Images of Modern America

Name: Abandoned Asylums of Connecticut
Brand: Tammy Rebello
SKU: 9781467124584
Price: 18.74 USD
Availability: InStock

The Images of Modern America book series explores the history of an area from 1950 forward through vintage images. Meet Wrigley Field’s amazing vendors and then visit the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll in Pittsburgh. Ride the beloved roller coasters of Six Flags, tour the Land of Oz, or attend the 1965 New York World’s Fair. From the lost steel plants of the Monongahela River Valley to dinosaur discoveries in Wyoming, the Images of Modern America series bears witness to the rapid growth of America’s most beloved towns and cities. [View all Images of Modern America books]

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Abandoned Asylums of Connecticut

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Weir Farm National Historic Site

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Lake Compounce

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Mystic

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Savin Rock

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Abandoned Asylums of Connecticut

9781467124584

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

This collection of photographs, history, and firsthand accounts gives readers a glimpse at the roots of mental health. These vignettes are born of the personal stories of those who worked at these facilities, those who were institutionalized, and their families. The authors took the time to listen to their stories and endeavored to understand their past and recognize how these events continue to influence the mental health industry today. Pictured throughout are the physical relics of the places—the now largely abandoned asylums of Connecticut—where these stories unfurled.

Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens

9781467125017

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens follows the history of this exquisite Stamford, Connecticut, gem from its genesis as a tree research lab and a training school for arborists to today's 93 acres of irreplaceable open space. It highlights the best of what Connecticut's native landscape has to offer: magnificent award-winning champion trees, charming gardens, wildflower meadows, red maple wetlands and boardwalks, woodland walking trails, varied wildlife, and native habitats. As the original home of Francis A. Bartlett, the founder of the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company, the grounds were developed with his favorite trees, including nut trees, small flowering trees, and conifers, from around the world. This is a fascinating story about the passing of the property from Bartlett to the State of Connecticut to the City of Stamford, the hundreds of volunteers who have advocated and toiled to keep the arboretum beautiful and accessible to the public, and the impressive century-old plants.

Weir Farm National Historic Site

9781467103046

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Weir Farm National Historic Site is Connecticut's first national park and the only one in America dedicated to painting. No other book chronicles the property's rescue from residential development to its establishment as a park. The story is told through the only artistic photographic collection documenting Weir Farm National Historic Site, most of which has never been published before. Weir Farm was the home of Julian Alden Weir (1852–1919), a leading innovator of American Impressionism. The farm's landscape inspired countless masterpieces created by Weir, his famous painter-friends, two subsequent generations of artist-owners, and contemporary artists who continue to create at the park. In 2020, this iconic site will be featured on the US quarter.

Lake Compounce

9781467123044

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

On October 6, 1846, Gad Norton invited the public to witness a scientific experiment to be conducted at his family-owned lake. The experiment failed, but the crowds of people inspired him to open a recreation area. In 1851, the firm of Pierce and Norton began land improvements. Not only were new attractions added, but corporate outings and outdoor concerts with big bands were also held, providing for a full day of fun and memories. As the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States, Lake Compounce now offers 44 rides, including Thunder Rapids, Wildcat and Boulder Dash Roller Coasters, Crocodile Cove, Splash Harbor Water Park, and Bear Creek Campground. During the off-season, the infamous Crocodile Club is held every September, a haunted graveyard runs throughout October, and in December, the park showcases its holiday lights.

Mystic

9781467116695

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Since Mystic, Connecticut, celebrated its 300th anniversary in 1954, it has evolved from a working-class village into a tourist-driven community while embracing its quaint New England charm and keeping its rich history alive. The shoreline village of two townships (Stonington to the east; Groton to the west) is divided by the Mystic River, which passes through the downtown center where the iconic bascule bridge unites the community. Many establishments occupy buildings preserved from Mystic's deeply anchored shipbuilding past. Towering wooden ships, beluga whales, creative arts, shops, restaurants, and events overflowing with Mystic's heart and soul attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Savin Rock

9781467116947

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

The area surrounding Savin Rock in West Haven followed a traditional New England path that began as farmland for colonists. After the Civil War, however, that path took a new turn when entrepreneur George Kelsey constructed seaside attractions. After nearly a century of being home to the Savin Rock Amusement Park, once a popular tourist destination, the site had seen better days. The buildings were blighted and business had slumped as automobiles gave people the opportunity to visit attractions farther away. In 1964, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson imagined a Great Society and declared a War on Poverty. West Haven took advantage of federal money to reclaim the Savin Rock, creating a mix of business, residences, and open, public space. This transition was not without growing pains as locally owned park concessions were eliminated, long-standing businesses were displaced, and residents were uprooted. When plans were proffered to reconstruct the area and line the shore with residential housing, this spurred a grassroots effort by local citizens who worked to keep the shore open to the public. Consequently, West Haven is home to Connecticut's largest stretch of free, public beach, which is used by thousands every summer.