Images of America Sale

With images from the Connellsville Historical Area Society's archives and private collections, encounter the hidden history of Connellsville.

Connellsville became the first city in Fayette County when it merged with New Haven in 1909. Connellsville's growth was shaped by the Youghiogheny River, coal mining, and coke production, which fueled the nation's steel industry for nearly 100 years. Known as the ""coke capital of the world,"" Connellsville became an early manufacturing, commercial, and transportation center, attracting a diverse ethnic population. Around Connellsville celebrates this heritage with images of coke ovens, coal patches, railroads, streetcars, and ""Brimstone Corner."" It follows South Pittsburgh Street to Anchor Hocking and the beach, cheers ball teams at Fayette Field in the north end, and admires St. Rita's grotto on the west side. Although recent economic growth shifted from the town center to nearby highways, Connellsville remains the preeminent gateway to the Laurel Highlands Recreational Area, which includes world-class resorts, state parks, historical sites, and the singular beauty of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater.

Residents of Beacon, New York, are justifiably proud of a community that is rich in history and promise.

In this exquisite collection of images, local historians Robert J. Murphy and Denise Doring VanBuren uncover the fascinating past of Beacon and the people who have called it home. The community's earliest permanent European settler was Madam Catheryna Rombout Brett, whose c. 1709 home is preserved within the city as the the oldest building in Dutchess County. Within the vicinity of the Madam Brett Homestead, two distinct villages grew: Matteawan, a manufacturing community at the foot of the mountain, and Fishkill Landing, a Hudson River port. Both villages prospered and eventually merged in 1913. Through the decades, the community was hailed as a model of a successful manufacturing center and became the location for several significant Hudson River estates. It played host to one of the longestrunning ferries in American history and introduced one of the first electric streetcar systems in the Hudson River Valley. Perhaps its most well-known feature was the Mount Beacon Incline Railway, a feat of engineering documented as the world's steepest incline railroad.

In its beginnings, Baltimore County was covered with dense ancient forests of deciduous trees and so little undergrowth that it was said a man could gallop horses within them.

Today horses gallop over bucolic pastures of renowned Thoroughbred farms amidst quaint historic towns seen dotting the rolling landscape. Named for the Lords Baltimore, Baltimore County was originally an expansive area extending well beyond today's boundaries. Founded in 1659, the county has evolved from tobacco farming to diverse industries ranging from steel manufacturing to picturesque vineyards. Both then and now, nearby Baltimore Harbor on the Chesapeake Bay provides lucrative opportunities for merchants to trade their crops and commodities. The county offers endless recreational pursuits on over 175 miles of shoreline. Baltimore County is proud to claim among its residents the noted neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson; baseball's all-time iron man, Cal Ripken; and famous author Tom Clancy.

McKees Rocks and Stowe Township, just downriver from the Point of Pittsburgh, contributed significantly to the growth of steel and transportation in western Pennsylvania.

In 1888, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, known as the ""Little Giant,"" built a 100-acre maintenance facility in McKees Rocks, igniting the spark to the region's massive industrial, business, and population explosion. By 1910, the population soared to 15,000, fueled by the rapid influx of nearly 6,000 immigrants. A landmark event in labor history occurred in July 1909, when 5,000 foreign workers, representing 16 different nationalities, waged a long and bloody strike against the Pressed Steel Car Company. McKees Rocks and Stowe Township showcases a region whose diverse history includes the largest Native American mound in Pennsylvania, visits by George Washington, floods, and even Al Capone. Today a rich mix of ethnic cultures still flavors the local neighborhoods, and the accomplishments of homegrown businessmen, musicians, clergy, athletes, public servants, artists, and educators are recognized and respected throughout western Pennsylvania and beyond.

Pawling, New York is a charming town offering stunning scenery steeped in history.

