Images of America Sale

In 1913, the Michigan Central Station opened its majestic entrances to the people of Detroit.

Designed by Warren & Wetmore and Reed & Stern, the firms also noted as the architects of the Grand Central Station in New York City, the depot was a marvel of grandeur and comfort for the traveler lucky enough to utilize its facilities. Soldiers went to war, families both separated and rejoined, and folks looking for an honest living in the Motor City all walked the Michigan Central's elegant corridors. Since the last train pulled away from the station in 1988, the structure has fallen prey to rapidly paced deterioration. Detroit's Michigan Central Station captures the glory of the Michigan Central and its environs. Using photographs from the Burton Historical Collection, as well as private collections, the book illustrates the use of the Michigan Central Station by a city whose story dramatically parallels that of this magnificent structure. The book also includes imagined futures of the station from some of the many people who have been inspired by the magic this grand building continues to exude.

During the turn of the century, the railroad was an extremely important transportation and shipping resource to thousands of people and businesses in Pennsylvania.

Along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad: From Cumberland to Uniontown dedicates its pages to this pivotal mass transportation provider. This book includes images from every B&O bridge and station from Cumberland, Maryland, to Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in 1891. Many of the towns stretched along the miles of tracks, such as Somerfield and Ohiopyle, are depicted in these vintage photographs. Experience the coal and coke booms of the 1880s to 1920s through people from many different locations who had one thing in common: the railroad.

Boston's Red Line: Bridging the Charles from Alewife to Braintree details one of Boston's oldest and busiest subway lines. This nostalgic collection of vintage photographs documents the line's construction and its engineers and leaders, such as Maj. Gen. William A. Bancroft, mayor of Cambridge and president of the Boston Elevated Railway Company. In these pages, watch as crews break ground in Harvard and Andrew Squares and see the 1929 trolleys that replaced Mattapan's commuter train service. Through exciting, historic photographs, Boston's Red Line: Bridging the Charles from Alewife to Braintree tells the fascinating story of how the Crimson City's subway became the modern Red Line, taking passengers beneath the streets of Boston to landmarks such as Harvard Square, Massachusetts General Hospital, historic Park Street, and the Longfellow Bridge.

Over 200 images are set in geographical sequence to guide the reader along the famed Henry Hudson trail.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey's Seashore Branch provided rail and boat services from New York City to points along the New Jersey Shore. It discontinued passenger service in 1966, with the last freight train operating in 1983. Official abandonment proceedings sparked the need to keep the right of way for future mass transit needs. This led to interim use. Today, the area is called the Henry Hudson Trail and is one of over 500 parks referred to nationally as a Rail-Trail. This free, ten-mile-long, hiking, biking, and walking trail is administered by the Monmouth County Parks System, and connects several towns of the Raritan Bay shore area. This rare look will enlighten trail users through images of views gone forever, while pointing out structures still in place. Over 200 images are set in geographical sequence to guide the reader along the trail.

While Cincinnati intended their new subway, started in 1920, to be a shining jewel for public transportation, the story of its origin and ultimate failure show the history of the Queen City.

Cincinnati emerged from a tumultuous 19th century as a growing metropolis committed to city planning. The most ambitious plan of the early twentieth century, the Cincinnati Subway, was doomed to failure. Construction began in 1920 and ended in 1927 when the money had run out. Today, two miles of empty subway tunnels still lie beneath Cincinnati, waiting to be used. The Cincinnati Subway tells the whole story, from the turbulent times in the 1880s to the ultimate failure of ""Cincinnati's White Elephant."" Along the way, the reader will learn about what was happening in Cincinnati during the growth of the subway-from the Courthouse Riots in 1884 to life in the Queen City during World War II.

The Delaware & Hudson Canal and the Gravity Railroad tells the story of an American industrial masterpiece.

