Name: Fort Ord
Brand: Harold E. Raugh Jr.
SKU: 9780738528694
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Fort Ord

9780738528694

$24.99

From its establishment during World War I to its closure at the end of the Cold War, the Army installation best known as Fort Ord made a significant contribution to our national defense. Founded as a training area for Presidio of Monterey troops in 1917, Fort Ord covered more than 28,000 acres near the city of Monterey in its heyday. The local topography made it ideal as an infantry training center, and this was its primary mission throughout much of the 20th century. Most recently, Fort Ord was home to the 7th Infantry Division (Light), which was inactivated in 1993. In September 1994, Fort Ord closed its gates and became a part of military history.

Cover image for Fort Ord, isbn: 9780738528694

Westwood

9780738569109

$24.99

Don Maximo Alanes was awarded a land grant from the king of Spain in 1843 known as El Rancho San Jose de Buenos Aires, stretching east-west from what is now Sawtelle Boulevard to Beverly Hills, and from Sunset to Pico Boulevards. Preserved into the 20th century under state senator John Wolfskill's ownership, the rancho was sold to Broadway Department Store founder Arthur Letts for $100 an acre in 1920 for estates he called Holmby Hills after his British birthplace. His son-in-law Harold Janss developed Westwood Hills in the southern tracts. Letts, a former trustee of the Los Angeles State Normal School, which became UCLA, agreed in 1925 to deed 375 acres of the hilly ranch land north of Wilshire Boulevard to the college. Janss developed a university town-style commercial village of 26 Spanish Revival buildings, some with towers and neon signs that remain icons of today's Westwood Village.

Westwood Images of America book cover featuring a sepia street scene in Westwood Village with palm trees and vintage cars

Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway

9780738559599

$24.99

With a schedule regulated by the tides and the needs of chickens, the Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway operated for 81 years as a delightfully quirky egg-hauling enterprise. Modern electric railroad technology paired with ancient low-tech steamboats made possible the overnight shipping of fresh produce to a voracious San Francisco market. The railroad helped Petaluma earn the moniker "the egg basket of the world." Incorporated in 1903, the railroad provided efficient train service to this fertile farm region. The famous botanist Luther Burbank located his experimental farm near Sebastopol and proclaimed it is nature's "chosen spot of all the earth." The railroad survived the devastating 1906 earthquake, opposition from three larger railroads, the Great Depression, and fierce auto-truck competition. The corporation was, mercifully, abandoned in 1984, and most of the rails were removed by 1988. Happily, recent plans call for a tourist trolley to operate over a portion of surviving Petaluma tracks.

Cover image for Petaluma and Santa Rosa Railway, isbn: 9780738559599

Bishop

9780738581835

$24.99

Located in the stark landscape of Eastern California's Owens Valley, Bishop is situated between two of the highest mountain ranges of the contiguous United States. Native Americans had been in the region since antiquity, and white settlers began to filter in after many battles with the Paiutes and Shoshones. Bishop was named after Sam Bishop, who drove cattle into the area and settled along Bishop Creek. Many more farmers and ranchers followed. To the south, Los Angeles was growing too, tapping the Owens River for a gravity-fed aqueduct for its residents; thus began the Los Angeles–Owens Valley Water Conflict.

Cover image for Bishop, isbn: 9780738581835

Eureka and Humboldt County

9780738518725

$24.99

The cry amongst the redwoods-Eureka!-was the shout heard from early pioneers in 1850 as they came to settle in Humboldt County. Discovery of gold permanently changed the area's history, and eventually lead to the extraction of Humboldt's other natural resource: the "red gold" of its forests. Captured here in over 200 vintage photographs is the pictorial history of this bountiful county and its residents.

As the gold fever faded in the late 1800s, Humboldt County's primary source of industry became the lumbering of its vast redwoods. Pictured here are the men and machines that felled, transported, and milled the lumber, as well as photographs of the elegant Victorian mansions of the industry's lumber barons, such as William Carson. Weaving the history of Humboldt County together are the stories of its earliest residents, including the Native American tribes, fevered Gold Rushers, the early Chinese community, railroad workers, shipyard sailors, and industrious farming families, all of whom created the foundation it prospers on today.

Cover image for Eureka and Humboldt County, isbn: 9780738518725

Donner Summit

9780738574776

$24.99

The pass over Donner Peak in Northern California is known as Donner Summit and has been a critical route across the Sierra Nevada Mountains for centuries. First it was used by Native Americans, then early settlers, and then emigrant wagon trains such as those used by the ill-fated Donner Party, in whose honor the region is named. The first transcontinental railroad in the United States and the first transcontinental highway in America both made use of the Donner Summit route to gain access to California; even early aviators used a beacon at the Summit for guidance across the Sierras. Most of the communities and points of interest along the railroad and highway route up and over Donner Summit are covered in this book.

Donner Summit book cover showing a sepia lakeside scene with a child fishing

Lake Merritt

9781467109536

$23.99

Lake Merritt, located in the heart of Oakland, California, is the pride of the city. An estuary connected to San Francisco Bay, mixing sea and fresh waters, the lake formed about 4,000 years ago when the sea level rose to fill the mouths of two streams as glaciers collapsed worldwide. For at least the past 3,500 years, the Ohlone people lived by the estuary and its mud flats, building mounds nearby. Lake Merritt, known by other names prior to 1869, served as a waste dump until Samuel Merritt dammed the channel to the lake, thus preventing high-tide water from leaving the lake at low tide. As Oakland grew from a small town, the lake attracted the attention of well-to-do citizens of Oakland, who built mansions around it. In 1870, California designated it as a wildlife refuge, the first in America, protecting all organisms in and around the lake. Growing in importance to the residents of Oakland, the lake has undergone modifications to integrate it into the city as the welcoming and enjoyable place it is today.

Cover image for Lake Merritt, isbn: 9781467109536

Historic Aircraft Wrecks of Los Angeles County

9781626195837

$21.99

A century of aviation research and military flights over Los Angeles County has left the San Gabriel Mountains, Mojave Desert and the near-shore Pacific Ocean strewn with more than 1,500 aircraft crash sites. Barnstormers and test pilots too often made unexpected final landings. Accidents occurred on a nearly daily basis during World War II training maneuvers. Private planes, a sign of 1950s prosperity, also met tragic ends. These epic incidents include the 1971 tragedy of Flight 706 in which an airliner collided with a marine fighter jet above Mount Bliss, killing fifty people. Renowned aircraft crash search specialist G. Pat Macha recounts dozens of sorrowful, triumphant and surprising true stories of those who lived through these ordeals while offering touching tributes to those who did not.

Cover image for Historic Aircraft Wrecks of Los Angeles County, isbn: 9781626195837

Lost Ski Areas of Southern California

9781609493875

$21.99

The snow-laden slopes of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains have beckoned Southland skiers since the 1930s. Many once-cherished ski areas have disappeared, yet their history remains. A short drive from the sun and sand, places like Rebel Ridge and Kratka Ridge offered snowy escapes. Thrilling races were held at the First International Pine Needle Ski Tournament in North Hollywood, while the San Diego Ski Club boasted Dorothy McClung Wullich, the first female member of the National Ski Patrol. Ingrid Wicken, ski historian and founder of the California Ski Library, chronicles Southern California's lost mountain getaways and the vanished ski areas that introduced everything from rope tows to artificial snow.

Cover image for Lost Ski Areas of Southern California, isbn: 9781609493875

March Air Force Base

9780738571591

$24.99

During World War I, March Air Force Base quickly established its reputation as a major flight-training institution. The base came to define the "Golden Age" of aviation as its roster of training expanded to include aerial pursuit, fighter, and bomber units. Later March would play host to a number of historic firsts, including Bob Hope's first USO show and aerial feats that helped make the U.S. Air Force the undisputed leader in combat aviation today. From kite-like biplanes and cold war sports car races on the tarmac, to the war birds of World War II and some of the modern air force's most sophisticated aircraft, March AFB has sealed a legacy of strength and central importance to its Riverside home--and to the countless servicemen and women around the world associated with the historic base.

March Air Force Base Images of America book cover with three people in flight gear beside a vintage propeller plane

San Francisco's Market Street Railway

9780738569598

$7.99

San Francisco's Market Street Railway boasts a rich history.

Vintage sepia postcard cover depicting a trolley on San Francisco Market Street with hills and buildings.

RMS Queen Mary

9780738580975

$7.99

The Queen Mary boasts a rich history.

Cover image for RMS Queen Mary, isbn: 9780738580975

Latinos in Pasadena

9780738569550

$24.99

Histories of Pasadena are rich in details about important citizens, time-honored traditions, and storied enclaves such as Millionaires Row and Lamanda Park. But the legacies of Mexican Americans and other Latino men and women who often worked for Pasadena's rich and famous have been sparsely preserved through the generations—even though these citizens often made remarkable community contributions and lived in close proximity to their employers. A fuller story of the Pasadena area can be provided from these vintage images and the accompanying information culled from anecdotes, master's theses, newspaper articles, formal and informal oral histories, and the Ethnic History Research Project compiled for the City of Pasadena in 1995. Among the stories told is that of Antonio F. Coronel, a one-time Mexican Army officer who served as California state treasurer from 1866 to 1870 and whose image graced the 1904 Tournament of Roses program.

Cover image for Latinos in Pasadena, isbn: 9780738569550

Cardiff-by-the-Sea

9780738569512

$24.99

Cardiff-by-the-Sea is a beautiful Southern California coastal town nestled between the San Elijo Lagoon to the south and rolling hills to the east. Known simply by locals as Cardiff, it was named by Esther M. Cullen, who arrived from Boston in 1910 with her husband, J. Frank Cullen, a man determined to transform the swampy expanse of fertile farmland into a coastal playground and town. During the 1920s, the town evolved quickly into a bustling community with a school district, post office, train station, and water irrigation district. The independent character of today's residents can be gleaned throughout the history of the area, from Cullen's determination to build a town in a region thought to be unsuitable for inhabitation, to the citizens' battle in the 1980s to retain autonomy as the town was incorporated into a larger city. Today Cardiff-by-the-Sea is one of five communities comprising the city of Encinitas and is proud of the small-town atmosphere first cultivated by the pioneering spirit of its early settlers.

