Arcadia Bestsellers

An engaging history of Greater Syracuse, from its early years of salt manufacturing to its present day sports diversity.

The Syracuse area has always had its own distinct character, defined in early years by its salt manufacturing, and in later years by its railroads, architecture, diverse industry, and great sports moments. At the same time, life here has been shaped by events and trends that occurred on a broader scale. As a new century dawns, it becomes an opportune time to reflect upon the far-reaching experiences and impact of the twentieth century. In the early 1900s, like many American communities, greater Syracuse was transformed by the arrival of the automobile, the influx of new immigrants, and the changes brought about by the widespread availability of electricity. In the years that followed, greater Syracuse weathered the economic havoc of the Great Depression and the sacrifices of World War II, but emerged into a new era of prosperity and growth. During this period, the region adjusted to the construction of giant expressways, shopping centers, suburban housing, and the dawn of the television age. These developments left the community enjoying expanded opportunities while facing new challenges for urban revitalization.

Syracuse University details the beginnings of this historic school, describing its rise to present day prestige.

Syracuse University was founded in 1870 as a private, coeducational university in Syracuse, New York. Classes began the following year in temporary quarters until the university moved to its current location on The Hill in 1873, occupying the Hall of Languages, which is still the iconic center of SU. Syracuse University provides a photographic journey from the late 1800s to the present, highlighting its growth from a small Methodist college to a university of national importance with more than 20,000 students and over 240,000 living alumni. Always committed to diversity, SU has embraced opportunity—be it with the Syracuse-in-China program in the 1920s, the enrollment of thousands of veterans after World War II, or cofounding the Say Yes to Education scholarship program for urban schools. Championship football, basketball, and lacrosse teams have also brought prestige to SU, and fans around the nation and world bleed orange along with those who work, teach, or study at the university.

Smithtown depicts the rich and interesting history of this diverse New York suburb.

A 90-minute train ride east of Manhattan, Smithtown is a world away from New York City with its long rural history and sprawling suburban present. The town's creation myth, that Native Americans granted its founder as much land as he could cover on his pet bull, is captured in a five-ton bronze statue, as well as a town seal and school mascot that bear the image of that mythical ride. But the town's actual development is far richer, having been impacted by generations of African slaves, Irish, Italian, and Norwegian immigrants, and wealthy summer residents. A farming and mill-based economy in the 19th century, Smithtown became a suburban magnet in the 1950s and one of the fastest-growing locales in New York State.

Experience the architecture and colorful history of the Historic Theaters of New York’s Capital District as author John A. Miller charts the entertaining history.

For generations, residents of New York's Capital District have flocked to the region's numerous theaters. The history behind the venues is often more compelling than the shows presented in them.

John Wilkes Booth brushed with death on stage while he and Abraham Lincoln were visiting Albany. The first exhibition of broadcast television was shown at Proctor's Theater in Schenectady, although the invention ironically contributed to the downfall of theaters across the nation. A fired manager of the Green Street Theatre seized control of the theater with a group of armed men, but Albany police stormed the building and the former manager regained control.

The bustling multicultural borough of Flushing, Queen's early history is shared in this volume of photos and remembrances.

In 1645, English immigrants settled in Vlissengen, an area of Queens now known as Flushing. After bitter disagreements with Governor Stuyvesant over the issue of religious freedom, they produced the Flushing Remonstrance, one of the first public statements defending the separation of church and state. The village of Flushing was incorporated into the larger New York City area in 1898, and the community soon became famous for its beautiful tree-lined streets, a reminder of its rich horticultural heritage. The Bowne House, the First Quaker Meetinghouse, Kingsland Homestead, Flushing Town Hall, and St. George's Church are a few of the buildings known for their architectural merit and historic significance.

Explore the history of the education in this cloistered community, both spiritual and cultural, offered at the Chautauqua Institution in NY State for over 125 years.

