date which will live in infamy to those who served in the Allied occupational forces following the victories in Europe and Japan in 1945, Images of America: Central Florida's World War II Veterans pays tribute to the courageous men and women who sacrificed and endured through this phenomenally patriotic time in American history. Represented within these pages is just a small number of the vast roll call of patriots who at one time called Florida home. Heroic, humorous, and heart-warming stories are featured through these vintage photographs of the brave men who landed on the beaches of France and on the shore of Iwo Jima, who marched at the Battle of the Bulge and at Anzio, who flew in the Doolittle Raid, and who were engaged at the pivotal Battle of Midway, as well as those who were prisoners of war and protected the home front. Also featured are the women who served as nurses, worked in the factories, encouraged people to purchase war bonds, and who joined the WAC, the WAVES, and the SPARS.

This first comprehensive history of the Jews of Florida from colonial times to the present is a sweeping tapestry of voices.

Despite not being officially allowed to live in Florida until 1763, Jewish immigrants escaping expulsions and exclusions were among the earliest settlers. They have been integral to every facet of Florida's growth, from tilling the land and developing early communities to boosting tourism and ultimately pushing mankind into space. The Sunshine State's Jews, working for the common good, have been Olympians, Nobel Prize winners, computer pioneers, educators, politicians, leaders in business and the arts and more, while maintaining their heritage to help ensure Jewish continuity for future generations. This rich narrative - accompanied by 700 images, most rarely seen - is the result of three-plus decades of grassroots research by author Marcia Jo Zerivitz, giving readers an incomparable look at the long and crucial history of Jews in Florida.

Not long ago, though, St. Petersburg was little more than a quiet, fledgling village—a smaller, quainter Sunshine City with seemingly limitless potential.  Through a fascinating series of events, driven by a cast of colorful and ambitious characters, St. Petersburg grew into a first-rate Florida city, and it continues to flourish today.

Remembering St. Petersburg, Florida: Sunshine City Stories provides an intriguing look at St. Petersburg's past, and highlights the contributions of a bevy of extraordinary individuals whose efforts and exploits shaped the city's history.  Included are the stories of founder J. C. Williams and developer Hamilton Disston, who overcame their differences and worked with other visionaries like Edwin H. Tomlinson to lay a foundation for the city's success; C. A. Harvey, a man with a fierce determination to make St. Petersburg a true port city; Henry Hibbs, champion of the effort to bring world-class fishing to the area; and many more.  In this unique collection of historical vignettes, local resident and historian Scott Taylor Hartzell provides a captivating account of St. Petersburg's history, sure to interest and entertain residents and visitors alike.

From a one-horse farming town to the thriving winter residence of the Ringling Brothers Circus and flocks of snowbirds.

Sarasota has more than its fair share of unusual stories and intriguing individuals. Learn about the illustrious John Ringling, from the details of his daily breakfast to the fifty-five year saga that determined his final resting place. Find out the real identity of A NO. 1, the King of Hobos, who spent a night in Sarasota's finest hotel. Witness the most memorable wedding in Sarasota- between two gorillas. Join longtime resident and historian Jeff LaHurd as he chronicles the fascinating, forgotten stories that made Sarasota the exceptional city it is today.

America's Playground has seen many changes over the years. From architectural to botanical, Lost Miami Beach covers these changes and the development of the current preservation strategy.

Miami Beach has been America's Playground for a century. Still one of the world's most popular resorts, its 1930s Art Deco architecture placed this picturesque city on the National Register of Historic Places. Yet a whole generation of earlier buildings was erased from the landscape and mostly forgotten: the house of refuge for shipwrecked sailors, the oceanfront mansions of Millionaires' Row, entrepreneur Carl Fisher's five grand hotels, the Community Theatre, the Miami Beach Garden and more. Join historian Carolyn Klepser as she rediscovers through words and pictures the lost treasures of Miami Beach and recounts the changes that sparked a renowned preservation movement.

