Lost

Even in a city as conscious of history as Charleston, not everything has survived. Natural disasters, wars and other calamities claimed many treasures.

Only a few preserved bits of one of the city's grandest mansions survive at Dock Street Theatre. An old Quaker graveyard still rests in peace but does so under a downtown parking garage. The famous corner of Meeting and Broad Streets was once the area's busiest marketplace. The Grace Memorial Bridge spanned the Cooper River for more than seventy years. Author J. Grahame Long details the history of these and more lost locations in the Holy City.

In this never-before-assembled collection of lost landmarks, historian Sarah Downing evokes the Outer Banks of yesteryear.

Drawn from the vast collections of the Outer Banks History Center and from locals mourning the forever changed character of the area, these vintage images reflect the hotels, stores, restaurants and bandstands that appeared in the boom time following World War II but have since been lost to progress. An honorary native, Downing has preserved the Pirate's Ball at Nags Head Casino, Doc Watson playing at the Sound Side on Kitty Hawk Bay and grits at the El Gay in this collection of hangouts and haunts of yesterday's summer.

Discover the ghosts of former ski areas that made the White Mountains the destination it is today.

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are world-renowned for the array of skiing opportunities offered to every skier, from beginner to gold-medal Olympian. Today over a dozen resorts entice tourists and locals each year with their well-manicured trails, high-speed lifts and slope-side lodging. But scattered throughout this region are long-forgotten ski areas that can still be found. In the White Mountains alone, 60 ski areas have closed since the 1930s. Author Jeremy Davis has compiled rare photographs, maps and personal memories to ensure these beloved ski outposts that have been cherished by generations of skiers are given recognition for transforming the White Mountains into a premier ski destination.

Lexington has dozens of well-restored landmarks, but unfortunately so many more are lost forever.

The famous Phoenix Hotel, a longtime stop for weary travelers and politicians alike, has risen from its own ashes numerous times over the past centuries. The works of renowned architect John McMurtry were once numerous around town, but some of the finest examples are gone. The Centrepointe block has been made and unmade so many times that its original tenants are unknown to natives now. Join local blogger, attorney and preservationist Peter Brackney as he explores the intriguing back stories of these hidden Bluegrass treasures.

Still a relief from everyday life, theme parks are popular now. Rediscover the thrills of the past from the lost amusement parks of New York City.

Coney Island is an iconic symbol of turn-of-the-century New York, but many other amusement parks thrilled the residents of the five boroughs. Strategically placed at the end of trolley lines, railways, public beaches and waterways, these playgrounds for rich and poor alike first appeared in 1767. From humble beginnings, they developed into huge sites like Fort George, Manhattan's massive amusement complex. Each park was influenced by the culture and eclectic tastes of its owners and patrons--from the wooden coasters at Staten Island's Midland Beach to beer gardens on Queens' North Beach and fireworks blasting from the Bronx's Starlight Park. However, as real estate became more valuable, these parks disappeared. Rediscover the thrills of the past from the lost amusement parks of New York City.

Author David M. Griffin uncovers the lost history and harrowing stories of Long Island's British forts.

When the Revolutionary War broke out and New York City had fallen in 1776, the forces of the king of Great Britain developed a network of forts along the length of Long Island to defend the New York area and create a front to Patriot forces across the Sound in Connecticut. Fort Franklin on Lloyd's Neck became a refugee camp for Loyalists and saw frequent rebel attacks. In Huntington, a sacred burial ground was desecrated, and Fort Golgotha was erected in its place, using tombstones as baking hearths. In Setauket along the northern shore, the Presbyterian church was commandeered and made the central fortified structure of the town.

Serene one moment and destructive the next, Lake Erie's moods mirror its tumultuous role in history.

As the site of Cleveland's Great Lakes Exposition, the lake offered visitors a respite from the Great Depression, and Hotel Victory, once considered the world's largest summer resort, drew thousands to Put-In-Bay. Daring postal workers dangerously crossed the ice-covered surface on hybrid "boats" and by foot. Canal Street, at the Buffalo Wharf, was once called "the Wickedest Street in America." The Erie is one of thousands of ships that lie in a solemn graveyard below the surface. And rum runners turned the lake into a watery highway for illegal booze during Prohibition.

Author Jennifer Boresz Engelking reveals entertaining, heartbreaking, and nostalgic stories of the lost sites, businesses and industries of Lake Erie.

From the mining industry to the shipping industry to the Civil War, Missouri has lost a lot. Emigrants and traders have lost countless values during their travels. The Civil War caused a loss of not only citizens, but numerous valuable historic items. The host of outlaws who traversed the area have hidden loot that has never been found. Join author Craig Gaines as he details the state treasures lost to time.

When the bustle of a city slows, towns dissolve into abandoned buildings or return to woods and crumble into the North Georgia clay. In 1832, Auraria was one of the sites of the original American gold rush.

The remains of numerous towns dot the landscape - pockets of life that were lost to fire or drowned by the water of civic works projects. Cassville was a booming educational and cultural epicenter until 1864. Allatoona found its identity as a railroad town. Author and professor Lisa M. Russell unearths the forgotten towns of North Georgia.

The Berkshires of Massachusetts have long been known as a winter sports paradise. Over the years, many of these ski areas faded away and are nearly forgotten.

Forty-four ski areas arose from the 1930s to the 1970s. The Thunderbolt Ski Trail put the Berkshires on the map for challenging terrain. Major ski resorts like Brodie Mountain sparked the popularity of night skiing with lighted trails. All-inclusive resorts - like Oak n' Spruce, Eastover and Jug End - brought thousands of new skiers into the sport between the 1940s and 1970s. Jeremy Davis of the New England/Northeast Lost Ski Areas Project brings these lost locations back to life, chronicling their rich histories and contributions to the ski industry.

From the author of Remembering Flint and Hidden History of Flint come unearthed tales of Vehicle City's lost heritage.

The city of Flint waxed and waned with the automotive industry of the twentieth century. Where they have not vanished completely, crumbling signs of past opulence stand as painful reminders of more recent struggles. Hardly a trace remains of the Buick City factory complex that sprawled across the city's north side. The placid waters of Flint Park Lake once echoed with the sounds of an amusement park--games, dancing, circus acts, even a roller coaster. Flint Community Schools pioneered a model for how schools can function outside regular hours, but too many now are closed and deteriorating. Local author Gary Flinn uncovers the abandoned places and lost traditions from the Vehicle City's past.