The Chautauqua Institution, located on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, is both a cloistered community and a world-renowned educational establishment. Founded in 1874 as a summer camp for Methodist Sunday school teachers, Chautauqua is synonymous with the ideas of spiritual growth, educational study, and intellectual stimulation in conjunction with recreation in an outdoor setting. For over 125 years, Chautauqua has remained an educational and cultural mecca for the common man. Chautauqua Institution, 1874–1974 is a compendium of Chautauqua's growth from its inception at Fair Point to its centennial celebrations. Each chapter's brief introduction acquaints the reader with historic highlights followed by  pages of fascinating facts and intriguing images, ranging from rudimentary tents to the grande dame of hotels, from Victorian cottages to Greek-pillared halls. This array of architecture forms the backdrop for countless individuals who were responsible for bringing the founders' vision to fruition and who were the backbone of the Chautauqua Movement.

On the east side of Midtown Manhattan, next to the United Nations, sits the towering apartment complex Tudor City.

An architectural masterpiece created by developer Fred F. French during the Roaring Twenties, Tudor City was the first residential skyscraper complex in the world. It brought middle-class lifestyle to center city. Tudor City has parks, shops and restaurants and even once had a mini-golf course. Developers and preservationists battled over the site in the 1970s and 1980s, with a notable cast of characters including Governor Nelson Rockefeller, Mayor John Lindsay and Representative Ed Koch. The city designated the area a historic district. Author and resident Lawrence R. Samuel charts the ninety-year history of New York’s Tudor City.

Take a fascinating journey through the history of Eden, New York with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

From its inception, Edenhas been a beautiful place to call home.

For generations, the fertile soils of Eden have yielded outstanding fresh produce, feeding countless individuals locally and in other states. Before the days of easy travel between places, Eden had thriving retail, commercial, and industrial areas. One business still produces that unique musical instrument, the kazoo, and thanks to inventors from Eden, tractors ride more comfortably and train travel is safer. The town produced a handful of poets, a well-known artist, a concert pianist, five state assemblymen, a state senator, and a chief judge of the State of New York Court of Appeals.

Author Susan Minekime serves as one of Eden's town historians and is the former director of the Eden Library. Images of America: Eden contains 200 years of photos that have been generously contributed by local residents in order to chronicle the town's rich history.

Visit the hamlet of Old Forge and the Fulton Chain of Lakes in this visual history of dwelling, camps, and  resorts that made it a popular destination.

Old Forge is nestled at the foot of the Middle Branch of the Moose River, more commonly known as the Fulton Chain of Lakes. Year-round accommodations at the Forge House in 1871 and dependable rail service in 1892 led to permanent settlement of the hamlet. Within a decade, Old Forge emerged as the residential and commercial hub of the Central Adirondacks and a popular destination and gathering place for guides, sportsmen, and wilderness tourists. For the sightseer who strolls around Old Forge today or enjoys a cruise up the eight lakes in the Fulton Chain, the landscape is dotted with scores of century-old dwellings, Victorian cottages, rustic camps, and even a few grand old hotels.

With detailed description and some two hundred stunning images-many published here for the first time-Eleanor Roosevelt's Valkill depicts the events and times of the first lady at Valkill, the place where she felt most at home. In addition, the book traces the development of the site and reveals the depression-era business that was located there, a furniture factory and metal forge known as Valkill Industries.

The historic village of Cold Spring lies on the east bank of the Hudson River, about 50 miles north of New York City.

Located in the heart of the scenic Hudson Highlands, indeed at the deepest point of the Hudson River, Cold Spring is a tiny village, but jam-packed with history. The central area of Cold Spring is on the National Register of Historic Places as the Cold Spring Historic District due to its many well-preserved buildings from the 19th century.Around Cold Springfeatures images of Cold Spring, the neighboring hamlet of Garrison, and the village of Nelsonville. Many of the photographs date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and depict street scenes, patriotic celebrations, and historic or architecturally significant buildings like mansions, churches, and schools. Photographs, postcards, and other visual materials further illuminate the story of Cold Spring and its surrounding area.