Originally formed from the Beekman Precinct on May 20, 1769, the town of Pawling has been called the Hudson Valley’s best-kept secret. Despite being connected to Manhattan via the Harlem Line, the town and village of Pawling have never let go of their picturesque charm. The grand vistas continue to provide the same unimpeded views they have for centuries. Pawling was the site of General Washington’s headquarters in 1778 and the residence of two-time Republican nominee for president Gov. Thomas E. Dewey. It has been called home by some of the richest and most famous people in the United States, and yet it retains its modest and unassuming character. Pawling has always been a curious mix of farmers, politicians, merchants, artists, and entrepreneurs. For more than 200 years, both the affluent and ordinary men and women of the area have benefited from the undeniable scenic beauty of Pawling.

In Pawling, author Max Weber has written a comprehensive history of this remarkable area. He has worked at the Book Cove for over 12 years and is a member of the Historical Society of Quaker Hill and Pawling. This book is a product of his gratitude for the community and its inhabitants.

Recapturing the people and places that made downtown Rochester's golden era special.

Downtown Rochester is defined by Main Street, State Street and the major crossroads of those streets. It is the core of one of New York State's most important cities.Rochester's Downtownrecaptures the time when it bloomed as a mecca for daytime workers and shoppers and for an evening's entertainment at vibrant social centers. It celebrates the people of this great city as they progress from their early beginnings to create a dynamic business center. This excellent collection of images regenerates the excitement of riding the trolley, watching a movie at the Palace or the Capitol, window-shopping at the Duffy-Powers Store and tasting frosted malteds at Sibley's or warm doughnuts from the Mayflower Donut Shop or spoonfuls of roasted peanuts from Mr. Peanut Man. The narrative recalls Scrantom's as the place to buy books, Neisner's having the latest 78-rpm records, McCurdy's and Edward's with their special holiday displays, Eddie's Chop House for memorable dinners, and the Century Sweet Shop for after-theater sundaes among the many unforgettable venues of this great city.

While it may not have had the same historical impact as its Italian predecessor, the history of Rome, New York, is not to be sniffed at.

This central New York crossroads witnessed the siege of Fort Stanwix during the Revolutionary War, the digging of the Erie Canal, and the development of industry that followed. At one time, Rome boasted one-tenth of all copper produced in the country, earning the nickname "the Copper City.'? This historical collection depicts the people, the great streets, and the structures that all created Rome's rich history.

St. Lawrence County is bracketed by two great vacation meccas, the Thousand Islands and the Adirondack Park. Artist Frederick Remington's island retreat at Ingleneuk and Henry Rushton's Canton boat works are no longer with us, but the port of Ogdensburg still boasts elegant nineteenth-century homes. Rushton's crafts can still be found at exhibitions at Paul Smith's College or gracing Lake Flower in the village of Saranac Lake. Daily life in hamlets such as Star Lake, North Creek, and Blue Mountain Lake can still evoke a simpler time.

Step inside Washington's own Gothic cathedral

Despite being built entirely during the 20th century (1907-1990), the techniques used to construct the Washington National Cathedral were the same as those used on the centuries-old Gothic churches in Europe. What powered the larger tools and cranes was different, but otherwise, the processes, ordering, and artistic finishing were almost entirely medieval. The last time a building of this magnitude was built using these techniques, cameras did not exist. Images of America: Building Washington National Cathedral divides the 20th century into decades to detail what must be the first published beginning-to-completion photographic record of the construction of a Gothic cathedral.

Discover the transformation of the small community of Breslau, built by German immigrants, to the vibrant village of Lindenhurst, New York.

The 1867 advent of the South Side Railroad provided the transportation infrastructure for a new Long Island community conceived by Irish immigrant Thomas Welwood and Prussian immigrant Charles Schleier. Specifically marketed to German immigrants, the city of Breslau was dedicated in 1870. Welwood and Schleier encouraged business and manufacturing growth, providing local employment and economic stability. The gentlemen planned a model community, but their business dealings were not as harmonious and ended in years of litigation. Although thriving, in 1891, the community sought to discard the name Breslau, and residents chose the name Lindenhurst, honoring the proliferation of local linden trees. In the early 20th century, local business prospered, the population blossomed, and the community built by German immigrants strove to demonstrate their American patriotism when the United States joined the war against Germany.

Whether a local citizen, former resident, or visitor, Erie County will definitely entertain, and it will remind us of the perseverance and strength of small-town America.