Book cover of Cardiff-by-the-Sea featuring a man standing in a small boat on the shore.

Chinatown in Los Angeles

9780738569567

$24.99

The history of Chinatown in Los Angeles is as vibrant as the city itself. In 1850, the U.S. Census recorded only two Chinese men in Los Angeles who worked as domestic servants. During the second half of the 19th century, a Chinese settlement developed around the present-day El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. Chinese Americans persevered against violence, racism, housing discrimination, exclusion laws, unfair taxation, and physical displacement to create better lives for future generations. When Old Chinatown was demolished to make way for Union Station, community leader Peter SooHoo Sr. and other Chinese Americans spearheaded the effort to build New Chinatown with the open-air Central Plaza. Unlike other Chinese enclaves in the United States, New Chinatown was owned and planned from its inception by Chinese Americans. New Chinatown celebrated its grand opening with dignitaries, celebrities, community members, and a dedication by California governor Frank Merriam on June 25, 1938.

Chinatown in Los Angeles cover with a sepia photo of people in traditional Chinese dress beside a decorative temple gate.

Palm Springs

9780738559827

$24.99

Nestled beneath the San Jacinto Mountains in an oasis of palm trees is a mineral hot springs. For thousands of years, this was the winter home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the original inhabitants of this harsh desert region. A U.S. government survey party discovered the spring in 1853 and identified the area located at the base of "two bunches of palms." In 1884, Judge John McCallum of San Francisco purchased land near the springs for $800 and built the first adobe structure, which still stands today. Stage lines and railroads provided transportation through the area, bringing in visitors year-round. Dr. Welwood Murray built the first Palm Springs Hotel, and in 1909, Nellie Coffman built The Desert Inn, which would become famous as a tourist attraction. This was the beginning of the area's major industry. Today Palm Springs is still a destination for visitors throughout the year and home to a growing population of permanent residents.

Palm Springs Images of America book cover showing a sepia group portrait on a stairway

San Francisco's Bernal Heights

9780738547411

$24.99

San Francisco's Bernal Heights is a hilltop village tucked away in the southern part of the city. Freeways and urban thoroughfares now bound the neighborhood, once defined by the swamps and creeks of the original Mexican land grant. The legacy of Potrero Viejo, or old pasture, and the farms of the 19th and 20th centuries have developed into today's passion for the preservation of open space. From the 1860s legend of Widow O'Brien's cow to the 1970s fight that saved the hill's crest from development, Bernal residents have tirelessly guarded their environment. An unofficial coyote mascot reigns over one of San Francisco's few remaining wild areas.

Book cover of San Francisco's Bernal Heights showing a sepia photograph of a large crowd with a rider on horseback in the foreground.

Marinship

9781467129770

$24.99

Marinship was a World War II shipyard built by the W.A. Bechtel Company to fulfill an urgent need for cargo ships to support soldiers all over the world. Sausalito was selected as the site for its unused railroad capacity and access to a deepwater channel and the Golden Gate Bridge. In March 1942, the shipyard was built on the site of the railroad maintenance yard and adjacent vacant mudflats, with the first ship being launched in September. At the time of its peak operation, there were as many as 20,000 workers. Workers were recruited from local resources at first but eventually a more widespread recruitment brought people from the Midwest and the South. These new workers, including minorities and women, enabled Marinship to become a leader in the integrated workforce phenomenon. As the war in Europe was won, fewer ships were needed. The Marinship labor force was reduced by about half until the victory in Japan, when ships were no longer needed. Marinship was soon taken over by the US Army Corps of Engineers, which disposed of what it did not need for its operations and currently maintains several buildings to facilitate its regional operations.

Cover image for Marinship, isbn: 9781467129770

Eagle Rock

9780738582160

$24.99

Eagle Rock has grown from an open farming community, populated by a few hundred souls, into a busy and diverse neighborhood of Los Angeles. The incorporation of Eagle Rock City in 1911 began the political process necessary to sustain and service this expanding community. The Eagle Rock City that was annexed by Los Angeles in 1923 was much smaller than the area included by the City of Los Angeles in the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council in 2002. The town grew through the century by attracting the loyalty of people living in then-outlying areas. Eagle Rock: 1911-2011 continues the exploration begun in the Images of America volume Eagle Rock, detailing this expansion and the community's everyday life and interaction with the city and the world.

Eagle Rock 1911 2011 cover from Images of America showing a family on a hillside with a large rock formation.

San Francisco in World War II

9780738530505

$24.99

Everything changed on the morning of December 7, 1941, and life in San Francisco was no exception. Flush with excitement and tourism in the wake of the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, the city was stunned at the severity of the Pearl Harbor attack, and quickly settled into organized chaos with its new role as a major deployment center for the remainder of the war. "Frisco" teemed with servicemen and servicewomen during and after the conflict, forever changing the face of this waterfront city. Warships roamed the bay, and fearsome gun embankments appeared on the cliffs facing the sea, preparing to repel an invasion that never happened.

Cover image for San Francisco in World War II, isbn: 9780738530505

Riverside's Mission Inn

9780738546711

$24.99

The story of the internationally famous Mission Inn Hotel, and its predecessor, has been intertwined with the city of Riverside's history since both began. As the slogan once said, Riverside is a "City with a Mission Inn its Heart." For more than a century, the Mission Inn and its eclectic collections have intrigued visitors, artisans, architects, and dignitaries who have come to Riverside for a myriad of reasons. The Mission Inn, founded by colorful entrepreneur Frank Miller, was integral to the city's turn-of-the-20th-century tourism as wealthy Easterners flocked to Riverside and its famous hotel, lured by a Mediterranean climate, investment opportunities, and vast navel orange groves. Unlike other grand hotels of the time, the Mission Inn, with its Mission style architecture, was a luxury hotel that was uniquely Californian.

Book cover for Riverside's Mission Inn in the Images of America series showing a historic hotel exterior.

The Owens Valley

9780738595931

$24.99

The Owens Valley is a bold and beautiful land where rugged alpine peaks tower over the deep trough of high desert that John Muir called "a country of wonderful contrasts." Inhabiting a rich and complex past are native people, miners, cattlemen, farmers, and city builders who laid claim, often violently, to its resources. By 1913, Owens River water was flowing south through the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and from the long and bitter conflicts that followed emerged an Owens Valley future far removed from the agrarian Eden envisioned by 19th-century pioneers. Today, unparalleled recreational opportunities draw millions of visitors annually to this "long brown land" even as reminders of a quintessential Western past linger in its open vistas, epic landscape, and enduring traditions.

Vintage Owens Valley book cover showing workers by a wooden canal with mountains in the distance and the name Jane Wehrrey

San Francisco Art Deco

9780738547343

$24.99

The famed period of architecture, design, and style known as Art Deco began in the mid1920s and lasted for a good 20 years. The movement left an indelible stamp all around the Bay Area but nowhere more so than in styleconscious San Francisco. The city's 1925 Diamond Jubilee, coinciding with the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in France, ushered in the Art Deco age to the city by the bay. The Roaring Twenties created a need for thousands of new commercial and residential buildings, and many of these, such as Timothy Pflueger's Pacific Telephone and Telegraph building, were Art Deco masterpieces that embodied the new "moderne" styling sweeping the country. Using a variety of building materials, including terracotta, Vitrolux, and neon, many of the city's graceful and dramatic buildings turned heads 70 years ago just as they do today.

Sepia toned cover for San Francisco Art Deco featuring a woman on a balcony with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background

Walnut Creek

9780738559919

$24.99

Nestled at the base of Mount Diablo in the Diablo Valley, Walnut Creek is a prosperous East Bay community with a rich history. In 1772, Capt. Pedro Fages led the first Spanish exploration party into Contra Costa County. They encountered the Bolbones Indians, the original inhabitants of the region. In 1849, William Slusher, the first settler, arrived to build a house on the bank of what was then Nuts Creek. Until 1862, Walnut Creek was known as The Corners; the intersection of two dirt roads leading from Pacheco and Oakland and where four Mexican land grants met. The Corners was officially renamed Walnut Creek, and over time its walnut and pear orchards gave way to today's modern community. Walnut Creek is home to thriving businesses, spectacular natural settings, and family values. This transformation over a period of 200 years is the remarkable story of a classic American city.

Cover image for Walnut Creek, isbn: 9780738559919

Carmel-by-the-Sea

9781467108980

$23.99

Carmel-by-the-Sea is called “a village in the forest by the sea”—a one-square-mile California town with quaint charm and European-inspired architecture. Since this beautiful coastal town was established in 1902, residents have resisted change and battled to keep it unique and distinctive. Today, Carmel is defined by many of its historic buildings from the 1920s and 1930s, which contribute to the area’s sense of place.

Cover image for Carmel-by-the-Sea, isbn: 9781467108980

Silicon Valley

9780738570938

$24.99

Nestled at the south end of San Francisco Bay, there lies a fertile valley. Cradled by the ancient Diablo and Santa Cruz Mountain ranges, the region spans much of the Santa Clara Valley, curling north from Menlo Park into Palo Alto. At its eastern gateway lies Milpitas and in the south is the Evergreen area, in the shadow of Mount Hamilton. The heart of the valley is San Jose. For many years, each spring, fruit trees produced flower blossoms as far as the eye could see. After World War II, veterans returned home, attended local engineering schools, and quickly became engaged in electronics and aeronautics development. The discovery of semiconductors and computer and Internet technologies radically altered the area, sped its momentum, and earned it its title—the Silicon Valley—now arguably the world's preeminent center for technological advances. Like the seismic waves that created the region, the valley's economic peaks and plunges have shaped the lives of its residents, but they continue to look to the future, developing new technologies to advance mankind.

