Bayside

9780738556819

$24.99

In rich, historic images, the unlikely story of Bayside and her founders comes to life.

In 1824, a wealthy shipping merchant by the name of Abraham Bell purchased 245 acres in the area now known as Bayside. He created an upper and lower farm, bisected them with a country lane now called Bell Boulevard, and with this Bayside began to develop. Over the generations, Bayside evolved from its beginnings as a rural farming community to a resort destination with lavish estates that lined the shore of Little Neck Bay. Later the town was transformed again into a commuter suburb touted by real estate developers for its scenic beauty and convenient location. Bayside chronicles the community's ever-changing history through this collection of vintage photographs culled from the Bayside Historical Society's archives.

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Trappe and Collegeville

9781467124485

$29.99

Located in the scenic Perkiomen Valley, the adjacent boroughs of Trappe and Collegeville have a rich and fascinating history. Trappe was founded in 1717 by German immigrant Jacob Schrack Sr., who ran a tavern known as the Trap, after which the village was named. Its most famous early residents were Lutheran patriarch Henry Melchior Muhlenberg and his sons Peter, a Revolutionary War general, and Frederick, first speaker of the US House of Representatives. Collegeville, initially known as Freeland, developed primarily in the 1800s following the completion of the Perkiomen Bridge in 1799. It was named after several early colleges, including Freeland Seminary, established in 1848, and the Pennsylvania Female College, established in 1851. These institutions were succeeded by Ursinus College in 1869. A pioneer in women's education, Ursinus became coeducational in 1880. Trappe and Collegeville were formally incorporated as separate boroughs in 1896.

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Mount Pleasant Borough, Westmoreland County

9781467122191

$24.99

Mount Pleasant is a small borough in the Laurel Highlands of Westmoreland County with an immeasurable history. Originally a Native American trail, Main Street was used by Gen. Edward Braddock in 1755 on his journey to his 16th encampment. Generations have lived here since the town was incorporated in 1828. Many immigrants from Poland, Italy, Germany, and Ireland came here to work in the coal, coke, and glass industries, which were growing quickly and spurring successful businesses. The coke works of Henry Clay Frick was established in 1881. Bryce Brothers Glass began in 1896 and became well known for blown stemware and tableware. L.E. Smith Glass Company manufactured handmade American pressed glass in various colors and styles beginning in 1907. The success of these industries led to the Glass Festival, held annually in September. Today, in the center of town is Diamond Memorial Square, the quintessential symbol of Mount Pleasant, where the World War I doughboy was erected in 1924. Mount Pleasant Borough, Westmoreland County shares photographs and stories that illustrate the strong community ties of the area.

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St. Augustine

9780738566047

$24.99

The Spanish landed in Florida in 1513 and established St. Augustine in 1565, over four decades before the Virginia Company settled Jamestown and five decades before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

Henry Flagler transformed the sleepy port into a winter resort for the affluent, and the quaint college town still displays some of the nation's oldest and most beautiful architecture.

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Windmills and Water Mills of Long Island

9780738502885

$24.99

Windmills and water mills are truly the wonders of an
earlier era, the wooden technology of yesteryear.
To us, they may be graceful and charming relics. To the
colonists, however, they were a vital necessity. Colonial
craftsmen constructed them to mill grain, saw wood, pump
water, and do various other jobs. Furthermore, the mill was
the gathering place for the villagers. While they waited for
their grain to be milled, the villagers exchanged news and
gossip and stories. Millers were well respected not only for
their mill's output but also for their own weather forecasts,
knowledge of engines and machines, and, of course,
up-to-date news.
Long Island is an ideal place for catching the steady wind
from the ocean and bays: 125 miles long, narrow—only
20 miles across at its widest, and relatively flat. Thus, many
windmills were built here and still exist here, particularly
at the island's east end. As a matter of fact, the south fork
of eastern Long Island contains the greatest number of
surviving windmills in the United States. Before 1700,
Long Island also had many water mills, some of them
powered by the tide.

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Remembering Pittsburgh

9781609490089

$21.99

The doomed Whiskey Rebellion, the Great Fire that destroyed a third of the city in 1845 and Lincoln's speech urging residents to shun talk of secession--all have made the pages of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and its predecessors. Since 1786, the paper has covered local events, and reporter Len Barcousky is a part of this long tradition. This collection of his Eyewitness columns draws on next-day stories to tell the history of the city, from President Coolidge's almost-silent visit in 1927 to a report on the first woman hanged in Allegheny County. Join Barcousky as he vividly recounts the compelling history of the Steel City.

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Montclair

9780738534756

$24.99

Montclair, New Jersey, like most American towns, has grown dramatically over the course of the last one hundred years.

Much of the early 1900s landscape has been disguised, and the town has come to reflect the popular styles and fashions of changing eras. Streets have been paved, the facades of commercial buildings have been updated, and homes have been altered to reflect contemporary tastes and accommodate modern conveniences. This volume of approximately two hundred postcards from the author's collection, most never before published in book form, captures Montclair as it was in the early twentieth century. The reader will see familiar landmarks such as the Montclair Art Museum, the Marlboro Inn, and the Bellevue Theater as they originally appeared, and discover the vanished predecessors of the Japanese-style mansion on Upper Mountain Avenue and the Rockcliffe Apartments off Crestmont Road.

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Central New York & The Finger Lakes

9781596294646

$21.99

With this series of tales, local author and longtime storyteller Melanie Zimmer helps us discover the people and places of Central New York and the Finger Lakes region. Whether interested in the Revolutionary War or the founding of the Mormon Church, Zimmer brings the heart of upstate New York to vibrant life. From delightful stories recounting the exploits of the legendary Red McCarthy and the creation myths of the Iroquois to heroic tales of Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad, Central New York & the Finger Lakes: Myths, Legends & Lore is sure to please both the seasoned historian and the casual reader.

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Alexandria Bay

9780738535746

$24.99

Alexandria Bay reveals a place that is blessed with extraordinary natural beauty, great fishing, fine resorts, and myriad entertainments. Located in the heart of the Thousand Islands, Alexandria Bay-a preeminent tourist destination for visitors from all nations-owes a great part of its history to its strategic position on the St. Lawrence River, the natural border between Canada and the United States. Surveyed as a potential shipping port in 1804, the area was not settled until after the War of 1812. French nobleman James D. LeRay built the first tavern and warehouse in 1818 to serve nascent shipping and logging industries and named the new settlement after his son, Alexander. By 1848, the first hotel had opened, signaling the birth of a tourist industry. Real prominence, however, began with a visit by President Ulysses S. Grant and family in 1872; the construction of palatial summer cottages and the opening of deluxe hotels followed shortly thereafter. Thus evolved the burgeoning business of tourism, which to this day constitutes the primary occupation of the village.

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Around Punxsutawney

9780738505305

$24.99

Punxsutawney, a close-knit borough in western Pennsylvania, was bustling with trade and commerce when it gained worldwide prominence as the weather capital of the world. Adopting an old-world custom brought here by German settlers, the community staged its first groundhog pageant on February 2, 1887, and in years thereafter nurtured and defended the legend until it took root. Around Punxsutawney includes much more than the story of Groundhog Day. It shows Punxsutawney emerging as the trade center for the numerous coal mining settlements that developed around it. Pictured are the ironworks that sprang up early in the twentieth century and the woolen, silk, and hoop mills that followed, the brickworks, the breweries, and the host of hotels—all of which transformed this small valley town into the largest industrial center in Jefferson County. Also depicted are the coal communities, such as Walston and its 700 coke ovens—the largest string of such ovens in the world—that lit up the sky with their nightly glow; the Pantall Hotel, with its authentic Victorian bar where the diamond trade is said to have flourished; and the Public Square, one of eight original squares laid out by the founders.

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Nutley

9780738562537

$24.99

Once part of Newark, Nutley has grown from a weekend getaway for tired New Yorkers and a permanent home for artists and writers into a charming small city.

Though only three square miles in area, Nutley boasts over 125 acres of park land, as well as the beautiful Third River which runs through the town. In Nutley, town historian and author John Demmer presents a fascinating look at the changes the town as undergone, as well as the life of its residents through the years. Demmer also illustrates Nutley’s earliest commercial industry, the brownstone quarry, as well as the textile and banker’s safety paper industry.

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Around Philipsburg

9781467124263

$24.99

Philipsburg is a community on the Moshannon Creek, which flows east off the Allegheny Mountains in central Pennsylvania. The region was blessed with rich seams of bituminous coal that have provided the area with employment and prosperity. With interests in Philadelphia, the Philips brothers of England founded a colony in the wilds of frontier Pennsylvania in 1797. A gristmill, sawmill, iron forge, and screw factory began the taming of the wilderness. The Philips brothers eventually returned to England over political differences, but the town they founded carried on. Coal, timber, clay, railroads, and metal fabrication have created a community intensely proud of its history. Prone to flooding, the Moshannon Creek divides Centre and Clearfield Counties. This collection of photographs includes communities on both sides of the creek, highlighting the area's people, industry, commerce, architecture, and famous visitors to the town.