Erie County, Pennsylvania, is an interesting mixture of peaceful rural landscapes and vigorous industrial scenes. From Albion, Girard, and Fairview in the west, through Waterford and Edinboro, to Corry, Wattsburg, North East, Harborcreek, and Lawrence Park in the east, this volume touches upon many of the small towns, villages, and rural areas that make up this diverse county. The book's images, many never before published, have been selected by local historians and taken from local historical societies' archives to represent the social and cultural aspects of each community. From these pictures, mainly taken in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the distinct identity of each area comes alive with views of farmlands, businesses, schools, and recreation, yet despite thisindividuality, these unique communities do share much in common in tradition and personality.

Frackville, Pennsylvania, is a perfect community for exploring the identity of small-town America.

This borough is representative of the many struggles American citizens and immigrants had to overcome in the mid-nineteenth through the twentieth century on their way to success. Even though Frackville's men and women possess a tremendous drive for progress, they have not forgotten the sacrifices made by earlier generations that have helped shape them and create the area in which they live. This volume looks back on the borough's history and retells the fascinating stories of its original families and early settlers, like the Fracks and the Merediths, and traces Frackville's growth and development from its incorporation in 1876 to its centennial celebration in 1976. With over 200 images, many never before published, this collection shows the reader buildings and homes, some now demolished, lining dusty roads and peopled with citizens in antiquated hats or dresses, and even presents pictures of more recent generations participating in the centennial parade.

An engaging pictorial history of Red Bank, a New Jersey shore town whose beginnings are sure to fascinate any reader.

Residents of Red Bank, one of New Jersey's best known shore towns, greeted the publication of a photographic history if their town with tremendous enthusiasm in 1995. For the first time, significant people and events in the town's past were celebrated in a vivid record available to all. The author of that volume, Randall Gabrielan, has produced an all-new second book on the town that incorporates many important images reluctantly edited from the first work and others newly uncovered. In his second Red Bank volume in as many years, Mr. Gabrielan seeks to deepen the view presented in the earlier work and expand the scope of his study. This volume also includes a separate chapter on the West Side, presents a closer look at the influence of the railroad, and extends an examination of Broad Street's changing face.

Egg Harbor City celebrates the historic beginnings of this city through rare and vintage photographs.

Egg Harbor City was founded as a refuge from the sweeping nativism of the Know-Nothings, a group that tried to limit immigration and naturalization into the United States. Egg Harbor City was a place where German Americans could maintain the traditions, language, and lifestyle of their fatherland. The city was designed in rectangular blocks with lots for building, gardening, or farming. Parks were built and a harbor was planned on the north side of the city with rail lines connecting it to the Camden and Atlantic Railroad. Following the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, Egg Harbor City's wines earned the community great respect, and it became known as the ""Wine City,"" drawing hundreds of visitors to its many wineries. Egg Harbor City celebrates the early years of the place once known as the most German city in the United States of America.

Summer in the Catskills was a classic vacation for millions of American Jewish families. Known as the Borscht Belt, the towns of Sullivan County were home to resorts, entertainers, and the ultimate "day camp" for generations.

Dive into the pool. Welcome to day camp. All of this and more are here in Sullivan County: the Borscht Belt. Relive the world of "Dirty Dancing": Sullivan County, the Borscht Belt, the Catskills--all are synonyms for the greatest American Jewish resort area, the playground of about one million visitors a year during its peak from 1920 to 1970. The Sullivan County of Borscht Belt legend really consists of the eastern part of Sullivan County and a bit of southern Ulster County. Here are the large towns of Liberty, Monticello, and Ellenville and the small towns of Woodbourne, Hasbrouck, South Fallsburg, Livingston Manor, Fallsburg, Loch Sheldrake, Greenfield Park, Mountaindale, Accord, Ulster Heights, Kiamesha Lake, Kerhonkson, Swan Lake, Glen Wild, Hurleyville, Ferndale, White Sulphur Springs, Rock Hill, Parksville, Woodridge, and White Lake. In Sullivan County: Borscht Belt, you will find the lost world of the kuchaleins and bungalow colonies and the hotels, great and small. This was a world to be enjoyed, whether swimming in the Neversink River, watching unmatched entertainment, or eating the legendary Borscht Belt meals. Join us on the lawn, on the handball court, or at the Ping-Pong table.