Cover image for Silicon Valley, isbn: 9780738570938

Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres

9781467107242

$24.99

Los Angeles County’s San Gabriel Valley and the adjacent Inland Empire, encompassing San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, boasted a wealth of movie theatres throughout the 20th century. 

Entertainment options proliferated as people flocked to both areas, which were famed for their wealth-producing citrus groves and vineyards, their position along Route 66, and their mountain and desert resorts. Residents and vacationers could enjoy films at nickelodeons, picture palaces, drive-ins, and other venues; some still operate. Due to the regions’ proximity to Hollywood and their more rural and suburban settings, local cinemas frequently held studios’ test screenings (including for Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz); audiences there thus influenced what moviegoers elsewhere watched. Film exhibition’s history there reflects cultural, social, and demographic trends in these areas and the United States.

Kelli Shapiro, PhD, is a public historian and preservationist who has lived in both regions. She holds degrees from Pomona College, Texas State University, and Brown University. She wrote the Los Angeles Conservancy’s successful California Register of Historical Resources nomination for Route 66’s Azusa Foothill Drive-in Theatre—as well as Historic Movie Theatres of West Virginia, another Images of America book. This book’s images came from multiple museums, archives, and collections.

Cover image for Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley Movie Theatres, isbn: 9781467107242

Sacramento's Southern Pacific Shops

9780738580524

$24.99

In 1862, the Central Pacific Railroad was founded and began building eastward from Sacramento as part of the transcontinental railroad. This required a shop capable of keeping the railroad's equipment in running order. So in 1867, in the swamps just north of town, the Sacramento shops were born. For well more than a century, this massive complex kept the Central Pacific and its corporate successor, the Southern Pacific, operating smoothly. For many decades, the shops were the largest employer in the Sacramento area, employing carpenters, painters, draftsmen, boilermakers, electricians, clerks, upholsterers, and others. The shops' forces designed, built, and maintained locomotives, freight and passenger cars, and other railroading equipment. The complex closed in 1999. Most of the area, popularly known as the Railyards, is set for redevelopment. The California State Railroad Museum handles maintenance and restoration of its collection in two of the shops buildings and plans to develop a Railroad Technology Museum on the site.

Cover image for Sacramento's Southern Pacific Shops, isbn: 9780738580524

Early Escondido

9780738555959

$24.99

Louis A. Havens was a Southern California pioneer businessman, storyteller, and artist who brought the community of Escondido together via his camera. He was the first successful photographer in the thriving north San Diego County agricultural city, incorporated in 1888. Prior to his arrival, the occasional photographer might seasonally visit Escondido or attempt to set up shop, realizing little success. Havens's timing in his arrival, combined with his skillful eye, ensured his success from 1911 to 1944. His collection documents Escondido's early residents, architecture, events, and landscapes, and it now persists as a historic record of past events, culture, and development of the fourth largest city in San Diego County.

Cover image for Early Escondido, isbn: 9780738555959

Historic Signs over California’s Roadways

9781467107617

$23.99

Appearing in this book are images featuring over 200 signs erected over roadways in California. Dating from the Civil War era into the 21st century, these signs were made of wood, metal, and stucco, and many of them were electrified. They were put up by communities across the state to highlight and unmistakably point out their specific towns.

Sepia street scene with a Redwood Highway arch and the title Historic Signs over California's Roadways.

Pirates & Rogues of Monterey Bay

9781467143639

$23.99

The age of pirates spanned nearly two hundred years and was considered a plague on the high seas. Even the far reaches of what was then Alta California weren’t safe, and a surprising number of unexpected visitors sailed into Monterey Bay. Argentinian Hippolyte Bouchard, spurred by revolutionary fervor, attacked Monterey, the then Spanish capital of Alta California, using pirating tactics that left their mark centuries later, and privateers like Sir Francis Drake prowled the Pacific, leaving possible traces of their journey on the beaches of California. The foggy coastline of Monterey even inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write his famous Treasure Island. Join author Todd Cook as he explores the Monterey Peninsula’s eclectic pirating history.

Pirates and Rogues of Monterey Bay cover with vintage map background and a ship illustration

Venice, California

9780738520995

$24.99

Venice, California, was unlike any other American city. A miniature railway, an amusement pier, gondolas, elephants, fire divers, Mardi Gras, beauty contests, stunt pilots, and 6 miles of canals overlooking the Pacific Ocean all made Abbot Kinney's Venice-of-America the most popular California resort town of its early century era.

This pictorial retrospective illustrates Venice's history from its beginnings in 1880 through the Great Fire and Consolidation, to the advent of the rollerskaters and carnival-like ambience that characterize the Venice that we know today. A favorite site for Hollywood filming, the city has seen many famous (and infamous) visitors and residents over the years, and is a well-known resort town. It has played host to vacationers from all over the world.

Venice California book cover from Images of America showing women riding pedal tricycles down a sunlit street.

Railroads of Placer County

9781467127646

$24.99

Though small in geographic size, Placer County is large in its rich history of railroading in California. This book covers 14 different railroads that did or still do exist in some association with Placer County. There were narrow-gauge and standard-gauge, long transcontinental, and short point-to-point railroads. Some railroads were fully contained within the county, and others just touched the county. Some railroads were short-lived operations, while others operated for decades. One railroad still functions today, undiminished after 150 years in service. This book is more than just a collection of photographs of locomotives; it provides the reader with a visual history of various aspects of the many railroads operating in Placer County over the years.

Cover image for Railroads of Placer County, isbn: 9781467127646

Dodger Stadium

9780738528687

$24.99

Since 1962, the inspiring architecture and sweeping vistas of Dodger Stadium have inspired millions of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball fans. What team president Walter O Malley envisioned nearly half a century ago endures as one of professional baseball s most striking pieces of architecture, standing in the shadow of the dramatic San Gabriel Mountains. Dodger Stadium is also one of only two such parks built during the 20th century constructed entirely with private funds. Most people think of the stadium as a world-class baseball park, and Dodger Stadium has certainly earned such a reputation, hosting eight World Series, an All-Star contest, and hundreds of action-filled games through the years, during which the Dodgers won eight National League championships and four World Series. But the stadium has been much more than a sporting ground, hosting Olympic ceremonies and events, a papal visit from John Paul II in 1987, and world-renowned musical events, ranging from Elton John to KISS to The Three Tenors. Other events have included ski-jumping competitions, boxing, and a Harlem Globetrotters basketball exhibition. For four years in the 1960s the stadium was also used by the Los Angeles Angels baseball team.

Cover image for Dodger Stadium, isbn: 9780738528687

Richmond

9780738528588

$24.99

Spanning from the shores of San Francisco Bay to the rolling hills of the San Pablo Ridge, Richmond is a city with a history as diverse as its citizens. From its beginnings as a part of Rancho San Pablo, Richmond has evolved through the years into a vibrant, modern city with many types of industries and communities. However, many people have never seen the Richmond of yesterday, with its massive shipbuilding operations that employed thousands of steelworkers, both men and women, during World War II. At one point in the 1940s the city's shipyards had nearly 100,000 workers turning out Liberty ships and other vessels by the score for the war effort. Richmond also boasted a Ford assembly plant, rail yards, and myriad small industries to support them.

Cover image for Richmond, isbn: 9780738528588

Ventura County

9781467106955

$24.99

Ventura County has its roots in the founding of Mission San Buenaventura during the Spanish era (1769–1821). During the Mexican era (1822–1846), expansive mission lands were divided and granted out as ranchos for individual landownership to those with political influence and to former soldiers for loyal service during the war. When California became a state in 1850, settlers, prospectors, and developers began to purchase rancho lands. Ventura County became one of the most productive agricultural and oil-rich lands in the state and country. Farmland dominated much of the county’s landscape in the early years—oranges were its most popular fruit, and sugar beets were its prized commodity. Although the county still has an agricultural landscape in many of its cities and towns, the county is a patchwork of farms, islands, high-tech businesses, and military defense installations. It is as diverse as its people.

Cover image for Ventura County, isbn: 9781467106955

The Marines at Twentynine Palms

9780738547725

$24.99

The largest Marine Corps base in history, the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Center at Twentynine Palms is located on 930 square miles of harsh terrain, nearly the size of Rhode Island, in southern San Bernardino County. An army base for training glider pilots at the outset of World War II, the former navy facility was taken over by the corps in 1952 during the Korean War and the advent of the cold war. The base provided adequate space and ranges to test new artillery and missile technology and was ideal for the largescale training of ground forces. In the 21st century, every U.S. Marine does a stint at Twentynine Palms because the climate, terrain, and remote location simulate many international hot spots of world strife. The marines have continually upgraded and expanded the Twentynine Palms facilities as daily maneuvers involve transports, tanks, artillery, and aircraft, particularly at the Expeditionary Air Field.

Cover of The Marines at Twentynine Palms featuring a helicopter and Marines in a desert setting.

The Sea Ranch

9780738559902

$24.99

The Sea Ranch, translated from the Spanish "Del Mar Ranch," occupies the northwest corner of Sonoma County and is renowned for its architecture and environmental sensitivity. The development of a second-home community in 1965 was just one more chapter in a long history that began in 1846. The Sea Ranch is part of the German Rancho, the most northern coastal Mexican land grant, which was confirmed by the United States following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. It was home to German cattlemen, loggers, and an early-20th-century Russian Baptist colony. Over the years, shepherds, World War II soldiers, and bootleggers have called it home. Early maps and photographs tell the history of the area, and contemporary photographs reveal remnants of historic buildings and sites on the current Sea Ranch landscape.