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Jamestown

9780738535159

$24.99

City founder James Prendergast and other industrious pioneers were drawn to the outlet of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State because of its abundant waterpower and virgin forests.

The skills of these settlers, coupled with the area's natural resources, led to the emergence of industrial Jamestown, known worldwide for its diverse manufacture of quality products, including furniture, metal, and textiles. The authors have chosen more than two hundred vintage images based on historic markers for Jamestown. Thorough research and oral histories reveal contributions made by trailblazing immigrants, philanthropic families, diverse ethnic groups, earnest businessmen, and three hometown notables who achieved global fame: Lucille Ball, Roger Tory Peterson, and Robert H. Jackson.

Cover image for Jamestown, isbn: 9780738535159

Elk County

9780738554792

$24.99

Elk County, located in the scenic Allegheny Mountains of north-central Pennsylvania, is named and known for the wild, free-roaming elk herd that has become a valuable source of tourism. Sportsmen are attracted to this hunting and fishing paradise, which includes the Allegheny National Forest and the headwaters of the Susquehanna River system. Camping and canoeing entice visitors to the natural beauty of this wilderness setting. Elk County is a world
leader in the fields of carbon and powdered metallurgy. A modern paper mill enriches the local economy, and thousands of people each year visit the Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous, which is part of the
Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania. The historic photographs featured in Elk County illustrate the industry, character, and faith of the county's residents from pioneer spirit to present progress through the wealth of its vibrant and enduring communities.

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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.

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Amsterdam

9780738572536

$24.99

In the 1700s, Amsterdam was just a small trading village in upstate New York. Utilizing its superior location astride critical waterways, the village grew during the westward expansion of the early 1800s to become an industrial powerhouse. By the 20th century, Amsterdam had become America's foremost rug-making center, nicknamed the "Carpet City," and the seventh largest city in New York. Waves of Dutch, German, Irish, Italian, and eastern European immigrants were drawn to the city for work. Some became mill workers while others became millionaires. The vintage postcards in Amsterdam tell the story of an American dream created, lost, and still pursued on what was once America's frontier.

Cover image for Amsterdam, isbn: 9780738572536

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.

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Early Carson City

9780738571584

$24.99

Located at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in a high-desert valley of northeastern Nevada, a lone trading post known as Eagle Station formed the early settlement of Carson City. In 1858, Abraham Curry purchased the property named for famous frontiersman and scout Christopher "Kit" Carson and set aside 10 acres for the predicted future territorial capital, which flourished after the discovery of gold and silver at the nearby Comstock Lode in Virginia City. In 1864, at the dawn of the Civil War, a 16,000-word telegram was sent to President Lincoln in Washington, D.C., declaring Nevada a state and Carson City as the permanent capital. Once known as "America's smallest capital," Carson City has persisted through a long, complicated, and mysterious history, which was celebrated during the city's 150th birthday in 2008. Many wonderful reports and never-before-seen photographs came to light during the celebration and are shared here in Early Carson City.

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Marion County

9780738568492

$24.99

Formed in 1818, Marion County was named for Francis Marion of South Carolina, known as the "Swamp Fox" during the Revolutionary War. This scenic county lies in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, in the hill country of northwest Alabama. Rich with history, there are three Chickasaw Indian mounds preserved on the banks of the Buttahatchee River in the county seat of Hamilton. The Andrew Jackson Military Road, which runs through the county, was built as a shortcut from Nashville to New Orleans in the early 1800s. Standing on the bank of the river, wagon-wheel marks left from pioneer travel are visible in the rock bed of the river. Images of America: Marion County pays homage to the coal mining history of Brilliant and the ghost town of Pikeville with an 1820s courthouse standing today; Bear Creek with the Allen's Factory history; Guin, rich with railroad and lumber history; and Winfield, named in honor of Gen. Winfield Scott. These treasured photographs provide a look back into history, featuring people with a strong independent spirit and people who believed in our United States of America.

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Growing Up On A Minnesota Farm

9780738518619

$24.99

The years 1930 to 1970 were a time of rapid change in the American farming industry. Following World War II, the wave of mechanization demanded a major shift in attitude and skills. The small family farm started expanding. There was more competition for land, fence lines disappeared, the threshing ritual was replaced by combines, corn cribs gave way to corn dryers, hydraulic power replaced muscles, and chemicals began replacing cultivators. The family farm was changing more drastically that anyone ever dreamed. With nearly 100 vintage images and personal stories, Growing Up On A Minnesota Farm relives the era of this major agricultural revolution and takes the reader on a journey that will define a time of momentous change. From the introduction of the steel-wheeled D John Deere, to the conservation and frugality necessary during the Great Depression, a period lost to technology is relived through the pages of this book. We learn what it means to "take good care of the land, and it will take care of you."

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Oak Cliff

9780738570686

$24.99

An advertisement heralded, "Oak Cliff gets its name from the massive oaks that crown the soft green cliffs." Originally called Hord's Ridge for its founder William Henry Hord, the area was purchased by two enterprising developers, Thomas L. Marsalis and John S. Armstrong, and renamed Oak Cliff. Also touted as the "Cambridge of the South," the community flourished until the depression of 1893. The partnership split, and in 1903, the beleaguered Oak Cliff voted itself into the city of Dallas. The area has seen much change over the years, but the physical separation the Trinity River creates from Dallas provides Oak Cliff a permanent and unique identity from the "big city" and helps it maintain remnants of its original small-town atmosphere.

Cover image for Oak Cliff, isbn: 9780738570686

Salem

9780738571393

$24.99

Long before the city of Salem got its name, the lush valley was a favorite winter camping location for the Kalapuya tribe. Jason Lee first ventured to Oregon in 1834, at the invitation of Northwest tribes, creating a mission and a settlement here. Native Americans called it Chemeketa. William H. Willson, who laid out the city plan in 1851, called it Salem. Both words mean peace. Salem's central location, in the middle of the Willamette Valley's agricultural belt, made it an ideal location for the new capital of Oregon. Since then, Salem's character has largely been influenced by the presence of woolen mills, crop production, and many state institutions. Surviving devastating floods and fires in all three state capitol buildings, Salem and its people have a history of resilience, leadership, and public service.

Cover image for Salem, isbn: 9780738571393

Ogunquit By-The-Sea

9780738588346

$24.99

Page by page, picture by picture, step back in time and discover the remarkable history of Ogunquit By-The-Sea.

From its early history as a fishing village to its official recognition as a town in July 1980, Ogunquit has always been one of New England's most dynamic coastal communities. When Charles Woodbury opened opened an art school in 1889 among the fishhouses and dories of Perkins Cove, he could scarcely have known the effect it would have on the little village. Drawn by the natural beauty of its rocky shore and rolling sand dunes, hundreds of aspiring artists flooded the Cove every summer, creating one of the most vivacious creative communities in the Northeast. The people of Ogunquit — the residents and tourists; artists and fishermen — have each contributed to its rich cultural heritage, making it one of the most unique resorts on the Atlantic seaboard.

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Goliad

9780738578736

$24.99

The battle cry shouted at the Battle of San Jacinto--"Remember Goliad!"--cemented Goliad's place in its importance to the Texas Revolution. In fact, every schoolchild learns about the significance of this special town in Texas history courses. Goliad is also famous for originating the Texas cattle industry, due in large part to the thousands of cattle raised at nearby missions. After the Texas Revolution, Goliad became a prosperous Texas ranching town, with the businesses, services, and social organizations appropriate to such a community. Since that time, the town has harkened back to its Spanish colonial and Texas Revolutionary past, to ranching, and to that original late-19th, early-20th century town, continually reinforcing and celebrating those periods. Much remains from those earlier eras, which makes Goliad one of the most visited and loved towns in Texas.

Cover image for Goliad, isbn: 9780738578736

John's Island

9780738543468

$24.99

A collection of photographs from past generations that help preserve a disappearing way of life in John's Island, South Carolina.

John's Island (also spelled Johns Island) is the largest Sea Island and the second largest island on the East Coast. The legendary Angel Oak, a restored 18th-century mansion, and an African-American praise house are a few of the historic treasures found beyond the island's wide salt marsh vistas. Its scenic roads wind along rivers under moss-draped oaks, where planters and their descendants have farmed for generations. Since new development is rapidly changing the island's character, residents, including native author Connie Walpole Haynie have collected these photographs from over the years to allow you to go inside the island's history.

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City of West Bend

9781467113861

$24.99

The City of West Bend got its name from its location on a large westward-reaching bend of the Milwaukee River. Settled mainly by German immigrants in the 1840s, the city was bestowed with leaders possessing entrepreneurial know-how. West Bend became an international center of manufacturing with companies such as the West Bend Aluminum Company, Enger-Kress Pocket Book Company, and Gehl Brothers Manufacturing. Knowing how to work hard, West Bend's residents also played hard with a booming downtown area, local sports teams, parks, and cultural entertainment. Recent decades have seen a decline of local industry, but unlike many communities, the historic downtown continues to thrive with shops, restaurants, and lively cultural offerings. Home to unique architecture such as Old Courthouse and Jail, beautiful Victorian homes, and the new Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend continues to thrive and take pride in its past while looking to the future.

