Name: Palm Haven
Brand: Michael Borbely
SKU: 9781467130486
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Palm Haven

9781467130486

$24.99

In 1917, it was not San Jose, California, but a small residential subdivision at its southern edge called Palm Haven that incorporated itself as an independent city. Patterned after the popular residence parks of the day, it boasted palm tree-lined streets, entrances marked by decorative pillars, its own trolley stop, and a grassy central plaza planted with trees. But it was Palm Haven's independence that attracted a remarkable mix of business and government leaders, entrepreneurs and inventors, and artists and independent thinkers. They advised US presidents, introduced broccoli to the American diet, and left a mark on local, regional, and national history that resonates today.

Cover of Palm Haven showing a line of men posing in front of a laundromat building and vintage delivery vans.

Sundance

9780738581095

$24.99

Sundance, in the northeast corner of Wyoming, may not be the only place with that name, but it is the original Sundance—the place where the Kid got his name. There was no settlement of any sort when Crook County was created in 1875. The town was founded in 1878, named after the mountain that stands south of town where the Plains tribes held their sun dance ceremonies. Sundance is not that different from the many other small towns that sprang to life in the boom of gold, cattle, and oil throughout the West, but it is different in that it has ridden through the booms and the busts and still survives. This book contains images of people's lives as they worked and played, lived and died. It tells of those who passed through, and those who stayed and helped the community establish its roots and grow.

Cover image for Sundance, isbn: 9780738581095

Big Piney and Marbleton

9780738575889

$24.99

Big Piney and Marbleton are one mile apart, and attempts to combine the two towns have been unsuccessful. The area had been home to family-operated cattle ranches starting in 1878, and a year later Daniel B. Budd and Hugh McKay brought 1,000 cattle from Nevada and were stopped here due to the weather. Founded by Daniel, Big Piney was incorporated in a boggy area on July 5, 1913, and is the oldest settlement in Sublette County. Daniel's eldest son, Charles, had hoped to build the town up on the bench to alleviate the problem of wet land. He founded Marbleton, the newer town, which was incorporated in 1914. Big Piney has been called the "Icebox of the Nation" because it had the coldest year-round average temperature in the country when it was officially made a weather station in 1930. Cattle remain a vibrant part of the local economy, and the land has been drilled for oil since the 1920s. Both towns have known several booms and busts, typical of the energy industry.

Big Piney and Marbleton cover with riders and tents in a wide frontier camp scene.

South Davis County

9781467131636

$24.99

South Davis County is bounded by the majestic Wasatch Mountain Range to the east and the Great Salt Lake to the west. Bountiful, Centerville, Farmington, and Kaysville are the major population centers--all originating as early Mormon settlements. Concerned that their livestock might harm new crops and gardens being planted in Salt Lake City, their leader, Brigham Young, sent herds of cattle, mules, and horses north to graze along the lakeshore in 1847. Small farming communities established the following spring supplied goods and produce to the growing populations of Salt Lake City to Ogden. Organized as Davis County in 1850, Farmington was the center of government. Railroad service, established in 1870, allowed the farmers and ranchers to reach markets within hours of harvesting. And in 1956, a six-foot pipeline was completed, delivering water from the Weber River to the communities along the front. Rapid expansion has resulted, but the pioneer spirit still prevails.

Sepia book cover for South Davis County showing a crowded pool scene in front of a pavilion.

La Honda

9780738547381

$24.99

Less than 45 miles from San Francisco and Silicon Valley, La Honda is an isolated rural community nestled in the majestic coastal redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Pioneers in the late 19th century were loggers and ranchers who competed against grizzly bears and mountain lions for food. Outlaws like the Younger brothers (partners with Jesse James) used La Honda's isolation to avoid justice. Gradually the community became a mountain retreat for cityweary San Franciscans, and in the 1960s, La Honda was home to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest author Ken Kesey and his psychedelic Merry Pranksters. Today's La Honda is an enigma—its size and character have barely changed while the rest of the San Francisco Peninsula has exploded around it.

Cover image for La Honda, isbn: 9780738547381

Highlandlake and Mead

9780738596013

$24.99

Today, Mead is a vibrant "Little Town with a Big Future," but when Lorin C. Mead homesteaded 80 acres in 1871, it was nothing more than virgin prairie with a small spring-fed pond he named Highland Lake after Sir Walter Scott's poem "The Lady of the Lake." In 1873, he completed the Highland Ditch and enlarged the pond into a reservoir. The availability of irrigation water attracted additional settlers, and soon a village named Highlandlake sprang up along the shore. In late 1905, a promised railroad bypassed Highlandlake and instead established a beet dump along the eastern border of Paul Mead's farm. Paul, the son of Lorin C. Mead's brother Dr. Martin Luther Mead, immediately platted a new town, naming it after his father. Mead thrived until the Great Depression, during which several businesses were lost, including both banks. For almost 60 years, the town struggled to overcome the resultant losses until finally, in the 1990s, families rediscovered Mead's quaint charm and rural beauty.

Highlandlake and Mead book cover from Images of America depicting a vintage band with brass instruments

North Ogden

9780738584607

$24.99

North Ogden is a quiet community nestled in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains. The majestic Ben Lomond Peak silently towers over the city to the north with Lewis Peak standing guard to the east. Beautiful panoramic scenery is enjoyed in all directions. During the early 19th century, the city and surrounding areas were inhabited by the Spanish and Native Americans and explored by trappers. North Ogden City was established in 1851, and the challenges facing the pioneer families were numerous. Settlers encountered hostile Native Americans, hungry wild animals, devastating grasshopper invasions, and extreme weather conditions, and the food supplies were often depleted. Regardless, the city's population thrived, and farms, orchards, and businesses prospered. The perseverance of those early settlers is linked to the rich heritage treasured by the citizens of today.

Cover image for North Ogden, isbn: 9780738584607

Modesto

9780738575797

$24.99

At the beginning of the 20th century, Modesto became Stanislaus County's cultural and economic center. From the construction of ornate residences to the addition of prominent businesses and landmarks, the village founded in 1870 by the Central Pacific Railroad grew into a busy inland city. No less than four major hotels located downtown. The intent to build the nation's first municipal airport was incorporated into the city's revised 1910 charter, and the town's iconic arch was added to the landscape in 1912. Modesto left behind its Wild West roots to become a thriving center of commerce in the San Joaquin Valley.

Postcard History Series cover for Modesto showing a sepia downtown street scene with vintage handwriting background

Glenn County

9781467131841

$24.99

A brief look into the history of Glenn County will show you that Glenn County was created out of the northern portion of Colusa County on March 11, 1891, and was named after the prominent wheat farmer known as the "Wheat King of the World," Dr. Hugh J. Glenn. A more in-depth look at the formation of Glenn County will show that its separation from Colusa County created a fierce contest among the people of those counties. Trains filled with hundreds of citizens traveled to Sacramento to lobby the governor; a few people were even hired from outside of the county to vote for the separation. There are reports that guns were brought to the courthouse for the first election of Glenn County officials in May 1891. To this day, there remains an air of discontent between the two counties.

Images of America Glenn County cover featuring a sepia outdoor group gathering and Anna Canon on a blue label.

Rio Linda and Elverta

9780738531144

$24.99

Rio Linda and Elverta are now modern suburbs north of busy metropolitan Sacramento. But when Edwin Pitcher first opened his hotel, the Star House, on Nevada Road in 1860, it was only a place to water horses and spend the night on the long, open road to the new state capital. Elverta was the
first community to appear here in 1908, and in 1913, a development group, Suburban Fruitlands Company, promoted Rio Linda as ideal land for growing fruit. Unfortunate orchardists who believed the advertising saw their seedlings wither in hardpan, but those who stuck it out turned to lucrative poultry ranching. Until the 1960s, the area was a major California egg producer. Nearby McClellan Air Force Base, established just before World
War II, was a major employer until it reverted to other military uses in 2001
and is still a point of pride for residents.

Cover image for Rio Linda and Elverta, isbn: 9780738531144

Rohnert Park

9780738589244

$24.99

Fifty-five years ago, there was no Rohnert Park, only a vision in Paul Golis's mind. In 1962, just five years after construction of the first homes on land between Cotati and Santa Rosa, the community of Rohnert Park was incorporated. With a population of 40,000 today, the city has matured into more than simply a bedroom community. The planned neighborhoods Paul Golis and Maurice Fredericks designed for the first two sections, known as A and B, each included a school, pool, and park. These designs inspired many future city planners.

Rohnert Park book cover featuring a sepia street fair scene with a blue title banner reading Rohnert Park.

Thornton

9780738558950

$24.99

In 1953, developer Sam Hoffman set out to build modern brick homes in a brand-new neighborhood north of Denver. He envisioned a planned community with land reserved for schools, churches, and shopping centers. Many veterans of World War II, with their young families, moved into houses built by Hoffman's F&S Construction, and these new citizens formed the Thornton Community Association, which eventually led the effort to incorporate the city in 1956. The history of Eastlake, founded in 1905, is tied to that of Thornton, and it is therefore included in this volume as well. Eastlake retains its own identity even though it now lies within Thornton's boundaries, and both communities continue to see housing and population growth as new families move in seeking the same opportunities as those who first settled here.