Cover image for The Sea Ranch, isbn: 9780738559902

Camarillo State Hospital

9781467103329

$24.99

Camarillo State Hospital, affectionately known as Cam, officially opened its doors in 1936, during a time when the California State Commission in Lunacy oversaw the treatment and care of those deemed mentally ill. A pioneering research institution in autism and schizophrenia, Cam achieved notoriety as one of two state institutions that accommodated children and as the first state hospital to receive certification for treatment of the developmentally disabled. Although it was an independent body, retaining its own dairy, farm, residences, and even a bowling alley, Cam also developed creative relationships with volunteers, educators, and businesspeople for the betterment of its patients. Enhancing Innovation Through Independence became Cam's final ambition and, in the end, its ultimate achievement.

Cover image for Camarillo State Hospital, isbn: 9781467103329

Mount Shasta

9780738555720

$24.99

For thousands of years, native inhabitants revered this snowcapped volcano, its craggy peaks, thick forests, crystal waters, and abundant wildlife. "Lonely as god and white as a winter moon, Mount Shasta starts up sudden and solitary from the heart of the great black forests of Northern California," Joaquin Miller so eloquently wrote. In the late 1820s, trappers first encountered the mountain, followed later by other explorers and travelers. By the 1870s, early settler Justin Sisson had developed a resort with guided tours to Mount Shasta's summit. In 1887, after the railroad was completed, the town of Sisson was established at the base of the mountain, where hotels and saloons catered to tourists and lumbermen from nearby mills. South of the mountain, travelers on Southern Pacific's Shasta Route filled the resorts along the Sacramento River. The new century brought a new mode of travel, the automobile, and a new name for Sisson. "Mount Shasta City" was chosen to reflect the town's special connection to the mountain.

Images of America Mount Shasta cover showing a vintage sepia photo of a procession with Mount Shasta in the distance

Catholics of San Francisco

9780738559483

$24.99

Catholicism has greatly influenced the character of San Francisco, beginning with its origins in California in the mission system, which brought Franciscan friars, Spanish soldiers, and new settlers to these shores. Catholics have been witness to history-making events that have included the 1848 Gold Rush, the 1906 earthquake and fire, and the 1918 influenza pandemic. Parishes, schools, hospitals, and charities took shape after the archdiocese's establishment in 1853. The guidance of archbishops, dedication of religious orders, and support of the lay community has made the city named for St. Francis of Assisi into a uniquely Catholic place. The leadership of Catholics in the larger community continues today, enriched by new cultures and traditions.

Cover of Catholics of San Francisco in the Images of America series with a vintage wedding procession and a bride in a veil.

The Pullman Porters and West Oakland

9780738547893

$24.99

A hub of transportation and industry since the mid-19th century, West Oakland is today a vital commercial conduit and an inimitably distinct and diverse community within the Greater Oakland
metropolitan area. The catalyst that transformed this neighborhood from a transcontinental rail terminal into a true settlement was the arrival of the railroad porters, employed by the Pullman Palace Car Company as early as 1867. After years of struggling in labor battles and negotiations, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Union became the first African American-led union to sign a contract with a large American company. The union's West Coast headquarters were established at Fifth and Wood Streets in West Oakland. Soon families,
benevolent societies, and churches followed, and a true community came into being.

Cover image for The Pullman Porters and West Oakland, isbn: 9780738547893

Los Angeles's Little Tokyo

9780738581460

$21.99

In 1884, a Japanese sailor named Hamanosuke Shigeta made his way to the eastern section of downtown Los Angeles and opened Little Tokyo's first business, an American-style café. By the early 20th century, this neighborhood on the banks of the Los Angeles River had developed into a vibrant community serving the burgeoning Japanese American population of Southern California. When Japanese Americans were forcibly removed to internment camps in 1942 following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States' entrance into World War II, Little Tokyo was rechristened "Bronzeville" as a newly established African American enclave popular for its jazz clubs and churches. Despite the War Relocation Authority's opposition to re-establishing Little Tokyo following the war, Japanese Americans gradually restored the strong ties evident today in 21st-century Little Tokyo--a multicultural, multigenerational community that is the largest Nihonmachi (Japantown) in the United States.

Cover of Los Angeles's Little Tokyo showing a sepia street parade with drummers and vintage cars.

Morro Bay

9780738530864

$24.99

Morro Bay, on California's Central Coast, is famous for the massive rock formation that guards the mouth of its natural harbor. A remnant of an ancient volcanic plug, Morro Rock--in Spanish, el Moro, the sentinel--was spotted by explorer Juan Cabrillo as early as 1542. Once sacred to Native Americans, it is now a sanctuary for peregrine falcons and other birds, near secluded dunes, a 2,300-acre national estuary known as the back bay, and eucalyptus groves that are visited each winter by monarch butterflies. With the railroad hundreds of miles away, the small fishing town with sandy streets, surrounded by cattle and dairy ranches, once depended on the sea for transportation. Now a thriving commercial district serves both residents and tourists, and its waterfront is packed with busy seafood restaurants. Kayaks, canoes, and commercial fishing boats mingle in the sparkling waters of the bay.

Morro Bay book cover showing Morro Rock on the beach with a tree in the foreground in sepia tones.

Behind the Scenes in Los Angeles

9781467159210

$24.99

Los Angeles’s dizzying array of attractions can easily overwhelm visitors and locals alike, but now there’s a better way to explore the city.

Enjoy a glimpse of the history behind the most prestigious museums and discover sites better known for their part in international scandals. Peek into California’s colonial past, visit sites from the golden age of film or explore the urban legends surrounding the Black Dahlia. With tips from the best times to visit to where to park, experience the best of Los Angeles like a local.

Join author Adam Papagan, experienced tour guide and true California character, for a tour of Los Angeles you’ll never forget.

Cover image for Behind the Scenes in Los Angeles, isbn: 9781467159210

Murder of the Jujube Candy Heiress

9781467150583

$24.99

One candy heiress, two bullets and three suspects.

The small Southern California island of Coronado rarely makes news for violent crime. But in the spring of 1975, World War II widow and retired librarian Ruth Quinn was murdered, execution-style, in her cottage. Her death sent a shock wave through the community. The granddaughter of Jujubes and Jujyfruits creator Henry Heide, Ruth was found fully clothed with her shoes on, in her bed, dead from two gunshot wounds. To this day, her murder has never been solved, but whispers about her brother, her son and even a local petty thief still swirl.

Author Taylor Baldwin Kiland sifts through the dirt for the facts about Ruth’s life and her untimely end in Coronado.

Cover image for Murder of the Jujube Candy Heiress, isbn: 9781467150583

Haunted Heart of Los Angeles

9781467157797

$21.99

Beneath the teeming streets of California’s largest city lies a dark history of serial killers, riots and strange encounters.

Spirits are said to mingle with the tourists on Olvera Street, and there are rumors that a curse placed on Griffith Park still causes deaths to this day. Do the victims of a massacre at Union Station still haunt the halls there, and does Dodger Stadium host the shades of the residents it displaced during its construction? Even the old Los Angeles Zoo is said to be a hotspot of animal apparitions reluctant to move on.

Author and paranormal historian Brian Clune explores the spooky side of Los Angeles.

Cover image for Haunted Heart of Los Angeles, isbn: 9781467157797

Houseboats of Sausalito

9780738525204

$7.99

Sausalito boasts a rich history of life afloat.

Cover image for Houseboats of Sausalito, isbn: 9780738525204

Sacramento Southern Railroad

9780738569864

$24.99

The Sacramento Southern Railroad was born into a famous railroad family and a busy railroad town in July 1903. The mighty Southern Pacific, which controlled the new line from the outset, built south from Sacramento along the eastern bank of the Sacramento River into the delta's rich farmland area. At its zenith, the line was about 31 miles long, serving the communities of Freeport, Hood, Locke, Walnut Grove, and Isleton. Trains on what became known as the Walnut Grove Branch hauled pears, sugar beets, asparagus and other products from the agricultural region's packing sheds and canneries. Competition from trucking and damage from flooding took a severe toll on the railroad, and the Southern Pacific largely abandoned it by 1978, but a portion lives on as a labor of love.

Cover image for Sacramento Southern Railroad, isbn: 9780738569864

Candlestick Park

9780738581590

$24.99

Opened in 1960 as the home of the San Francisco Giants, Candlestick Park is among America's most iconic sports facilities. It is a striking example of modernism and was the first reinforced-concrete stadium. The Giants' home for 40 years, it played host to two World Series, including in 1989, when it was infamously delayed by the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Renovated to a dual-purpose stadium in 1970, it became home to the San Francisco 49ers. In 1982, The Catch, one of the most famous plays in NFL history, heralded the beginning of five Super Bowl Championships. Candlestick Park was also home to the early Oakland Raiders, was visited by Pope John Paul II, and saw the last Beatles concert.

Cover image for Candlestick Park, isbn: 9780738581590

Highland Park

9780738555706

$24.99

Founded during the 1886 land boom in Southern California midway between the cities of Los Angeles and Pasadena, the original Highland Park Tract was part of the Rancho San Rafael. Highland Park was the first town to be annexed by Los Angeles, but it nonetheless retains a strong sense of its own identity and has taken a fiercely independent path. The community prides itself on its unique history, architecture, and diversity, and it has always been the home of artists and writers. One such resident was Charles Fletcher Lummis, who helped to preserve the history and culture of the land he dubbed "the Southwest."

Sepia photograph on the Highland Park cover featuring a crowd and a band in front of a theater marquee.

