New England

Southern California was the birthplace of organized drag racing, with the first organized race held at the Santa Ana airport in 1949 and the subsequent founding of the National Hot Rod Association in 1950. Over the next decade and a half, the dragster became the king of the quarter mile on Southern California drag strips. In 1964, veteran dragster owner/driver Jack Chrisman had an idea for something different to grace Southern California’s drag strips. It was not a dragster but a stock-bodied race car using nitromethane for fuel in a supercharged engine. With the help of Gene Mooneyham, Mercury’s Fran Hernandez, and sponsor Helen Sachs, Chrisman put together the world’s first nitro-burning “funny car.” It was a steel stock-bodied Mercury Cyclone with a supercharged 427 Ford engine running on pure nitromethane. Chrisman started the evolution that soon turned stock steel-bodied cars into fiberglass-bodied tube chassis funny cars. Southern California drag racers began to lead the way for racers all over the United States in the new funny car class.

The most respected of firearm companies,  Smith & Wesson explores the guns and company history from 1852 to to 1965. Rarely seen historical photographs, advertisements, and company documents culled from the company archives, museums collections, and the private collections of Smith & Wesson collectors make this a must for every gun collector and admirer.

Horace Smith and Daniel Baird Wesson shared a dream of manufacturing a firearm that could fire repeatedly, using a new and self-contained cartridge. In 1852, the dream became a reality with the founding of Smith & Wesson Firearms Company. Over the next 154 years, the company grew to be one of the most innovative and respected firearms manufacturers in the world. The story of Smith & Wesson is not only about two knowledgeable and enterprising men but also the story of generations of creative and dedicated men and women. The spirit of innovation generated by the partners has long outlived them. Today Smith & Wesson is synonymous with quality, performance, and durability. Smith & Wesson explores the company history, its people, and significant products from the partners' first venture in 1852 to the sale of the Wesson family business in 1965. This book features rarely seen historical photographs, advertisements, and company documents culled from the company archives, museums collections, and the private collections of Smith & Wesson collectors.

The complete history of the home of Red Sox Nation.

Five days after the sinking of the Titanic, Boston's Fenway Park held its grand opening. Since that day, millions have witnessed the Red Sox play baseball. Their Royal Rooters evolved into the Fenway Faithful and are now commonly referred to as Red Sox Nation. Nine World Series have been staged upon Fenway's turf, along with three Major League All-Star Games. Aside from baseball, Fenway has been host to professional and amateur football games, ice hockey, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, hurling, boxing and wrestling matches, and even a circus. Music from concerts has reverberated across its lawn, religious services have been held, and political rallies staged - all adding patches to the quilt of Fenway's rich, illustrious history. The structure that noted author John Updike referred to many decades ago as a lyric little bandbox has become one of New England's most beloved historical landmarks.

See how the Packard Motor Car Company grew into one of the country's finest automobile companies and produced cars that exemplified quality and innovation.

Founded in 1899, the Packard Motor Car Company grew into one of America's finest automobile companies, producing cars that exemplified American quality and innovation. Packards were the cars of presidents, movie stars, and those with an appreciation for high quality. The company is known for producing a variety of automobiles, as well as marine engines for PT boats. The Packard represents the classic era of automobile manufacturing and remains one of the most sought-after collector cars. The Packard Motor Car Company was in existence from 1899 to 1957, but the golden era of Packard cars came to a close in the late 1930s. The images featured in this book represent the early years at the Warren, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan factories. The first Packard was built in 1899, and the company then went on to build the fifth car to climb Mount Washington and some of the finest record-setting racecars in the history of automobile racing. Packard Motor Car Company contains rare images from the Larz Anderson Auto Museum that were saved from the Packard factory and the personal collection of James Ward Packard when the company closed.

Founded in 1903, Ford Motor Company has enormously impacted the history and development of America, and the world, in the 20th century.

What began as a small operation in a converted Detroit wagon factory has become the second largest industrial manufacturing corporation in the world, with active operations on six continents. Unlike other automotive corporations, the Ford company has remained under the control and active management of its founding family for 100 years. Like the Kennedys, Vanderbilts, and Roosevelts, the Ford family has made an irreversible impact on American history and society. Through a collection of over 200 images, Ford Dynasty tells the story of one extraordinary American family, their company, and its accomplishments over the course of a century.

Discover what made Whalom Park a beloved institution for generations through historic photographs.

Whalom Park’s name is derived from adjoining Lake Whalom. Native Americans originally called the lake Unketchewhalom, meaning “the lake of the magician,” based on a legend. They also considered it to be magical since there is no inlet. The Fitchburg & Leominster Street Railway acquired the land in 1892 and installed trolley lines and amusements, opening the park the following year. A deer park, an open-air theater, and an inn were followed in subsequent years by food concessions, a variety of games of skill, and amusement rides. A succession of natural disasters, fires, modernization, and expansion shaped the park into an iconic memory for so many area citizens and visitors. At the time of its closing in 2000, Whalom—at 108 years of age—held the distinction of being the oldest amusement park in America.

Authors C. William Lakso, William E. Tyler, and Edwin G. Ollikkala thoroughly researched the history of the park and utilized donated photographs to augment those at the Lunenburg Historical Society. Their goal was to prepare a volume that would enable readers to quickly recall and visualize many pleasant memories and the happy times spent with their families at Whalom Park.