Jacksonville during the '50s and '60s was a wonderful and energetic place for the children who called it home

The northeast corner of the Sunshine State was the perfect and picturesque backdrop for some of America's timeless traditions. Mothers belonged to garden clubs and fathers played the golf links, while the children who grew up in Jacksonville frolicked on the warm beaches and fed peanuts to Miss Chic, the first elephant at the Jacksonville Zoo. They strapped on skates and held hands as they circled the rink of the famous Skateland, wandered down the stacks at Haydon Burns Library and crossed the many bridges that traversed Jacksonville's waterways. Join Dorothy Fletcher, former columnist for the Florida Times-Union, as she recounts the memories and adventures of the people who grew up Jacksonville.

Spanish explorers arrived in Tampa Bay in the 16th century.

Jews were first allowed to live in Florida in 1763 and less than 100 years later, Tampa became a city. The arrival of the railroad and the cigar industry in the 1890s attracted immigrants. Many were Jews, who helped propel growth, especially in Ybor City, where they owned more than 80 businesses. Over the decades, Jews participated in civic and Jewish organizations, the military, politics, and in developing Tampa as a sports center. Today, with about 23,000 Jews in Tampa, there are fifth-generation residents who represent the continuity of a people who contribute vibrancy to every area of the community.

Ghost stories from Southwest Florida have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

Welcome to spooky Southwest Florida!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that in Arcadia, ghostly children play tag at the site of an old orphanage? Or that when the moon rises over the Manatee River in Bradenton, a spectral song echoes across the water? Can you believe a headless camper haunts Myakka River State Park?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Southwest Florida forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

Pirate history, costumes, and decorated boats and ships have been the center of the famed Gasparilla Pirate Festival for over a century.

Since 1904, Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla has staged an annual mock pirate invasion of Tampa, Florida, a tradition that has become known as Gasparilla. The name of the event originated from stories and tales regarding Gasparilla, a legendary pirate who reportedly roamed the Gulf of Mexico on Florida’s west coast in the early 1800s.

The sound of cannon fire heard for miles across the Tampa Bay area signals the arrival of the José Gasparilla ship and the beginning of the piratical invasion of Tampa. Thousands of spectators line the waterways to watch the ship and massive boat flotilla make their way to dock at the Tampa Convention Center.

Following the traditional demand for the keys to the city, a parade is staged, the third-largest one-day parade in the country. Tampa’s iconic Bayshore Boulevard is lined with several hundred thousand spectators, krewes, and other participants who produce a spectacular parade.

The history committee of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla has provided the historical references for the book, and photographic materials have been obtained from leading institutions, including the Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System, the State of Florida Archives, and the University of South Florida Library Special Collections.

Ghost stories from the Florida Panhandle have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

Welcome to the spooky Florida Panhandle!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that Panama City Beach was once home to a real Castle Dracula? Or that the restless spirit of Elizabeth Bellamy haunts the Bellamy Bridge in Marianna? Can you believe the man in scrubs hanging around the Old Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola might just be . . . a ghost?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the Florida Panhandle forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

See the Real Central Florida   

Central Florida is more than theme parks and condos. Beneath the surface lies a rich and surprising past. River pirates once ruled its inland waterways. Spanish forts and Confederate hideouts marked its wild frontier.Tarpon Springs became home to the largest Greek-American community in the U.S. French pirates sailed through Pinellas County’s bays and barrier islands. During Prohibition, the Harris Chain of Lakes tied the region to Caribbean rum-runners and Gatsby-style parties.Along the Treasure Coast, lighthouse keepers risked their lives to guide sailors past deadly shoals.

Native Floridian Jennifer Husmann brings these forgotten stories to life with vivid detail and deep research. Perfect for readers who love Florida history, hidden places, and real stories from the past. Take a journey through Central Florida like you’ve never seen it before—authentic, adventurous, and full of untold tales.