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Southern West Virginia

9780738516653

$24.99

The history of West Virginia is the story of coal and the people whose lives are forever changed by it.

Coal was mined in Southern West Virginia even before the state's birth in 1863 but was mostly consumed within a few miles of where it was dug. When the railroads arrived on the scene, they not only provided a means of getting that coal to market, they also brought in trainloads of workers to the sparsely populated region. With the mines generally located in remote, out-of-the-way spots, operators were forced to build housing for those workers and their families, as well as company stores, schools, and churches- everything needed in a small community. Overnight, the nation's demand for coal turned sleepy, little places in Southern West Virginia into boomtowns and helped cities such as Charleston and Huntington grow and prosper as gateways to and from the coalfields.

Cover image for Southern West Virginia, isbn: 9780738516653

Broken Arrow

9780738520148

$24.99

Broken Arrow was established in 1902 as a railroad terminal on the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Railroad. It became a trade center for cattle, cotton and corn. In the early days, roses were planted in homes and along streets, and the use of a local spring for city water gave Broken Arrow the title of "City of Roses and Pure Water." The population was stable until 1950, when the rapid growth of the city made it the fifth largest in Oklahoma. Broken Arrow: City of Roses and Pure Water is a collection of vintage images that illustrates the development of the town from an agricultural trade center to a prosperous city of diversified, light industry and a center of education. Featured in this book are the busy streets, parades and festivals, softball tournaments, tourist attractions, and recent civic improvements that make Broken Arrow unique. Historic photographs of downtown stores and residential homes depict the earliest growth patterns of the city and show the development of Broken Arrow as a community.

Cover image for Broken Arrow, isbn: 9780738520148

Aiken

9780738587363

$24.99

It seems unlikely that a place as far off the beaten track as Aiken, South Carolina, would become the preferred wintering location for the denizens of New York society. But from the late 1800s, the most recognized names in America—the Vanderbilts, the Whitneys, and even the Roosevelts—began coming to this charming Southern city to escape the cold, relax among the oaks, and play. And play they did, establishing Aiken as an international polo capital and a premier place to ride, hunt, and golf. Aiken has so much history beyond the folks known as the winter colonists. Legends of the area's restorative powers date back to Native Americans. Aiken also boasts an amazing number of records, including the destination for the world's longest railroad in 1833 and the second-oldest 18-hole golf course in the United States, the Palmetto Golf Club, built in 1892.

Cover image for Aiken, isbn: 9780738587363

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.

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Loveland

9780738595078

$24.99

The town of Loveland arose on the northern Front Range along the Big Thompson River, although it is often mistakenly associated with the mountain pass and ski resort that share the same name. Located where the beauty of the mountains meets the bounty of the plains, Loveland became an agricultural and transportation hub when platted by the Colorado Central Railroad in 1877. The area boomed as the site of the Great Western Sugar Company's first factory in 1901. A natural gateway to the scenery and recreation of the Rockies, Loveland was also the headquarters for major water diversion projects. The romantic-sounding name inevitably led the Sweetheart City to promote its postmark in a Valentine re-mailing campaign that began in 1953. Since then, the community has evolved into a high-tech manufacturing center and public art showplace.

Cover image for Loveland, isbn: 9780738595078

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.

Cover image for Saratoga, isbn: 9780738569635

Vacaville

9780738528847

$24.99

Vacaville, named for its founder, Juan Manual Vaca, grew up next to what has become a major highway to Sacramento and points north. It became famous for its Nut Tree Restaurant, which for decades offered travelers the produce of this fertile fruit-growing region. Now the modern highway bypasses Vacaville's historic downtown, leaving it to be enjoyed by the growing population of greater Vaca Valley. Even though the modern city has grown out to engulf that new highway and an ever more diversified economy continues to thrive, old Vacaville still feels and looks like a small town of another era. Unscathed by earthquake since 1892, enlightened city officials have not only preserved much of the original downtown but have added a Creekwalk that gives an air of quiet greenery.

Cover image for Vacaville, isbn: 9780738528847

Reno's Heyday

9781467124072

$24.99

For 60 years starting in 1931, Reno was unarguably the place where things not possible elsewhere were its hallmarks--gambling, divorce, and uncomplicated weddings. Old promotional campaigns described two Renos--one for gambling and entertainment and one for outdoor activities. For locals, there were two other Renos. One was a beautiful city on a mountain river between towering peaks. It was a community of local businesses where people knew each other and were proud of its university. The other Reno was the city of casinos and top-name entertainment that attracted visitors. For most of those 60 years, the visitors' Reno increasingly crowded out the residents' Reno. But with the decline of the divorce and gambling businesses and the coming of new high-tech industries to Reno's economy, Reno's heyday may be just gearing up for a second wind.

Cover image for Reno's Heyday, isbn: 9781467124072

West Sacramento

9780738529455

$24.99

West Sacramento, in Yolo County, is just across the river from the state capital that shares part of its name. But it has a very distinct history. First called Washington, the area became an agricultural and industrial center that attracted Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian immigrants and helped to feed and supply the growing metropolis of Sacramento and surrounding counties. In 1911, the ambitious West Sacramento Land Company laid down electric rail links to downtown Sacramento and cleared the land for what they hoped would be large-scale developments and population growth. Eventually West Sacramento did grow, and in 1987 the communities of West Sacramento, Broderick, Bryte, and Southport joined together to become one of the newest incorporated cities in the state.

Cover image for West Sacramento, isbn: 9780738529455

Wildomar

9780738570822

$24.99

Wildomar is a semirural community located in an inland valley of Riverside County, about 60 miles northwest of San Diego. In 1886, the three founders of the town site cleverly coined its unique name from a combination of their own first names--WILliam Collier, DOnald Graham, and MARgaret Collier Graham. The community began to grow when settlers traveled by road and railroad into the area to farm the land and raise their families. Today Wildomar is a community of nearly 28,000 people. An independence movement ultimately led to an application for cityhood, and on July 1, 2008, amidst fireworks and music, the city of Wildomar was officially born.

Cover image for Wildomar, isbn: 9780738570822

Loomis

9780738570198

$24.99

A small town set along Interstate 80 in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Loomis anchors what was once an internationally known agricultural area, a distinction it gained after early settlers came for gold mining along the rivers. The Central Pacific Railroad soon laid tracks here, providing a means for transporting fruit crops to market. Established first as Pine Grove in the 1850s, the town later became Placer, then Smithville, and later Pino. This led to confusion with Reno, so in 1890 it officially became Loomis, in honor of postmaster and saloon keeper James Oscar Loomis. Agriculture is mostly gone now, but many downtown businesses retain their original architecture, and the restored railroad depot helps keep Loomis's heritage alive.

Cover image for Loomis, isbn: 9780738570198

Sheridan

9780738548210

$24.99

Planned by Civil War veteran John D. Loucks and named for Loucks's Union commander, Sheridan lies in the heart of the last, best hunting grounds of the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Crow, where some of the bloodiest battles of the Indian Wars were fought. The community clings tenaciously to its Western roots, celebrating its past in events such as Buffalo Bill Days and the Sheridan-WYO Rodeo and commemorating the birthday of the Sheridan Inn where Bill Cody auditioned acts for his Wild West Show. Ranching, along with energy development and the railroad, remain vital facets of the community's identity.

Cover image for Sheridan, isbn: 9780738548210

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

Manhattan Beach

9780738519111

$24.99

In the late 1800s, as surrounding areas grew at a steady pace, Manhattan Beach remained a tranquil, sparely populated area, inhabited only by those willing to challenge its sand dunes. Captured here in over 200 vintage images is the development, expansion, and transitions of this stretch of land called Manhattan Beach and the indelible impressions made by its earliest settlers.

Originally the land on which today's city of Manhattan Beach is situated was a broad series of sand dunes stretching from Playa del Rey to Redondo Beach. With the arrival of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad in 1888, and the Pacific Electric in 1903, more sightseers and homebuyers were discovering the South Bay. Pictured here is the development of the area, from plank-covered paths, to dirt roads, to the street paving of today; early photographs of downtown development including the first City Hall; local businesses and industries such as Ercole's Caf© and State Bank; and the most vital aspect of any American town: the residents, with names like Cambell, Freeman, Ward, and Merrill.

Cover image for Manhattan Beach, isbn: 9780738519111

Five Points Neighborhood of Denver

9780738518701

$24.99

By the 1870s, the word was out about Colorado. East coast and Midwest prospectors, European immigrants, and African Americans newly freed from slavery, rushed to Denver to find work and their fortune in silver and gold. Captured here in almost 200 vintage images is the story of the African Americans who escaped the oppression and racism of the post Civil War South, and created a city within a city: the Five Points neighborhood of Denver. Named in 1881 for a bustling five-way intersection, the Five Points area became the commercial and social sector for African American churches, businesses, clubs, and homes, and the heart of Denver's black community. Showcased here are the photographs of once thriving Five Points businesses in the Welton Street business district, such as Otha Rice's Tap Room and Oven and the Rossonian Hotel, as well as the familiar faces of the Cosmopolitan Club, Madame CJ Walker, and Dr. Justina Ford, Denver's first African-American female doctor.