Beginning in 1932, Linwood W. Moody (1905–1983) documented in photographs and collected artifacts of Maine’s two-footer railroads. A pioneer of railroad photography, his work led to articles in numerous publications such as Railroad Magazine and later culminated in Linwood’s 1959 publication The Maine Two-Footers. Among his personal effects at the time of his death in 1983 were hundreds of photographs of three of the Maine two-footers—the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway; the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad; and the Monson Railroad. The state of Maine was unique in regards to its narrow-gauge railroads. Most railroads in the United States have a width of four feet, eight and one half inches between the rails, known as standard gauge. Due to the efforts of George Mansfield, a railroad promoter of the late 1800s, a very narrow gauge of two feet between the rails was successfully developed in the state of Maine. 

Go inside the people, places, forests and machines that made Maine the logging and lumber giant it is today.

Known as the Pine Tree State, Maine once led the world in lumber production. It was the first great lumber-producing region, with Bangor at its center. Today, the state has nearly 18 million acres of timberland, and forest products still make up a major industry. The state's lumber industry went through several historical periods, beginning with the vast pine and spruce harvests, the organization of major corporate interests, the change from sawlogs to pulpwood, and then to sustained yields, intensive management, and mechanized harvesting.

At the beginning, much of the region was inaccessible except by water, so harvesting activities were concentrated on the coast and along the principal rivers. Gradually, as the railroads expanded and roads were constructed into the woods, operations expanded with them and the river systems became vitally important for the transportation of timber out of the woods to the markets downstate. Logging and Lumbering in Maine traces these developments in the industry and examines the history from its earliest roots in 1630 to the present, providing a pictorial record of land use and activity in Maine.

Lebanon, located on the border of New Hampshire and Vermont, is the center of the largest micropolitan area in the United States and the only city in New Hampshire’s Grafton County, but its history has long been overshadowed by its cultural neighbors: Dartmouth College to the north, the Enfield Shaker community to the east, and the Cornish Colony to the south. Here, Lebanon’s history takes center stage, starting from its beginnings as valuable territory for the Indigenous Western Abenaki and the first European colonists on the banks of the Connecticut and Mascoma Rivers. Lebanon follows the city through its development as a railroad hub, its growth as a powerhouse of mill production, and its modern role as a center of healthcare and scientific innovation. This book showcases photographs from the collection of the Lebanon Historical Society—a one-of-a-kind archive of the area’s history. Generations of amateur historians and collectors have produced a resource of thousands of original images supplemented and informed by a vast trove of historical documents and artifacts. 

Danvers State Hospital revolutionized mental health care for more than a century, beginning in 1878. Today, it's buildings still have stories to tell.

Perched high on the top of Hathorne Hill in what was once the village of Salem, Danvers State Insane Asylum was, for more than a century, a monument to modern psychiatry and the myriad advances in mental health treatment. From the time it opened its doors in 1878 until they were shuttered for good in 1992, the asylum represented decades of reform, the physical embodiment of the heroic visions of Dorothea Dix and Thomas Story Kirkbride. It would stand abandoned until 2005, when demolition began. Along with a dedicated group of private citizens, the Danvers Historical Society fought to preserve the Kirkbride structure, an effort that would result in the reuse of the administration building and two additional wings. Danvers has earned a unique place in history; the shell of the original Kirkbride building still stands overlooking the town. Though it has been changed drastically, the asylum's story continues as do efforts to memorialize it.

The fading memories of Greater Boston's Blizzard of 1978 return to life for those who experienced it and those who can only imagine.

The great blizzard of 1978 is an event seared in the memory of anyone who lived through it. Most of Greater Boston was quickly overwhelmed by the storm, which shut down all forms of transit, stranded thousands of cars and motorists along Route 128, and virtually shut down most of the state for a week. But for many coastal communities, the impact of the storm, which brought record high tides and pounding surf, was pure devastation. The common thread shared by almost everyone in the region was positive memories of neighbors and strangers helping each other and finding new bonds of community.

Greater Boston's Blizzard of 1978is illustrated with approximately 200 photographs from government archives and private collections and is told by author Alan R. Earls, who somehow managed to drive through the worst of the infamous storm.

Striking photographs document a time-honored pastime unknown to many outside of New England.

Candlepin bowling is hard.So hard, in fact, that no one has ever bowled a perfect game.The pins are tall and skinny, the balls are small enough to fit in a player’s hand, and the fallen pins are not cleared between rolls.Originating in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the late 19th century and played today mostly in New England and eastern Canada, the game has a rich and colorful history.In the days before automation, sure-footed pin boys manually reset the pins and returned the balls.A long-running, top-rated Boston television show regularly transformed unassuming candlepinners into regional celebrities.And the game has something called a Half Worcester.Author and photographer Susan Mara Bregman bowled at dozens of candlepin centers, combed through dusty archives, and interviewed industry insiders to create this affectionate look at one of America’s quirkiest pastimes.

Unless you're from New England, you may not know the expression He's got a lot of moxie! came from a bittersweet patent medicine turned soda.