Lying deep within southwest Florida, the Big Cypress National Preserve protects over 1,000 square miles of the Big Cypress Swamp. Home to namesake cypress tree swamps as well as prairies, forested islands, ghost orchids, alligators, Florida panthers, and waterbirds, its human history spans thousands of years, becoming a refuge for the unconquered Seminole and Miccosukee people. Nearly inaccessible until the 1920s, when opened by roads and the railroad, it was America’s last frontier, settled by hardy pioneers, plume and alligator hunters, farmers, smugglers, and moonshiners. Avoiding large-scale development, the preserve was established over 50 years ago to protect the swamp and Everglades water resources while facilitating compatible traditional uses. Today, the preserve continues to support its swamp heritage, both natural and cultural, enabling Seminoles, Miccosukees, backwoodsmen, recreationists, and passing motorists to appreciate its unique environment.

James A. Kushlan is an author, conservationist, and South Florida historian with a University of Miami doctorate focused on the Big Cypress Swamp. He has authored 12 books. Kirsten Hines is an author, photographer, and conservationist. Her writing and photography highlight wildlife, including in her recent books Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey and Birds of Florida. This is the fifth book they have coauthored for Arcadia Publishing on South Florida. 

The beacon of the historic Cape St. George Lighthouse still guides mariners into Apalachicola Bay more than 150 years after it was built.

Founded in 1831, the town of Apalachicola took its name from Creek Indians, to whom it signified a land of friendly people. Sheltered from the Gulf of Mexico by a string of barrier islands, the port flourished as the only site in Florida on a river that is navigable for over 300 miles to the fall line at Columbus, Georgia, Apalachicola's sister city. Generations of lighthouse keepers were bound to St. George Island and its great bay by an intense sense of duty to sustain seagoing commerce and a love for a place where they could raise their families in freedom. When the foundation washed away in 2005 after a very active hurricane season and a final surge from Hurricane Wilma, residents took action to salvage and rebuild the historic lighthouse. Visitors may still climb the lighthouse tower, surrounded by bricks that were first laid in 1852. Enjoy the rich history of the Cape St. George Lighthouse in this collection of 15 historic black-and-white postcards.

A Special Florida Paradise    

“The Gables” is not merely a highly desirable bedroom community or a sprawling city with features of the City Beautiful movement scattered here and there. The brainchild of George Merrick, a visionary congregational minister’s son with a poetic bent, Coral Gables is a planned city, home to of some of the nation’s most valuable real estate, a world-renowned hotel in the Biltmore, headquarters to 120 multinational firms, a major research university and a top-ten botanical garden. The story of how Merrick’s intricate design took shape—while most developments born during the so-called Florida Boom crashed and burned—and the rise of the preservationist movement that maintains it is a testament to the power of a vision. Author Les Standiford details the amazing rise of an iconic place.

Jacksonville has always been a beer city, with its numerous saloons, bars, and taverns from the 1800s into the present-day era where breweries have now become the dominant feature of the local brewing industry. The brewing industry in Jacksonville began to take shape in the early 1900s with the Jax Brewing Company, which was founded in 1913 and brewed the Jax Beer brand. The New Orleans–based Jackson Brewing Company, which also had a Jax Beer brand, acquired the full rights to sell Jax Beer in the southeastern United States, leading to the Jax Brewing Company closing by 1960. Then the establishment of an Anheuser-Busch plant in Jacksonville in the 1960s drove the local brewing industry out of business due to the increase of more popular brands like Budweiser. Anheuser-Busch continued to fill the void that local breweries left until the advent of the microbrewery industry, which began to take shape in the 1990s with River City Brewing Company. In the 2010s, the brewing industry grew substantially in Jacksonville. By 2024, there were more than 20 breweries and still growing. Brewing in Jacksonville chronicles the history of the local brewing industry from its early days to how breweries gradually gave the Bold City its reputation as a top beer city.

Andrew R. Nicholas is a historian and native of North Florida. He graduated from University of North Florida, majoring in history, and is a member of the Jacksonville Historical Society. The photographs used for Brewing in Jacksonville come from the State Archives of Florida, Jacksonville Historical Society, Beaches Museum, and local residents of Jacksonville.