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

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

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

The founder of Sea Isle City, Charles K. Landis, was a man of action. He had a dream of what the ideal seashore resort should be. In the 1870s, his dream began to take shape.

It has been said, Each age is a dream that is dying or a dream that is coming to life. This is the fascinating story of how Sea Isle City, located along the New Jersey coast in Cape May County, evolved. Sea Isle City is a pictorial tour of the founding and early history of this resort by the sea. Almost overnight the island town became accessible by railroad and by turnpike. Hotels and cottages appeared throughout the island. The Braca, Busch, Cronecker, Dever, Kehner, Pfieffer, and Rey families played a vital role in the growth of the town. Another family, the Hafferts, formed the Garden State Publishing Company, which contributed significantly to employment and economic stability. Commercial fishing became an important industry in the development of the town with the coming of the Hatmen at the beginning of the twentieth century. The influential people who shaped the community and countless other families, schoolchildren, and local legends are finally brought together in Sea Isle City.

Author Michael F. Stafford, president of the Sea Isle City Historical Society, has lived his life in and around Sea Isle City. He is active in community affairs throughout Cape May County and has contributed numerous articles to South Jersey magazines.

Around North Collins contains a unique combination of vintage photographs and historical knowledge on North Collins and fourteen other communities: Shirley, Langford, Clarksburg, New Oregon, Marshfield, Collins Center, Collins, Gowanda, Lawtons Station, Brant, Farnham, Angola, Pontiac, and Kerr's Corners. The photographs, many of which have never before been published, come from the collections of local historians, historical societies, and area families. Pictured are people at home, at school, at ceremonies, and at work, using the tools of their craft.

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.

Fort Mott held a prominent role in the military history of the area from the late 1800s until WWII.

Located on the banks of the Delaware River, Fort Mott was once part of a three-fort system that protected the ports and industry of New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. When completed in 1896, Fort Mott was one of the most technologically advanced fortifications of the period. Originally called the Battery at Finns Point, in 1897 it was renamed in honor of Maj. Gen. Gershom Mott, a New Jersey native who commanded with distinction during the Civil War and later served as state treasurer and commander of New Jersey's National Guard. When fully garrisoned with troops, the Army post was its own little town, complete with a hospital, bakery, stores, and sport fields. Coast Artillery Corps soldiers manned the fort until 1944, when the Army decided to abandon the site. In 1947, the state purchased the property, and in 1951, Fort Mott State Park opened to the public. Today, many of the buildings and fortifications are open for tours, and ongoing preservation and rehabilitation efforts are preserving the site for future generations.

An idea born in the aftermath of World War II, Grenville Baker Boys Club exemplified the newfound optimism of the time, capturing what was best in the North Shore community of Locust Valley, New York. 

In 1946, teens playing football by the train tracks inspired local citizenry to create a safe place for boys after school. With a combined effort across the economic and social spectrum, the project gained momentum. By 1950, Edith Kane Baker, widow of George F. Baker, bestowed the funds to build a clubhouse in memory of her son Grenville, establishing the first nationally affiliated boys club on Long Island. She was soon joined by her neighbors, the Pratts, Doubledays, Smithers, and others, along with a cadre of committed professionals and volunteers. Over the decades, the club has grown, welcoming girls in 1981 and securing the Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club’s mission for generations to come.

Archivist, historian, and museum director Amy Dzija Driscoll is coauthor of Locust Valley. Attorney Carol McKey Harrington is a lifelong resident of Locust Valley and a writer for Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club. Together, they worked with staff, alumni, and friends to curate a selection of images and memories to tell their story. The club’s longtime executive director, Ramon Reyes, contributed the introduction.

Morven stands on five acres in the heart of Princeton, New Jersey, and has played a role in the state's and nation's history for more than 200 years.