Cover image for Five Points Neighborhood of Denver, isbn: 9780738518701

Alpine County

9780738530468

$24.99

Alpine County is named for its massive peaks, thrust up from molten earth and scoured by glaciers, reminding European settlers of their own Alps. The Washoe Indians enjoyed this precipitous Eden with over 60 alpine lakes long before famous trailblazer Jedediah Smith, his pack animals dying, made it through these mountains. At first, few settlers ventured here, but a silver strike led hopeful residents to carve out a county, making Silver Mountain, then a town of 3,500, their seat of government. But the silver boom ended, and in 1875 Markleeville took the reins, as
Silver Mountain was by then a ghost town. Although Alpine is now the least populated county in California, thousands come each year to hike, camp, or—following the tradition of famous Snowshoe Thompson—ski at popular Bear Valley and Kirkwood, or visit the delightful village of Markleeville, Grover Hot Springs, and other enchanting lake resorts.

Cover image for Alpine County, isbn: 9780738530468

Encinitas

9780738546650

$24.99

Through four generations, back to 1906 when German patriarch Albert Ecke originally settled in California, the Ecke Ranch name has been synonymous with the crimson poinsettia. With the transplanting of the Ecke business into the heart of the sleepy township of Encinitas in 1923, the area became known as the Flower Capital of the World. Now a diverse 20-year-old city embracing five distinct communities, the split personality of the area reveals itself as an eclectic mix of suburban and rural, historic and contemporary, laid-back and energetic. Nestled between the Batiquitos Lagoon to the north and the San Elijo Lagoon to the south, Encinitas dominates six miles of spectacular San Diego County coastline. From the pioneer Hammond family to famed skateboarder Tony Hawk, Encinitas is a notable city with memorable citizens.

Cover image for Encinitas, isbn: 9780738546650

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.

Cover image for Soquel, isbn: 9780738570815

Point Loma

9781467117357

$24.99

From the arrival of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542 to the current world-class yachtsmen and women, San Diego's beautiful natural harbor hugs the peninsula of Point Loma and boasts a significant past. The strategic location of Point Loma has been home to both military defense and business genius. The fishing fleets of the Chinese and Portuguese communities earned the Roseville area of Point Loma the nickname Tunaville. Today, Point Loma is one of San Diego's most historic neighborhoods; a destination for culture, fine dining, and sportfishing; and host to important military bases. Visitors from around the world enjoy spectacular vistas and waterfront views of the Pacific Ocean, harbor, city, and islands and mountains of Mexico from atop the peninsula at Cabrillo National Monument and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.

Cover image for Point Loma, isbn: 9781467117357

Warner Hot Springs

9781467116763

$24.99

Also known as Kupa, Jojopin, and Aqua Caliente, Warner Hot Springs has been a little piece of heaven no matter what it has been called. Located in northeast San Diego County in the historic 47,000-acre Valle de San Jose, Warner Hot Springs is surrounded by the vast lands of the Cleveland National Forest, Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, Palomar Mountain, Bureau of Land Management, and Vista Irrigation Water District. Blessed with a four-season climate at an elevation of about 3,200 feet, it sits at the base of 6,500-foot Hot Springs Mountain, the tallest in San Diego County. Home of Native Americans, Spaniards, and white settlers, cowboys, and ranchers, Warner Hot Springs has played host to passing immigrants, Butterfield Stage passengers, vacationers, and movie stars. The world-famous hot springs have drawn people since the beginning of time. An early brochure states, It's where you will have some of the best days of your life, and many would agree.

Cover image for Warner Hot Springs, isbn: 9781467116763

Santa Susana

9780738570495

$24.99

Santa Susana is one of three rural towns in Simi Valley that began at the turn of the 20th century. The town derives its name from the surrounding mountains, Sierra de Santa Susanna, and grew up alongside the railroad depot built by the Southern Pacific Company in 1903. The history of Santa Susana can be traced back to the Chumash Indian village of Ta'apu and a Spanish land grant, El Rancho Simi. The area was first surveyed by the Simi Valley Land and Water Company in 1887 for the sale of ranches. By the mid-1950s, Santa Susana had become a recognized agricultural center, noted for citrus and walnut production. Corriganville and Bottle Village are unique tourist destinations that originated near the Santa Susana Airport. In the surrounding mountains, quirky religious groups established communes away from the public with strange names and stories: Pisgah Grande, The Great Eleven Club, and WKFL Fountain of the World.

Cover image for Santa Susana, isbn: 9780738570495

Lost Burbank

9781467119771

$24.99

Slowly fading with the city's ever-changing landscape, the places and people of Burbank's past tell a vibrant story. Before the arrival of Warner Bros. and Walt Disney, First National Pictures built its original studio lot on Olive Avenue in 1926. For over sixty years, Lockheed Aircraft Company produced some of the nation's best airplanes where the massive Empire Shopping Center now stands. Heavyweight champion James Jeffries turned his Burbank ranch home and barn into a beloved landmark and boxing venue. And inventor Joseph Wesley Fawkes's scheme to build a monorail to Los Angeles became a local laughingstock. Die-hard Burbankers Wes Clark and Michael McDaniel collect these and many more forgotten local stories where they can finally be found.

Cover image for Lost Burbank, isbn: 9781467119771

Santa Maria Valley

9780738588803

$24.99

Located in the heart of California's central coast, the Santa Maria Valley covers an area of mountains and hills that reaches the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County. The valley's early history dates back to the Portola Expedition, which passed through Santa Maria on the California Mission Trail—called El Camino Real—and ended near Monterey Bay. When early settlers arrived, the valley was dry and desolate. Nearby water sources, however, helped transform the land into one of the most fertile and beautiful valleys in California. The valley became a leader in innovative agriculture transport, a depot on the busiest short-line railroad system in the country, and a training ground for many World War II pilots at its renowned aeronautic college. Today, its landscape of richly colored agricultural fields is framed by rolling hills and scenic miles of grapevines that produce some of the world's most coveted wines. The valley is also famous for its Santa Maria–style barbecue.

Cover image for Santa Maria Valley, isbn: 9780738588803

Redondo Beach

9780738530772

$24.99

Redondo Beach in the 1910s and 1920s was one of the best-attended weekend getaway spots in America. The beaches, pier, and downtown were jammed with vacationers and the Hollywood crowd. Water sports mavens drawn to the area included the great surfing pioneer George Freeth, who became a local icon. At one time, Redondo Beach boasted the world's largest indoor plunge along with visionary tycoon Henry Huntington's enormous Hotel Redondo overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The town grew as an import-export point for the City of Los Angeles until political powers decided to put its main port in nearby San Pedro. Since World War II, Redondo Beach has evinced a quaint charm as the jewel city of Santa Monica Bay's southerly shores.

Cover image for Redondo Beach, isbn: 9780738530772

Early Burbank

9781467131384

$24.99

Burbank is an innovator, a world traveler—a city with artistic flair and creativity. From the entertainment industry taking up residence in the early 20th century to the Lockheed Aircraft Company opening shop in 1928, Burbank's masterpieces have transcended the coasts. Films shot on Burbank back lots and streets have entertained audiences worldwide. Lockheed planes built on Burbank soil flew across the world with the likes of Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh. Once a robust farming community, Burbank, founded on May 1, 1887, and later incorporated as a city on July 8, 1911, dons its name from Dr. David Burbank, a New Hampshire–born dentist who, in 1867, bought over 9,000 acres of land amid the sun-kissed foothills of the Verdugo Mountains—land that was awaiting creative cultivation.

Cover image for Early Burbank, isbn: 9781467131384

Pittsburg

9780738529042

$24.99

Situated at the far reaches of the Bay Area, Pittsburg has long been perceived as a commuter town, an out-of-the-way bedroom community. Yet this city has a rich and varied history stretching back to the early days of statehood and has played an important role in commerce, both to the state and to the Bay Area. Before long the burgeoning city had a fishing industry rivaling that of San Francisco's famed Fisherman's Wharf and a largely Italian fishing community. By the 1900s, a surprising number of industries set up factories along the waterfront property of Pittsburg. In 1942, the beginning of World War II brought the building of Camp Stoneman, an important departure point for many servicemen. Later, the city became known as a residential destination. Readers of this book will surely see Pittsburg in a new light as they enjoy the surprising and varied tales of the city's previous generations.

Cover image for Pittsburg, isbn: 9780738529042

Paso Robles

9780738547213

$24.99

Halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the historic town of Paso Robles became known for its abundance of hot mineral springs that brought relief from pain—first for the Salinan Indians, then for the Franciscan friars. As word of the springs' healing powers spread, hotels and bathhouses were built to accommodate the tourists who came seeking cures. The little community developed steadily after 1886, when the railroad arrived and town lots were auctioned. Area homesteaders raised cattle, grew grain, and planted fruit, walnut, and almond orchards—all without irrigation. Once known as the almond capital of the world, Paso Robles' agriculture has gradually changed from dry-land farms to irrigated vineyards. Tourists are attracted to Paso Robles for its mild climate, beautiful scenery, and mineral baths, which are being revived. The area's rich heritage is portrayed through more than 200 images from public and private historical collections.