How Busch Gardens Tampa Bay became a hit upon its late 1950s opening and grew into a zoological facility and theme park beloved by millions.

When Busch Gardens Tampa Bay opened in 1959, the Florida park became an immediate hit with locals and tourists alike. Over the decades, Busch Gardens has grown to become an internationally acclaimed and accredited zoological facility and world-renowned theme park. Serving as a sanctuary for thousands of exotic and endangered animals from around the globe and offering up unique thrilling rides and world-class entertainment, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay proudly welcomes millions of guests each year.

Huge Moments in Florida History

When Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León landed in Florida in 1513, the world was changed forever. Florida has been an influential center for many important historic events, including clashes of European empires, Indian wars, civil rights struggles and the Cold War–era space race to the moon. Other remarkable, lesser-known historic episodes include the Matanzas Massacre, the Land Boom and Bust of the 1920s and several major election issues. These incidents not only shaped the state, they also influenced the development and helped structure the identity of the entire nation. Author Randy Jaye leads readers through an exciting journey spanning more than five hundred years of Florida’s history.

Ghost stories from Florida's Haunted Lighthouses have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Welcome to the spooky shores of Florida!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. 

Did you know St. Augustine is home to the most haunted lighthouse in all of Florida? Or that ghostly pirates stalk the lighthouse on Garden Key in search of buried treasure? Can you believe that when the sun sets at Carysfort Reef Light, the dead... come alive?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Florida's Haunted Lighthouses, and have you sleeping with the light on! 

Adapted from Haunted Florida Lighthouses by Heather Leigh, PhD

Take a spine-tingling plunge into Florida's pirate-filled past! 

Meet Florida's spooky pirates!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. 

Did you know that the city of St. Augustine is positively packed with ghostly pirates? Or that on Gasparilla Island, you might just spot a headless buccaneer and his "spirited" steed galloping down the beach? Can you believe a three-hundred-year-old ghost ship and its cursed crew still haunts the waterways of the Florida Everglades? Shiver me timbers!

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Florida forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on! 

Adapted from Ghosts and Legends of Florida's Pirates by Heather Leigh, PhD

It was a common story in the 1980s: downtowns were dying.

Stuart was right there with the ill-fated. Businesses had largely abandoned Stuart’s historic buildings, leaving the streets deserted. The St. Lucie River, which should have been an asset, was more of a liability, befouled with pollution, some of it from the city’s sewer system. The southernmost leg of Interstate 95 hadn't been completed yet, meaning US 1, the town’s main thoroughfare, was clogged with traffic that had no intention of stopping in this dirty backwater. Indeed, downtown was in such bad shape that Martin County government was thinking of relocating its courthouse. But the city had one thing going for it: a core group of citizens who fought back to restore downtown into an award-winning showpiece. Author Blake Fontenay shares the story of Stuart’s revitalization.

Visit Florida from A to Z and discover that the state is more than just a vacationer’s dream. Throughout each brightly colored page, young readers will identify fun and familiar places, food, and activities while learning new words and concepts on their alphabetical journey of the Sunshine State. From alligators and egrets to mangroves and oranges, this friendly introduction to Florida’s weather, geography, and more will be rewarding to read and reread both in classrooms and at home. The state’s wildlife, flowers, landscapes, and more are captured in the breezy, balmy illustrations, which feature fun facts and a  picture search. 

Did you know that more than one thousand shipwrecks have been found off the Florida Keys? Or that the Florida panther, the state animal, can travel more than twenty miles in a single night? These fascinating Florida facts are just a few of the engaging concepts that children (and adults) will learn on their educational jaunt through America’s southernmost state. A list of Florida state symbols completes this delightfully rhyming primer.

The sky is dark and grey, but Florida youngsters can while away a rainy day with this colorful board book touring sodden beaches, happy plants, and key lime pie!