The expression is taken to mean that one has nerve, vigor, and grit. The soda pop originally called Moxie Nerve Food was guaranteed to cure nervous exhaustion and a host of associated ailments. First bottled in 1885, today it is the official soft drink of the state of Maine and still enjoyed by many. This book chronicles Moxie's rich history and brilliant marketing breakthroughs as well as some corporate misfortunes and rebounds along the way.

Oakdale, California, is located on the south bank of the Stanislaus River in the state’s great Central Valley. The area was the ancestral home of a band of Yokut Indians. With their leader Cucunuchi (later named Estanislao by missionaries), the Yokuts successfully resisted Spanish occupation until the flood of American and European gold seekers overwhelmed them in 1849. Ferries were quickly constructed on the banks of the river to transport miners, merchants, mules, and horses from the port of Stockton to the goldfields of the southern Mother Lode. Cattle ranchers and grain farmers soon moved into the area, and by the time the railroad built a bridge across the river in 1871, a town was laid out, and there were plenty who jumped at the chance to buy lots in the new town of Oak Dale, as it was known then. This is the story of those colorful, resourceful, and enterprising people who transformed a rough, saloon-filled railroad stop into a strong and thriving community. 

Explore New Hampshire’s iconic 4,000-foot peaks that have been attracting hikers, explorers and outdoor enthusiasts to the White Mountains for more than 200 years.

Though they are best known today for their long-standing popularity among peak-bagging hikers, these mountains played a major role in the development of the region from a daunting wilderness to a thriving recreational mecca. This transformation included the construction of the world-famous Mount Washington Cog Railway in 1869 and its various summit hotels atop the Northeast’s highest peak, the cutting of hundreds of miles of recreational footpaths in the mountain valleys and on their steep slopes, and the creation of some of New England’s first downhill ski trails on Mounts Moosilauke, Cannon, and Wildcat in the 1920s and 1930s. Over the years, the 4,000-footers have attracted visitors from all walks of life, including US presidents, renowned poets, world-class skiers, and Supreme Court justices.

Maine's Hunting Past captures the pursuit of wild animals through a century of documentation. Since about 1850, animals have been taken for sport, for food, and for their hides. Hunting has long been not only a sport but also an industry, resulting in the increase and growth of sporting camps and an expanding number of guides. Maine's Hunting Past highlights favorite regions, featuring famous sporting camps and well-known guides. Big game, small game, upland birds, waterfowl, furbearers, and numerous photographs of trophy animals and large bag limits are all included.

The first comprehensive photographic record of Boston's most conspicuous immigrant group - the Irish.

A Journey through Boston Irish Historyis the fruit of years of tireless research by prize-winning author Dennis P. Ryan. Within these pages are rare and handsome images unearthed from innumerable local libraries, historical societies and museums, parish rectories and Catholic charitable institutions, the archives of religious congregations, major Boston and diocesan newspapers, private family collections, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Beginning with the horrifying famine of the 1840s in Ireland and concluding four generations later with the election of John F. Kennedy as president, A Journey through Boston Irish Historyis a sweeping, poignant portrait of the children of the Gael and the city they transformed politically, socially, and culturally.

Ryan takes us through the corridors and wards of hospitals and orphanages that were established by the Irish to care for their own. Powerful images supplied by the Mathew Brady Collection at the Library of Congress recount the exploits of the celebrated Massachusetts Ninth Irish Regiment during the American Civil War. Within these pages, we are also invited to discover the vibrant personalities of pugilist John L. Sullivan, William Henry Cardinal O'Connell, as well as the irrepressible Mayor James Michael Curley.

A pictoral history and moving tribute to the people of Portland's spirit, drive and ability to overcome adversity from the last 130 years.

Portland is often associated with the mythological phoenix, the animal that rises out of the ashes of its apparent death. Life here has often been a struggle: to overcome the disastrous fires of 1775 and 1866, to rebuild after the change in Canadian policy in 1920 that devastated the waterfront and to outlast the Depression and the other economic crises that have affected the area. The people of Portland have always faced these problems head on, survived, and rebuilt the city stronger then it was before.
Portland features more than 200 images that together document life in Maine's largest city over the last 130 years. We see immigrants arrive from all corners of the world and watch as they build lives and businesses in their new home. We witness the waterfront and Congress Street rise, fall, and rise again. We observe how the political scene has changed and been changed by everyday people. Perhaps the most interesting photographs, however, are those of everyday life: people working, playing sports, relaxing, falling in love and living life to its fullest.

If you know anything about American history, you know the country was founded on the principle of religious tolerance. If you're more advanced, you know it depended on which religion.

Strange as it may seem today, it was illegal to practice Catholicism in Massachusetts until 1780, and the first public Mass wasn’t celebrated until eight years later. However, by 1808, so much progress had been made that Pope Pius VII created the Diocese of Boston, which then encompassed all of New England. The community continued to grow throughout the 19th century, and by the early 1900s was a significant part of the Boston community, greatly bolstered by the waves of Irish and Italian Catholics immigrating in the US. The Catholic community had come of age, from newcomers with customs often perceived as strange, to being ever present at public events and in local, state, and national politics. This book traces the evolution of the Catholic community and its relationship with the larger Boston community, from its very humble beginnings in the 18th century through the death of influential Cardinal Richard J. Cushing in 1970.