Cover image for Thornton, isbn: 9780738558950

Huntington Beach

9780738569833

$24.99

For more than 100 years, Huntington Beach has been a scenic haven for locals and tourists alike. Huntington Beach has also been the subject of many postcards. After all, "Surf City, USA" is a wonderfully picturesque place. Compelling printed images of the famous pier, downtown, the parks, people, agriculture, and businesses became some of the city's most popular souvenirs. Postcards such as these evoke the magic of long-gone summers; wistful, nostalgic glimpses of a classic Southern California beach city--and they are just as lovely today as they were decades ago.

Huntington Beach Postcard History Series cover showing a sepia beach scene with people and a pier.

Calabasas

9781467134156

$34.99

Calabasas is located in the hills west of the San Fernando Valley in the northwest Santa Monica Mountains. The Chumash Indians were the first to settle in this picturesque region, abundant with wildlife, water, and shady oak trees. The early years of Calabasas offer a colorful history full of buried treasure, cattle and sheep ranches, stagecoaching, ghost sightings, and some of Southern California's roughest and toughest residents. Between the 1920s and 1970s, countless films and television episodes were filmed in the west San Fernando Valley area alone. It was a time when Westerns ruled the scene, and the studios bought up huge tracts of underdeveloped acreage in the hills around Calabasas to serve as movie ranches. Today, Calabasas is primarily a city of master-planned communities that are home to over 23,000 residents, including many of Hollywood's rich and famous. In banning secondhand smoke, plastic bags, and Styrofoam, Calabasas has been on the forefront of enacting environmental stewardship to preserve its historical roots and protect its open spaces.

Owyhee County

9781467133098

$24.99

The sprawling high desert wilderness of southwestern Idaho was virtually unknown to whites in 1863, when Mike Jordan and a band of placer miners dipped their pans into the creek that bears his name and found gold. The electrifying news spread, and the people came. Towns sprang up overnight on the mountaintops. Some disappeared almost as quickly as they had appeared. Men needed to work the mines! cried Idaho's newspapers. The word went out, and the miners came from Nevada, California, Colorado, and across the West. Soon the great mines of War Eagle Mountain rivaled Nevada's fabled Comstock Lode. With the exception of Silver City, one of America's largest intact ghost towns, the boomtowns, as well as the mines, are gone; however, descendants of the miners remain. Owyhee County is the size of Delaware and Connecticut combined—7,679 square miles—with a population of only 11,500. It is a rarely visited land of few roads and fewer people, sagebrush desert, deep basalt canyons, romantic vistas, and mysterious mountains that still hide their gold and silver.

Placeholder cover for Owyhee County with coming soon message.

Gridley

9781467133593

$24.99

Traveling from Galena, Illinois, George Washington Gridley was 32 years old when he first gazed upon a broad verdant valley in California in 1850. He looked northward from the top of the buttes and knew at once that he had found his future home. Gridley settled four miles north of the buttes and began to establish the agricultural empire that was to become his monument. In partnership with the California & Oregon Railroad, Gridley requested the railroad consider building a station at the tracks for farmers and ranchers to ship their livestock and produce. The town of Gridley was established with the building of the train station, along with an added park area donated by the railroad.

Gridley product cover coming soon placeholder

Fountain Valley

9780738547459

$24.99

Along the banks of the Santa Ana River, between the larger cities of Santa Ana to the east and Huntington Beach to the west, lies Fountain Valley, named for its abundance of natural artesian wells and once swamp-covered landscapes. Formerly a portion of the Rancho Las Bolsas land grant of the late 1700s, the area--once called Gospel Swamp and later Talbert--was known for cattle grazing, agricultural productivity, and game hunting, as well as for fiery tent-revival sermons delivered by itinerant preachers. As agrarian lands became subdivisions in the 1950s, the farmers and ranchers saw the writing on the wall for future development. In 1957, Fountain Valley incorporated, becoming the 21st city in Orange County and the county's first master-planned community. In a half century, Fountain Valley has earned recognition, nationally and internationally, as a forward-looking city.

Fountain Valley Images of America book cover with a sepia photo of children in a field

Moscow:

9780738524252

$24.99

Centered in the glorious Palouse, a richly fertile area, the small Idaho town of Moscow was once home to the Nez Perce, who introduced the famous spotted Appaloosa horses. The intimate Moscow feel inspired by current residents has persisted since the original homesteaders settled here, a place they called "Paradise Valley." Resisting the anonymity of many rural agricultural towns, Moscow proudly claims an educational, civic, commercial, and cultural reputation far beyond a town of its size, a monument to the people who elevated the community.

Cover for Moscow Living and Learning on the Palouse with a vintage street scene.

Redlands

9780738546803

$24.99

Cultural traditions coalesce in the city of Redlands like nowhere else in the Inland Empire. The University of Redlands is distinguished by a century of academic leadership to the community, the Fortnightly Club is one of the oldest literary organizations in the United States, and Spinnet plays favorites as one of the oldest musical societies in California. The rich cultural legacy of this sun-drenched San Bernardino County municipality intertwines with its past as a farming, citrus-growing, and health-care community, and lives on in the Redlands Symphony Orchestra, Redlands Art Association, and other regionally recognized organizations. The renowned A. K. Smiley Library remains an enduring tribute to one of the city's pioneering twin brothers (A. H. was the other) who oversaw its formative years.

Cover of Redlands from the Postcard History Series with a sepia photo of cyclists in front of a building

Buena Park

9780738529448

$24.99

Once a part of Rancho Los Coyotes, Buena Park is today home to 80,000 people within its 10 square miles. In 1887, a Chicago grocer, who purchased land for a cattle ranch, was persuaded by the Santa Fe Railroad to found a town instead. But it was the Southern Pacific Railroad that made Buena Park an agricultural railhead. The Lily Creamery was built in 1889, marking the town's first industry. Today Buena Park, a city of residential, commercial, and industrial development, is famous for tourist attractions such as Medieval Times, Movieland Wax Museum, and Knott's Berry Farm.

Book cover for Buena Park with a sepia photograph of a barnlike building and horse drawn carriages.

Carson

9780738531045

$24.99

Most of the rolling ranchlands between what developed into the cities of Torrance and Long Beach in Los Angeles County's South Bay region were the domain of the Dominguez family's Rancho San Pedro. Among the families that married Dominguez sisters was that of George Henry Carson, whose seven sons and eight daughters helped ingrain the Carson name throughout the region. After World War I, the area prospered, developing its own businesses and identity so that the issue of possible cityhood ended in 1968 with incorporation. The city of Carson has been home to California State University, Dominguez Hills, the Goodyear blimp, oil refineries, industrial parks, track-and-field champions, 1984 Olympic bicycling events, and some of the most extraordinary racial diversity found anywhere, with Latinos, African Americans, and Filipinos each making up more than 20 percent of the total population.

Cover of Carson featuring a sepia photograph of a 19th century rural scene with a group of people, a barn and wagons.

Centerville, Fremont

9780738581774

$24.99

The tale of Centerville, Fremont—part of the sprawling landscape of the southeast San Francisco Bay—begins with near forgotten histories such as the once sprawling grandeur of the Alviso rancho and the California 100, a battalion raised in Centerville for the Civil War. Centerville celebrates a sporting-mad past, centrally located on the Way to San Jose from Oakland on the long, straight stretch once famed for horse and then bicycle racing and later as a motor-touring destination on the early Route 17. By the 1890s, Centerville was home to Washington Union High School and the Centerville Athletic Club and began collecting trophies in football, rugby, baseball, and other sports. Fabled athletes of later eras include Wimbledon tennis queen Helen Wills Moody, football coach Bill Walsh, and hall of fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley.

Cover image for Centerville, Fremont, isbn: 9780738581774

Davis

9781467115780

$24.99

Davis has undergone a major transformation from the mid-20th century to today, growing from a small college town of about 3,000 residents and 1,500 students to a world-class university city of 80,000 area residents and 35,000 students. Major features of this revolution include the creation of a vibrant downtown, environmentally sensitive politics, diverse and innovative neighborhoods, and a citywide system of bike lanes. A thriving University of California at Davis campus was the economic dynamo that attracted talented students and faculty. Their environmentalist values spurred innovations in solar energy, waste recycling, bicycle infrastructure, subsidized public transit, energy-saving construction, and farm-to-fork localization of food supplies, among other new civic directions that remain an essential part of the city's culture today.

Cover image for Davis, isbn: 9781467115780

Chronicles of Douglas County, Colorado

9781626191792

$21.99

It's hard to imagine that Douglas County's breathtaking vistas--now occupied by expanding suburbs and quiet, open spaces--were once the home to dinosaur herds and, later on, nomadic Indian tribes. The nation's second gold rush brought those seeking great fortunes to central Colorado, but it was the untapped potential of the area and a dream of taming the land that appealed most to early settlers of Douglas County. Pioneers like General Bela Hughes and John D. Perry (whose agreement led to the railroad connection across Kansas to Denver) and Martin Henry Goddard (who, along with his wife, Nellie, ran the Rhode Island Hotel) were among the first of many settlers to establish roots here. Join the Castle Rock Writers for a journey through the history of this land and the diverse legacy left behind by those who made it their home.