Take the ferry to this New York City borough and discover its colorful secrets, in a quirky history packed with facts and photos.

Staten Island has a rich and fascinating cultural legacy that few people outside New York City's greenest borough know about. Chewing gum was invented on the island with the help of Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna. Country music legend Roy Clark got his start as a virtuoso guitar player on the Staten Island Ferry. Anna Leonowens, who worked with the king's children in the Court of Siam and was the basis for The King and I, came back to Staten Island to write about her experiences and run a school for children.

Join native Staten Islanders Theresa Anarumo and Maureen Seaberg as they document the hidden history of the borough with these stories, and many more

This fascinating new history of the Catskills of New York showcases more than two hundred of the best, most evocative vintage postcards available.

From the 1890s through the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication. Many of the postcards produced during this golden age, and even some from later years, 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 local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores and five and dimes across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America's history.

The history of scenic Pleasantville is a rich patriotic fabric woven with the arrival of the first tenant farmers and laborers during Dutch Manor rule.

During the Revolutionary War, local militias were critical in the capture of British spy Maj. John Andre. The construction of the railroad in 1846 opened new markets for farmers and attracted many New York City professionals wanting an idyllic countryside family setting. It also initiated the tradition of the daily commuter. In 1908, the wealthy Manville family moved to the village, and the 1928 wedding of their daughter to the Count Folke Bernadotte of Sweden was a major international social event. That same year, Dewitt Wallace and his wife, Lila, moved to Pleasantville to launch Reader's Digest. Within 20 years, the Little Magazine would grow to 30 editions in 14 languages with a global circulation of 28 million every month. Throughout the years, the one thread that appears in this remarkable village from start to finish is a kind tradition of charity.

The Thousand Islands are more than 1,800 islands located in 35 miles of the upper St. Lawrence River between Upstate New York and southeastern Ontario.

During the latter half of the 19th century, the region evolved as a vacation destination, initially for Canadian and American urbanites drawn by the restorative powers of spectacular scenery and relaxed summer life. Tourism expanded rapidly, and by the early 1900s, the Thousand Islands boasted dozens of grand hotels, daily railroad connections to New York and Philadelphia, steamship service to Montreal and Toronto, innumerable sightseeing and guided fishing excursions, and the best that North America's premier vacation spot could offer.

Named after the operator of a primitive ferry that in Colonial and Revolutionary days transported citizens across the Hudson, Dobbs Ferry is an integral piece of New York City history.

Dobbs Ferry takes its name from the operator of a primitive ferry that in Colonial and Revolutionary days provided the first passage across the Hudson River north of New York City. In the 19th century, the river and the new castles built on its banks attracted tourists who christened the area the heart of the American Rhine. Judith Doolin Spikes, writer, and Anne Marie Leone, photographer, coauthor a weekly then-and-now column in the Rivertowns Enterprise.

Never-before-seen photographs document the history of the diverse communities of the East Bronx.

Using a collection of many never-before-seen photographs, East Bronx: East of the Bronx River celebrates the history of this group of neighborhoods. From the late 1800s to the present day, the area has undergone many dramatic changes. The most important factor in the history of the east Bronx is the development of mass transit. Its introduction to the Bronx brought a new age of commuters, people seeking professions largely in Manhattan as well as the comforts of suburbia and a more rural atmosphere for raising families. The elevated trains and the highway construction between 1910 and 1940 helped to triple the population. Property values rose and new construction became commonplace along the waterfront from Pelham Bay to Clason Point as summer houses were built. Today, the area east of the river is a community rich in history and diversity. Here we can watch the changing landscape, as old modes of transportation replace new ones, neighborhoods evolve, and the people of the Bronx build communities full of pride.

In 1685, Dutch merchants Francis Rombout and Gulian Verplanck received their Crown patent for the purchase of what is known as the Rombout Patent.