Cover image for Paso Robles, isbn: 9780738547213

San Francisco's Mission District

9780738546575

$24.99

On June 29, 1776, Fr. Francisco Palou dedicated the first site of Mission San Francisco de Asis on the shores of Dolores Lagoon. At the time, it was a just a patch in the village of Chutchuii, the home of the Ohlone people, and Palou could never have foreseen the vibrant city that would eventually spring up around the humble settlement. The final mission building, popularly known as Mission Dolores and San Francisco's oldest complete structure, was dedicated on August 2, 1791, at what became Sixteenth and Dolores Streets. After the gold rush, the district around the mission began its dramatic evolution to the diverse area we know today, a bustling mix of immigrants from other states, Europe, and South and Central America.

Cover image for San Francisco's Mission District, isbn: 9780738546575

Lafayette

9780738547558

$24.99

Today's Lafayette is a modern East Bay suburb with a long and intriguing history of people, agriculture, and commerce. The story began in the summer of 1846, when Elam Brown and 13 families left St. Joseph, Missouri, in wagon trains and embarked on a sixmonth journey west to establish new homes and lives. By February 1848, Brown and his family had purchased the Rancho Acalanes in Contra Costa County from a San Francisco financier and had established the settlement that would later became Lafayette. Gradually Brown sold his land to other settlers, and the community began to grow. Eventually homes, stores, roads, schools, and churches were built. In these pages, the genesis of Lafayette, along with the story of its creators and early residents, is revealed in stirring early imagery.

Cover image for Lafayette, isbn: 9780738547558

Santa Ana 1940-2007

9780738558349

$24.99

Before World War II, agriculture was still a mainstay in Orange County and Santa Ana was a small community of only 32,000 residents. The war brought military personnel to the area, and many of them chose to stay or return after the war. By 1960, the county seat had 100,000 residents, and the rapid growth continued throughout the next several decades. By the 21st century, more than 350,000 residents called Santa Ana home. With the increased growth in population came more houses, more government and retail centers, expanded and reconstructed streets, and the development of a significant industry base, as well as a shift in culture and lifestyle. Today Santa Ana continues to be both a government and cultural center in Orange County, as well as home to many landmarks and events that have shaped Orange County history.

Cover image for Santa Ana 1940-2007, isbn: 9780738558349

Downey

9780738571645

$24.99

Pioneers traveling in the former Shoshonean lands that became the city of Downey in eastern Los Angeles County were drawn to the water sources of the San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo. In 1837, historian Hugo Reid described a village called Carpenters Farm along the banks of the Rio Hondo. Don Carpenter's Rancho Santa Gertrudes occupied a portion of the original 300,000-acre Nieto land grant of prime ranch and farmlands, a fertile "garden spot." In 1859, a year before becoming California's youngest governor at age 32, John Gately Downey and druggist James McFarland effectively closed the era of missions and ranchos by buying 17,600 acres of Rancho Santa Gertrudes at a sheriff's auction for $60,000. Downey offered land at $10 an acre with a low interest rate, claiming it "the best land for homesteads and vineyards in this section of the state." The community of Downey began shaping up in 1873 as the Southern Pacific Railroad connected the early settlements of Gallatin and College.

Cover image for Downey, isbn: 9780738571645

Virginia City

9780738582054

$24.99

Tucked between the Tobacco Root Mountains and Mount Baldy in southwestern Montana, Virginia City began in May 1863, when gold was discovered in Alder Gulch. Some 10,000 fortune seekers arrived, and the days of whiskey, revolvers, road agents, and vigilantes began. Boot Hill, overlooking the town, is a constant reminder of its rough, tough, and unruly past. A great number of mining towns have become ghost towns, but not Virginia City, thanks to the men and women who gave of themselves to establish a permanent town where families, schools, churches, businesses, and organizations would thrive.

Cover image for Virginia City, isbn: 9780738582054

Early Salinas

9780738529936

$24.99

The city of Salinas is named for the broad saltwater slough that once seeped in from Monterey Bay, saturating this plain between the Santa Lucia and Gavilian Mountains. Originally used as range land for cattle, a town developed from a stage stop after the Gold Rush, and the drained land produced grain and other crops. After World War I, immensely profitable large-scale lettuce, broccoli, and artichoke production, known as green gold, made Salinas one of the wealthiest cities in the United States. Isolated from its neighbors by mountains on both sides, early Salinas seemed a world unto itself, and its residents, both humble and wealthy, and the seemingly infinite green rows that surrounded it, provided similarly endless inspiration to novelist John Steinbeck, who recorded life here in the first half of the 20th century and imbued it with meaning.

Cover image for Early Salinas, isbn: 9780738529936

Early Los Altos and Los Altos Hills

9780738580104

$24.99

Los Altos would never have existed if not for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Since the 1850s, Los Altos, Spanish for heights or foothills, was the name generally applied to the two ranchos (San Antonio and La Purisima Concepcion) between Palo Alto and Mountain View southwest of El Camino Real. In 1906, visionaries Paul Shoup, who worked for the railroad, and Walter Clark, a Mountain View real estate developer, saw the potential to turn Sarah Winchester's ranch near Stanford University into an ideal San Francisco suburb. They would capitalize on new commuters—those who wanted to live in comfort in the country but work in the city. Slowly, a new town grew in influence well beyond its original Altos Land Company plat, realizing tremendous post–World War II expansion. Now two communities solidly embedded in Silicon Valley, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills share a school system, downtown shopping, libraries, and water system, as well as a history of interesting people.

Cover image for Early Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, isbn: 9780738580104

San Francisco's Nob Hill

9780738581286

$24.99

More than a neighborhood, San Francisco's Nob Hill encapsulates some of the major elements of the city's history. Early European settlers' cattle grazed on the windy hill, and with the Gold Rush of 1849, it became a lookout point as ships arrived daily, bringing thousands to San Francisco. Within the next 40 years, the moguls of the Central Pacific Railroad, along with other magnates, built spectacular residences atop Nob Hill, which became a focal point of San Francisco. Today Nob Hill is home to elegant hotels, a cathedral, and a variety of residents. It remains a center of activity in a legendary city.

Cover image for San Francisco's Nob Hill, isbn: 9780738581286

Red Bluff

9780738531489

$24.99

The riverfront town of Red Bluff, now a magnet for most of the population of Tehama County, was once the lonely campsite of rancher Peter Lassen, who ventured here from his Mexican land grant while chasing horse thieves in 1843. A few years later, masses of humanity and tons of material floated past those red banks that rise high above the Sacramento River, the state's earliest highway, supplying the Sierra gold fields. Red Bluff, first known as Duncan Heights, had a busy port and nearby logging operations generating enough wealth to fund rows of substantial brick, two-story commercial buildings and neighborhoods of ornate Italianate and Queen Anne homes, many of which still stand.

Cover image for Red Bluff, isbn: 9780738531489

Irvine

9780738575759

$24.99

The story of Irvine goes back more than 200 years, to a time when it was a vast, sprawling ranch extending from the brush-covered foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains to the dramatic bluffs of the Pacific coast. Since that time, the Irvine Ranch has experienced a revolutionary change from pastoral wide-open spaces to one of the most successful planned communities in the nation. All along the way, there were people whose vision shaped the transformation of Irvine. Among them were the members of the Irvine family, who for nearly a century were stewards of a ranch that amounted to more than one-fifth of modern-day Orange County. The Irvine of today owes its success to the ideals from its past: the determination to develop the immense potential of the land while still preserving its natural beauty.

Cover image for Irvine, isbn: 9780738575759

El Cerrito

9780738530284

$24.99

El Cerrito, Spanish for Little Hill, is a bustling and modern community today, sandwiched between Albany and Richmond along busy San Pablo Avenue. Quaint houses in the hills look down upon an active commercial strip with two BART stations and over the bayfront, where warehouses and processing plants in neighboring Richmond hum night and day. But as modern it is, El Cerrito has roots that run deep. In the early 1900s, only about 1,500 people lived in these hills, then a scruffy cattle-grazing enclave known as Rust. Founder William Rust had a blacksmith shop at the site of the present-day Pastime Hardware. Soon the name was changed to El Cerrito. A tax was levied on the 20- odd saloons scattered through town so that streets could be paved and a modern city administration could be set up. The town grew steadily, especially in the postwar boom years, and today houses roughly 23,000 people in a pleasant and sylvan bayside environment.