From the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania at Carbondale to the Hudson River in New York near Kingston, the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company and the Gravity Railroad transformed long tracks of wilderness into thriving economic areas. Conceived as an inexpensive way to transport anthracite coal, the canal began hauling loads in 1828 to the Hudson River, where barges to New York City took over. A leader in the technologies of the time, the canal company used the first telegraph system in America, and when Delaware & Hudson engineer Horatio Allen ran the locomotive Stourbridge Lion in Honesdale, he became the first to run a commercial steam locomotive on tracks in the Western Hemisphere. The Delaware & Hudson Canal was privately funded, and when stock was offered for sale in 1825, it soon became the first American company capitalized at $1 million. The Delaware & Hudson Canal and the Gravity Railroad uses fascinating vintage photographs to tell an amazing piece of American history. It shows the mules, the canal boats, the locomotives, and the men who ran this technological wonder, boasting one hundred eight locks over one hundred eight miles, plus four suspension aqueducts built by John A. Roebling of Brooklyn Bridge fame. The Gravity Railroad is shown as well, hauling coal from Carbondale to Honesdale over the Moosic Mountains, a rise of more than one thousand feet.

Sharon E. Karr uses rare vintage images from a variety of local sources to celebrate the rich history of Sisters, Oregon.

Located at the foot of the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains is the charming town of Sisters, Oregon, named for the three majestic, snow-covered peaks, North, Middle, and South Sisters, known as Faith, Hope, and Charity. Sisters saw its beginning only a short time after the early central Oregon pioneers settled to the north at Camp Polk. Geographically, Sisters encompassed communities now long gone – Cloverdale, Gist, and Plainview. These small communities depended on Sisters for mail, supplies, groceries, and other services. The development of Black Butte Ranch and the Metolius recreation area contributed to today’s tourism hub. By stepping back in time, the reader can explore the past of ranching and irrigation and trace the logging, rodeo, and recreation history of those who came before today’s travelers and tourists. Sisters is more than just a place. What sets Sisters apart is the bond of friendship that permeates every facet of this small town. A feeling of community and unity that fosters an unyielding spirit of what is home and creates the extraordinary place it is today.

Sharon E. Karr is a retired technology writer and a graduate of the University of Oregon with a bachelor of arts in history and a master’s degree from Santa Clara University. She brings history alive with the help of longtime residents, research, and local historical societies.  

New Orleans was one of the first cities to embrace street railways, and the city's love affair with streetcars has never ceased. New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line showcases photographs, diagrams, and maps that detail the rail line from its origin and golden years, its decline and disappearance for almost 40 years, and its return to operation. From the French Quarter to the cemeteries, the Canal Line ran through the heart of the city and linked the Creole Faubourgs with the new neighborhoods that stretched to Lake Pontchartrain.

Track the history of Chattahoochee Valley Railway through five generations of service using vintage images.

Weaving across state lines from Standing Rock, Alabama, through West Point, Georgia, and back to Bleecker, Alabama, the Chattahoochee Valley Railway served many communities along its line. Its last run was in 1992, but now the days of the short line railroad are revisited in Chattahoochee Valley Railway. Although some books on the history of the region render a passing mention of this railway, none have included over 200 images and a detailed historical account like Chattahoochee Valley Railway. The railroad served surrounding communities for over five generations by offering transportation, and the rail line's parent textile corporation built schools, churches, recreational areas, and a water supply for those communities. By the 1980s, modernization of the corporate structure eliminated the need for the railway and its equipment was sold off. However, part of its track bed is now a biking, hiking, and walking trail. The old railway is still serving nearby residents and is still enjoyed by all who follow its path.

Return to the fondly remembered glory days of an upstate New York railroad in The Fonda, Johnstown, & Gloversville Railroad: Sacandaga Route to the Adirondacks.

The innovative Fonda, Johnstown, & Gloversville Railroad, a source of great interest for railroad enthusiasts, served its communities for over 100 years, using the finest and newest equipment available. Here is the chance to view it like never before, through the eyes of early photographers in many previously unpublished images.

Included in this collection are the communities through which the railroad traveled along its 130 miles of operation, captured in images from the 1870s to the 1980s. Thanks to early historians with the foresight to preserve such records, we are able to return to the heyday of the railroad, when the FJ&G stopped at splendid Victorian stations and boasted some of the most advanced equipment in the country. The railroad used an extensive steam division as well as an electric division and frequently traveled to the beautiful Sacandaga Park near Northville, New York. A popular destination for thousands of tourists to the southern Adirondacks in the late 1800s, the park is one of the many FJ&G stops included in this impressive collection of images.

Author Randy L. Decker brings his lifelong love of railroads to this unique historical work, as well as his memories of growing up in Gloversville during the 1960s. He has spent many years traveling throughout the communities along the route, collecting vintage images and countless stories from the people who worked on the railroad and the passengers who relied on it for transportation. Discover a true historical gem, a reminder of our nation's past, and a source of pride for the people of upstate New York in this valuable addition to the Images of America series.