Cover image for Chronicles of Douglas County, Colorado, isbn: 9781626191792

Lost Ogden

9781467133395

$24.99

From a fur-trapping fort to a thriving metropolitan community, change has always been a part of Ogden's history. Settled in 1850 by Mormon pioneers, Ogden was forever transformed by the arrival of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. As horse-drawn carriages gave way to motor cars, a busy downtown district grew up around Ogden's Union Station and notorious Twenty-fifth Street. Landmark businesses, such as J.G. Read & Brothers Company and the Broom Hotel, became a part of the city's unique identity. Also unique to the city were its celebrations and special events, like parades, musicals, and sporting competitions. While change has always come to Ogden, the memories remain.

Cover coming soon placeholder for Lost Ogden book

Historic Firsts of Lewiston, Idaho

9781609499129

$14.99

When a group of intrepid gold prospectors set up camp at the fork of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers in 1861, they expected to make camp for a night and move on. Instead, they made a town. It was an important--if unintended--accomplishment. And it was only the beginning of a long line of historic firsts for Lewiston, including the first capital, police department, newspaper and post office. Lewiston also boasted the state's first brewery and first vigilante association, both founded in the same year, appropriately enough. Join local historian and lifelong educator Steven D. Branting as he offers the first-ever chronology of unprecedented events, accolades and incidents that shaped Lewiston and Idaho from the city's founding to the present day.

Cover image for Historic Firsts of Lewiston, Idaho, isbn: 9781609499129

South Ogden

9780738585307

$24.99

The area now known as South Ogden, Utah, was previously called Burch Creek. The first settlers were primarily immigrants, originally from the eastern United States or Europe, who came to settle Utah with the Mormon migration. These first residents included the Burchs from Kentucky, the Stephens from North Carolina, the Garners from Germany, and the Beus and Combes from Italy. On July 6, 1936, the 800 residents voted to incorporate the area into a city. The city now has more than 16,000 residents, and areas that once were farms, dirt roads, open fields, cattails, and springs are now homes, businesses, schools, parks, and churches. South Ogden has earned its reputation as a great place to grow up, a fine place to raise a family, and a safe and peaceful place to live out retirement years.

South Ogden book cover from Images of America depicting a sepia street scene with vintage cars

Redlands Remembered

9781609496180

$21.99

By 1889, the newly established town of Redlands at the southern base of the San Bernardino Range offered mild winters and spectacular views of the nearby mountains. The sunny, dry climate enticed eastern industrialists, and Redlands became a place of annual escape, a millionaire mecca by the turn of the twentieth century. Early philanthropists set the tone for an active civic culture that has lasted throughout the city's 125 years. These stories, researched and written by Joan Hedges McCall, tell how and why the town developed out of dusty, semi-arid lands into a green belt of orange groves, parks and Victorian homes. Find out where the water came from, how the navel oranges grew and who helped Redlands grow into the beloved city it is today.

Cover image for Redlands Remembered, isbn: 9781609496180

Prohibition in Sacramento

9781626191662

$21.99

Sacramento's open opposition to Prohibition and ties to rumrunning up and down the California coast caused some to label the capital the wettest city in the nation. The era from World War I until the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment brought Sacramento storied institutions like Mather Field and delightful surprises like a thriving film industry, but it wasn't all pretty. The Ku Klux Klan, ethnic immigrant hatred and open hostility toward Catholics and Jews were dark chapters in the Prohibition era as Sacramento began to shape its modern identity. Join historian Annette Kassis on an exploration of this wet--and dry--snapshot of the River City.

Cover image for Prohibition in Sacramento, isbn: 9781626191662

Isleton

9780738528632

$24.99

In the heart of the Delta, between the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, the small town of Isleton boasts a fascinating history as well as the popular Crawdad Festival that draws thousands to the area each year. Built primarily by farmers who found the reclaimed marshland perfect for their agricultural endeavors, the community also became a center for Chinese customs and life when immigrants began to establish themselves in the area in the 1860s. The Chinese were soon followed by other ethnic groups, including Japanese, Philippino, Portuguese, and others who joined them in farming the land, working in the canneries, and raising their families. Though much smaller today than at its peak just prior to World War II, Isleton has made great efforts to preserve its unique character, and today many of its structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Isleton Images of America book cover featuring a vintage group photo of residents.

Greater French Valley

9780738569185

$24.99

The Greater French Valley covers the hills and valleys of southwest Riverside County, north of Temecula and south of Hemet. Lueseno Indians knew this area well, seeking out food and water year after year. After the Spanish era, French and Basque shepherds drove through. Some settled along with the Italian-Swiss and the English, bringing sheep-raising, cattle-grazing, bee apiaries, and dry-land grain farming to the area. French Valley, Auld Valley, the Tucalota, Sage, and Rawson Country bear names of hardworking immigrants that settled, prepared for their families, developed community and one-room schools, as well as a social life that lived and breathed rural America. Today in this area, backgrounds, generations, and their stories blend together, sharing the warmth and legacy of a bygone era.

Sepia toned cover for Greater French Valley showing a house with a horse drawn wagon under trees.

Willow Creek History

9781609496449

$21.99

It's the same Willow Creek that flows into Bass Lake and moves through five powerhouses generating twenty-seven kilowatts of electricity for California. It's the same Willow Creek that rises at eight thousand feet in the Sierra Forest, crashes through narrow granite canyons and meanders through serene mountain passes on its journey to its confluence with the San Joaquin River twenty-five miles below. Logging railroads have carried their loads alongside and over Willow Creek. Native tribes made their homes along its banks. Each year, thousands of people swim and boat and fish in its waters. In this history of Willow Creek, local author Marcia Penner Freedman shares the amazing story of these moving waters and the people whose lives have been touched by Willow Creek.

Cover image for Willow Creek History, isbn: 9781609496449

A Brief History of South Denver & University Park

9781609492335

$21.99

University Park was founded in the 1880s when the University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) moved from downtown Denver to land donated by potato farmer Rufus Clark. The University, founded by Methodists, wanted to escape the urban blight of the city and build an oasis for education. Liquor production or consumption was not allowed, and though today the area has many pubs a number of home mortgages to this day contain old covenants forbidding the making or selling of spirits. Around University Park grew the town of South Denver, which was annexed to the city of Denver in the early twentieth century. For many years in the late 1800s the primary employer was the University of Denver, but over time others moved into the area for its attractive homes and well respected schools. The area has traditionally been upper middle class and has enjoyed one of the lowest crime rates in the city. At the geographic center of University Park is Observatory Park, named for the famous Chamberlain Observatory, built in the 1890s and still fully operational with popular public viewing nights. In the early part of the century Colorado Governor Henry Buchtel lived in the park, as did a number of famed early DU faculty such as Ammi Hyde, who beat the freshman boys in an annual foot race well into his 90's. The area boomed after World War II as many from other parts of the country who were stationed in Colorado chose to remain and make it their home. The area has remained prosperous and continues to grow, sharing in the overall success that the Denver metro area has experienced.

Cover image for A Brief History of South Denver & University Park, isbn: 9781609492335

Around Anza Valley

9780738555928

$24.99

The area around Anza Valley, located in the south-central part of Riverside County, California, includes Terwilliger Valley, Garner Valley, Pinyon Flats, and parts of Aguanga, a former Butterfield Overland Stage stop. It is a rugged, high-altitude area formed on the western side of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. Access into this enclave was always difficult, which subsequently protected the native Cahuilla people from the European influence of early pioneers and explorers until the coming of Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza in 1774. Once settler families were established in the surrounding valleys, close friendships and marriage soon linked them together through their shared economic livelihood of cattle ranching. Until the early 1950s, ranching, dry farming, some mining, hunting, and trapping were the main occupations. Today the area is one of the last undeveloped areas in Southern California and is rich in Native American influence and culture. Around Anza Valley provides an inside view to this rich history and the many changes that have taken place in and around Anza Valley.

Sepia toned cover of Around Anza Valley with a cowboy and horses in a fenced field

Flintridge

9780738555850

$24.99

Frank Putnam Flint began accruing ranches in the San Rafael foothills of La Canada during his term as a U.S. senator (1905-1911), initially with the purchase of the Turner Ranch. Flint's dream of an enclave for Republican society ended abruptly when his brother, Motley Flint, ensnared him in an entrepreneurial endeavor that became the infamous C. C. Julian petroleum scandal. This imbroglio overshadowed Frank Flint's myriad accomplishments, and he died aboard ship on a world cruise with his wife, Katherine, during the scandal's 1929 fallout. The memory of Flint's dream remains in Flintridge homes, built by Southern California's finest architects, and in the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Saint Francis High School, Flintridge Preparatory School, Flintridge Riding Club, and the beautiful winding woodland roads that Flint conceived during horseback rides. Devotees of the Flint ideal battled with La Canada factions during city incorporation to commemorate him by saddling the various La Canada communities with the lengthy name of La Canada Flintridge.

Cover of Images of America Flintridge with a vintage group portrait around a snowman.

Early National City

9780738559100

$24.99

Below the surface of bustling National City lies the story of olive and citrus orchards, grand Victorian homes, great wealth, and the coming of the first railroad. Founded in 1868 by Frank Kimball, National City is credited with multiple distinguished firsts. On the county level, the San Diego County Fair originated here, the first novel published was by a National City pioneer, the first free kindergarten opened here, the first automobile was built here, and the first railroad terminus was located here. On the state level, the first woman to serve as an elected member of a school board lived in National City. Today the city is home to 61,000 residents; and as an accessible and diverse community, all eyes now look upon National City as it begins to experience a renaissance of growth and commerce.