Cover image for El Cerrito, isbn: 9780738530284

Mining Camps of Placer County

9780738529509

$24.99

Everything in Placer County history leads to gold, from its name—the Spanish term for gold-bearing gravel—to the mining camps that sprouted overnight in its rugged river canyons. Ecstatic cries of Gold on the American River! in 1848 launched the largest voluntary migration in the history of the world. As claims panned out, thousands of miners swarmed like locusts between the rough-and-tumble mining camps, from the crest of the Sierra Nevada to the Sacramento Valley. Some camps disappeared along with the easy placer gold; others found new methods to extract gold deposited deep in quartz veins or underground and developed into stable towns that still stand. Sometimes washing whole hillsides into rivers, hydraulic mining was outlawed in the 1880s, but the colorful characters and tall tales of the Gold Rush live on.

Cover image for Mining Camps of Placer County, isbn: 9780738529509

Alhambra

9780738576077

$24.99

Known as the Gateway to the San Gabriel Valley, the land that would eventually become Alhambra was bought by pioneer Benjamin D. Wilson after he decided to abandon a trip to China in 1841. In 1873, the Southern Pacific Railroad built a line directly through the area and brought with it many settlers, ushering in the Boom of the 1880s. The community struggled through the 1890s as the boom went bust, but the residents looked ahead to the 20th century with great optimism. Their enthusiasm paid off on July 11, 1903, when Alhambra was incorporated as a city. In 1915, the city became one of the first chartered cities in Southern California. Throughout the 20th century, the city of Alhambra grew by leaps and bounds, and such expansion continues to this day.

Cover image for Alhambra, isbn: 9780738576077

Campbell

9780738529172

$24.99

The charming city of Campbell sits amid bustling urban neighbors in California's Silicon Valley. For many years known as the Orchard City, Campbell is still very much a small town clinging fiercely to its identity. Benjamin Campbell founded a hay and grain farm on what is now downtown Campbell in 1851. Shrewdly selling off one of his acres for $5 for a railroad depot, Campbell soon subdivided his farm. The resulting town evolved into a rail center for shipping fruit across the continent and around the globe. Campbell Fruit Growers' Union, a large co-operative, sent apricots and prunes to dry yards that were at one time the largest in the world, and canneries like the J.C. Ainsley Packing Company and Geo. E. Hyde & Company became local giants.

Cover image for Campbell, isbn: 9780738529172

Denver's Capitol Hill Neighborhood

9780738571560

$24.99

When Henry Cordes Brown donated a parcel of his land in 1868 as a location for a future state capitol, no one could imagine what a thriving neighborhood the area around "Brown's Bluff" would become. Twenty years later, Capitol Hill would grow into the city's most fashionable residential district. Through the years, Capitol Hill evolved, seeing everything from millionaire's row to skid row, and remains today one of Denver's most diverse and intriguing neighborhoods. Not only is the area home to Colorado's government, but it also contains some of the city's most remarkable architecture. More than that, however, the history of Capitol Hill is filled with memorable people, places, and stories.

Cover image for Denver's Capitol Hill Neighborhood, isbn: 9780738571560

Yucaipa

9780738547336

$24.99

For thousands of years, the people of Southern California have enjoyed the best things life has to offer, and that is especially true for the city of Yucaipa, located along traditional trade trails in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains between the valley of San Bernardino, the mountains, and the desert. It was not only a historic gathering place, but also a home to the predecessors who lived in the village of Yu'kai'pat. This sun-kissed land is rich in natural resources, with plenty of water and vegetation that provides for people and wild animals alike. The bounty of the land provided the nickname Breadbasket of Southern California in the 1800s and the Egg Basket during the 20th century. The people of Yucaipa take pride in living in a real hometown with good schools, a college, and sports programs. Residents also see to the protection of their wildlife neighbors with a state park, a county regional park, 11 city parks, and a trails system for everyone to enjoy the great outdoors.

Cover image for Yucaipa, isbn: 9780738547336

Boise

9780738559896

$24.99

On a high-desert plateau of the Snake River Plain in southwestern Idaho, Boise, the "City of Trees," began as an encampment on the Oregon Trail along the Boise River. Natives were soon after displaced, and by 1864, a town site was platted north of the river, abutting the garrison at Fort Boise. Early settlers found livelihoods as merchants, supplying miners in the Boise Basin, where gold was discovered in 1862. Boiseans experienced difficulty accepting a municipal government and had to wrest territorial status from Lewiston in northern Idaho. Through decades of irrigation and commerce, they grappled with isolation and a scarcity of goods and amenities, which produced a remarkably resilient and vibrant population. From the railroad in 1880s to statehood in 1890, the interurban, and the airplane, rocket, and computer chip-making eras, Boise continues to grow and thrive.

Cover image for Boise, isbn: 9780738559896

Shaver, Huntington, and Hume Lakes

9781467131438

$24.99

The Sierra Nevada of Fresno County is rich in natural resources. Logging operations of the 19th century built dams and millponds, such as Hume Lake, sawmills, railroads, and two of the longest flumes in the world. In the 20th century, the Southern California Edison Company began the massive Big Creek Hydroelectric Project. It resulted in the creation of several lakes, including Shaver and Huntington, and a series of powerhouses for hydroelectric power. These lakes provided new venues for fishing and boating. Included here are epic stories told with historical postcards of logging, electricity, and leisure in the Central Sierra Nevada within Fresno County.

Cover image for Shaver, Huntington, and Hume Lakes, isbn: 9781467131438

Woodland Park

9780738580579

$24.99

Woodland Park, at an altitude of nearly 8,500 feet, is located 18 miles west of Colorado Springs along the north slope of Pikes Peak in eastern Teller County. Much of the history of the West passed through this area on the old Ute Trail--now Highway 24--as hunters, trappers, cowboys, Native Americans, settlers, miners, railroaders, ranchers, and tourists discovered an abundance of natural beauty and varied business opportunities through the years. Woodland Park is now home to about 8,000 year-round residents, many of whom treasure not only the spectacular scenery but also the rich past of the town. This evocative tour through that past shares vintage photographs collected by the Ute Pass Historical Society.

Cover image for Woodland Park, isbn: 9780738580579

Casper

9780738599632

$24.99

Spread along the North Platte River in central Wyoming, the city of Casper was established in 1888 near the site of old Fort Caspar. As a stop along the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, Casper quickly became an important hub for the region's wool and beef industries. With the discovery of oil nearby soon after the town was founded, Casper was declared the Oil Capital of the Rockies and quickly expanded. Since those early days, Casper has survived many booms and busts to become one of the largest cities in the state of Wyoming. The area is rich in history, from pioneer trails such as the Oregon, California Bozeman, and Mormon Trails to early-day homesteaders, and has remained central to Wyoming's politics and industry. Casper today is a growing city with strong ties to agriculture, oil, gas, and wind energy and has several museums with historical, fossil, and art collections.

Cover image for Casper, isbn: 9780738599632

Lynwood

9780738588896

$24.99

Charles H. Sessions was an early-20th-century landowning businessman who named his dairy creamery after his wife, Lynne Wood. Her name would also grace the remarkable city that he pioneered, Lynwood. Early settlers, visionary residents, and city officials through the years have all helped Lynwood develop into a two-time All-America City Award winner. Lynwood's exciting history stretches from its earliest colonization by Don Antonio Maria Lugo through its establishment in 1921 and to the present. Today, Lynwood has moved forward as a visionary city filled with strong, hardworking residents who continue to build paths of opportunity for future generations.

Cover image for Lynwood, isbn: 9780738588896

Black Hawk and Central City

9781467130080

$24.99

The neighboring towns of Central City and Black Hawk in Gilpin County played very prominent roles in the formation of Colorado. The two mining camps supplied millions of dollars in gold, giving them great economic and political power in the 1800s, and Colorado's first two US senators and representative came from Central City. The two towns were home to popular theaters, schools, churches, baseball teams, and thriving businesses, all designed to prove they were permanent, law-abiding settlements. As mining began to die out in the late 1890s and early 1900s, the two towns entered a period of steep economic decline, but a new mining operation and the reopening of the Central City Opera House in the 1930s led to a revival, making the former mining camps major tourist attractions. The introduction of legalized gambling in 1991 added yet another chapter to the colorful history of Black Hawk and Central City.

Cover image for Black Hawk and Central City, isbn: 9781467130080

California Lighthouse Life in the 1920s and 1930s

9780738508832

$24.99

Like giant sentinels standing guard, California's lighthouses keep silent vigils over the turbulent waters of the Pacific. In 1850, Congress appropriated funds to build eight lighthouses on the West Coast, and three years later, construction began on the project. The first lighthouse to become operational on the West Coast was that on Alcatraz Island on June 1, 1854. While the other seven were being completed, Congress authorized funds to construct a second set of eight lighthouses, and by 1930, California boasted 40 light stations. This new photographic history contains over 200 rare and beautiful images featuring lighthouses of the South Coast, San Francisco Bay, and the North Coast, as well as lightships and support facilities.

Cover image for California Lighthouse Life in the 1920s and 1930s, isbn: 9780738508832

Arcata

9780738529066

$24.99

Arcata, a bright jewel surrounded by the redwood forested hills of northern Humboldt Bay, was once the territory of the Wiyot Indians. The tribe only barely survived massacres and relocation after a town was founded there in 1850, a supply point for gold seekers at nearby mines. That town soon evolved into a center for a thriving lumber industry that fed sawmills and a barrel factory, and dairies that prospered on the pastoral Arcata Bottom. Home to Humboldt State University and the much loved Humboldt Crabs baseball team, Arcata is attracting new businesses, industries, and national attention for its innovative Arcata Marsh public works project.