Granted in 1763 and incorporated in 1777, Moultonborough was named in honor of Col. Jonathan Moulton, a legendary figure in state history. The town’s historical development is closely tied to its location between lakes and mountains and to transportation routes established during the 19th century. Before the advent of tourism, Moultonborough remained primarily an agricultural economy with local supporting industries. Expanding railway and steamboat lines in the late 19th century brought seasonal tourism along with summer homes, grand country estates, and recreational facilities. Long Island became a significant transportation hub, allowing people and goods to be transported all over Lake Winnipesaukee. By the mid-1830s, Moultonborough Corner, at the intersection of stagecoach routes between area towns and lakeside landings, grew into the municipal center. Moultonborough developed a tourism-based seasonal economy in the 20th century, and it is now best known for such landmark destinations as the Old Country Store and the Castle in the Clouds. It is also home to the annual Lee’s Mills Steamboat Meet.

The Hartford Whalers began their existence in Boston as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association (WHA).

The Whalers played in every season of the WHA’s seven-year existence, even becoming the league’s first champions. Although their games were well-attended in Boston, the upstart league was never serious competition for the powerhouse Bruins. In 1975, they moved to Hartford, and in 1979, along with Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Quebec, joined the National Hockey League. After a series of successes in the ‘80s, by the ‘90s a dissatisfied new owner, unhappy players, and diminishing returns all contributed to the team’s move to North Carolina following the 1997 season and won the Stanley Cup as the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.The Hartford Whalersis a pictorial tribute to this beloved and much-missed Hartford institution.

Maine Narrow Gauge Railroads is a comprehensive pictorial record of the history of the narrow gauge railroad in Maine. From the one-hundred-twelve-mile Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad to the five-mile Kennebec Central, Maine Narrow Gauge Railroads features the toylike miniature trains of Maine as they appeared at different stages in their history. The Bridgton and Harrison Railroad, the Monson Railroad, and the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway lines are documented within, as well as the current restoration projects that are under way.

Building the Mass Pike details the urban history and construction of old Boston, with previously unpublished images from the Turnpike Authority archives.

By 1950, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its capital city had fallen on hard times. The solution came in 1952 from one man and the road he devoted the last decade of his life to building. With the region's railroads in decline and the roads in appalling disrepair, the difficulty of moving people and goods around the state and into its largest port was taking a heavy toll on the economy. The man was William Callahan, and the road was the Massachusetts Turnpike. Building the Mass Pike tells the story of the road's planning, construction, and impact on the communities through which it passed. The book includes previously unpublished images from the Turnpike Authority archives and provides a vivid document of the largest public works project in the state's history and the firestorm of controversy that surrounded it. Written by an engineer-historian, Building the Mass Pike will appeal not only to those fascinated by the history of the Commonwealth and its capital but also to those with an interest in construction, urban history, and the politics of old Boston.

Located on the waterfront in historic Fall River, Massachusetts, Battleship Cove, a nonprofit maritime museum and war memorial, is home to the largest and most diverse collection of preserved US Navy ships in the world.

It is the commonwealth's official memorial for the events of September 11, 2001, and the official veterans' memorial for World War II and the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf Wars. Beginning with the opening of the battleship USS Massachusetts in 1965, the Fall River Navy has continued to grow. The vessels include the submarine Lionfish, destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., and PT boats 617 and 796. Having hosted nearly six million visitors from all over the world, Battleship Cove is one of the most popular attractions in southeastern Massachusetts. It now stands at the threshold of a new era in its ambitions to modernize for the 21st century.

Norwich State Hospital (NSH), established in 1904, was more than just a series of mortar and brick buildings to house and treat persons suffering from mental illness.

For nearly 100 years, generations of people dedicated their careers and lives to developing NSH as a humanitarian community for mental illness rehabilitation. NSH gained international attention from some of the world's most renowned psychiatrists for being the first state hospital to boast a brand-new state-of-the-art building to house all occupational therapies under one roof. Although NSH closed in 1996, the structure has continued to be one of Connecticut's most notable historical landmarks, despite its ongoing demolition and redevelopment. Today, Norwich State Hospital is still alive in the timeless, emotional memories employees and family members share of what it was like to work and grow up in a place where employees were not just employees and patients were not just patients; they were family.

From a small get-together in the early years of the twentieth century to an annual gathering of hundreds of thousands, discover the uncanny history and characters of Laconia Motorcycle Week.

Laconia Motorcycle Week is the oldest national motorcycle rally in the United States. Since 1916, motorcyclists have traveled to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire to enjoy the beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains. In 1916, the sport of motorcycling had just begun, and the enthusiasm and participation has continued to grow exponentially throughout the years. As the oldest rally, Laconia Motorcycle Week has certainly seen the good times and the bad times. Since 1998, Laconia Motorcycle Week has averaged over 300,000 visitors into New Hampshire every June. The rally is made up of hundreds of individual motorcycle-related events throughout the state of New Hampshire.

The historic images in Candlewood Lake illustrate the history of the lake basin from its beginnings to the present day.