Native Americans of San Diego County

9780738559841

$24.99

Archeological findings verify the occupation of San Diego County by Native Americans going back over 10,000 years, though little is recorded of their history before 1542, when Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed into San Diego Bay and claimed the local territory for Spain. The native population at that time is estimated to have been 20,000, just as it is today. There are 18 reservations in the San Diego County area (17 of which are currently functioning), more than in any other county in the United States. The four primary tribal groups making up the Native Americans of the San Diego County area are the Kumeyaay (also known as Diegueño), Luiseño, Cupeño, and Cahuilla. Each of these groups has faced many hardships and setbacks while attempting to rebuild their nations to the proud peoples they once were, still are, and always shall be.

Sepia toned cover showing Indigenous people in traditional dress posed in front of a fence for Native Americans of San Diego County

Caltrain and the Peninsula Commute Service

9780738576220

$24.99

The rail line now called Caltrain was started in the 1860s to create a faster alternative to stagecoaches and ships between the key cities of San Francisco and San Jose. Operated by Southern Pacific for many years, the Peninsula Commute Service is the oldest continuously operating passenger railroad in the West and boasts seven depots in the National Register of Historic Places. This indomitable iron horse has filled a vital transportation role, from evacuating San Franciscans during the 1906 earthquake to getting commuters to work. With the dawn of the 21st century, Caltrain reinvented itself yet again with its innovative Baby Bullet express trains.

Book cover for Caltrain and the Peninsula Commute Service showing a long passenger train at a station platform.

Kaiser Steel, Fontana

9780738546506

$24.99

In the first half of the 20th century, Fontana Farms Company operated a hog ranch on the site where Kaiser Company Incorporated later erected one of the nation's largest steel mills. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United States was forced into an unprecedented escalation in the production of ships, planes, and armaments. Soon the sensational announcement came to San Bernardino County that Fontana, a railroad convergence located a safe distance from possible coastal bombardment, would become home to thousands of sweathogs in the war effort. A "gold rush" of sorts ensued, and all property south of Valencia Street to the railroad was sold in a week. This book pays tribute to the fact that, for two generations, Kaiser Steel Corporation at Fontana was among California's and the nation's industrial giants.

Kaiser Steel Fontana book cover showing an industrial plant with smokestacks in a sepia tone.

Orange

9780738559056

$24.99

Located in the heart of Orange County, the City of Orange has a rich history in the citrus industry and beyond. Founded in 1871 as an agricultural community, the town flourished with the growth of orange and lemon trees in the early 1900s. Downtown Orange grew up around the iconic plaza, with its distinctive circular park and classic fountain. The surrounding neighborhoods filled with homes that reflected architectural styles from the 1880s to the 1940s. As late as 1950, Orange was still just a little town of 10,000 people. Despite the enormous postwar residential growth throughout the county and a tenfold population explosion in the city itself, the community has retained much of the small-town feel of yesteryear.

Cover image for Orange, isbn: 9780738559056

Pacific Beach

9780738520827

$24.99

Pacific Beach, California, was founded in 1887 by land speculators after the establishment of the railroad to San Diego, which resulted in the formation of many ocean-side communities. A "land boom" ensued, yet was short-lived due to the Great Depression of the 1890s. World War II brought a torrent of people to Pacific Beach--workers, sailors, and Marines, as well as their families--increasing its population five-fold. After the war, many residents remained, thus ensuring the growth of the community and the number of businesses, schools, and local services.
A photographic history, Pacific Beach includes images that illustrate the community's birth, hardships, and prosperity since its incorporation, as well as the people, places, and attractions that today make the area a well-known destination for visitors from around the
world. Featuring images of some of Pacific Beach's most historic landmarks, including the Crystal Pier and the Brown Military Academy, as well as local businesses, architecture, and churches, this pictorial tribute celebrates the history of this San Diego suburb from its
earliest days.

Book cover Pacific Beach from Images of America with a vintage beach scene and people on a wooden pier

San Francisco Fire Department

9780738520841

$24.99

In San Francisco, history is as close as the sound of the fire engines and trucks racing by, sirens wailing. The San Francisco Fire Department took shape, as did the city, from the ashes and embers of the Great Fire of 1906. In the tumultuous seaport full of those seeking California's newly found gold, volunteer fire companies had to adapt to a teeming city full of canvas tents, wood shacks, kerosene lanterns, ocean breezes, and hilly winding streets. From a force that initially pulled hand-operated pumps and competed to be the first at a fire, traveling in horse-drawn equipment, the department has grown from a volunteer contingent of a few hundred to a company 1,800 strong and equipped to protect a city of 49 square miles, surrounded on three sides by salt water. The historic photographs of this volume document the establishment of the volunteer department on Christmas Eve 1849 and the inception of the paid force in 1866, as well as such colorful characters as Lily Hitchcock Coit, a belle who battled many a blaze with the volunteers and a portion of whose estate went to build the 210-foot Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. Striking images, many never before published, illustrate how the fire department was affected not only by the well-known inferno of 1906 but by the six blazes that leveled the waterfront in the 1850s and a number of other fires throughout the city's history.

Cover image for San Francisco Fire Department, isbn: 9780738520841

Clovis

9780738576138

$24.99

In the late 1800s, Clovis M. Cole purchased large tracts of land in California's San Joaquin Valley with the intent to farm wheat. Marcus Pollasky, a businessman from the East with a keen eye for a profit, proposed building a railroad that would bring more people and gains to the area. The two struck a deal. Cole sold key landholdings to Pollasky, and the town was given Cole's first name. Businesses grew along Front Street, and families purchased nearby 20-acre parcels where they built homes and grew abundant crops. Living in Clovis became a way of life as dedication to family, friends, and community defined the area.

Clovis cover from Images of America showing a horse-drawn wagon in front of a real estate office

Ventura County Motor Sports

9781467115292

$24.99

Ventura County has a long tradition in motor sports, and area racing enthusiasts have done it all, whether on four wheels or two, on the road or off, in a straight line or a circle, or even on the water. Ventura County Motor Sports takes you back to the vintage years of the Central Coast car and racing culture with a new set of classic photographs. Visit the forgotten racetrack known as Oxnard Speedway, check out the hot-rodding scene in Ojai during the 1950s and 1960s, and meet some of the personalities from Ventura County that made their mark in the automotive and racing world, plus get a special look at local custom cars and some great motorcycle, off-road, and drag boat action from the golden years.

Book cover showing a vintage race car on a track with a crowded grandstand for Ventura County Motor Sports

San Francisco 49ers

9780738529660

$24.99

Frankie Albert. Leo Nomellini. Bob St. Clair. Jimmy Johnson. Joe Montana. Jerry Rice. Bill Walsh. Steve Young. Ronnie Lott. Hugh McElhenny. Joe Perry. John Henry Johnson. Roger Craig. The legendary names roll off the tongue of every 49ers fan—never to be forgotten. Since 1946 when they were born into the All-American Football League, the 49ers have been pro football's most exciting and envied franchise. All of the cliffhangers and heartbreakers at grand old Kezar Stadium, and the blustering winds of Candlestick Park . . . where games were decided in the last seconds. The 49ers' unrivaled record includes 5 Super Bowl appearances and 5 victories, 17 NFC Western division titles, and an unbelievable 16 consecutive seasons with at least 10 regular-season wins. Eleven 49ers have been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. San Francisco 49ers is a must for every fan's library. Packed with over 200 rare archival photographs and stories and statistics, this collection is a detailed tribute to the 49ers' most memorable seasons, in all their undying glory.

Cover image for San Francisco 49ers, isbn: 9780738529660

Lava Beds National Monument

9781467134071

$24.99

The region in far northeastern California encompassed by Lava Beds National Monument is often called the Land of Burnt Out Fires. The name reflects a landscape created by fiery volcanic forces, including cataclysmic events that created more than 700 lava tube caves and an aboveground landscape shaped and fractured by lava flows and other geologic turmoil. Despite its tortured landscape, the region has also been a place of human habitation for thousands of years. Early natives traveled through the lava beds as part of their seasonal travels for food and shelter. The Modoc Indians' knowledge of that landscape, a natural lava fortress now known as Captain Jack's Stronghold, was used during the Modoc War of 1872 and 1873. Modocs, settlers, and others who followed—sheep ranchers, homesteaders, cave discoverers, tourists, spelunkers, and US Forest Service and National Park Service managers—have played prominent roles in creating the region's, and Lava Beds National Monument's, always evolving human history.

Cover image for Lava Beds National Monument, isbn: 9781467134071

African Americans in Vallejo

9780738595818

$24.99

African Americans have been part of the Vallejo mosaic since 1850, the year of the North Bay city's birth. John Grider, a Tennessee native and former slave who arrived in Vallejo in 1850, was one of the city's earliest residents and a veteran of the California Bear Flag Revolt of 1846. While many 19th-century black pioneers established homes, businesses, and schools, it was during the Great Migration period of 1910-1970s that the bulk of Vallejo's black community took firm root. During this period, black folks from throughout the South--tiny towns and big cities alike, from places like Itasca, Texas; Heidelberg, Mississippi; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Lake Wales, Florida--made their way west searching for war-industry jobs at Mare Island Naval Shipyard and lives relatively free of unrelenting racial discord. African Americans in Vallejo chronicles this proud and oftentimes complicated journey.

Sepia toned cover of Images of America African Americans in Vallejo showing a group photo on steps.

Modesto

9780738571508

$24.99

Settled in 1870 by the Central Pacific Railroad, Modesto is located in California's agriculturally rich Central Valley. The new town was to be named after the prominent California banker W. C. Ralston, but, as city lore and legend tell it, his modest refusal led to the name Modesto. Originally a wheat-producing region, the city blossomed with the arrival of irrigation, and fruit orchards and vineyards soon grew in abundance. The county seat of Stanislaus County, Modesto became an agricultural hub, with the motto Water Wealth Contentment Health emblazoned on an iconic arch at the town's entrance. California's original junior college is located here along with E. & J. Gallo Winery, the world's largest privately held winery, family run since 1933. Twice named an All American City, Modesto inspired native son George Lucas when he made his classic American Graffiti in 1973.