Cover image for Early National City, isbn: 9780738559100

Brighton

9780738569413

$24.99

The town of Brighton was founded by railroad man and real estate developer Daniel F. Carmichael at the junction of the Denver Pacific (now Union Pacific) and Denver and Boulder Valley Railroads. Carmichael determined, "There should be a town here that would do credit to the splendid valley." The junction, originally named Hughes after the first president of the Denver Pacific Railroad, had a long history as a crossroads of the West. The town grew into an agricultural center for the Platte River Valley with a thriving sugar beet industry, dairies, and canning factories, but the changing economy would transform Brighton first into a suburban community and now into one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.

Book cover from Images of America Brighton showing a sepia portrait of local baseball players in 1920

Sacramento

9780738571522

$24.99

In 1850, Sacramento was a city of 10,000 men with almost no women or children, a transient population going to and from the gold mines in the Sierra Nevada. The waterfront on the Sacramento River was a chaotic scene of oxen and mule teams, piles of supplies on the wharf, and abandoned ships whose crews had jumped ship for the goldfields. The city also became a major railroad junction and agricultural hub in the 1800s before it became the center of state government, and much of the bustling city's early life was captured on picture postcards.

Postcard History Series Sacramento cover showing a sepia photograph of a crowded street in front of a large building.

San Gorgonio Search and Rescue Team

9780738555768

$24.99

In February 1958, a tragic climbing accident occurred on Big Falls, in Forest Falls, California, resulting in the death of a 13-year-old boy. Rescue attempts were futile because there were no experienced personnel or climbing equipment available. As a result of this unfortunate tragedy, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
spearheaded a recruitment of volunteers, forming the county's first mountain search and rescue team. Since that time, the San Gorgonio Search and Rescue Team has performed thousands of searches, rescues,
and body recoveries. The organization is the oldest of its kind in San Bernardino County and is proud to have second-generation team members. This book tells the story of these dedicated volunteers through photographs taken by team members and through the stories retold by those who were there.

Cover image for San Gorgonio Search and Rescue Team, isbn: 9780738555768

Mapleton

9781467132695

$24.99

Located south of Provo and artistic Springville, Mapleton was named in 1901 for its abundance of colorful maple trees. For centuries, American Indian tribes had regarded the bench overlooking Hobble Creek and the valley below as sacred ground and gathered there annually. Catholic explorers hiking down Spanish Fork Canyon, nestled beneath a majestic mountain, first mapped the area in 1776. These Spaniards named the peak Sierra Bonita, though nearly everyone today calls it Maple Mountain. By 1850, Mormon pioneers had settled in Springville, using the rich earth between the creek and the river as farmland. Little by little, they built homes and stayed. The continued perseverance of this community to maintain its country charm is evident throughout the city. Conservation of the foothills and open spaces is an ongoing concern to residents.

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Inland Empire

9780738559070

$24.99

Southern California's vast Inland Empire is one of the fastest growing regions of the United States. It is a wonderland of old-growth vineyards, citrus groves, hot-water resorts, Wild West landmarks, and Native American territories. America's fabled Mother Road, Route 66, runs right through it. Its fertile valleys are encircled by mountains with famous resort areas such as Idyllwild, Big Bear Lake, and Lake Arrowhead. Those mountains are surrounded in turn by some of the world's best-known desert resort and recreational areas, including Palm Springs, the Mojave, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree National Park. Inland Empire is the first book of its kind, offering a postcard-perfect grand tour of the entire region.

Inland Empire cover from the Postcard History Series with a vintage car scene in a forest

Around Aladdin

9781467115483

$24.99

Aladdin is located in northeast Crook County, in the far northeast corner of Wyoming. The town, the lowest settlement in the state at 3,749 feet, is surrounded by vast plains of waving grass, wooded mountains, and rolling hills. Coal mining brought the early families to the area and has since formed the histories and memories of the people who came and worked to build farms and ranches. Descendents of many of the original settlers still reside in the community, working and raising their families. Around Aladdin contains the stories and memories of those that came to make this part of Wyoming a place to call home for a long, long time.

Cover image for Around Aladdin, isbn: 9781467115483

Fair Oaks

9780738530888

$24.99

Fair Oaks, in the gently undulating foothills along Highway 50, has something in common with its vast neighbor, Sacramento. Early land speculators, politicians, and Chicago businessmen formed a partnership to sell off one of their "Sunset Colonies," deservedly dubbed Fair Oaks, promising water systems and a suburban railroad to help colonists grow prize citrus. The farmers came, but when the investors retreated east, a railroad and water had not appeared. A later investment group did build a bridge and railroad, encouraging more farmers until, at the height of the Great Depression, nature laid a cold hand on the land, freezing all of the citrus. But other orchard crops and vineyards flourished, while more bridges and proximity to the state capital helped transform the farm town into a charming suburb, where residents can still gather at the local cafe or brave the red bluffs and rushing waters of the American River.

Book cover for Fair Oaks with a sepia river landscape and a lone figure by the riverbank.

Big Horn City

9780738581569

$24.99

Big Horn City was the first town established in 1881 in what later became Sheridan County, Wyoming. Nestled in the foothills of the Big Horn Mountains, it is no wonder the Crow and Sioux Indian tribes coveted the Little Goose Valley for its abundance of wild game. Sheridan County's first white resident and founder of the town of Big Horn City was Oliver Perry Hanna. Numerous immigrants soon found their way to Big Horn City along the Bozeman Trail to begin a new life. The Bozeman Trail Museum, which serves as a place for local families to share their collectibles, was a blacksmith shop on the Bozeman Trail.

Big Horn City book cover with a sepia tone photograph of a wooden two story building and townspeople gathered outside

Long Beach Chronicles

9781609495480

$21.99

Incorporated in 1888, Long Beach was the nation's fastest-growing city for much of the early twentieth century. Tim Grobaty, columnist for two decades for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, looks back at the major events and compelling personalities that shaped the city's formative years. Early settlers such as William Willmore, Charles Rivers Drake and the Bixby family are brought into sharp focus as Grobaty recounts the city's defining moments. From the naming of city streets to early local newspaper wars, and culminating with the devastating earthquake of 1933, Long Beach Chronicles presents a fascinating collection of tales from the city's provocative past.

Cover image for Long Beach Chronicles, isbn: 9781609495480

Los Alamos Valley

9781467133319

$24.99

Los Alamos is a small town on its way to big things. It is a growing tourist destination yet retains its pastoral charm. The history of the Los Alamos Valley can be viewed as a microcosm of the history of California, for it contains within its span Chumash Indians, mission neophytes and horse herds, Spanish land grants, cattle ranches, vaqueros, bandits, oil bonanzas, a narrow-gauge railroad, fertile soil for bountiful crops, vast vineyards, tourism, and even an element of Hollywood. Its location on the Central Coast of California means sunny skies, cool evenings, and cool, damp breezes. The character and resilience of the Los Alamos Valley inhabitants, however, is the real story. Theirs is a history of intermingling cultures and races, a steadfast preservation of traditions, and a pioneer streak of stubborn perseverance in the face of natural and economic adversity. The images in this book were gathered as the result of a community effort.

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Orem

9780738578828

$24.99

In 1861, a group of hardy pioneers ascended the "Provo Bench" that overlooks Utah Lake. With dreams of fruit orchards and vegetable fields, they uprooted the sagebrush, dug irrigation canals, and planted crops. These farms were successful, and they helped transform Orem into a dynamic community by the time the railroad arrived. The produce was boxed and shipped across Utah on the Orem Line, and the Provo/Orem area earned the nickname "Garden City of Utah." Incorporated in 1919, Orem was transformed again during World War II when the U.S. government constructed Geneva Steel Mill on the shores of Utah Lake. Blue collar workers joined farmers and ranchers in building a city. Orem supports higher education and is home to Utah Valley University. Although malls and subdivisions have replaced many of the orchards and the steel mill has closed, Orem remains rooted in its past while growing towards its future.

Cover of Images of America Orem showing three men in a field with mountains in the background.

The New Deal in Orange County, California

9781626194885

$21.99

Unpredictably harsh elements wreaked havoc in Orange County during the Great Depression. The 1933 Long Beach earthquake claimed 115 lives, shattering lands eastward across the Los Angeles County line into the Orange County cities. Then 60 people perished in the devastating 1938 Santa Ana River flood, which washed out roads and buildings and much of the county's namesake citrus industry. Orange County's 130,000 people received a greater density of federal public aid than LA County's 2.2 million and San Diego County's 210,000. Join Charles Epting on this tour of the buildings, bridges, harbors, trails, libraries, highways and other infrastructure gains--many still in use--that were revitalized by the Works Progress Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps and other agencies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal.

Cover image for The New Deal in Orange County, California, isbn: 9781626194885

Wharton

9780738579078

$24.99

On a bend in the Colorado River where it meanders through the Bay Prairie lies the town of Wharton. Caney and Peach Creeks spill into the river nearby and mark the boundaries of this small community. Stephen F. Austin first brought settlers here in the early 1820s, and the town of Wharton was organized in 1846. Named in memory of two brothers who fought in the Texas Revolution, the town sits astride trade routes that connect larger cities like Houston and San Antonio. Steamboats made their way up the Colorado River, and the railroad bustled through in the 1880s. The town began to grow quickly by 1900, and now, a century later, Wharton honors a diverse cultural heritage passed down for six generations. Today Wharton has more than 9,000 residents who make up a diverse and thriving community, and who still appreciate their special place along the mighty Colorado River.