At the turn of the century, the Rocky River valley was a quiet, productive farming community nestled in the foothills of Connecticut's Berkshire Mountains. On July 15, 1926, the Connecticut Light and Power Company's board of directors approved a plan to create a lake for the purpose of producing electric power, a decision that changed the face of the valley forever. Plans moved quickly, and the company bought the valley land and built several dams to contain the water. On February 25, 1928, the fill-up began, and in a mere seven months, Candlewood Lake was born.

This unique compilation of photographs vividly illustrate the architecture, landscape, and day-to-day functioning of Worcester State Hospital from its origins in the 19th century to the present day.

The Worcester State Hospital offered a novel and compelling promise: that insanity could be cured by humane treatment in a therapeutic setting. Patients would enjoy its idyllic landscape, genteel interiors, wholesome food supplied from its farm, and the individualized attention of medical professionals. The hospital’s reputation as a “model institution” helped to position the city of Worcester as an economic center and pioneer in social reform. Yet overcrowding, insufficient funds, and the limitations of medical knowledge undermined the institution’s mission, leading to the abandonment of its original features. Despite downsizing and decay, the Worcester State Hospital continues to exert a tangible presence on the landscape. Its iconic clock tower, salvaged from demolition, stands as a reminder of its historical legacy and of the continuing role of the site—now the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital—in the treatment of mental illness.

Madeline Ryan and Katherine Anderson have drawn upon their extensive knowledge of institutional history to craft an illustrated narrative of the Worcester State Hospital utilizing photographs held by the Worcester Historical Museum as well as images from private collections.

Take a ride through historic Massachusetts down Route 128!

Route 66 may be the most famous highway in the United States, but the country is home to countless roads ushering millions of motorists along decade after decade. Route 128 traces its origins to the late 1920s, when the Massachusetts Department of Public Works cobbled together a makeshift network of existing roads through Boston's suburbs. Between 1947 and 1956, Route 128 was reconstructed as a major regional expressway, and immediately feuled explosive growth in the region. What was once the "road to nowhere" quickly became a major commercial nexus for eastern Massachusetts and a critical link in the region's highway network. Building Route 128 vividly documents the highway's construction and its impact, drawing previously unpublished images from the Massachusetts Department of Public Works and tells the story of a region forever changed.

Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, is one of New England's most renowned graveyards. The cemetery attracts thousands of visitors every year, particularly when the foliage turns during fall.

This 85-acre open-air museum is noted for the artistry and craftsmanship of its monuments, derived exclusively from legendary Barre gray granite. Barre was a boomtown with a rapidly rising population of European immigrants, especially those from Italy and Scotland, seeking opportunities as artisan carvers and laborers in the area's granite quarries. Ethnic enclaves developed around Barre; most notably, the city's north end became known as Little Italy. This diversity is captured in granite on the monuments of those interred at Hope Cemetery—not only in the surnames etched in stone but also in the monuments' widely varying symbols of remembrance. Within Hope Cemetery, memorials range from traditional European forms, including angels, cherubs, and other religious hallmarks, to highly individualized modern monuments depicting images representative of family life, interests, and leisure in the form of such diverse objects as lounge chairs, airplanes, race cars, a soccer ball, and many more.

Since 1938, when the Merritt's first 7-mile section was opened to traffic, millions have shared a fascination for Connecticut's Merritt Parkway and its bridges.

A survey made in 1928 called for a two-lane macadam highway to run from Stratford to Greenwich; with $1 million of state money, construction started on the Merritt Highway in 1932. Opened for 38 miles on September 2, 1940, it became known throughout Fairfield County as the Queen of Parkways. Discover the beginnings of this groundbreaking advance in American travel in Traveling the Merritt Parkway. This pictorial history preserves and pays tribute to the history of the Merritt, and explores the construction of the parkway, as well as the little-known parent highway for which the earliest bridges were constructed, including White Plains Road in the town of Trumbull.

Nestled on the island peninsula of Cape Ann on the North Shore of Massachusetts, Gloucester, known as “America’s Oldest Seaport,” was founded in 1623 by farmers and fishermen from Dorchester, England, as the first permanent European settlement in Massachusetts.

This had been the second European attempt at settling the area, and though it initially struggled, Gloucester maintained its status as a fishing village and became a major New England commercial port in the centuries to come. Its growth granted it national notoriety for its robust maritime culture and economy and led to its eventual distinction as a tourist and fine arts destination as well. Additionally, Gloucester is bordered by the towns of Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Essex, all of which have played their own unique roles in the development of the Cape Ann area. 

Ryan A. McRae, a historian and native of the North Shore, has carefully cultivated his own collection of original postcards of the area and has used this, as well as his expertise in the field, to effectively narrate and exhibit Gloucester and Cape Ann’s unique history in this medium.

Now known as the Tewksbury State Hospital, the institution was originally a venture by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide economical care for state paupers known as the State Almshouse at Tewksbury.