This was the first and largest portion of Dutchess County to be licensed for purchase from the Wappinger Indians. The town of Fishkill covers only a small portion of this 85,000-acre parcel of land, but it played an important role for years to come in the shaping of the region and the nation. In this vibrant new pictorial history, over 200 vintage images bring to life the changes that have occurred over the past century in this Hudson Valley community, from Dutchess Junction, Timoneyville, Glenham, and Brockway, to Baxtertown, Osborn Hill, and Brinkerhoff Ville. Readers learn more about the key role that Fishkill played during Revolutionary times, and view area homes where notables like Lafayette, George Washington, and Generals von Steuben, McDougal, and Putnam headquartered.

Often characterized as the ""American Rhine,"" the Hudson is a vast tidal river that moves in two directions.

The Hudson River Valley, from the Capital Region south to where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean in New York Bay, is one of the most varied and exciting areas of America-a region rich in splendor and beauty, history and grandeur, poverty and decay. It shaped a region.

Hudson Valley is steeped in mysteries, from Celtic chambers resting in the deep woods of Putnam to Millbrook's abandoned Bennett College.

The beautiful, tree-spotted landscape of the Hudson Valley hides the strange and sometimes frightening stories of the region. In the Highlands, Iroquois chief Daniel Nimham gave his life for the cause of American independence. The great passenger steamship Swallow sank near the shores of Athens. And there is even one strange night in the Catskills where a legendary playwright miraculously survived a midnight plunge off the suspended Schoharie Bridge. Author Allison Guertin Marchese reveals a treasure-trove of curious tales recounting the most uncommon history of bad guys, bold girls, creepy colleges, missing mastodons and more in this wondrous region of New York.

For all ages, explore Buffalo New York's spooky side with true stories and ghostly tales of the city's spooks and spirits.

Everyone can go on a haunted adventure of a lifetime in Buffalo, New York in this comprehensive guide to some of Buffalo's spookiest sites. Avid ghost hunter and paranormal investigator Dwayne Claud and researcher Cassidy O'Connor entertain readers with stories of the city's most acclaimed spooks and spirits, such as Tanya, the five-year-old that can be spotted bouncing on guest beds at the Grand Island Holiday Inn. The book includes twisted tales from the Buffalo Psychiatric Center, as well as stories of roaming spirits at Frontier House - a hotel frequented by figures such as Mark Twain and President McKinley. This gripping collection of ghostly tales is sure to thrill anyone fascinated by the unknown.

It's called ""The Olympic Village,"" but Lake Placid, New York is so much more than that.

It is called ""the Olympic Village,"" and rightly so. In 1932, Lake Placid hosted the third Winter Olympics and hosted 13th edition of the famed event of 1980 when arguably the biggest upset in sports history, ""The Miracle On Ice,"" occured. Lake Placid has placed an athlete on all but one winter Olympic roster since 1924. This small community continually works to keep international winter sports on the calendar.

First settled as a farming community in 1800, it was home to the famous Lake Placid Club from 1895 to 1980. Today it is known for its beautiful setting amid the Adirondack peaks of New York and for its diverse summer activities making it a year-round international resort.

Explore the mysterious past of Long Island and learn about the spirits that haunt the historic American island.

Take a ghostly journey through Long Island's history, from Native American legends and beyond. Ghosts lurk at the Execution Rocks Lighthouse, where Revolutionary War Patriots were brutally tortured and killed by the British during the Battle of Long Island. Popular gathering places have otherworldly tenants, including Bayport's Grey Horse Tavern and the Cutchogue Village Green, where several old buildings - and their former inhabitants - are preserved. Long Island's history is unearthed and preserved through its ghost stories and spirits that have made their presence known. Through extensive research, interviews and investigations, award-winning author and historian Kerriann Flanagan Brosky, alongside medium and paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto, uncovers Long Island's eerie history.

Discover the history of the Throggs Neck-Pelham Bay community's early residents and its place in an ever-changing America.