Cover image for Wharton, isbn: 9780738579078

Manchaca

9781467130516

$24.99

Manchaca, which takes its name from nearby Manchaca Springs, is nestled in the beautiful rolling hills about 10 miles south of Austin. Spanish land grants issued in the 1830s opened the land for settlement, and by the 1850s, stage stop Manchac Springs was established, bringing new settlers through the area. Many liked what they saw and settled in. The population grew in great bounds when the International & Great Northern Railroad laid track through Manchaca in 1881, which led to the building of a new school and several mercantile stores. By the turn of the century, Manchaca had grown into a bustling community.

Cover image for Manchaca, isbn: 9781467130516

Crane

9780738595825

$24.99

Crane is the county seat and only town in Crane County, Texas. Hot, windy, and impossibly dry, save for the Pecos River and the oil bubbling below, people still have been migrating to or passing through it for hundreds of years. In 1583, Spanish explorers traversed the Pecos at a ford known as Horsehead Crossing. In 1858, the crossing became an important stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route. Famous adventurers Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving trekked through the crossing in 1866. Castle Gap, a mountain with castle-like boulders, offered shelter to prehistoric people. Likewise, forty-niners sought protection there while migrating to California. Legend states that the Mexican emperor Maximilian once buried vast golden treasures there. Nearby, Juan Cordona Salt Lake provided salt to Native American traders. Historically, ranching has been important in Crane County, although oil is king in the region, being one of the largest oil-producing counties in Texas. Throughout the years, the city of Crane has maintained a consistent population of approximately 3,500, subsisting primarily on the oil and gas industry.

Crane Images of America book cover showing a man on a horse in a street scene with bystanders in sepia tone.

Krum

9780738579917

$24.99

Krum is one of the crown jewels of North Texas. Located north of Fort Worth and just west of Denton, Krum was once famous for an award-winning strain of wheat. The town even established three grain mills to accommodate wheat production. Over a million pounds of grain were shipped in 1900, when Krum was known as the largest wagon grain market in the United States. The town now serves northwest Denton County as a center for agricultural, financial, and emergency services, with its citizens as Krum's major asset. Descendants of many of the original settlers are still here by preference and are proud to tell the world they live in Krum. Why go anywhere else?

Cover image for Krum, isbn: 9780738579917

Jefferson

9780738585321

$24.99

Jefferson, Texas, began as a simple ferry crossing on the Big Cypress Bayou. By 1841, Allen Urquhart had realized the potential for a town at this spot and purchased 640 acres. Daniel Alley bought the adjacent tract, and the city of Jefferson was born. The town flourished as a steamship port during the 1800s and became the second-largest city in Texas. Steamboats from as far south as New Orleans would dock in Jefferson, unloading travelers and freight before taking on new cargo and starting on the return trip. When the water levels in the bayou eventually fell, Jefferson was no longer accessible by steamship, and the population began to dwindle. Many saw this as the end of the city. However, the 1960s brought a rebirth to the town, and today Jefferson shares its rich history with travelers from across the nation.

Vintage Jefferson street scene with hotel storefronts and decorative title banner

Pryor Creek

9781467114875

$24.99

Pryor Creek, originally named Coo-y-yah (Cherokee for huckleberry), incorporated as a city in 1894. Also known as Pryor by the US Postal Service, it is located in northeastern Oklahoma and is the seat of Mayes County. The community is rich with history that dates back to its early days as Indian Territory, where many early residents settled after suffering a grueling journey on the Trail of Tears from the old Cherokee Nation. After starting as a rural farming community, with the addition of the railroad in 1870 Pryor Creek grew to become a major industrial economic force in the region following World War II. During the war, the area was home to a massive ammunition ordnance plant, which eventually became the largest industrial park in Oklahoma. In 1942, Pryor Creek's downtown business district was destroyed by the fifth-deadliest tornado in Oklahoma history. Pryor Creek is also a gateway known for its regional lakes and recreational areas.

Cover image for Pryor Creek, isbn: 9781467114875

Lancaster

9780738578767

$24.99

In 1841, the Republic of Texas was on the brink of bankruptcy, and it needed to attract new immigrants in order to survive. With this important goal in mind, in 1844 the Texas congress authorized the republic's president, Sam Houston, to contract with individuals to colonize the state. In September of that same year, one group headed by Capt. Roderick Rawlins from Illinois came to Texas and settled in what would become the town of Lancaster. Farmers grew grains and cotton, and Lancaster became a trade center with a lively town square. A commercial club organized in order to coordinate advertising for local businesses, and it also held trade days that later became town fairs. Local residents worked hard all week and enjoyed horse races, baseball, forty-two parties, music performances, and other entertainment on the weekends. By the late 1800s, Lancaster was connected to the rest of the state by the railroads, but the town still retained its independent, small-town Texas character.

Cover image for Lancaster, isbn: 9780738578767

Tall Tales & Half Truths of Pat Garrett

9781467135450

$21.99

While many lionize Billy the Kid, the man who killed him, Sheriff Patrick Floyd Garrett, has a rarely told but riveting true story all his own. His adventurous life spawned many a far-fetched, exciting legend. In 1896, Garrett's investigation of the still-unsolved murder of Albert J. Fountain on the White Sands led to nothing but a gunfight and a dead deputy. Some say that Garrett faked the details the night the Kid was brought to ultimate justice, while others swear another wannabe hero did him in. In perfect irony, Garrett's own 1908 death is shrouded in mystery. Some report he died by the hand of Billy the Kid himself. Author John LeMay exposes fabricated tales for what they are and focuses on memories long forgotten about Billy the Kid's personal grave digger, Sheriff Pat Garrett.

Cover image for Tall Tales & Half Truths of Pat Garrett, isbn: 9781467135450

Colfax County

9781467133562

$24.99

In 1841, Carlos Beaubien and Guadalupe Miranda received a grant of land from the governor of New Mexico in the northeastern part of the Mexican province. Frontier conditions prevented colonization of the grant until 1848, when Beaubien's son-in-law Lucien Maxwell led settlers from Taos to the Rayado River where it crossed the Santa Fe Trail. Maxwell's friend Kit Carson joined him the following year, and their ranch prospered in spite of frequent attacks by Jicarilla Apaches. Later, Maxwell moved north to the Cimarron River. Gold was discovered on the western part of the grant in 1866, and miners rushed to the diggings, establishing the town of Elizabethtown. It became the first seat of Colfax County in 1869. Maxwell sold the grant to foreign investors who organized the Maxwell Land Grant and Railway Company in 1870 and founded the town of Cimarron. The Santa Fe Railroad entered the county in 1879, which precipitated the creation of the towns of Raton and Springer and also fostered large-scale ranching, mining, and lumbering.

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Weatherford, Texas

9780738501109

$24.99

Despite the odds of Indian raids, the Civil War, and one man's feud, Weatherford began as a small frontier settlement in the mid-1800s, and quickly grew into a bustling West Texas county seat known for its Victorian beauty, home-grown peaches, and small-town charm. Images of courthouse construction and early pioneering families are among the first glimpses into Weatherford's fascinating history. Other highlights include the development of downtown, forgotten changes to the square, the first city rodeo grounds, photos of the Queen of England sitting for her coronation portrait, as well as rare shots of some of the city's more famous past residents, Larry Hagman and his mother, Mary Martin, and Comanche Chief Quanah Parker. Additional scenes of schools, streets, politics, firemen, parks, hospitals, and residents provide an entertaining and educational illustration of the city's past.

Weatherford Texas Images of America book cover showing a busy sepia street scene with storefronts and cars

Coolidge

9781467133852

$24.99

Even by Arizona standards, Coolidge is a relatively new town. Its original site was platted in 1925 with a modest 80 acres purchased by Phoenix businessman Richard J. Jones, and it would be another 20 years before the town was incorporated. Nevertheless, the Coolidge environs possess a rich and colorful history going back several thousand years when the ancestral Sonoran people began building permanent structures and constructing canals to divert Gila River water for their crops. Two hundred years after the ancient civilization abandoned the area, Spanish explorers passed through on their way to California. But it was ultimately the establishment of main line rail service, the construction of a dam, and the building of the only north-south highway between Tucson and Phoenix that led to the formation of this town named after America's 30th president.

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Plano

9780738507682

$24.99

The history of Plano, Texas is as rich as the soil that attracted early settlers to the area in the mid to late 1800s. Vividly portrayed here in over 200 images, author Nancy McCulloch recreates for the reader the remarkable history of this forward-thinking town. A large number of residents from Kentucky and Tennessee were attracted to the rich black soil and farming prospects of this part of Peters Colony. Sam Houston, as a former governor of Tennessee, enticed families from these states to travel to the Plano area and seek out a new and better way of life. From 1870 to 1886, Plano's population expanded tenfold. As early as the late 1800s the community developed a reputation for progressive thinking and beautiful homes.

