Images of America

In less than 50 years, Elmwood Park transformed itself from ""prairie to prosperity.""

Fertile lands once home to Native Americans sprouted a development unlike any that had ever been seen in the Chicago area. The Westwood subdivision, started by John Mills just before the start of the Great Depression, resulted in the construction of over 1,500 brick bungalows in two years. A second postwar boom coincided with the Italian American migration from the old Chicago neighborhoods. The next 50 years would see continued growth and change. When people think of Elmwood Park, images of food often accompany those thoughts. Envisioning a barbecue pork sandwich or a ""combo, juicy, sweet and large ice, no-lid"" brings back memories of standing in long lines, cash in hand, among people of all races united in the desire to satisfy their appetites.

Towson and the Villages of Ruxton and Lutherville is a pictorial which documents the historical people, places, and events of these vital communities.

Before there were beltways and byways, there were fields and farms. Towson was situated on an increasingly busy route used by farmers, travelers, and merchants heading to the port of Baltimore. The community's idyllic setting began to change when, in 1854, the local populace voted Towson the new seat of Baltimore County. The neighboring communities of Ruxton and Lutherville once consisted mainly of farmland but also became popular summer retreats. Both areas have since made the shift from vacation spot to suburb, but many of the charming, historic houses found there capture the spirit of an earlier time and have been preserved for posterity. With images culled from such sources as the Baltimore County Historical Society, the Baltimore County Public Library, the archives of Towson University and Goucher College, as well as the cherished albums of local residents, this pictorial retrospective documents the people and places, events and organizations that have helped to shape these three vital communities.

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 fascinating collection of picture postcards documents the history of Wilton in the Golden Age of Postcards.

For over the past one hundred years, postcards have served as an invaluable resource for people to commemorate a place and communicate its importance to friends and family at the other end of the mailbox. Wilton, Connecticut, like so many other cities and small towns across the country, has enjoyed being the subject for a variety of pictures, which serve as a wonderful treasure for remembering lost landscapes and historic buildings, homes, and other structures that have been sacrificed to ""progress"" and development. Wilton gives the reader an opportunity to observe another world, to look into the very eyes of today's ancestors and see their struggles, their successes, their pains, and their passions.

Strolling through Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and the Delaware River's scenic falls, one wanders into a variety of places that have witnessed extraordinary events in America's life.

Beginning with William Penn's first land purchase from the Indian warriors at ""Graystones"" in 1682 and on to the many successful manufacturing companies in the 1930s and 1940s, this collection of over 200 photographs spans more than three hundred years of Morrisville's diverse history. In particular, this volume recounts many stories involving Summerseat, a structure that served as headquarters to General Washington in the winter of 1776 and as a home to American foreign consul Thomas Barclay and to Robert Morris (1791-98) and George Clymer (1798-1805), signers of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Besides just political figures, Morrisville has also been home to many contemporary personalities who have risen to national prominence in the sports arena and in the fine arts community.

Steel Pier details the history of this historic ""Showplace of the Nation"" in ""America's Playground""--Atlantic City.

Atlantic City has worn the tag of ""America's Playground"" since its earliest days, so it is only natural that its biggest and most well-known icon, the Steel Pier, would be known as the ""Showplace of the Nation."" Over the course of 80 years, from 1898 to 1978, Steel Pier developed from a quiet, genteel amusement that featured light classical music and cakewalks to a vast entertainment complex that offered movies, big-name vaudeville acts, exhibits, big bands, rock bands, and the Water Circus with its famed diving horse. What makes this even more compelling is that one could spend the entire day on the pier and take all of this in for one small admission fee.

Uncover the hidden history of Jefferson County told through images from special collections depicting history throughout the centuries.

Jefferson County holds a unique place in the history of the state of Wisconsin. Founded in 1836 by Yankee settlers from New England, it began as an agriculturally-based county but soon rose to prominence as the cradle of the dairy industry. Nestled in the valley of the Rock River in southeastern Wisconsin, Jefferson County has always figured prominently in the history of the state due to its proximity to both Milwaukee, Wisconsin's largest city, and Madison, the state capital. Jefferson County, Wisconsin looks at the history of this area from 1836 to the present day. The historic images and informative text allow the reader to view changes in industry, gain greater insight into the history of education, and better understand the historic roles that religion and the ever-important rivers have played in defining Jefferson County. By the beginning of the twentieth century, and for many years after, Jefferson County was the leader in the dairy industry. Education also played an important role in the makeup of the county's character. Such important educational milestones as the first kindergarten in America, founded in Watertown in 1856, and the first free textbooks in the state bear witness to the county's commitment to the educational betterment of its children. Since the 1960s, much has changed in Jefferson County, and this book will serve as a permanent record of its wonderful history, which is sometimes too easily forgotten.