First settled in 1643, Throggs Neck-Pelham Bay lies along the west bank of Eastchester Bay in the Bronx. It was once an area of grand estates and farms and was home to some of the wealthiest people in America, including Collis P. Huntington and Catherine Lorillard Wolfe. Throggs Neck-Pelham Bay offers a unique glimpse into the past, through carefully preserved images and a thoroughly researched text. The images in this volume cover all of the communities included in the charter granted to John Throckmorton by the Dutch in 1642.

Called Vriedlandt or Land of Peace by Dutch authorities, the area eventually fell prey to the burdens of war during the American Revolution. The images in Throggs Neck-Pelham Bay depict all aspects of life, from work to play. View the early modes of transportation used by the residents, the schools and churches they attended, the homes they lived in, and the activities they enjoyed. Readers will delight in the memories of yesteryear and the images of a young and undaunted America.

Discover the history of USA's first suburb and how the American Dream of owning a home became a real possibility for many.

When developer Abraham Levitt and his two sons conceived the idea for Levittown in 1946, they were probably unaware of the future impact of their radical concept - to build cellarless, affordable tract housing on Long Island farmland. Levittown
became the prototype suburban community that has
been mirrored in towns throughout America and around the world. This delightful photographic history chronicles the growth and development of Levittown as returning World War II GIs flocked to it in droves, attracted by the promise of the American Dream of becoming homeowners. Despite criticism of its stunning conformity, Levittown and its residents thrived as they raised families, started businesses, and created a close-knit community that exists to this day. This enchanting collection of photographs reveals the joys and struggles of Levittown's founders and residents as they carved their niche in American history.

Explore the creepiest legends of this southern community in Supernatural Saratoga.

Amid the famous mineral springs and horse races, Saratoga Springs is a hub for the supernatural. Author Mason Winfield, operator of Saratoga's Haunted History Ghost Walks, chronicles the Spa City's spookiest legends, from the Iroquoian zombie-like vampires to Benedict Arnold's Halloween apparitions. The heart of the city brims with lore, as covens work in secret in the Devil's Den neighborhood and phantoms linger at the Arcade on Broadway. In the shadow of the Adirondacks, spectral lights appear on remote Snake Hill, and the Woman in White haunts Saratoga Spa State Park. Explore the creepiest legends of Saratoga history, where some gamblers never leave and demons lurk in the forests.

Looking out over the majestic waters of Oyster Bay, the village of Cove Neck has played an outsized role in the history of Long Island and the nation.

The size of this tiny village belies its significant history. Nestled inside the town of Oyster Bay on Long Island, Cove Neck is only one of thirty-five other villages and hamlets of Oyster Bay, but Cove Neck is arguably the most important. The village played a role in the early days of motion picture history as the location of James S. Blackton and his Vitagraph Studios while Theodore Roosevelt's Sagamore Hill was home to the federal government during the summers of his presidency and remained his cherished residence throughout his life. Even the colonial farm of Mary Cooper still stands in Cove Neck, the hardships of the village's agricultural past detailed in her diary and studied by succeeding generations, even today. Authors John E. Hammond and Elizabeth E. Roosevelt cover the surprising history of Oyster Bay's historic Cove Neck.

Clayton depicts and documents the history of this diverse New York community.

The town of Clayton, located in northern New York State, was established on the shores of the mighty St. Lawrence River. At the turn of the last century, Clayton was in its heyday, and was one of the most famous resort destinations in the northeastern United States. During this period, Clayton was a place of affluence, its economy and culture built on the timber trade, shipping, boat building, and tourism industries. This book highlights the collection of Lester Corbin. Mr. Corbin, known as the Dean of the Thousand Islands Photographers, dedicated his life to compiling the photographic history of Clayton and the surrounding Thousand Islands Region. Whether shooting his own photography or restoring the collections of photographers who went before him, Mr. Corbin was able to develop one of the most extensive collections in the area. Every photograph in this book is taken from an original glass plate or negative found in the collection.