Cover image for Plano, isbn: 9780738507682

Sweetwater

9781467130967

$24.99

From buffalo hunters and ranchers to rattlesnake hunters and wind farmers, Sweetwater has a rich and diverse history of hearty people flourishing in a harsh environment. Beginning with the Kiowa, Apaches, and Comanche, who migrated through the area following herds, and continuing with hunters after the Civil War, Sweetwater, like many West Texas towns, owes its inception to the buffalo. After the war, the demand for beef, hides, and tallow in the North escalated, requiring hunters to reduce buffalo populations, both for their prized hides and to make room for cattle. The slaughter reached its peak in the South in the 1870s, and in 1877, Billie Knight set up a small store on the banks of Sweetwater Creek to accommodate hunters and ranchers. Since the construction of this humble dugout, the town of Sweetwater has had one racetrack, two locations, three names, four courthouses, and countless snakes, wild fires, and tornadoes.

Cover image for Sweetwater, isbn: 9781467130967

Rains County

9780738579986

$24.99

This fourth-smallest county in Texas was created in December 1870 from parts of Wood, Hunt, Van Zandt, and Hopkins Counties. The county and the county seat are named after the founding father, Emory Rains. In the early days, cotton was king, and the towns were full of businesses that served the residents' needs. In 1902, the National Farmers Union was formed in Point, and with the decline of cotton, dairy and beef cattle are now the main industries. The Texas legislature designated Rains County as "Eagle Capital of Texas" in 1995 in order to protect and preserve the bald eagles who nest around the local lakes. Today, Emory is the home of the A.C. McMillan African American Museum, which preserves the African American culture of this area. Rains County is bordered by Lake Tawakoni for catfish fishing and Lake Fork for bass fishing. These lakes, along with annual festivals, draw thousands of visitors and outdoor enthusiasts each year. This pictorial history portrays the everyday life, influential people of the county, education, worship, and businesses from 1870 to 1950. "Come to Rains County where it rains when it wants to!"

Rains County cover with a vintage parade on a main street and a car leading the procession under a large clover sign.

Pilot Point

9780738571003

$24.99

The oldest town in Denton County, Pilot Point is situated atop the highest point in North Texas at a place that was once a landmark for wagon train pilots traveling through the region. In 1854, the town was platted and lots were sold, many to cross-country pioneers who were drawn to the abundance of fresh water, game, and fertile soil. The city began to grow more quickly after incorporation in 1867, and when the railroad arrived in 1880, Pilot Point became one of the busiest trading centers in North Texas, boasting both the largest cotton gin and university. From the early days of cowboys and cotton in the 1800s, to oil and cattle in the 1930s, to the changes that came with the 1960s, this new volume tells the unique story of Pilot Point.

Cover image for Pilot Point, isbn: 9780738571003

Midlothian

9780738558752

$24.99

The springs that initially attracted settlers to this area sprang from thick deposits of Balcones Escarpment limestone. The springs gave rise to Waxahachie Creek, and many settlers chose land near its headwaters to form the village of Midlothian. The black soil proved excellent for growing cotton, corn, wheat, oats, rye, and barley. When the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad came through in 1883, Midlothian was born. The town was incorporated in 1888, two years after the Houston and Texas Central Railroad reached town. Many settlers were experienced cotton growers, and gins were built alongside the railroads to process and ship the cotton. Farm animals normally kept for family use became more numerous, and several beef and dairy operations developed. Many servicemen returning from World War II, however, chose to commute to the metroplex for various jobs, decreasing the number of farmers. Soon thereafter, major corporations realized that the limestone was perfect for making cement and began operations here. Midlothian is liberally illustrated with historically rich photographs chronicling the development of this industrious region.

Cover of Midlothian from Images of America showing a sepia Main Street with storefronts and a water tower

La Salle County

9780738579382

$24.99

The Nueces River runs west to east across La Salle County, and at one time it served as the boundary between Texas and Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ceded the Nueces Strip to Texas. La Salle County was formed out of some of this land in 1858. Early settlers struggled to survive in the wild terrain amid fears of attacks from outlaws and natives. From the Indian Raid of 1878 and the assassination of a sheriff, to droughts and dust storms, the hardy people of La Salle County persevered. After an election in 1883, Cotulla was selected as the permanent county seat, a courthouse was erected, and churches and schools were built. The lawlessness of the past is gone, but the county's residents share the perseverance of those early pioneers.

Cover image for La Salle County, isbn: 9780738579382

St. Johns

9780738556284

$24.99

Settled in 1872 by Spanish pioneers from New Mexico, the town of St. Johns began as a farming and sheep-raising community far removed from the county seat and territorial capital of Prescott. Soon after, the Mormon Church, represented by Bishop David King Udall, purchased 1,200 acres for Mormon colonizers to settle. With the building of the Lyman Dam, the town was finally able to provide adequate water for crops and began to thrive. The building of a power plant in the 1970s doubled the population of St. Johns, but many of the original settlers' descendants are still there as well, canning their gardens' harvest and dusting from their homes the dirt brought in by the wind that never stops blowing. Although the streets are now paved and many of the old buildings and homes have long been razed, St. Johns has a unique story to tell.

Cover of St Johns from the Images of America series showing a 19th century town street with horse drawn wagons

Coppell, Texas

9781467136617

$21.99

Coppell history is rooted in peace and community. In 1843, Sam Houston met with ten native tribes along Grapevine Springs Creek to negotiate an accord to end fighting and allow trade and settlement in the area. When Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974, Coppell transformed from a farming hamlet into a thriving town with expanding economic opportunity. Through firsthand accounts with longtime residents and meticulous research, authors Jean Murph and Lou Duggan unfold the contemplative story of a complex and historic community.

Cover image for Coppell, Texas, isbn: 9781467136617

Southside Place

9781467131742

$24.99

In 1924, Edward Lilo Crain platted Southside Place, a 329-lot subdivision on the soggy prairie just west of bustling downtown Houston. Ahead of his time, Crain combined the roles of real estate investor, developer, and builder, establishing Southside Place with prefabricated catalog homes. The neighborhood's most defining attribute, however, is the 1.5-acre park Crain created as its geographic and civic center. This thoughtful early attempt at city planning made Southside Place the first Houston subdivision to provide a swimming pool, tennis court, clubhouse, and park for the private use of residents.

Cover image for Southside Place, isbn: 9781467131742

River of Spirits

9781625858603

$24.99

Originating high in New Mexico's mysterious Black Range and flowing to the Rio Grande amid contorted, ghost-like sycamores, Las Animas Creek remains one of the least accessible landscapes in the nation. The watershed is best known as the site of Apache chief Victorio's last major battle with the U.S. Cavalry before his retreat and ultimate defeat by the Mexican army. Despite its geographic isolation, the watershed remains closely linked with the history of nearby Kingston, Hillsboro and Caballo. Once home to New Mexico's last grizzly, Las Animas sustains a diverse range of native plants and wild animals, including bison, prairie dogs and mountain lions, as well as a host of endangered species. Aldo Leopold Wilderness and Ted Turner's Ladder Ranch ensure it remains Rio de las Animas, the "River of Spirits." Wildlife research biologist Harley G. Shaw compiles a human and natural history of this remote ecosystem.

River of Spirits book cover with wildlife collage and a river landscape in New Mexico's Las Animas Creek.

Historic Downtown Plano

9780738579023

$24.99

Historic Downtown Plano focuses on the city's main mercantile area of Mechanic (Fifteenth Street) and Main (K Avenue) and the surrounding heritage districts of Haggard Park, Old Towne, and the Douglass Community. Incorporated in 1873, downtown Plano has endured at least five major fires, the Great Depression, closure of the interurban railway, and retail and corporate development to the west of the area. In recent years, downtown Plano has benefited from ongoing redevelopment and revitalization as an urban transit village with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail train service to the area--taking us back to those days of old.

Historic Downtown Plano cover featuring a sepia photo of a vintage store with a glass display counter and customers

Murphy

9780738585383

$24.99

With a 470-percent population spike during the last decade, Murphy, Texas, is the fastest-growing city in Collin County. Citizens are still drawn to the area just as the pioneers were. Murphy, first known as Maxwell and then Decatur, was once part of the Peters Colony empresario grant issued by the Republic of Texas in 1841. Carved out of the Blackland Prairie Region, the soil was rich and black, rainfall was abundant, the temperature was moderate, and the land was carpeted with tall grasses. Native trees, wild fruit, honey, game, fish, and wild turkey were plentiful. Trees were cut for homes, and prairie soils were plowed for crops. The arrival of the railroad in 1888 made it more convenient for farmers to transport crops and for local shopkeepers to operate their businesses, which left a lasting legacy in the community.

Images of America Murphy cover with a large group of men in suits posing for a historic photo.

Galveston's Tree Carvings

9781467133050

$24.99

On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall in Galveston with a 12-foot storm surge that flooded most of the island. The salt water then killed between 40,000 and 50,000 trees in Galveston. After they died, the trees were cut down. A local citizen made the suggestion to carve the stumps into sculptures. Three different professional artists and one amateur artist carved all of the carvings on the island. The first carving was completed in 2009, and the stumps continue to be carved as of 2014. They have become a must-see tourist attraction in Galveston.

