Nature

The town of Wellington was located by the Stevens Pass summit in the Cascade Mountains. During the last days of February in 1910, the snow was relentless in the Cascades, falling as much as one foot per hour and rising up to 20 feet deep in areas. Rotary plows could not keep the lines open as snow covered the railroad tracks almost immediately after being cleared. The Seattle Express, coming from Spokane, and a fast mail train were stranded just beyond the safety of the Cascade Tunnel, where they remained unmovable for almost a week under the snow packed mountains. On March 1, an avalanche swept away the tracks and passengers aboard the two trains as well as several of Wellington's buildings and homes. Almost 100 individuals were killed in just a few seconds, creating America's deadliest avalanche and train disaster in history. Today, the site is part of the Iron Goat Trail off Highway 2, east of Skykomish. The snowshed, the abandoned original Cascade Tunnel, and various scraps of the trains left in the ravine are the only evidence that remain of Wellington, its long-forgotten inhabitants, or the disaster.

A Wyoming historian shares an in-depth look at the historic storm and its devastating aftermath through the stories of those who survived.

The Blizzard of 1949 took Wyoming and neighboring states by surprise. In January of that year, snow, wind and frigid temperatures devastated the northern plains. The storm stranded hundreds of motorists on the highways and stalled nearly two dozen trains at depots throughout the state. For nearly two months, towns and ranches were marooned by enormous drifts, some reportedly eighty feet tall.

Communities pulled together to assist not only their neighbors but also anyone unable to escape the snowstorm. Drawing on meticulous research and numerous in-person interviews, author and historian James Fuller recounts these harrowing stories of tenacity and fortitude.

Since the development of photography in the mid-nineteenth century, the camera has been used as a tool of both discovery and preservation.

Photographs bring alive our image of the past and can open a floodgate of memories and nostalgia or inspire curiosity and a sense of history. The Damariscotta River has always been an important resource to those who have lived and traveled along its shores. From Jefferson at the head of Damariscotta Lake to the bridge at Damariscotta and eventually on to the sea at Christmas Cove, this small but adaptable body of water has fostered a wide range of human activities. The fishing, shipbuilding, and brick-making industries were the first to harvest and harness the river. As these industries eventually declined and word of the scenic beauty and simple charm of the region spread, summer cottages, and camps began to appear along the river's banks. Today, the Damariscotta River region is an evocation of Maine life past and present, and it remains one of the most captivating and extraordinary regions in the Northeast.

Liberty State Park (LSP) has undergone massive changes over the past 200 years. Originally a tranquil salt marsh and cove, it was transformed into the greatest concentration of rail facilities in the Northeast. Subsequently abandoned, it was then developed through efforts of community advocates into New Jersey’s premier urban state park. Located on the Upper New York Bay, Liberty State Park maintains a historic and ecological aesthetic. One of the few remaining viable ecosystems along the Hudson River, Liberty State Park provides options for recreational pursuits and opportunities to learn about nature. The park offers waterfront access, acres of open fields, miles of pathways, growing lists of flora and fauna, two restaurants, a marina, the Nature Center, and the Liberty Science Center. It is the only location in New Jersey with ferry service to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

A lifelong Jersey City resident, Gail Zavian is a writer, illustrator, and photographer. A loyal park patron, former Friends of Liberty State Park board member, and staunch environmentalist, Zavian has and continues to photograph every aspect of the park. She selected images from her professional archive, dedicated environmentalists, and Liberty State Park’s historical collections to document the history, challenges, and commitment behind LSP’s creation. Zavian’s hope is that this volume encourages others to protect and preserve the legacy that is Liberty State Park.

The Miami River has proudly served its inhabitants since hunter gatherer days and continues today.

Although the Miami River was originally just 4.5 miles in length, it has been a robust working river since the incorporation of Miami in 1896. With a volume of trade exceeding $4 billion annually, the Miami River has been central to the story of Miami for thousands of years. Native Miamians lived along the river for millennia and used it as their expressway, as well as their source for food and water. The riverbanks have been home to exotic animals, Jesuit missions, slave plantations, Army forts, Julia Tuttle (the Mother of Miami), and a grand Gilded Age hotel. Even with the post–World War II rise of suburbia and the flight of residents away from the center of the city, the river has remained busy. Today, with a renaissance in central Miami, there has been a significant increase in appreciation for the role of the river in this revival and in the rich history of the city.

See the people, places and events that have defined the city of Toms River and its surrounding area since the early 1700s.

Located on the banks of the river of the same name, Toms River was first settled in the early 1700s by loggers drawn to the dense forests on the river's banks. During the American Revolution, the village was a constant thorn in the side of the British, and it was attacked and burned to the ground in 1783. The arrival of the railroads in the late 1800s ushered in a new age of expansion which, spurred on by the construction of the Garden State Parkway in the decade after World War II, continues to this day. See for yourself how it all came about with over 200 carefully-selected photographs.

From a small rural retreat to a center of industry and finally into protected wildlands, this is the story of the Adirondacks' Cranberry Lake.

Initially, the remote Cranberry Lake region attracted hunters and fishermen such as Reuben Wood, world-champion fly caster, as well as artists like Frederic Remington, writer Irving Bacheller, and Arts and Crafts movement philosopher Elbert Hubbard. Between 1886 and 1896, when railroads began to approach the lake, both industry and tourism flourished. Extractive industries like mining and lumbering coexisted with a lively trade catering to leisure travelers and recreationists, though the same industries depleted much of the lake's resources. Several generations later, the natural beauty and wilderness characteristic of the Cranberry Lake region has been restored, and outdoor recreation is still an enticing draw to the area, though the stumps of old trees still litter the land like pockmarks of history, never to fully heal.

Over 200 images document the fascinating history of the towns along the banks of Maine's Union River, chronicling their evolutions.

Along the Union River weaves together more than two hundred images with intriguing and informative text to create an immensely enjoyable journey through the history of the towns along the banks of Maine's majestic Union River and its tributaries. The region comprising Hancock and Penobscot Counties was originally settled by soldiers who came to work in the woods and tanneries. Soon, supporting industries, stores, copper shops, lumber camps, and ladies millinery shops were established, but it was the shipbuilding industry that flourished most prominently. Here, we explore Bingham Millions, Mariaville's Greenhouse Settlement, and Lucerne's Little Switzerland, and experience the wild beauty of this world-famous countryside.

"There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country." —Theodore Roosevelt

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on one of the most audacious journeys in presidential history: the epic “Great Loop Tour.” This daring nine-week, fourteen-thousand-mile train trek across twenty-five states transformed the landscape of American conservation.

At the heart of this monumental trip lies a legendary three-night camping expedition through Yosemite alongside renowned naturalist John Muir. This profound experience would help spark the creation of the national park system and the preservation of many of America’s wild spaces for future generations.

Roosevelt’s tour broke other boundaries along the way, including the presence of courageous African American Buffalo Soldiers who not only protected the president but also became the first guardians of our national parks.

The remarkable connections between Roosevelt, Yosemite, and President Abraham Lincoln, along with many other fascinating characters, helped shape the modern conservation movement for decades to come.

In this revised and expanded edition, author Chris Epting explores one of the most impactful presidential journeys in American history and the forging of our national parks.