Cover image for Arcata, isbn: 9780738529066

Warm Springs, Fremont

9780738596631

$24.99

The land area of Warm Springs and the warm bubbling waters for which it was named slope from just below Mission Peak to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay. Native Americans established early settlements near the springs. Rancho Agua Caliente defined the borders of the hamlet of Harrisburg, later named Warm Springs. The Warm Springs Health Resort on this land was known worldwide in the 1850s. In 1869, Gov. Leland Stanford purchased the resort area as a private estate that his brother Josiah developed into a famous winery. Henry Curtner farmed large tracts of land planted in wheat, barley, and grapes. Products were shipped from Dixon and Warm Springs Landings to the large markets in San Francisco. The town of Drawbridge was established off its shores as a sportsman's haven and is now a ghost town. A Portuguese festival drew 10,000 people in 1935. The popular Weibel Winery and Hidden Valley Dude Ranch were established just after World War II.

Cover image for Warm Springs, Fremont, isbn: 9780738596631

The Historic Core of Los Angeles

9780738529240

$24.99

In the early 20th century, there was no better example of a classic American downtown than Los Angeles. Since World War II, Los Angeles's Historic Core has been passively preserved, with most of its historic buildings left intact. Recent renovations of the area for residential use and the construction of Disney Hall and the Staples Center are shining a new spotlight on its many pre-1930s Beaux Arts, Art Deco, and Spanish Baroque buildings.

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Around Laughlin

9781467129848

$23.99

Laughlin, Nevada, today's most dynamic town on the Lower Colorado River, is a relatively new community. In 1966, when founder Don Laughlin opened his casino, only a dozen or so people resided there. Ten years later, when an election christened the town "Laughlin," there were 82 registered voters. It was only in the 1980s that the town exploded. However, the larger tristate area of which Laughlin is a part--where Nevada, Arizona, and California meet--is a much older, historically important community. It goes back to Native Americans who claim origin at the beginning of time at Spirit Mountain, on Laughlin's border. And it continues through a montage of characters from the Old West--explorers, Indian warriors, soldiers, riverboat captains, miners, cattlemen, dam constructors, and entrepreneurs--leading to the Laughlin of today, a destination gaming site, recreation mecca, and upscale retirement and snowbird community.

Cover image for Around Laughlin, isbn: 9781467129848

Santa Paula

9780738531243

$24.99

Santa Paula was built on the foundations of citrus cultivation
and oil production. Ventura County's first irrigated 100-acre
orange and lemon orchard was planted at Santa Paula in 1874, and the original 1888 harvest was so plentiful and delicious that the Limoneira Ranch Company was incorporated in 1893 and continues to thrive. Oil seeps brought wildcatters, and California's first gusher came in at Santa Paula in 1888. The town's twin notorieties through the 20th century were its designation as the "citrus capital of the world" and as the birthplace of the Union Oil Company of California (UNOCAL). Lemons and avocados remain the primary tree crops, the oil fields still produce, and the small-town character of bygone days has been preserved--Santa Paula has the largest concentration of vintage structures in the county.

Cover image for Santa Paula, isbn: 9780738531243

Murrieta

9780738546698

$24.99

In the 1870s, the Spaniard Juan Murrieta and his business partners found green pastures for their sheep in the Temecula Valley, where Native Americans had lived for centuries in southwestern Riverside County. The Spaniards owned 52,000 acres consisting of two Mexican land grants, the Temecula and Pauba Ranchos, until the partnership dissolved. Murrieta stayed on his 1,000-acre ranch until 1884, when he sold his land to a developer who named the new town site Murrietaville. Two years earlier, the Southern California Railroad opened a line into the Temecula Valley. In 1900, a girl named Hale Sykes was born. With her box camera, she documented the growing town as she saw it from her home in the Fountain House Hotel across the street from the Murrieta Train Depot. In the 21st century, the city of Murrieta numbered more than 85,000 residents.

Cover image for Murrieta, isbn: 9780738546698

Lake San Marcos

9781467132411

$24.99

In 1962, the Frazar brothers purchased 1,648 acres of land, which included a 40-acre lake, in San Diego's North County with the goal of building a lakeside community of homes and two golf courses. By 1964, the lake was enlarged to 80 acres and the land was reshaped to accommodate 1,500 homes (eventually growing to over 2,500 homes); two golf courses, one a private country club and the other a public course; and a bridge across the lake. A motel, restaurant, shopping center, and residents' recreation center were later added. In 1967, the National Home Builders Association Convention in Chicago awarded the Lake San Marcos design the title of Best Planned Lakeside Community in the Nation.

Cover image for Lake San Marcos, isbn: 9781467132411

Sacramento's Midtown

9780738546568

$24.99

As Sacramento's neighborhoods grew eastward from Fifteenth Street to Thirty-first Street (later Alhambra Boulevard), the area evolved into a complex mix of housing and businesses known as Midtown. Sutter's Fort was still popular, and community groups like the Native Sons of the Golden West restored its last remnants for future generations. In 1927, the city built Memorial Auditorium, a tribute to fallen soldiers, as a large central venue that continues to serve as an important setting for graduations, concerts, and conventions. The J and K Street business corridors expanded from downtown, and identifiable neighborhoods such as Poverty Ridge, Boulevard Park, and New Era Park developed as people settled and established businesses in these growing areas. Today's Midtown supports numerous Victorian mansions and Craftsman bungalows, as well as the legacies of such employers as the California Almond Growers' Exchange, California Packing Corporation, Buffalo Brewery, Sutter Hospital, and the Sacramento Bee newspaper.

Cover image for Sacramento's Midtown, isbn: 9780738546568

Marina del Rey

9781467131803

$24.99

To increase trade to the Orient, commercial harbor development in the Ballona wetlands of western Los Angeles was attempted several times from 1880 to 1900, only to be destroyed by disastrous storm-fed floods. After the US Army Corps of Engineers installed revetments on Ballona Creek and moved tons of earth to raise the ground above sea level, Marina del Rey was federally authorized in 1954. Funded by federal, state, and Los Angeles County funds, the largest man-made marina in the nation was built to provide public recreational boating facilities and water access. Private financiers developed restaurants, hotels, premier yacht clubs, Fisherman's Village, and a residential marina lifestyle on county-owned leaseholds. This world-class seaport will celebrate 50 years of dynamic growth on April 10, 2015.

Cover image for Marina del Rey, isbn: 9781467131803

Great Falls

9780738580845

$24.99

Before Meriwether Lewis saw the Great Falls of the Missouri River in 1805, the area had been visited for centuries by plains bison and the Blackfeet Indians. The city's founding father, Paris Gibson, learned of the falls from Lewis and Clark's journals, and with financing from railroader James J. Hill, Gibson began building the city of Great Falls in 1884, capitalizing on its Missouri River location. After the railroad arrived, the first of five hydroelectric dams was built, along with smelters for silver and copper. The year 1909 saw the homestead boom and settlers by the thousands, while World War II's construction boom supported large military facilities in the city. Great Falls' good times lasted 90 years.

Cover image for Great Falls, isbn: 9780738580845

San Francisco's West Portal Neighborhoods

9780738529974

$24.99

When you're in West Portal and the adjacent Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood, it's hard to believe you're still in San Francisco. These quiet and picturesque neighborhoods are decidedly non-urban, yet they are connected by a streetcar tunnel that leads under Twin Peaks to the bustling downtown area, two miles through the city's mountainous core. In fact, West Portal is named for the western end of this tunnel, which opened in 1917 to bring residents from the city center to what were new garden suburbs. Originally West Portal was sandy and scruffy, while Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood were heavily forested. The neighborhoods grew rapidly in the 1920s, and today West Portal is a popular shopping and entertainment district, while St. Francis Wood and Forest Hill boast some of the city's finest architecture and landscaping.

Cover image for San Francisco's West Portal Neighborhoods, isbn: 9780738529974

Palos Verdes Estates

9780738581446

$21.99

Situated on the westernmost cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the city of Palos Verdes Estates continues to fulfill former landowner and developer Frank Vanderlip's vision of the area as the nation's "most fashionable and exclusive residential colony," and it remains one of Los Angeles County's most affluent cities. Development of open land began in 1922 under the direction of landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. One of the first master-planned communities in the United States, Palos Verdes Estates (PVE) became the first of the four peninsula cities to be incorporated, in 1939. Early community life revolved around the Palos Verdes Golf Club, La Venta Inn, Malaga Cove School, and the charming Malaga Cove and Lunada Bay commercial areas, both of which have been graced by their own distinctive fountains. The Malaga Cove Library, a fine example of Early Californian design executed by architect Myron Hunt in 1930, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Cover image for Palos Verdes Estates, isbn: 9780738581446

Glendive

9781467115193

$24.99

Glendive was founded in the early 1880s, and its growth was promoted and sustained by the Northern Pacific Railroad. Legend holds that Sir George Gore, on a hunting expedition with famed mountain man Jim Bridger, named a creek in the area Glendale Creek after a similar one in his native County Donegal, Ireland. Over the years, the word Glendale somehow transformed into Glendive. Prior to the arrival of European Americans, indigenous peoples, including the Crow and the Lakota Sioux, called the area home. The arrival of the Northern Pacific in 1881, along with the passage of the Enlarged Homestead Act in 1909, lured people from America and abroad to this isolated region to pursue their version of the American dream.