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Around San Antonio

9780738503110

$24.99

Around San Antonio provides readers with an incisive history, not only of the city itself--its missions, festive traditions, schools, military bases--but also of the surrounding Hill Country and ranches. Covering a time span from the early 1900s to the 1960s, this book provides a concise background of local folklore and traditions to visitors and other interested persons who wish to gain a deeper insight and appreciation of San Antonio and the surrounding area.

Vintage sepia book cover showing dancers in formal wear beneath a bold Around San Antonio label.

Lake Travis's South Shore

9781467132527

$24.99

The Colorado River, running through Austin, Texas, and the area now referred to as Lake Travis, has always been a beautiful place to live. The early settlers found it suitable for farming and ranching—until it rained. The rain soaked up soil, and water upstream often engorged the land and washed out everything in its path. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal created agencies that constructed hydroelectric dams for the Tennessee Valley Authority, and those were used as blueprints for the Lower Colorado River Authority. The ground-breaking for the Mansfield Dam took place on February 19, 1937, and the dam was completed in 1942, providing power and flood control for the area. The dam created Lake Travis and brought about a new recreational industry. Boat docks, lodges, and parks sprang up along the newly created lake, and they are still enjoyed today.

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Phoenix's Greater Encanto-Palmcroft Neighborhood

9781467131254

$24.99

The Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood in central Phoenix was created in the twilight of the "City Beautiful Movement," a philosophy that supported beautiful surroundings to promote moral and social order. Palmcroft was developed in 1927 by prominent Phoenix booster Dwight B. Heard and William G. Hartranft, father of the Phoenix parks system. Encanto, "The Enchanting," was founded by Lloyd C. Lakin and George T. Peter in 1928. These custom Period Revival homes were styled as bucolic refuges from the bustle of downtown. Even into the 21st century, this neighborhood maintains its integrity and significance due to the participation of residents who realize its historic importance.

Sepia toned book cover showing a palm lined river with people in canoes Phoenix's Greater Encanto-Palmcroft Neighborhood

Mesquite

9781467133579

$24.99

The story of Mesquite, Texas, is a story of an east Dallas County settlement that became first a depot town on the Texas & Pacific Railroad, then a "Boomtown USA" suburban city. Recently, and not alone among other aging American Southwest suburbs, it has become an urban center facing cultural, social, and educational challenges, as well as economic decline.

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Holbrook and the Petrified Forest

9780738548852

$24.99

Largely a sea of sand and sand-turned-to-stone, the cold desert at the junction of the Rio Puerco and the Little Colorado Rivers seems an unlikely place for human settlement. Indeed, even the Puerco and Little Colorado seldom visit, and when they do, they sweep away dams and ditches and sometimes more. But with the coming of the railroad in 1881, the community of Holbrook became a hub of commerce for Mormons, cowboys, Native Americans, railroad men, and the military. Hashknife cowboys brought cattle to ship to market and stayed to spend their money in saloons. Visitors from the East came to see the Triassic forest and stayed to eat in Fred Harvey's elegant dining room, a series of five boxcars on a sidetrack. Route 66 and the Santa Fe Railway defined this tiny town and made it a historic crossroads in northern Arizona.

Book cover Holbrook and the Petrified Forest featuring a sepia town street with wagons and people.

San Antonio's Churches

9780738585369

$24.99

The towns that the Spaniards of colonial Mexico planted on their northern frontier were organized around the ideal of a close interaction between church, missionary outreach, and military. San Antonio was the most successful realization of this dream in Texas. The pattern of this tripartite approach has continued to shape the rich culture of the city down to the present. With this selection of photos, San Antonio's Churches takes a snapshot visit back through religious development throughout the three centuries of San Antonio's history.

Night view of an ornate San Antonio cathedral with tall towers on the cover of San Antonio's Churches by Milo Kearney and Francis Galan

Rio Rancho

9781467133685

$24.99

Rio Rancho's first residents arrived in the mid-1960s seeking what was advertised as 360 sunny days a year and affordable housing. Incorporated in 1981, Rio Rancho is the third-largest city in New Mexico and its fastest growing. It often pops up on those Best Places to Live stories and for good reason. The top-notch schools, safe neighborhoods, great climate, and being noted as an inexpensive place to start a family have turned Rio Rancho into a desirable place to live.

Cover image for Rio Rancho, isbn: 9781467133685

Lake Worth

9780738578620

$24.99

The history of Lake Worth begins in 1909 when two young boys accidentally set a fire that destroyed many buildings in Fort Worth. Fighting the fire nearly drained the city's wells dry, so city leaders reconsidered an earlier suggestion from engineer John Hawley to create a surface reservoir. The enormous hole filled in just three weeks after heavy rains, instead of the predicted three years. Completed in 1914, Lake Worth became the largest reservoir in the Southwest. Fort Worth now had a better water supply, and local beach development brought water recreation to millions and greatly impacted the small community nearby. Through the years, silt and contaminants have infiltrated the lake, and the City of Fort Worth has temporarily stopped the slow process of dredging the lake because of the economy. But the community's collective hope soars with the possibility that the lake and beaches eventually will be restored to their original condition.

Lake Worth book cover from Images of America showing a man in a captain's hat driving a wooden boat with three women on a lake.

Boise

9781467132565

$24.99

Boise was founded on the Oregon Trail in 1863, shortly after the opening of Fort Boise, which was built to protect the gold that had recently been discovered in the Boise Basin around Idaho City. By the late 1800s, Boise had a very large downtown infrastructure, and it saw the addition of many multistoried buildings after 1900. In the late 1960s though the 1970s, Boise experienced a major urban renewal project with many of the historic buildings being torn down to make way for a new downtown mall. Since the 1970s, many new buildings have filled in the lots created by the urban renewal. This book will give readers an idea of what Boise once looked like.

Parker

9780738556383

$24.99

In 1908, Congress authorized the town site of Parker to be reserved and set apart. The boundaries of the surveyed and platted town site are located within the interior of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, which was established in 1865. The federal government initially intended the town site as the location to create housing for employees of the Arizona and California Railroad Company, which had already begun using the location as a division point. By 1918, funds arising from the sale of town lots were needed for the continued construction of a pumping plant and irrigation project on the reservation. News outlets emphasized the business potential from both mining interests in the area and agricultural development once the reservation lands were open. However, as the test of time has proven, it is the enjoyment of activities on the Colorado River that keep bringing people back to this small desert town.

Parker book cover with sepia photo of a vintage street scene and a classic car.

The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García

9781467119016

$21.99

As a Mexican immigrant, Dr. Héctor P. García endured discrimination at every stage of his life. He attended segregated schools and was the only Mexican to graduate from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, in 1940. García's passion for helping others pushed him to advocate for equal rights. After serving in World War II, the doctor worked to help minorities achieve greater access to healthcare, voting rights and education. He started a private practice in Corpus Christi and in 1948 founded the American GI Forum. Cecilia García Akers shares a daughter's perspective on her father's remarkable achievements and sacrifices as an activist and physician.

Cover image for The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García, isbn: 9781467119016

Circle Z Guest Ranch

9781467116626

$29.99

Nestled in Sonoita Valley along the banks of Sonoita Creek, just 15 miles north of Mexico, Circle Z Guest Ranch welcomes vacationers to experience a taste of the Old West, with the comfortable pleasures of a traditional family-style ranch but without the risks. Horseback riding, relaxation, and cowboy cookouts have been the ranch's main attractions for the past 90 years, earning Circle Z the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating guest ranch in Arizona. It evolved from a four-room adobe homestead to a working cattle ranch before becoming a highly profitable sheepherding operation. In 1924, brothers Carl and Lee Zinsmeister arrived in Patagonia with a vision of developing a dude ranch with a resort feel. They purchased 5,000 acres of the San José de Sonoita land grant, which included the Sanford estate. Circle Z opened in 1926 and quickly became one of the finest guest ranches in the state. Today, the Nash family operates this memorable ranch famous for its well-trained horses and miles of scenic trails.

Cover image for Circle Z Guest Ranch, isbn: 9781467116626

Leon Valley

9780738585130

$24.99

Surrounded by the city of San Antonio and bisected by Texas State Highway 16, Leon Valley is known as the City of the Lions. In the early 1800s, European and Mexican immigrants homesteaded and raised their families here. Joseph Huebner, an Austrian immigrant, built a limestone house that became a stagecoach stop, providing a change of stock and overnight accommodations for weary travelers. Stories about strange noises and hauntings told by former homestead residents were thought to be related to the circumstances of his death. In the mid-1930s, a building boom attracted many to the quiet countryside. By the 1940s, dairy farming was the main occupation. From its beginnings, Leon Valley residents have chosen to preserve and celebrate its history, and concern for the well being of its citizens has remained a priority. This small community offers the advantages of a big city but retains its small-town atmosphere.

Vintage group dinner photo at a Leon Valley gathering with guests seated around tables under string lights.

Progreso

9780738579474

$24.99

Spanish for progress, Progreso is famous for the millions of tourists, known as Winter Texans, who drive through the town to visit Mexico. Rumor has it that Al Capone did the same thing during Prohibition. Perhaps the first visitor captivated by the Rio Grande was Juan Jose Hinojosa, as he asked the Spanish crown for rights to the land that is now Progreso on July 4, 1776. But it was Florencio Saenz, founder of the iconic Toluca Ranch, who requested a U.S. post office in 1896. Connecting to the Spiderweb Railroad in the 1920s gave the town a short-lived commercial farming boom that attracted prominent investors. In the late 1940s, though, two disastrous freezes killed the citrus industry, and farmers switched to vegetables and cotton. After the Progreso International Bridge was built in 1953, growers gained access to the Mexican market, an advantage that continues to attract people to this small town along the Rio Grande.