Originally intended to accommodate 500 residents, by the end of 1854 the almshouse had admitted well over 2,200 paupers, thus necessitating future expansion. Although the virtue of the institution was called into question in 1883 by Gov. Benjamin Butler, who decried Supt. Thomas J. Marsh, the almshouse would continue to serve the destitute of the commonwealth for years to come. The name would later be changed to Tewksbury State Hospital to reflect the inclusion of the mentally ill, the sick, and those suffering from infectious disease as patients. Today, the hospital remains operational in providing specialized care in the Thomas J. Saunders Building while also serving as host to various governmental agencies and community organizations like the Public Health Museum on its historic campus. Although many of the early structures were demolished in the 1970s, the Tewksbury State Hospital remains an active institution brimming with architectural beauty and a rich public health history.

Ashlynn Rickord Werner is an historian of state hospitals for the mentally ill and state schools for the developmentally disabled. She serves on the board of directors for the Public Health Museum, which is housed in the Old Administration Building at Tewksbury State Hospital. Jon Maynard is an historian, preservationist, and architectural photographer. He runs Westborough State Hospital Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is building a memorial to the now demolished hospital.

Middlebury, Vermont, is the seat of agricultural Addison County.

When Gamaliel Painter, a pioneer from Connecticut, noticed the potential in the falls of Otter Creek in the mid-18th century, he and his friends began to harness the waterpower for industry. Stone mill buildings were erected and were later influential in the architecture of Middlebury College, one of the first colleges in Vermont and the country. The first marble industry in Vermont began in Middlebury and exported tons annually. By the mid-19th century, Italian stonecutters were provided with a more efficient way to export their product via the railroad, but economic emphasis eventually shifted to agriculture and animal husbandry. However, two local farm boys, Henry Sheldon and Clinton Smith, distinguished themselves and created a lasting legacy in Middlebury. Sheldon, who was a musician and curator, founded today’s Sheldon Museum. Smith was a builder and architect, and his mill below the falls produced the building materials for Middlebury’s town hall, a courthouse, and the Methodist church.

Author David Munford, a graduate of Middlebury College and a retired high school history teacher, has taken advantage of a thoroughly documented collection in the archives of the Sheldon Museum and the Special Collections of Middlebury College to illustrate that in his hometown, the past is not only nearby, it is hiding in plain sight, ready and willing to tell its story.

In over 200 rare, historical images, the story of one outstanding naval submarine base comes to life.

The first U.S. naval submarine base traces its origin to 1868, when the state of Connecticut and the city of New London granted the navy one hundred twelve acres of land across the Thames River in Groton. Naval Submarine Base NewLondon shows how this land developed from a depot for dry-docked ships and a coaling stationfor navy warships to its present designation as a submarine base. Nearly two hundred images depict the sailors and civilian workers who together maintained, serviced, and staffed the submarines, shops, and offices in support of the growing submarine fleet.

The Lost Towns of the Quabbin Valley highlights the life and times of these towns from 1754 to 1938, when the inhabitants were told, ""All Must Leave.""

The Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts was created in 1938 to supply the state's growing population with a source of drinking water. In order to create the reservoir, it was necessary to dam three branches of the Swift River, and to flood the valley which was home to five small towns- Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, Prescott, and parts of New Salem, all of which now exist underwater. More than two thousand people were displaced when the Quabbin Valley was flooded, and now these former towns are only accessible through memories, SCUBA equipment, or a time machine.The Lost Towns of the Quabbin Valleypresents rare photographs of town life, including images of students at the first Hillside School and Dr. Mary Walker, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and Greenwich summer resident. The images are drawn from the archives of the Swift River Valley Historical Society. Although the towns are gone, their stories are alive and well.

Through photographs of people, events, and machines, Digital Equipment Corporation tells the story of the unassuming computer revolutionaries who reshaped the technological world.

From its inception in 1957, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), headquartered in Maynard, Massachusetts, carved itself a role in American business unlike any other company. Launched by Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineer Ken Olsen with a $70,000 investment from the country's first venture capital firm, DEC rapidly became a pioneer in computer technology. In its heyday, DEC had a valuation of more than $12 billion and employed approximately one hundred twenty thousand people worldwide, making it second only to IBM. Its people and technology contributed to making computers increasingly affordable, which led directly to the advent of the personal computer, the first computer games, and computer networks. DEC was also a leader in the Internet revolution, claiming the dubious distinction of launching the first spam mailing and registering one of the first commercial domain names. Through photographs of people, events, and machines, Digital Equipment Corporation tells the story of the unassuming computer revolutionaries who reshaped the technological world. It is written for anyone who is interested in how the present era of computing ubiquity has evolved since the 1940s, when IBM chairman Thomas Watson predicted that the whole world might need no more than five computers.

Cape Cod was known as a ship's graveyard but the Cape Cod Canal, proposed in 1776 and built in 1914 became a vital shipping link and a marvel of engineering.

For centuries, the shoals and high winds around Cape Cod turned its waters into a ships' graveyard. In 1623, Miles Standish proposed a shorter, safer passage by building a canal linking Cape Cod Bay with Buzzards Bay, and in 1776, George Washington ordered the first of many surveys. All attempts failed until 1914, when the Cape Cod Canal opened as a private toll canal. The widest sea-level canal in the world, the Cape Cod Canal continues to be an engineering marvel, a vital shipping link, and a summer destination. These rare images from the Nina Heald Webber Collection at Historic New England survey the canal's development from unsuccessful building efforts in the 1800s, through its 1909–1914 construction, and subsequent improvements in the 1930s.