Cover image for Modesto, isbn: 9780738571508

Haunted Hotels of the California Gold Country

9781626194380

$21.99

Step across the threshold of a haunted hotel in California's renowned Gold Country and encounter phantom figures of yesteryear. Wispy apparitions of gentleman guests in Victorian coats and ladies in fashionable flapper gowns glide through the walls, while unexplained sobs and choking gasps disturb the night. There's Stan, the Cary House's eternal desk clerk, and bachelor ghost Lyle, who tidies the Groveland Hotel. Flo tosses pots and pans in the National's kitchen, while the once-scorned spirit of Isabella ties the Sierra Nevada House's curtains in knots. From suicidal gamblers to murdered miners, the Mother Lode's one-time boomtowns are crowded with characters of centuries past. Book your stay with author Nancy Williams as she explores the history and haunts of the Gold Country's iconic hotels.

Cover image for Haunted Hotels of the California Gold Country, isbn: 9781626194380

Anaheim

9780738547435

$24.99

After the developments that the World War II era brought to the small agricultural community of Anaheim, the major transformation arrived in 1955. Anaheim changed forever from a sleepy and proud little town into the center for entertainment and tourism in Southern California with the arrival of Disneyland. Other national and regional businesses and franchises arrived in and around this Orange County anchor city--including the California Angels baseball club, the Anaheim Convention Center, and such aerospace giants as Boeing and Rockwell International--and Anaheim grew exponentially. This collection of more than 200 vintage and contemporary images depict the results of Anaheim's far-sighted elected and business leaders, who nurtured the city from its agrarian roots and made it into one of the nation's fastest growing cities in the 1960s.

Cover image for Anaheim, isbn: 9780738547435

Point Reyes Peninsula

9780738558486

$24.99

The Point Reyes Peninsula has a rich history encompassing thriving Native American settlements, visits by Francis Drake and Spanish explorers, dramatic shipwrecks, Mexican rancheros, famous dairy farms, railroads, and one of the country's most spectacular lighthouses. These historical facets spawned the three small towns of Olema, Point Reyes Station, and Inverness; each is unique with its own distinctive foundations. Most of the land is now within Point Reyes National Seashore, a refuge created during the Kennedy administration and now one of the more popular destinations on the California coast. The unique geography of the forest, bay, and ocean environments and the abundant wildlife in Point Reyes offers fine scenery, diverse recreational opportunities, and good food and lodging, while the towns retain their old-time character.

Cover image for Point Reyes Peninsula, isbn: 9780738558486

Pismo Beach

9781467130233

$24.99

Pismo Beach was home to some of America's earliest people. They thrived in the mild climate and were sustained by abundant natural resources, including the now famous Pismo clam. European settlers developed Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and Rancho Pismo. With the breakup of the rancho, a small town grew at the beach. The spectacular wide, sandy beach, stretching away from hills and a rugged shoreline, has drawn many photographers to the town, its people, and its progress. An early aerial photograph of Pismo Beach was taken not from an airplane but from kites.

Pismo Beach Images of America book cover featuring a seaside camp scene and a vintage group photo.

Growing Up in Fairfield, California

9781467149105

$21.99

A magic nostalgia ride awaits.

Life in Fairfield in the decades after World War II was an unparalleled experience. From cruising down Texas Street on weekends to catching a carnival in the Wonder World parking lot, fond memories of long-lost times haven't been forgotten. People flocked to vintage eateries like Joe's Buffet and Smorga Bob's, and played on the rocket ship slide at Allan Witt Park. Roller Rinks like the M&M Skateway hosted not just skaters, but dances featuring Fats Domino and Roy Orbison. Commuters hopped aboard the FART bus to save on gas, and frequenting Dave's Giant Hamburgers was a rite of passage.

Longtime Daily Republic journalist and accidental historian Tony Wade takes a deep dive into the Fairfield of yesteryear.

Growing Up in Fairfield California collage cover with a colorful street scene and bold retro typography

Mount Whitney

9780738595368

$24.99

The history of Mount Whitney is long, complex, and revealing. Identified in 1864 and named for the head of the California Geological Survey, Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. Throughout the years, it challenged several accomplished mountaineers who failed to reach its summit; it was as if the mountain were working to confuse and impede them. Finally, the mountain was climbed from the west side by three fishermen from Lone Pine. Mount Whitney has always called to the adventurous heart of the climber. Gustave Marsh put in the trail to the summit and then built the Smithsonian Observatory. Writers and artists have applied their talents to capturing elements of the Whitney experience, and there is fascinating geological, natural, and cultural history that rounds out this original approach to the story of a mountain.

Images of America Mount Whitney cover showing a rugged valley with mountains and a crowd of people near vintage cars.

Hetch Hetchy

9780738593227

$24.99

When water from the Sierra Nevada reached the San Francisco Bay area in 1934, it was greeted by a national celebration after two decades of grueling construction. The Hetch Hetchy Project evolved from a long search for a reliable source of water for San Francisco that began after the 1906 Great Earthquake. Prior to the earthquake, San Francisco had burned to the ground repeatedly due to the lack of water to fight fires. Studies of 14 different sources led to the design of an engineering marvel that conveys water using gravity across California via a complex system of tunnels, reservoirs, pipelines, powerhouses, treatment plants, and dams. But before the Hetch Hetchy Project broke ground, controversy roiled over the project. Finally, the Raker Act was passed by Congress in 1913 and signed by Pres. Woodrow Wilson to permit the use of the rights-of-way for the project. Today, this system serves some of the highest-quality water in the nation to 2.4 million people.

Hetch Hetchy cover showing a circular columned pavilion with visitors.

Bay Area Roller Derby

9780738593180

$24.99

Roller Derby found a home in the San Francisco Bay Area following its Depression-era Chicago origins. An early television sensation, it faded to a modest existence in Los Angeles during the 1950s. Creator Leo Seltzer turned the game over to his son Jerry, who repositioned the traveling Bay Bombers from their home terrain of San Francisco to Fresno and everywhere in-between. He shined television camera lights on skaters who became the zenith in Roller Derby, including Charlie O'Connell, Annis Jensen, Joanie Weston, and more. Syndicated television games seen by millions yielded sellout crowds in every major arena in the country. However, economic and cultural changes closed Roller Derby in 1973. Passionate fans clung tenaciously to its memory. In the 21st century, the game made an astonishing return not only in Northern California but also worldwide.

Cover of Bay Area Roller Derby showing vintage women skaters racing on a track

Temecula

9780738530956

$24.99

In the far southwest corner of Riverside County, a center of commerce grew in the 19th century near the junction of the Temecula and Murrieta Creeks. A stop along the Southern Emigrant Trail and Butterfield Stage route brought a few travelers to Temecula who liked the place and stayed. A cattle baron grazed his stock in the rich pastureland and dominated the economy until the mid-1960s, when an investor bought the land to build a planned community. Today Temecula is the home of over 90,000 people. Old Town Temecula celebrates its frontier past, and the Temecula Wine Country entices visitors to take a taste. The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians operates a casino and resort near Rancho del Paisano, the former home of the author who created Perry Mason, Erle Stanley Gardner.

Temecula Images of America cover showing a sepia photograph of settlers beside a wagon wheel.

Groveland and Big Oak Flat

9781467105286

$24.99

Big Oak Flat and Groveland provide a window into hundreds of years of California history. For millennia, the Me-Wuk people lived in harmony with the environment, tapping nature for their food and shelter. Then, in 1848, James Savage found gold, and the 49er Gold Rush brought a placer mining boom. The two towns developed almost overnight. However, the easy ore was soon depleted, and a devastating fire in 1863 contributed to a severe decline in population and prosperity. In the 1880s, improved technology led to a new “hard rock” mining boom, but in 30 years, it also turned to bust. From 1915 to 1935, Groveland was the headquarters for the giant Hetch Hetchy project, which dammed the Tuolumne River and sent its water to San Francisco. In the 1960s and 1970s, Pine Mountain Lake was developed into a successful vacation and retirement community. Over the years, local residents have contributed to the development and support of Yosemite National Park tourism, making it the “Gateway to Yosemite.”

Cover image for Groveland and Big Oak Flat, isbn: 9781467105286

Lakewood

9780738599908

$24.99

Lakewood, California--once the largest planned community in America--grew almost overnight. From lima bean and sugar beet fields, it became a model of postwar suburban development. Everything about the young Lakewood was new: constructing 17,500 homes in just 33 months, opening California's first regional shopping center in 1951, and achieving cityhood under an innovative plan for local government in 1954. Those early years tell an inspiring story of pioneering developers, enthusiastic residents, and the dedicated leaders of community institutions whose legacy continues to sustain Lakewood. Above all, the Lakewood story is about the ability of ordinary men and women to shape their future--and Lakewood's--as their city begins its seventh decade. Today, Lakewood residents continue to see--in their history, traditions, and values--a reflection of the quality of life they seek to pass to future generations, aided always by a community of caring neighbors.

Lakewood book cover showing a vintage street scene with moving trucks and a City of Lakewood label

Fillmore

9781467109185

$23.99

Fillmore is nestled at the foot of the Topatopa Mountains at the confluence of the Santa Clara River and Sespe Creek. The town was formed in 1887 and named after Jerome A. Fillmore, who was the general superintendent for the Southern Pacific Railroad at the time. The rail line enabled passenger travel and the transport of commercial agricultural products, and it put Fillmore on the map. Incorporated in 1914, Fillmore is one of the oldest incorporated towns in Ventura County and is designated as part of the county’s agricultural greenbelt. Fillmore’s history is based on it being located on some of the most productive agricultural and oil-rich lands in the country. Today, it is still a predominately agricultural town that supplies citrus, avocados, and a variety of vegetable crops around the country and abroad. It is a hidden small-town gem in Southern California, and its downtown architecture epitomizes small-town charm, making it a popular tourist destination and site for film and television productions.