Cover image for Progreso, isbn: 9780738579474

Pawnee County

9781467114714

$24.99

Pawnee County is unique among Oklahoma's counties. It represents a microcosm of the state's culture and heritage. Like Oklahoma, Pawnee County is divided in half by the cross timbers: to the east are woodlands and lakes, and to the west are the short grass country and the Great Plains. The eastern half of the county was a part of old Oklahoma Territory and is filled with lake homes that serve as a bedroom community for Tulsa, while the legacy of the Wild West lives in western Pawnee County, home of the Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo. A vibrant agriculture and cattle economy made the county an economic center of the Oklahoma Territory. Then came oil and a rush of fortune seekers. Thousands of wells produced millions of dollars in black gold, as tens of thousands of oilmen rushed to the region, along with gamblers, con men, prostitutes, bootleggers, and other ne'er-do-wells. From this colorful legacy, modern Pawnee County emerged.

Pawnee County product cover coming soon placeholder.

Snyder and Scurry County

9780738596969

$24.99

Everything is bigger in Texas. From ranches that cover more acres of land than Rhode Island to 10-gallon hats, monster belt buckles, and heart-attack barbecue, even the most remote corners of the state are bold, proud, and full of character. Scurry County is one such place. Following trails blazed by Comanche chief Quanah Parker and the US Army, settlers began moving to this part of West Texas in the 1870s. The town of Snyder was founded as a trading post on Deep Creek, which was made famous when buffalo hunter J. Wright Mooar shot a white buffalo there in 1876. Believed to be sacred by many Native American tribes, white buffalo are rare--only one out of every 10 million. Like the white buffalo, the town of Snyder is an anomaly, a strange combination of tradition and transition. Families who have farmed and ranched here for generations live in close proximity to an increasing transient population of oil field workers, college students, engineers, and electricians. Cattle still graze where buffalo once roamed, but today, many of their former pastures are filled with futuristic wind turbines.

Snyder and Scurry County book cover showing a windmill over plowed fields

Southlake

9780738578750

$24.99

Of the settlers who journeyed to North Texas 165 years ago, 12 families from Missouri traveled in oxen-drawn wagons to the Eastern Cross Timbers. These families laid claim to land in Peters Colony that was promised by the Republic of Texas's first empresario. The hardscrabble colonists built log cabins and the Lonesome Dove Church, the first church in Tarrant County. Their village came to be called Dove. Later settlements included White's Chapel, Old Union, and Jellico. The Depression hit local farmers and cattlemen hard, and newspaper accounts tell of small-time outlaws passing through, including members of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde gang who shot and killed two state troopers near Texas Highway 114. In 1956, a handful of neighbors voted to incorporate, and the town of Southlake was born. A decade later, city leaders from nearby Dallas and Fort Worth agreed to the construction of a regional airport east of Southlake, and the Dallas–Fort Worth Airport brought many families and prosperity to an area that flourishes today.

Cover image for Southlake, isbn: 9780738578750

Weatherford

9780738585499

$24.99

The early years of Weatherford yield stories of trials and triumphs as a rowdy frontier town that matured and became known as the "City of Churches" and the "City Beautiful." Created in 1856 as the county seat of newly formed Parker County, Weatherford was lush with grasslands, timber, and fertile soils. In 1858, the two-story brick courthouse was surrounded by log cabins, frame buildings, and tents. For nearly two decades, the town was the principal supply center for points west and a safe haven for settlers seeking refuge from Indian raids. Stalwart men and women nurtured the development of religious, educational, and cultural refinements. But when the Texas & Pacific Railway arrived in 1880, it spurred Weatherford's stature as an agricultural, banking, and commercial center and opened national markets to local cotton and prize-winning watermelons. The historic City Beautiful is still evident today in Weatherford's picturesque courthouse square and quaint tree-lined residential districts.

Sepia toned cover of a Weatherford history book showing a crowded early 20th century street scene.

Borger

9780738585413

$24.99

When A.P. "Ace" Borger came from Oklahoma to the Texas Panhandle's high plains in 1926, he saw what others had seen: a barren landscape, populated sparsely, with cattle and wildlife. However, through the experienced eyes of a town builder, Ace envisioned a booming, growing, all-American city. They laughed when he bought 240 acres thinking the attraction of black gold would bring enough people to make a profit. Borger was a true boomtown with all the appendages--fugitives, drug dealers, gaming houses, dance halls, prostitutes, and dishonest officers--though one could say boomtown hysteria ended with the assassination of Ace. Virtuous people, each with a vision, came to Borger to start churches, hospitals, and schools, raise families, profit from honest businesses, and restrain criminals. As citizens worked together, Borger became a 1970 All-America City. Now in its 86th year, Borger is a quiet, conservative Texas city towering above its epitaph of "the wildest town in America."

Cover of Borger from Images of America with a sepia town scene and a navy title plaque showing Jane Snyder Agee

Phoenix's Ahwatukee-Foothills

9780738548555

$24.99

South of Phoenix's South Mountain, west of Interstate 10, north of the Gila River Indian Community, and east of Arizona state land lies the picturesque village of Ahwatukee-Foothills, home to some 87,000 people. Its proximity to adjacent cities, cultural centers, shopping, and dining combines with these natural boundaries to give the area its beautiful topography, sense of peaceful isolation, and high desirability as a great place to live, work, and play. But long before there was a freeway, the area was part of the Kyrene farming community, a rural patchwork of hardy pioneer families typifying the country's agricultural way of life during the first half of the 20th century.

Cover image for Phoenix's Ahwatukee-Foothills, isbn: 9780738548555

Bridgeport

9780738584614

$24.99

In 1860, John Butterfield rerouted his famous stage line over the west fork of the Trinity River, and soon a small community sprang up along the banks near the new toll bridge. The settlement became known as Bridgeport, and its pioneers found themselves in the middle of both Texas and American history. Since then, Bridgeport's contributions to history have been achieved through the area's land, as well as the rich oil that flowed beneath the rugged, cactus-dotted country. Recognizing the importance of the earth and what lay below took the skill of entrepreneurs and the hard work of many people. The cast of pioneer characters included a young, well-educated New Yorker seeking adventure in the new republic, a stern but generous engineer from Pennsylvania, and a billionaire wildcatter from Houston. Not forgotten are the stories of immigrants from all over the world whose lives have enriched Bridgeport's historic past. Today Bridgeport continues to utilize natural resources while developing its local heritage and ecotourism sites.

Cover image for Bridgeport, isbn: 9780738584614

Navasota

9780738595023

$24.99

Navasota is named for the nearby Navasota River. The naming of the river is linked, most plausibly, to an encounter on its banks in the 1540s between Indians and a Spanish expedition led initially by the then-deceased Hernando de Soto. Indians believed that spirits of the dead were associated with rivers. Accordingly, though he was interred earlier in the Mississippi River, the Indians saw de Soto's spirit reborn in their river, hence the legendary term "Nativity de Soto," shortened to Navasota. As this book shows, the history of Navasota has revolved around the theme of birth. It stands in the Cradle of Texas, associated endemically with the founding of Spanish Texas and later with the birth of the Republic of Texas. At the crossroads of Texas, Navasotians have pioneered new industries while moderating equilibrium between a genteel society bent on expanding the mind and a ruffian element tamed only at the hands of an icon in American folklore.

Navasota book cover from Images of America showing a sepia street scene with crowds and storefronts

Austin's Pemberton Heights

9780738595894

$24.99

One of the first automobile suburbs in Austin, Pemberton Heights was developed from former plantation land on a limestone bluff overlooking the city. Neighborhood development began in 1927 with a castle created from an old water tower, which originally served as the land office, and encompasses diverse architectural styles, such as Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Monterrey Revival, and Art Moderne. Many homes were designed by leading architects of the day. The neighborhood showcases a mixture of straight and curving streets; magnificent large homes; and cozy bungalows on what was once farmland. Historic bridges crossing Shoal Creek connect the suburb to Austin. With its proximity to downtown and the University of Texas, the neighborhood attracted prominent citizens and accomplished professionals such as Sen. Ralph Yarborough, Mayor Roy Butler, Rebekah Baines Johnson, and Amb. Ed Clark.

Book cover for Austin's Pemberton Heights with a sepia photograph of a child on a swing beside a pony under a tree.

Snowflake

9780738548388

$24.99

A temple with the traditional angel-tipped spire stands on a little juniper-covered hill in the northeastern Arizona town of Snowflake as a testament to the hard work and sacrifices of early Mormon pioneers. These ranching and farming families, sent from fruitful Utah to colonize a land only marginally suitable for farming, became experts in irrigation as they struggled to utilize the waters of Silver Creek and the Little Colorado River. Through sheer determination, they turned alluvium into verdant fields, and the surrounding well-drained Great Basin Desert Shrub became their pastures. But their religion and their families were always the main focus. Today the growing communities of Snowflake, Taylor, and Shumway attract new residents and visitors alike with the beauty of their natural setting, mild yet distinct seasons, and hometown charm. Many historic pioneer-era buildings have been restored to honor the area's unique past.