After Morven was built for Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, four generations of Stocktons resided there through the early 20th century before the property was leased to Robert Wood Johnson, chairman of Johnson & Johnson. He was followed by five New Jersey governors when Morven served as the state's first governor's mansion. Morven has hosted presidents from George Washington to John F. Kennedy and other notable people, including foreign leader Fidel Castro, movie star Grace Kelly, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and star athlete Althea Gibson. Morven opened as a museum and garden in 2004. The mansion building that serves as the museum is the largest structure on the property, but other notable landmarks include the 1930s pool house, 19th-century carriage house, and colonial revival garden. Morven depicts over 225 years of history and includes views of a home and property that survived wars, fires, and changing tastes.

Authors Elizabeth Allan and Jesse Gordon Simons, who make up the curatorial department at Morven Museum & Garden, have produced 20 museum exhibitions together. Here, they draw on Morven's archives and local New Jersey collections to celebrate the life of this national historic landmark.

Trimper's Rides! Synonymous with Ocean City, MD for generations of thrill seekers...step right up and enjoy the ride!

No trip to Ocean City, Maryland, is complete without a visit to Trimper's Rides. The unforgettable bright lights, carousel music, and elated screams from riders on the Tidal Wave are cherished memories for generations who return to the park annually. The evolution and success of Trimper's Rides embodies the American dream. It began when an enterprising German immigrant named Daniel B. Trimper and his large family took a chance on a little-known seaside town. They built a top-notch family-entertainment experience that continues to delight visitors today. The Trimpers rebuilt after storms, endured wartime challenges, and experienced periods of rapid growth and prosperity. Trimper's Rides chronicles this journey with nostalgic images of past attractions and the people who made Trimper's Rides the destination for family fun.

Explore the complex, heroic and sometimes tragic history of firefighting in Washington, D.C., with images and oral histories gathered over the past century.

From the burning of Washington by the British in 1814 to the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon in 2001, firefighters in Washington, D.C., have always known they are the defenders of one of the most important cities in the world. Written by a worthy group of authors from The Capitol Fire Museum of Washington, this book covers the creation of the paid fire department during the Civil War, construction of new firehouses for the fledgling city in varying international designs, the heyday of firefighting before World War II, the turbulent times of the 1960s, and the modern department today.

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

Like a cherished old family album, this collection of more than two hundred fascinating photographs of Irvington brings to life people, places, and events of a bygone era. Although the Irvington depicted here--from the time of the Civil War to the 1970s--has changed significantly, its memory remains fresh in the minds of past and present residents alike.

Culled from the extensive collections of the Irvington Public Library and Irvington Historical Society, this superb assemblage of images will stimulate many memories. Alan A. Siegel takes us on a delightful journey, starting when Irvington was a tiny village known as Camptown, to the twentieth century when Irvington was transformed almost overnight into a busy industrial and residential suburb of Newark.

Shown too are the vital contributions made by successive waves of immigrants who flooded into Irvington during the first half of the twentieth century

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

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

Fire Island is a string of communities and parks, gay and straight bars, boats and bridges, beach umbrellas and bungalows - all bound together by the pristine white sand of the island's beach.

This 32-mile-long barrier island off the coast of Long Island has been defined by legendary shipwrecks and heroic lifesaving in the 19th century, but also kindled by menacing storms and a web of sociological intrigue as an upwardly mobile American middle class sought out vacation homes and coastal recreation during the 20th century. From cholera protests at the Surf Hotel in 1892 to a grassroots campaign to prevent a highway that ultimately established Fire Island National Seashore in 1964, Fire Island's history is a grand melodrama that has caught world attention.

Called the ""Gem of the Endless Mountains,"" Sullivan County has been a crossroad and ethnic melting pot in the highlands of northern Pennsylvania for more than two centuries

In New York's Sullivan County, there are villages, ghost towns, family farms, and hunting camps scattered along valley floors and clinging to the mountainsides. Early lumber mills were built along the Big and Little Loyalsock Creeks and tributaries in the early 1800s, and outdoor sports and modern tourism became major industries in the 20th and 21st centuries. Land speculation by companies such as Asylum Land Company led to the development of coal, lumber, and railroad industries throughout the county.

Historic Congressional Cemetery dates from the days when Washington, DC, was a burgeoning city on the edge of a malarial swamp.