Welcome to the Adirondacks! In this board book from bestselling children's author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock, a parent and child bear explore the Adirondacks, upper New York State's 6 million acres of wild beauty and cultural significance. Join them as they discover mountains, lakes, and forests. Come along as they meet some new friend: moose, deer, fox, coyotes and all kinds of birds. They have fun-filled days all year round hiking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, and camping under the stars. They see Olympic Center, the Great Camps, and the sights in Glens Falls and Fort Ticonderoga too! For ages 0-3. Made in the USA.

Welcome to the spooky towns of the Finger Lakes region!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that the depths of Seneca Lake may harbor an ancient lake monster? Or that buildings along the Erie Canal are haunted by ghosts from that bygone era? Can you believe that even the plywood used to build a famous old theater in Ithaca may be haunted?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the Finger Lakes, and have you sleeping with the light on!

As early as 1895, seeking to avoid the summer heat of the city, executives, heirs and heiresses, bankers, and others began to flock to the countryside of East Hampton.

This influx began its second phase of development. Behind it lay the village's colonial heritage and ahead lay the estates and condominium subdivisions of today. With over 200 photographs, mostly gathered from the Long Island Collection of the East Hampton Library, East Hampton traces the dramatic development of one of America's foremost summer colonies. This photographic account reflects its early settlers and hotels, now only a memory; its distinctive shingle-style cottages; and images of elm tree-lined Main Street. Windmills, suffrage meetings on the village green, and of course fine homes designed by the most sought-after architects are recaptured in this enchanting pictorial history.

Migrants from Puerto Rico to New York beginning in the 1890s created a vibrant and active community and culture, documented here.

The history of Puerto Ricans in the so-called Babel of Steel dates back more than a century. Through hundreds of images of the pioneers-those Puerto Rican migrants who established themselves in New York City between the 1890s and the end of World War II-we capture a glimpse of their daily lives and of their individual and collective stories. This rich collection of images from the Archives of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College helps to examine the history of the Puerto Rican community at a time when it was spreading its roots in New York City's social, political, cultural, and economic life.

A fascinating history of Otisco Lake Community, documenting this New York State Finger Lake area's beginnings.

With Otisco Lake Community, Roger N. Trendowski chronicles this New York State Finger Lake area's history from the late 1800s to mid-1900s. Gathered from many local archives, private collections, and town historians from Otisco, Marcellus, and Spafford, the unique published and unpublished images show the area's natural beauty. The pictures transport us to the past where some of the same adventurous and entertaining activities still remain today.

When Buffalo was incorporated as a city, the East Side represented a vast forested area and farmland that would one day be booming with industry.

By 1832, the beginnings of the major arterials of Genesee, Sycamore, Broadway, William, Clinton, and Seneca were there. These streets were laid out in 1826 and represented the seeds of the East Side's explosive growth. The development of railroads and the Buffalo Belt Line, constructed in 1883, created a semicircle pattern that outlined the East Side. Industries began sprouting up, eager to use their proximity to the belt line to transport wares all over the country. Immigrants from Germany, Poland, and Ireland, along with African Americans from northern and southern states, began establishing their lives around these industries. Access to land, water, roads, and rail lines and eager immigrants and natives looking for work led to the development of Buffalo's East Side industry, an immensely diverse industrial base and workforce.

From the Roaring Twenties to a Rock 'N' Roll Landmark

Since it opened in 1925, the Gramercy Park Hotel has always been one of New York’s premiere cultural hotspots. Early in its history it served as the backdrop to Humphrey Bogart’s first marriage and housed a young John F. Kennedy. Soon Babe Ruth was a regular at the bar, and Joe DiMaggio was feted there. Most famous, perhaps, was the period in the 1970s, when rock ’n’ roll royalty dubbed the hotel “the Glamercy,” and acts such as the Clash, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Madonna, and more stayed “on the way up or on the way down.” The hotel’s history also includes the harrowing personal story of the Weissberg family who owned it for many years and lived there. Author Max Weissberg reveals an inside look at the hotel’s storied past as a rock ’n’ roll muse and a New York icon.