Cover image for Fillmore, isbn: 9781467109185

Newhall’s Walk of Western Stars

9781467106214

$24.99

Since 1981, the Walk of Western Stars in Newhall, California, has commemorated beloved performers from Western film, television, radio, and music. Over the years, nearly 100 honorees have been memorialized in the sidewalks of Old Town Newhall with bronze saddles and terrazzo tiles. Each April, new inductees are added to the walk during the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival. Santa Clarita, which includes Newhall, has a century-long history of Western film and television production that continues to this day. Newhall is the site of William S. Hart Park, where silent cowboy superstar William S. "Two Gun Bill" Hart, the first Walk of Western Stars inductee, had his retirement home. It is also the home of such Western gems as Melody Ranch, a film ranch once owned by Gene Autry that is still in operation. Melody is where Matt Dillon first stared down the bad guys in Gunsmoke, where Al Swearengen ruled over Deadwood, and where the hosts first became sentient in television's Westworld.

Book cover for Newhall’s Walk of Western Stars showing two cowboys beside a cow in a rustic stone setting.

The University of California Museum of Paleontology

9781467108089

$23.99

The University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) had a long and rich history even before California became a state.

Formally established in 1921, UCMP was built with collections accumulated over 150 years. This treasure trove comes from all continents and ages; it is a major source for research, outreach, and teaching in paleontology--extinctions, radiations, asteroids, climate change, paleoceanography, and the animals, plants, and microbes themselves. Now the collections, built by the California Geological Survey (1864-1874), faculty, staff, students, and donors, are among the largest in America. Recently, UCMP members studied the biology of T. rex, the killer asteroid, human ancestors, reef paleobiology, flowering plants, and life on Mars and Europa. UCMP continues to make discoveries, interpretations, and outreach that inspire people.

Prof. Jere H. Lipps, faculty curator and past director of UCMP, studies paleontology, geology, marine biology, and astrobiology, publishing over 520 contributions. Elected fellow of six science organizations and president (1997) of the Paleontological Society, Lipps has also received various awards, including an island in Antarctica named for him (1979). He taught thousands of students in oceanography, paleobiology, and field courses at the University of California, Berkeley. Here, Lipps reviews the major events and people that have built UCMP.

Book cover for Images of America The University of California Museum of Paleontology showing a sepia photo of workers in a field.

San Diego's North Park

9781467132251

$24.99

Hip and historic, North Park fascinates with its commercial energy and Craftsman charm. The community has always embodied an enterprising spirit. In the 1870s, cronies of Alonzo Horton mapped neighborhoods north of Balboa Park in a patchwork of individual subdivisions. Four decades later, John Spreckels's streetcars finally brought investors, residents, and shopkeepers, creating San Diego's slice of Bungalow Heaven. Baseball great Ted Williams played on North Park's fields, and tennis star Maureen Connolly trained on its courts. The local shops served as a regional commercial center after World War II, and the Toyland Parade attracted 300,000 spectators. Although decades of decline followed the exciting 1950s, North Park is flourishing again in a renaissance initiated by the restoration of the elegant North Park Theatre in 2005. This pictorial history tells the classic story of a boom, bust, and boom.

Cover image for San Diego's North Park, isbn: 9781467132251

Missions of San Diego

9780738596839

$24.99

California's first settlement began on a trail called El Camino Real, or The Royal Road, that was traveled by missionary pathfinders, soldiers, and conquistadors on a dramatic journey into a mysterious land. Monterey was discovered in 1603, leading to the quest. Explorers Don Gaspar de Portolá and Juan Bautista de Anza, along with ambitious Franciscan missionaries, founded 21 monumental Spanish missions and several asistencias and chapels for native neophytes, travelers, and visitors to Alta California. Following the initial landing in 1769 at San Diego's seaport, Fr. Junípero Serra founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá, California's first landmark, at the original presidio site. The mission stands today exactly where it was moved, rebuilt, and completed in 1813. The native populations of California witnessed years of change from a sleepy province to the status of US statehood. The Spanish missions forged the powerful underpinnings of the Golden State's earliest settlements 80 years prior to the world's largest migration to California, the 1849 Gold Rush.

Cover image for Missions of San Diego, isbn: 9780738596839

Russell City

9780738570044

$24.99

Between 1853 and 1964, on the western shore of what is now the city of Hayward, there existed a small rural community. This pictorial history traces the role that this region, which became known as Russell City, played in the development of the East Bay. Named for Joel Russell, a New England teacher who came to California during the Gold Rush and found success as a judge, political activist, and businessman, Russell City later became a destination point for diverse migrant and immigrant groups including Spaniards, Danes, Germans, Italians, African Americans, and Mexicans. While the economic means of the residents were never great, social riches abounded in the cultural and religious traditions that were practiced. A plan to create an industrial park on Russell City land emerged during the 1950s, and by 1964 the residents and businesses were entirely removed through eminent domain. An annual reunion picnic, begun in 1978, serves as a reminder of the community once built and then tossed to the winds. In the words of the former residents, The city may be gone, but the memories live on.

Cover image for Russell City, isbn: 9780738570044

Ranchos of San Diego County

9780738559650

$21.99

The Mexican ranchos of San Diego County were a colorful and vital part of early California history. Ranchos covered the most fertile lands in San Diego and produced grain, vegetables, and fruits and grazed thousands of head of cattle, sheep, and horses. The dons and doñas who owned the ranchos were wealthy in land and cattle and built large adobe ranch-house complexes. The Kumeyaay, Luiseño, and Cupeño were the backbone of the ranchos, providing the labor needed to run a successful ranch. Daily life of the dons, doñas, and their families included the Californio traditions of family and religion, dancing and fiestas, roundups and rodeos, and generous hospitality. Many of the ranchos no longer exist. Those that are preserved provide a window into California's past.

Cover of Images of America Ranchos of San Diego County featuring a sepia interior scene of a house under construction.

Lost Ski Areas of Tahoe and Donner

9781467140584

$21.99

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Lake Tahoe and the Donner Summit region became California’s first developed winter sports areas. Plentiful snowfall and newly built highways opened up the summer playground for visitors year-round, and skiing flourished. The Sierra Ski Club formed in 1925, attracting members eager to experience everything the mountains had to offer. People flocked to the slopes, visiting places like Clair Tappaan Lodge in Soda Springs, boasting one of the summit’s earliest ski tows, and the Yuba Gap Lodge, a pioneer in night skiing. Join Ingrid P. Wicken, award-winning author and ski historian, as she recounts the fascinating beginnings of this celebrated ski hub.

Cover image for Lost Ski Areas of Tahoe and Donner, isbn: 9781467140584

Santa Monica

9780738581439

$24.99

The city of Santa Monica in the post-World War II era has enjoyed a colorful history as both a resort community and as a bustling, vibrant city. Its coastal Mediterranean climate has provided an ideal atmosphere for the famous California lifestyle. Known for the 100-year-old Santa Monica Pier, as well as the Third Street Promenade, for its beautiful beaches and quaint neighborhoods, Santa Monica has been home to many famous Hollywood movie stars, including Shirley Temple, Cary Grant, Betty Grable, Clark Gable, Bette Davis, and Robert Redford. Arnold Schwarzenegger has also maintained offices here. Santa Monica has played host to many of the nation's most famous names, such as Gen. Jimmy Doolittle and Pres. John F. Kennedy. The companion piece to Images of America: Early Santa Monica, this volume's more than 200 photographs cover the dynamic people, businesses, events, attractions, and celebrities that have shaped Santa Monica into the world-renowned city of today.

Santa Monica 1950 2010 book cover with a sepia aerial view of Santa Monica and a museum label at the bottom

South San Francisco

9780738529219

$24.99

Locals call it "South City." The founding fathers always intended South San Francisco to be an industrial leader, clearly distinguishing it from its northern neighbor. Fuller Paints, Pacific Coast Steel, and Western Meats made an early impact on the city's economic growth. During wartime, the development of a deep-water harbor brought shipbuilding to Oyster Point. The historic sign on Sign Hill still reads "South San Francisco: The Industrial City," but evolution is the name of the game, and the workhorse of the city's modern economy is biotech research and development.

South San Francisco cover from Images of America showing a vintage car and a gathering of people in sepia tone

Max Factor and Hollywood

9781467136105

$21.99

The story of the makeup artist who changed the film industry—and the world of modern cosmetics.

When Polish wigmaker and cosmetician Max Factor arrived in Los Angeles at the dawn of the motion picture industry, “make-up” had been associated only with stage performers and ladies of the oldest profession. Appalled by the garish paints worn by actors, Factor introduced the first “flexible” greasepaint for film in 1914.

With a few careful brush strokes, a lot of innovation, and the kind of luck that can happen only in Hollywood, Max Factor changed the meaning of glamour. His innovations can be experienced in every tube of lipstick, palette of eye shadow, and bottle of nail lacquer used today.

Join author Erika Thomas as she reveals the makeup guru's expert beauty tips and the story of how he created the most iconic golden-era looks that are as relevant today as they were nearly a century ago.

Cover image for Max Factor and Hollywood, isbn: 9781467136105

Truckee

9780738574950

$24.99

At 5,980 feet, Truckee enchants visitors with a quaintness that belies the mountain town's rugged past. The very environment in which Truckee exists--high elevation, cold, deep snows--forced its founding fathers, residents, immigrants, and transient workers to make tough decisions while attempting to keep peace in a wildly remote area. In just over 150 years, Truckee has morphed from a collection of lawless rough-and-tumble settlements to a close-knit community with a sense of adventure at its core. The Truckee area was also at the cornerstone of many 19th-century technological innovations. From logging that kept trains stoked and fed Nevada mines to an ice-harvesting industry that transformed refrigerated transportation and the largest paper mill west of the Mississippi, Truckee proved its engineering mettle.