This pictorial history illustrates the Tennessee River's influence on Northwest Alabama and people, places, and events that have shaped the area’s cultural and natural history.

For centuries, the Tennessee River has shaped the lives of northwest Alabamians. Native peoples made their homes on its shores, living on the rich resources found in its waters and on its banks. Early Europeans and Americans recognized the river's importance in connecting east with west, although traveling the 40-mile stretch of rocky shoals between present-day Decatur and Florence was difficult. Overcoming that navigation challenge led to such 19th-century technological advances as the Tuscumbia, Courtland & Decatur Railroad—the first rail line west of the Appalachian Mountains—and the Muscle Shoals Canal. During the Civil War, skirmishes over control of factories, rail lines, and bridges characterized most military activity in northwest Alabama. In the 20th century, the construction of Wilson Dam and the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority improved the quality of life and increased economic opportunities in northwest Alabama.

Stanwood was established at the mouth of the Stillaguamish River on the eastern shoreline of Puget Sound in 1873. In this pictorial history, local Stanwood Area Historical Society historian and retired librarian Karen Prasse features over 200 photographs from the collections of the Stanwood Area Historical Society.

Originally designated Centerville, it had a wharf to accommodate steamboat transportation. Loggers and mill men from the nearby Utsalady mill on Camano Island were among those who established homesteads and businesses, and the town began to grow. The Great Northern Railroad Company, providing long awaited rail connection, bypassed Stanwood a mile away from the waterfront in 1891. When two major lumber companies were established between 1888 and 1903 on the waterfront, they needed access to a railroad, so the Hall & Hall Railroad, the “Shortest Railroad in the World,” was incorporated to transport lumber. As the mills closed in the 1930s, food processing became the primary economy with the establishment of Twin City Foods and the Pacific Coast Condensery near the depot. The depot area became known as East Stanwood, and it was incorporated in 1922, creating two separate towns one mile apart—Stanwood and East Stanwood. The citizens voted to consolidate in 1960 when the cities faced an issue they could not resolve on their own. 

The historical society, chartered in 1972, operates the D.O. Pearson House museum, the Eldridge Center, and the Floyd Norgaard Cultural Center. All photographs were generously donated to the collections over the years by local families and collectors.

From a small rural retreat to a center of industry and finally into protected wildlands, this is the story of the Adirondacks' Cranberry Lake.

Initially, the remote Cranberry Lake region attracted hunters and fishermen such as Reuben Wood, world-champion fly caster, as well as artists like Frederic Remington, writer Irving Bacheller, and Arts and Crafts movement philosopher Elbert Hubbard. Between 1886 and 1896, when railroads began to approach the lake, both industry and tourism flourished. Extractive industries like mining and lumbering coexisted with a lively trade catering to leisure travelers and recreationists, though the same industries depleted much of the lake's resources. Several generations later, the natural beauty and wilderness characteristic of the Cranberry Lake region has been restored, and outdoor recreation is still an enticing draw to the area, though the stumps of old trees still litter the land like pockmarks of history, never to fully heal.

Perfect for readers interested in the abundant and thought-provoking history of the southern United States, the story of Pine Mountain is one of hardship, adaptation, and reconciliation.

Kings Gap, Bethany, Hood, Chipley, and Callaway invoke the different chapters of the story. This area of Georgia was settled in the 1830s following lotteries that distributed land acquired from the Creek Indian Nation. The catalyst for Chipley, chartered in 1882, the precursor of Pine Mountain, was the railroad. It had profound effects: subsistence farming became agriculture, local trading became commerce, and distant neighbors turned into fellow townsfolk.

By the mid-20th century, there were efforts to promote Chipley as a site for industry and a pleasant place to visit. On May 21, 1952, Ida Cason Callaway Gardens opened its gates. Over the following years, it resulted in lasting changes and was the impetus for the alteration of the town’s name to Pine Mountain in 1958.

Chipley Historical Center was founded in 1984 to record the vanishing way of life. The center has collected and preserved photographs, documents, genealogical records, and artifacts that might otherwise have disappeared. Most of the images in this book are from the center’s archives.

Helen L. Brackett and other volunteer staff of the Chipley Historical Center compiled this record from material contributed by current and former residents.