The stones--sandstone tablets with colonial calligraphy, ornate Victorian statues, 20th-century art nouveau carvings, and contemporary markers in shapes as strange as picnic tables and upended cubes--are a time line of the city. The most distinctive stones are 171 cenotaphs; large cubes designed by Capitol architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe from the same sandstone used in the Capitol. They are found nowhere else. The men and women buried under those stones led lives of beauty, courage, struggle, cunning, leadership, and humor--in short, the stories of American history.

Manalapan Township and Englishtown Borough-- originally a part of the township--share a long and rich history dating to the Revolutionary War.

From the late 19th to the mid-20th century, the township was composed of several small villages that sustained themselves through farming. In creating this book, author Richard J. Dalik seeks to preserve the significance of this thriving stage of the communities' heritage. The collection includes fascinating photographs, engravings, and postcards illustrating the early rural way of life in these areas, as well as some early views highlight the Battle of Monmouth--fought mostly on the farmlands of Manalapan Township--and other historical landmarks of that period. Vintage images of farms, mills, houses, schools, churches, streets, and families are presented together with informative captions to transport the reader to an earlier time and another Manalapan.

Here, with over 200 vintage photographs, images of Middletown presents a dramatic view into the realm of our suburban villages and neighborhoods.

Middletown Township has the distinction of being one of the earliest settlements in New Jersey. Although the township does not have any large photograph archives, author Randall Gabrielan has carefully gathered images from many private and public sources.

Montgomery County, Maryland: Gateway to the Nation’s Capital.

One of the wealthiest counties not just in Maryland but in the United States, Montgomery County is home to a number of federal agencies, as well as scientific research and learning centers and business campuses, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 with postgraduate degrees. Established in 1776, Montgomery has always held the government as its highest priority, seeing protestations against British taxation long before the American Revolution, and representatives of the area were instrumental in helping Maryland draft a state constitution and form a new, strong federal government. Today, Montgomery County consists of urban centers like Bethesda and Silver Spring; suburban neighborhoods like Wheaton, Germantown, and Potomac; and scenic rolling farmland interspersed with historic villages like Brookeville and Barnesville. An additional 50,000 acres of federal, state, and county parkland provide numerous recreational opportunities for its residents and visitors alike.

Located in southeastern Harford County, Edgewood was established in the mid-1800s as a small village around a train station.

It remained small until 1917, when the government took over thousands of acres to create the Edgewood Arsenal military complex. Thousands came to build the arsenal on land previously known for having fertile farms, gentlemen's waterfowl hunting clubs, and one of the earliest meeting places for Methodists in America. World War II brought an even greater increase in military personnel and civilians. Later, numerous housing developments replaced obsolete off-post government buildings. The creation of Route 40 through Edgewood in 1939 and 1940 and the Edgewood exit on Interstate I-95 in 1963 brought travelers and spurred new business.

Tupper Lake lies at the center of the magnificent Adirondack forests. The first settlers were hunters, anglers, and trappers.

In 1850, the Pomeroy Lumber Company began operations, and with the first logging ventures came the rush of settlers. As the logging industry grew, the railroad arrived. At the junction point for Hurd's and Webb's railroad, downtown Tupper Lake became the Adirondacks' leading rail center. Soon other sawmills were erected, and dams were built along the Raquette River. Today, Tupper Lake still thrives, and Sunmount Developmental Center is the lifeblood of the community and main source of livelihood for Tupper Lake residents.

Upper Darby, one of the earliest settlements west of Philadelphia, began with the Lenni Lenape Indians and early Swedish settlers of the 1650s. From the beginning, influential families left their mark.

Mills and farming were fueled by several creeks forming a fall line before dropping off to the Piedmont through Upper Darby. The descendants of Samuel Sellers were inventors whose skills benefited the nation. Dr. George Smith authored the bill for Pennsylvania public education, and famous financiers A.J. Drexel and his son A.J. Drexel Jr. created beautiful estates with landscaped vistas where residents enjoyed leisure activities. By the early 1800s, most farms had turned to dairying and became part of the Butter Belt. The Sixty-Ninth Street Terminal, built in 1907, was the transportation hub for those going farther west and brought rapid development to the community. Upper Darby chronicles the people and the changing demographics of this thriving area.