Cover of Images of America Truckee showing a vintage construction scene with a steam locomotive and workers.

Temecula Valley Wineries

9781467160360

$24.99

In the early 1800s, Spanish missionaries were the first to plant vineyards in the area now known as Temecula Valley. Over the next two centuries, the region became known for raising cattle, farming, and as a stop for stage and rail. In the late 1960s, Temecula began to attract a new breed of pioneers. These intrepid individuals believed that the soil, sun, and cool ocean breezes through the coastal mountains made the valley ideal for grape growing. Temecula wine country has been on an upward trajectory ever since. Today, more than two million visitors enjoy the area’s 50 or so wineries every year. Chosen by Wine Enthusiast as one of the top 10 wine travel destinations in the world, Temecula Valley’s diverse and delicious wines consistently win awards in state and national competitions.

Cover image for Temecula Valley Wineries, isbn: 9781467160360

Lake Tahoe

9780738525389

$7.99

Lake Tahoe has hosted a variety of visitors and residents through the years, from the early days of Washoe settlements, to rough logging camps, to today's extravagant resorts.

Vintage Lake Tahoe postcard featuring a mountain lake and pine trees

San Francisco Landmarks

9780738596853

$7.99

San Francisco is one of the most recognized and beloved cities in the United States, brilliantly illustrated through a visual history of 493 designated local, state, and national landmarks.

San Francisco's attributes speak to us through stunning topography, the arts, and a unique array of architectural styles. The city inherited the imprint left by the Spanish with Mission Dolores, by the Gold Rush with Jackson Square, and by 20th-century entrepreneurs with the Bank of Italy. The period from the 1920s to 1950s brought a growing cosmopolitan metropolis with such landmarks as the Mark Hopkins Hotel and the Golden Gate Bridge. Residents and visitors want to know why there is a monument in the neighborhood park and why the delightful Victorians next door have a historic plaque by their front steps. Each landmark embodies the characteristics of the surrounding community and the history of the City by the Bay. Enjoy the rich history of San Francisco’s landmarks in this collection of 15 historic black-and-white postcards.

Cover image for San Francisco Landmarks, isbn: 9780738596853

Sequoia National Park

9780738525457

$7.99

Sequoia National Park boasts a rich history. Home to the world's largest trees and the highest peak in the continental United States, this second-oldest
national park in the country boasts a human history as inspiring as its natural splendor.

Vintage sepia Sequoia National Park postcard showing travelers along a forest path.

Levi Strauss and Co.

9780738569345

$7.99

Levi Strauss & Co. boasts a rich history.

Levi Strauss and Co Postcards of America cover featuring a sepia Western scene with cowboys

Railroads of Los Gatos

9780738546612

$24.99

The picturesque town of Los Gatos stands between the once verdant orchards of the Santa Clara Valley and the forested slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The narrow-gauge South Pacific Coast Railroad arrived in 1878 and, within two years, laid track over the mountains to carry passengers, redwood, and tons of ripe produce. Less than a decade later it was purchased by Southern Pacific, and completely converted to standard gauge by 1909. Invigorating business and industry, the railroad remained a vital part of the economy of Los Gatos for over 80 years. Although the era of commercial rail ended in 1959, Billy Jones and his scaled-down Wildcat Railroad" still offered weekend rides at his ranch to guests, including Walt Disney. The Wildcat still operates in two local parks today."

Cover image for Railroads of Los Gatos, isbn: 9780738546612

Bay Area Radio

9780738589107

$24.99

The San Francisco Bay Area was a key national radio-broadcasting center during the first three decades of commercial radio. In 1909, it was home to the very beginnings of the art and science of broadcasting, when Charles Doc Herrold began sending out weekly voice and music programs from his radio school in San Jose. Dozens of other radio pioneers soon followed. In 1926, big broadcasting came to San Francisco when the newly formed National Broadcasting Company (NBC) established its West Coast headquarters on Sutter Street. Other national and regional networks soon set up their own broadcast production centers, and for the next 20 years, thousands of actors, musicians, announcers, and engineers were creating important programs that were heard on the West Coast as well as nationwide. During World War II, San Francisco became the key collection center for Pacific war news, and bulletins received in San Francisco were quickly relayed to an anxious nation. Conversely, powerful shortwave stations broadcast war news and propaganda back to the Pacific and entertained American troops overseas.

Cover image for Bay Area Radio, isbn: 9780738589107

Claremont

9781467131919

$24.99

Situated along the eastern border of Los Angeles County and at the foot of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains is the community of Claremont. The city, founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1907, quickly became one of Southern California's most unique communities. Known as the City of Trees and PhDs, Claremont has become famous for its lush oak-and-sycamore-lined boulevards, beautifully crafted architecture, and as the home of the highly praised liberal arts schools of the Claremont Colleges. First settled by the Serrano peoples on Indian Hill Mesa and once part of the vast Rancho San Jose, Claremont has gone through several important periods, including expanding from a frontier town to a Congregationalist hub and transitioning from a citrus powerhouse to an artist colony. Equal parts suburban community and college town, Claremont has attracted many for its picturesque setting and charming small-town feel.

Cover image for Claremont, isbn: 9781467131919

Cajon Pass, The

9780738570754

$24.99

California bloomed when modern men conquered Cajon Pass. California's two transverse (east to west) mountain ranges, the San Gabriel and San Bernardino, prevented commerce east between two-thirds of Southern California and the rest of the state. Cajon Pass, the low point between the two ranges, was first opened to business by roads that generally followed old Native American trails. When railroads pierced the divide in 1885, Northern and Southern California and states to the east benefitted. Utility trunks followed: first electrical power in about 1912, followed by telephone, and finally natural-gas pipelines. Courageous, tireless, independent pioneers settled Cajon Pass while looking for gold, mining lime, and nursing water from the ground to satisfy needs of livestock and crops. Even today, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads run their busiest freight transport tracks through Cajon Pass, and Highway 15 competes successfully with its more western counterpart, Highway 5, for record numbers of vehicles per day moving north and south through California.

Cover of The Cajon Pass showing a vintage steam locomotive with people standing on top.

Carlsbad

9780738569925

$24.99

Once a small coastal community known for avocados and flower fields, Carlsbad has grown into a sprawling suburban city, with a small beach-town feel that still maintains ties to its roots. The discovery of its mineral wells in 1885, and the subsequent naming of the city after the famed European spa in Karlsbad, Bohemia, put Carlsbad on the map as a world-class resort destination. Miles of beautiful beaches, and three lagoons located within its boundaries, have shaped Carlsbad into a recreational destination as well. The Flower Fields, with vibrant rows of colorful ranunculus, now serves as a reminder of the past and a link to the future, as shopping and businesses have grown up around them, helping Carlsbad evolve into the diverse, progressive city it is today.

Carlsbad book cover from Images of America showing a vintage beach scene with sunbathers on the sandy shore and dunes.

Berkeley

9780738569420

$24.99

The Huchiun Ohlone people were the first inhabitants of the land that is today Berkeley. Early in the 1800s, the 47,000-acre ranches of the Peralta family stretched into the hills from San Leandro Creek to El Cerrito Creek. Only a scant 50 years later, newly arrived American settlers established the community of Ocean View on the bay, and in 1860, land nestled into the foothills was dedicated for the establishment of the future University of California. With a university to the east and Ocean View to the west, the threat of annexation by the larger town of Oakland finally brought the two communities together into one, and "Athens of the West," as Berkeley was known, became a municipality in 1878.

Berkeley Postcard History Series cover with a sepia photograph of Sather Gate at the University of California Berkeley.

Coloma

9780738595498

$24.99

A chance discovery on January 24, 1848, profoundly shaped the destiny of California--and the world. On this day, in a river valley that quickly became the town of Coloma, James W. Marshall found gold in the tailrace of a sawmill he was building for John Sutter. The discovery precipitated the largest gold rush in history, bringing an estimated 300,000 fortune-seekers from all over the world in just a few years. By 1849, Coloma mushroomed into a town of 10,000 people, most of them transient miners. Soon, the town became more permanent, with grand hotels, fine homes, and stout brick buildings. In 1857, with the moving of the county seat to Placerville, Coloma entered a period of relative slumber. By the 1870s, however, Robert Chalmers presided over the largest winery outside of the Napa Valley. Orchards and ranches proliferated. The discovery site later became a state park. By the 1970s, tourism brought in even more wealth with the advent of the white-water rafting and kayaking industry.

Coloma cover from Images of America with a gold rush era scene of workers by a tent and river.

San Francisco Zoo

9780738569154

$24.99

In 1922, philanthropist and president of the San Francisco Parks Commission, Herbert Fleishhacker, purchased a 60-acre site in southwestern San Francisco. Fleishhacker Pool was built in 1925 and an adjoining zoo added in 1929. Originally called Fleishhacker Zoo, it featured a variety of exotic wildlife. Major exhibits were built in the 1930s Depression era as part of the Work Progress Administration (WPA). This book celebrates the San Francisco Zoo's 80-year history as it revisits cherished animals and structures like Monkey Island, Storyland, and Dentzel Carousel. The zoo holds a special place in the hearts of many, as it is a great San Francisco treasure along the foggy shores of Ocean Beach.

Cover image for San Francisco Zoo, isbn: 9780738569154

Downtown Stockton

9780738529424

$24.99

Between 1850 and 1950, Stockton grew from gold rush depot to booming California metropolis. Capitalizing on its abundance of water and rich soils, Mediterranean-like climate, hard-working population, and efficient transportation system, Stockton quickly became an epicenter of "the breadbasket of the world." The historic downtown skyline reflects the abundance and adversity of California's Central Valley over the years, and Stockton's ever-changing, ever-expanding role as a modern city.