Images of Modern America

The picturesque Gettysburg Battlefield has long been memorialized as an iconic landscape of America's national identity. The tumultuous Civil War battle and Abraham Lincoln's subsequent address transformed the country in profound ways that continue to echo throughout the ages. In the aftermath of the struggle, Gettysburg National Military Park was embraced by citizens not only as a shrine of commemoration but also as a public space utilized for leisure, education, politics, and discovery. This compelling photographic history documents the park from the post–World War II era onward, chronicling the dramatic evolutions the battlefield has undergone in the wake of modern tourism. Exploring the fascinating issues of historical memory, preservation, and popular culture, the book paints a vivid picture of a national park at work for the benefit of the people.

Lawrence Park Township and Wesleyville Borough are suburbs of Erie, Pennsylvania, and both communities are proud of their comfortable residences, many churches, parks, and business districts. Wesleyville grew along Buffalo Road, while Lawrence Park was developed by the General Electric Company a century later. Four Mile Creek, with its picturesque wanderings, is shared by both communities, and local legend suggests that it might have played a part in the Underground Railroad and the activities of rumrunners. In the early 1960s, the rival schools of the two communities merged to form the Iroquois School District. Amazingly, in 1965-1966, the first year of the merged district, the football team won the Erie County league championship. Many more accolades have come to Iroquois students for athletics, music, art, and intellectual achievements, and it is certain that they will continue, so "Roll on Big I."

Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania documents the region's disappearing anthracite history, which shaped the legacy of the United States of America and the industrial revolution.

The coal mines, breakers, coal miners' homes, and railroads have all steadily disappeared. With only one coal breaker left in the entire state, it was time to record what would soon be lost. Unfortunately, one piece of history that persists is underground fires that ravage communities like Centralia. Blazing for over 50 years, the flames of Centralia will not be doused anytime soon. Images featured in the book include the St. Nicholas coal breaker, Huber coal breaker, Steamtown National Historic Site, Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, Eckley Miners' Village, Centralia, and the Knox Mine disaster. A hybrid history book and travel guide, Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania is one final recounting of what is gone and what still remains.

While unknown to many living in western New York, the Kevin Guest House has served thousands of critically ill individuals and their families for over 40 years. Quietly nestled within the expanding Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus of Buffalo, New York, the demand for the facility continues to increase. The opening chapter is a testimony to the Speyser-Beer family, who originally owned the property. The second and third chapters memorialize the founders of the Kevin Guest House, the Garvey family of Sharon, Pennsylvania. The remaining chapters provide a virtual tour of the grounds and building expansions of 2016.

Venture into flora and fauna of Pennsylvania's Moraine State Park and uncover the hidden histories behind its natural treasures.

About 20,000 years ago, the late Wisconsinan glaciation reached its maximum extent. Glacial deposits identify the moraine, or farthest area covered by the glacier. Muddy Creek was a north-flowing stream that was blocked by the south-advancing glacier, forming a huge lake that lasted until the glacier dam began to retreat. The lake rapidly drained, eventually exposing the vast Muddy Creek basin. Dr. Frank Preston envisioned recreating the ancient glacial lake and worked with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to begin the project that became 16,725-acre Moraine State Park. Its centerpiece, man-made Lake Arthur and the surrounds, provide outstanding outdoor recreation and relaxation opportunities.

Located on a seven-mile peninsula on the shores of Lake Erie in Erie, Pennsylvania, Presque Isle State Park attracts four million visitors each year. With its designation in 1921, Presque Isle became the second state park in Pennsylvania. From this beginning, the citizens of Erie and surrounding areas developed an affinity and appreciation for the park. Presque Isle has been left relatively unchanged over the years, and when improvements have been made, they have been executed in ways that have not altered the park's natural beauty. Through images gathered from the collections of the author, Erie County Historical Society, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and various other local sources, Presque Isle State Park reflects the history and unique atmosphere of a park that has come to be known as a place for all seasons.