See how brothers Edward and Lincoln Filene brought fashion and entertainment to generations of Bostonians.

It was regarded as the World's Largest Specialty Store. William Filene's Sons Company was founded in 1870 and brothers Edward and Lincoln Filene were revolutionaries who championed employee relations and innovative merchandising. In 1909, Edward organized and opened Filene's famous Automatic Bargain Basement, while Lincoln helped found the Federated Department Stores Company in March 1929. Filene's was a pioneer in branch-store development.

In its heyday, the store hosted appearances by fashion designers, such as Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin, and Pauline Trigère, in addition to celebrities, like Zsa Zsa Gabor, Gloria Swanson, and Gene Autry. A victim of retail consolidation, the flagship downtown Boston store closed its doors in 2006. Its building, designed by the internationally renowned architect Daniel Burnham, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2012 and anxiously awaits its redevelopment. Now, you can see some of these historic photographs that come directly from the Filene Marketing Archives at the Boston Public Library.

Treasured by locals and visitors alike, the charm of Block Island, Rhode Island, first developed as a summer resort in the late 1800s, is shown here throughout its history, from its begininning in 1637, to farming and fishing community, to summer scenes of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Block Island explores the evolution of the small, 7-by-3-mile island that lies between Point Judith, Rhode Island, and Montauk Point, New York. In 1637, Block Island, also known as New Shoreham, was claimed by Massachusetts soldiers who took the land away from the Manisses Indians. When the island was sold to 16 proprietors in 1660, the history of Block Island as part of Rhode Island began. At any time of the year, Block Island has a special look and charm of its own. In addition to its beautiful sandy beaches and thundering surf, the island is plentiful with rolling hills, fertile valleys, and ponds. Within these pages, meet the early residents of the island and learn how this farming and fishing community first developed as a summer resort destination in the late 1800s. Summer scenes from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including views of the steamers that arrived daily carrying thousands of passengers from New York, Connecticut, and other parts of Rhode Island, are also featured in this collection.

Documenting the destruction caused by the 1938 hurricane along New England's coast and the ways in which victims united to rebuild their communities.

The Hurricane of 1938 was one of the most devastating storms to strike New England's Atlantic coast. It forever changed the landscapes of cities and towns in its path. Throughout the hurricane, the Coast Guard worked tirelessly to provide aid to countless displaced residents. Entire communities were leveled by the hurricane's powerful winds and waves.

After the storm subsided and the destruction was evident, the enormous task of rebuilding and reuniting the community began.

Rocky Hill is a commercial center, and along with attractions like Dinosaur State Park and the nation's oldest ferry line, make it a popular New England tourist destination.

Any great civilization would say the secret to success is easy access to a river, and the town of Rocky Hill is no exception. East of the Connecticut River, the waterway made Rocky Hill an active maritime center during the age of sail. As steam replaced sail, Rocky Hill’s role as a river port diminished. Farms grew, and the town became a thriving agricultural center. In recent years, Rocky Hill has become a residential community. Modern highways and a central location have contributed to the town’s growth and made it a commercial center, along with attractions like Dinosaur State Park and the nation's oldest ferry line making it a popular New England tourist destination as well.

Nearly one-third of Maine residents have French blood and are known as Franco-Americans.

Many trace their heritage to French Canadian families who came south from Quebec in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to work in the mills of growing communities such as Auburn, Augusta, Biddeford, Brunswick, Lewiston, Saco, Sanford, Westbrook, Winslow, and Waterville. Other Franco-Americans, known as Acadians, have rural roots in the St. John Valley in northernmost Maine. Those of French heritage have added a unique and vibrant accent to every community in which they have lived, and they are known as a cohesive ethnic group with a strong belief in family, church, work, education, the arts, their language, and their community. Today they hold posts in every facet of Maine life, from hourly worker to the U.S. Congress. These hardworking people have a notable history and have been a major force in Maine's development.

In 1805, a member of a survey crew working on building a road through New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch walked down to Ferrin’s Pond (today’s Profile Lake), gazed up the side of Cannon Mountain, and was mesmerized by what he saw—the state’s most iconic symbol, the Old Man of the Mountain profile.

A few years later, the Flume Gorge, an 800-foot-long natural gorge, was discovered. These natural curiosities quickly gained national attention, and by the mid-1800s, Franconia Notch was a tourist mecca; the limited stagecoach travel through the notch became daily, and the simple overnight accommodations were replaced with the Flume House and the Profile House, two grand hotels that could accommodate hundreds of overnight guests. After fire destroyed the Profile House in 1923, the property was put for sale. A joint effort between the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the State of New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Federation of Women’s Clubs led to the creation of the Franconia Notch Forest Reservation and Memorial Park (today’s Franconia Notch State Park) in 1928.

This book takes readers on a journey through the rich and fascinating history of Franconia Notch during the mid-19th to late 20th century.

A well-read and inventive community, Franklin has been home to a number of influential Americans itself, including Horace Mann, the Father of American Education. Mr. Johnston's pictorial history of Franklin honors the memory of these great citizens and also chronicles the development of the town through its industrial revolution.