Cover image for Glendive, isbn: 9781467115193

Rancho Santa Fe

9780738571850

$24.99

Nestled amongst a forest of eucalyptus trees and hidden behind private gates are the beautiful homes of the ultra-successful: CEO s of major corporations, sports celebrities, movie stars, musicians, politicians, and astronauts. This exclusive community is Rancho Santa Fe, and it is truly the town the railroad built. Though it began as a failed attempt to grow lumber for its railroad ties, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway soon transformed the area into an exclusive community offering "gentlemen's estates." Among the first to sign on were Hollywood's reigning couple, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. Santa Fe officials hired the best engineers, architects, landscape architects, and naturalists to affect a utopian community. It was not long before Rancho Santa Fe was home to celebrities such as Bing Crosby, Howard Hughes, and astronaut Wally Schirra.

Cover image for Rancho Santa Fe, isbn: 9780738571850

Old Shasta

9780738530949

$24.99

Shasta grew rapidly to be the Queen City of the Northern Mines after news of a second California gold strike reached the ears of fevered and footloose forty-niners. Miners swarmed into what became Shasta County, stopping to rest at Reading Springs, soon to be renamed Shasta. A few, more practical fortune-seekers gained their wealth by supplying the gold-hungry miners with the necessities of life. Stages and wagons rumbled back and forth to Red Bluff on deeply rutted trails bringing supplies. Frequent fires devastated early Shasta and fireproof brick structures rose from the ashes, some of which still stand today. Shasta was a thriving community in 1872, until the Central Pacific Railroad chose to bypass Shasta and build its terminus on a nearby site to be renamed Redding. Shasta slowly dwindled to a ghost town, its buildings vacant and crumbling by the 1920s. With the help of descendants of pioneer families who teamed up with state officials to preserve the remaining structures, Shasta State Historic Park opened to the public in 1950.

Cover image for Old Shasta, isbn: 9780738530949

Jackson

9780738547244

$24.99

Today's Jackson is an active and vibrant Sierra foothills town that has grown from its early roots as a small gold-mining settlement into a thriving economic and recreational destination and the county seat for Amador County. Nestled in a valley at the foot of Butte Mountain, with attractions like the Jackson Rancheria Casino and Lake Camanche nearby, the city is a gold-country favorite. In years past, Jackson was visited by such notables at Will Rogers, Max Baer, and John Wayne, and its gold mines (such as the Argonaut and Kennedy operations) are famed as among the world's most productive. Growing from a small gold-rush camp at the present-day location of the National Hotel, Jackson holds onto its history in the face of the modern world.

Cover image for Jackson, isbn: 9780738547244

Victorian Los Angeles

9781626196087

$21.99

Before the oil boom and rise of Hollywood brought today's renowned landmarks to downtown Los Angeles, an entirely different and often forgotten high Victorian city existed. Prior to Union Station, there was the impressive Romanesque Arcade Station of the Southern Pacific line in the 1880s. Before UCLA, the Gothic Revival State Normal School stood in place of today's Los Angeles Public Library. Elsewhere the city held Victorian pleasure gardens, amusement piers and even an ostrich farm, all lost to time and the rapid modernization of a new century. Local author Charles Epting reveals Los Angeles's unknown past at the turn of the twentieth century through the prominent citizens, events and major architectural styles that propelled the growth of a nascent city.

Cover image for Victorian Los Angeles, isbn: 9781626196087

Silver Lake Chronicles

9781609499587

$21.99

Situated between Los Feliz and Echo Park a few miles from downtown Los Angeles, Silver Lake thrives as a perennially avant-garde and enchanting enclave. From mansion builders and movie stars to bohemians, visionaries and just plain folk, discover Silver Lake's illustrious past and a fantastic cast of characters sure to enrich contemporary experience and inform the past. Colorful anecdotes about early movie magnates William Selig and Mack Sennett and silent-screen idols Mabel Normand, Antonio Moreno and Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle flesh out these famous figures' lives in new and surprising ways. Other lesser-known but richly deserving stories about the area's pioneer families are shared perhaps for the first time. Authors Michael Locke and Vincent Brook present a rich tapestry of this unique urban oasis whose appeal seems only to grow.

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Deer Lodge

9780738570785

$24.99

In the language of the Shoshone, Sacagawea's people, the Deer Lodge Valley was it-soo-ke-en-carne. The name referred to a lodge-shaped mound--a natural salt lick where deer gathered. By the early 1800s, French-Canadian trappers and traders were exploring the valley's river (now known as the Clark Fork River) and its tributaries. The Shoshone name was translated into French as la loge du chevreuil. Soon, as Montana's gold rush began, traders from Fort Hall in southern Idaho settled here. The town became Spanish Fork, Cottonwood, La Barge City, and finally the Shoshone name returned, now in English, as Deer Lodge.

Cover image for Deer Lodge, isbn: 9780738570785

Brentwood

9780738556215

$24.99

The future Brentwood began to change more than a century ago when 300 wild acres of brushy canyons and rabbit and coyote habitat along with sheep-grazed mesas were contributed to the cause of needy veteran soldiers. Landowners Sen. John P. Jones of Nevada and Arcadia Bandini de Baker turned the land over to the board of managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. The Pacific branch of this national hospice organization opened its doors to patients in 1888. Soon families and staff began to purchase lots and build homes near the gates. Businesses began to open to service the new residents. Through the late 20th century, this western area of the city of Los Angeles became known for beautiful neighborhoods, movie star residents, and a relaxed lifestyle--it became Brentwood.

Cover image for Brentwood, isbn: 9780738556215

Murder in Pleasanton

9781467117654

$21.99

In April 1984, Foothill High freshman Tina Faelz took a shortcut on her walk home. About an hour later, she was found in a ditch, brutally stabbed to death. The murder shook the quiet East Bay suburb of Pleasanton and left investigators baffled. With no witnesses or leads, the case went cold and remained so for nearly thirty years. In 2011, the investigation finally got a break. Improved forensics recovered DNA from a drop of blood found at the scene matching Tina's classmate, Steven Carlson. Through dusty police files, personal interviews, letters and firsthand accounts, journalist Joshua Suchon revisits his childhood home to uncover the story of a disturbing crime and the controversial sentencing that brought long-awaited answers to a city tormented by questions.

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Union City

9780738558097

$24.99

Union City was formed by the merging of two communities, Alvarado and Decoto. In the early 1850s, Alvarado was founded as a place to ship local produce to San Francisco. When Alameda County was created in 1853, Alvarado became the county seat and the hub of business activity for the county. The proximity of Alameda Creek to Alvarado, with its yearly floods, would cause the county seat to move to San Leandro and then Oakland. In the 1870s, Decoto was founded as a rail town on the new transcontinental railroad. Agriculture formed the start of Decoto, and eventually canneries cropped up along the railroad tracks, making local produce available around the country. In 1938, Pacific States Steel created jobs that expanded the town, making it the largest employer in Decoto for many years. In 1959, the towns of Alvarado and Decoto joined to form Union City. The first mayor of Union City, Tom Kitayama, was the first Japanese American mayor in the United States.

Cover image for Union City, isbn: 9780738558097

Haunted Cripple Creek and Teller County

9781467139601

$21.99

An unbelievable account of ghosts, long-legged beasts, and things that go bump in the night in the historic Colorado mining town and its environs.

Home to the last gold rush in America, Teller County attracted a slew of peculiar characters--many never left.

A Victor Hotel regular named Eddie met his untimely death when he tumbled down the elevator shaft. A female apparition clad in Victorian clothing appears on the stairs of the Palace Hotel. A closed tunnel on Gold Camp Road is said to echo with the sounds of screaming children and lingering spirits are still prisoners at the old Teller County Jail.

Linda Wommack uncovers the eerie thrills and chills of Cripple Creek and Teller County.

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El Paso's Manhattan Heights

9780738584805

$24.99

Manhattan Heights Historic District can trace its beginnings to June 9, 1899, when paperwork was filed by El Paso and New York investors to begin the process of opening the Federal Copper Company. By 1912, however, the smelter was closed and demolished. Shortly thereafter, four of the five parcels of land originally owned by the smelter were purchased to build what many considered to be El Paso's first suburban neighborhood. The first house was built in 1914, with many more to follow, representing Spanish, Georgian, and Moderne architectural styling of the times. With the construction of Manhattan Heights School and Veterans Memorial Park, the small district covering 1,910 acres attracted many of El Paso's prominent citizens.