The Portsmouth Naval Prison, now vacant, sits on Seavey Island on the Maine and New Hampshire border. Discover its intriguing history and fearsome reputation.

For over a century, the Castle or the Rock, with its deceptively appealing exterior, has kept both visitors and New Hampshire residents in its thrall. Since its opening in 1908 to its decommissioning in 1974 and into the present day, myth and lore have surrounded this iconic building. For the 66 years it functioned, any prisoner who escaped was brought back dead or alive - or so it has been said. Although the prison's fearsome reputation is cemented in Darryl Ponicsan's The Last Detail, Portsmouth was a forerunner in many ways. Routine inside often reflected the latest advancements in the field. Yet, designed or deserved, the prison's legacy remains an intriguing mix of dread and redemption.

Photo by photo, discover the stories that have been made along Maine's stretch of Appalachian wildneress.

Maine native Myron H. Avery recruited friends from Washington, DC; Maine forest and warden service personnel; guides and sporting camp operators; and the Civilian Conservation Corps to extend the Appalachian Trail through Maine, despite questions of whether it would be possible to carve a trail through the state's wildlands. Volunteers of Maine's Appalachian Trail Club, created by Avery in 1935, have since maintained the trail, built shelters, relocated more than half of the original hastily constructed route, and taken on the task of managing the trail's protection corridor. Along Maine's Appalachian Trail illustrates the rich history of the trail's rugged mountains and vast forests, which have provided a livelihood for generations of workers and communities.

Boston's old West End, now demolished, is revealed here in the history of its residents and buildings in more than 200 photographs.

Within these pages, author Anthony Mitchell Sammarcobrings to life the history of Boston's West End—thearea of the city bound by the Charles River and Storrow Drive as well as North Station, City Hall Plaza, and Myrtle Street. Once a thriving, energetic, and diverse neighborhood, the West End was slated for complete removal following World War II. In over 200 marvelous photographs, this collection recaptures fond memories for former residents and shows newcomers the history of the West End. Now the site of luxury, high-rise apartment buildings, condominiums, and stores, Boston's West End was once the site of many Bulfinch-designed townhouses owned by prominent families. In later years, the neighborhood was home to a diverse ethnic and religious community of families who arrived in Boston from all parts of the world. Today,three decades after the West End was virtually leveled, it is still fondly remembered by many who once called it home.

This collection of historic photographs and illustrations will guide you through quaint  Narragansett's early years into its peak in the late 19th century.

Narragansett By-the-Sea is a narrow strip of land along the southwestern shore of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. A sparsely populated agricultural society in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Narragansett was transformed in the nineteenth century into one of America's busiest and most popular seaside resorts. A remarkable collection of historic photographs and illustrations will guide the reader through Narragansett's early years into its golden age at the end of the nineteenth century. See the growth of great wooden hotels, the establishment of a railroad, and the summer cottage period. Share the excitement of the rich and the famous as they were drawn to the finest beach in the northeast and the unique Narragansett Casino, which offered dining, dancing, theater, lawn tennis, and bowling. The quaint charm of Narragansett is what sets it apart from other seaside resorts.

Boston neighborhood history extraordinaire Anthony Mitchell Sammarco casts his local knowledge to nooks and crannies of The North End.

The streets of Boston's North End, some laid out in the seventeenth century, exude a rich history that has included every generation of immigrants to Boston since 1630. An active port, the neighborhood of the North End also included churches of every denomination, historic homes, and early commercial concerns. Immigrants from Russia, Ireland, Germany, Italy, and most other European countries settled in the North End and contributed to itsdevelopment over the years. Today, most visitors to Boston tour the North End and see the Paul Revere House and the famous Old North Church. On the weekends, shoppers visit the bustling Haymarket and attend feasts and festivals amidst the appetizing ambiance of restaurant row. This thriving, lively area of town is an alluring meeting place forresidents and tourists alike.

Pres. George Washington authorized Springfield Armory to begin manufacturing small arms for the US military in 1794.

Over nearly two centuries until its closure in 1968, the government armory at Springfield, Massachusetts, became legendary, not only for the arms provided to soldiers during conflicts such as the War of 1812, the Civil War, and World War II, but also for the way in which those arms were crafted. The drive to produce firearms of high quality and quantity for the nation's military created a need to improve manufacturing methods and machinery. Armory advancements, such as the interchangeability of parts, helped lay the groundwork of the American Industrial Revolution. Because of these efforts, Springfield Armory is recognized not only as a first-rate government arms manufacturer, but also as a hub of industry, attracting thousands of skilled men and women from around the world.

Newtown, Massachusetts is home to some of the finest examples of 19th and 20th century American architecture and has an interesting history as well.

Incorporated in 1688, Newton has a history asfascinating as it is long. Newton illustrates the city's development from a community of scattered farmhouses and five small villages in the 1830s to the Garden City of the Commonwealth one hundred years later. Newton's colorful history encompasses many unique features; not only was it one of the country's first railroad suburbs, Newton was home to the Stanley brothers of Steamer fame, to Gen. William Hull, whose reputation suffered during the War of 1812, and, briefly, to Horace Mann and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Newton, however, is best known not for the famous or nearly famous who lived here, but for some of the finest examples of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century domestic architecture in America.