Pennsylvania

Name: Pittsburgh's Mansions
Brand: Melanie Linn Gutowski
SKU: 9781467120159
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Some students of Pennsylvania history just want to unwind with fond memories of Idlewild. Other readers steel themselves for a heavy dose of Pittsburgh history, with all its ghosts and glories. Excavating the horrors of Duffy’s Cut is not for the faint of heart, even if it is done from the comforts of a Fort Washington home. But no matter what they seek, our Pennsylvania history book catalogue unlocks Pennsylvania’s heritage, from plates of scrapple to veins of coal. [View all Pennsylvania books]

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Pittsburgh's Mansions

Steamtown National Historic Site

Valley Forge

Bucks County Inns and Taverns

The Pennsylvania Turnpike

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Along Pennsylvania's Lincoln Highway

The Bedford Springs Hotel

The National Road in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Lighthouses on Lake Erie

Along the Route 100 Corridor

Philadelphia's 1926 Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition

The Philadelphia Flower Show

Carlisle Barracks

Along the Route 100 Corridor Revisited

Viewing Pittsburgh’s Trolleys and Inclines

Along the Bucktail Highway

Pittsburgh's Mansions

9781467120159

$24.99

A collection of images celebrating the extravagant and historic mansions of Pittsburgh, PA.

In the 19th century, the positioning of Pittsburgh as a major manufacturing center and the subsequent rise of the area's steel industry created a wave of prosperity that prompted the beneficiaries of that wealth to construct extravagant residences. Wealthy enclaves sprang up in the city's East End, across the river in neighboring Allegheny City, and into the countryside. Pittsburgh's Mansions explores the stately homes of the area's prominent residents from the 1830s through the 1920s. Businessmen such as H.J. Heinz, Henry Clay Frick, and members of the Mellon family commissioned elaborate homes from the preeminent architects of their day. Firms such as Alden & Harlow, Janssen & Abbott, and Rutan & Russell left their marks on the city's landscape, often contributing iconic public buildings as well as expansive private homes. Though many of the residences have since been lost, Pittsburgh's Mansions offers a look back at the peak of the city's prominence.

Steamtown National Historic Site

9781467104913

$24.99

In 1984, the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad yard became the home to a millionaire's train collection. Nine years and many improvements later, the Steamtown National Historic Site opened its door to welcome over 100,000 visitors annually. Steamtown occupies an estimated 65 acres of the old Scranton railroad yard with several of its original structures remaining on the site. It also includes a visitor's center, two museums, a restored roundhouse, and a plethora of exhibits and locomotives much to the delight of railfans of all ages. The Steamtown National Historic Site is an integral part of the preservation of railroad history, as it is representative of a steam-era gone by.

Valley Forge

9780738511177

$24.99

Valley Forge is a name that resonates in the minds of many Americans. As the site of the 1777-1778 encampment of the Continental army during the Revolutionary War, it has come to symbolize determination and triumph. While many people know something revolutionary happened in Valley Forge, they do not understand how or why it became a place of remembrance today. Using the rich historical collections of the National Center for the American Revolution and Valley Forge Historical Society, Valley Forge shares the early-twentieth-century history of the area through nearly two hundred images, the majority of which are published for the first time.

Valley Forge offers a variety of historical views and background into the site that became Pennsylvania's first state park. Highlights include Washington's Headquarters and the patriotic and inspiring Washington Memorial Chapel, as well as Revolutionary War artifacts that have found a home in Valley Forge. Thousands of books exist on the history of the American War for Independence, but few describe the events and people who have struggled to preserve that story of independence for people everywhere, as Valley Forge does.

Bucks County Inns and Taverns

9780738557984

$24.99

From Colonial times to the present, the warmth and ambiance of Bucks County's inns and taverns have ceaselessly beckoned those seeking refreshment or rest from the rigors of the road. Whether welcomed by the glow of a crackling fire or the sounds of lively conversation, guests were sure to find sustenance, shelter, companionship, and camaraderie within their walls. Besides providing lodging, these celebrated "publick houses" have long played an important role in the development of this richly historical region as meeting places, stagecoach stops, news centers, entertainment venues, polling stations, and auction houses. Bucks County Inns and Taverns documents how these establishments were once the focal point of rural and town life and how many continue today as landmarks, inspiring a sense of pride in Bucks County residents.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike

9780738535326

$23.99

See how the Pennsylvania Turnpike proved the doubters wrong and came to be known as the World's Greatest Highway.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is one of the best-known highways in the United States. Most Pennsylvania Turnpike travelers are unaware that its construction was inspired by the route of the never-completed South Pennsylvania Railroad. In the 1930s, men of great vision conceived, planned, and built the nation's first long-distance superhighway using the abandoned railroad's partially finished tunnels as its foundation.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike draws from the extensive photograph collection in the Pennsylvania State Archives. Many were taken by photographers hired by both the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and its contractors, and most have never been published previously. Originally predicted to be a financial failure, the project wound up being a tremendous success and, eventually was expanded and improved, laying the groundwork for the nation's Interstate Highway System.

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway

9781467121538

$24.99

The Benjamin Franklin Parkway has sliced through the Logan Square neighborhood of Center City (downtown) Philadelphia since World War I. Named after Philadelphia's favorite son, the mile-long boulevard begins at city hall and heads diagonally towards Logan Circle before reaching the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The postcards and other images in this work show the parkway's development and its role in Philadelphia's civic and cultural life. Despite often serving as a speedway into and out of town, the Ben Franklin Parkway is a triumph in urban planning that has become a treasured part of the City of Brotherly Love.

Along Pennsylvania's Lincoln Highway

9780738545110

$24.99

Unlike today's interstate highway system, the earlier routes offered ever-changing scenes and roadside attractions. Although the Lincoln Highway crosses the entire country from New York City to San Francisco, the route it follows through Pennsylvania offers some of the most diverse and beautiful scenery. From the relatively flat terrain in the eastern part of the state to the mountains in the west, the highway passes through large cities and small towns, and almost all of these areas offered something to the motoring public. The popularity of the automobile gave rise to some of the highway's greatest attractions, such as Bill's Place and the S. S. Grand View Ship Hotel, which was destroyed by fire in 2001. Along Pennsylvania's Lincoln Highway is a trip back into time, and it recalls the days when getting to a destination was half the fun.

The Bedford Springs Hotel

9780738592985

$24.99

The Bedford Springs Hotel, located in a valley in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains, has a rich and fascinating history spanning over 200 years. Established in the 1790s by Dr. John Anderson, who gained his knowledge of the therapeutic mineral springs from local Native Americans, the spa resort drew visitors to the almost magical curative waters in search of renewed health and vitality. Bedford Springs grew to be a popular and fashionable summer resort destination throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, hosting industrialists and socialites and even serving as the summer White House. After housing a US Navy training school and Japanese diplomat detainees during World War II , the Bedford Springs Hotel attracted resort goers until the late 1980s, when it closed its doors. The expansive property sat silently, but elegantly, for two decades before its 2007 rebirth as the luxurious Omni Bedford Springs Resort.

The National Road in Pennsylvania

9780738511665

$24.99

The history of America is written over every mile of the National Road in Pennsylvania. The original National Road can be traced to Native American trails. George Washington, Gen. Edward Braddock, and James Burd converted portions of Native American trails into a roadway suitable for military purposes and westward expansion. Then came the National Road, built in the early 1800s to accommodate increased traffic traveling westward on the existing road. It was the first federally built road in the United States. Alternately called the National Pike and the Cumberland Road, the National Road was overlaid by segments of U.S. Route 40 in the 1920s. Today, the National Road is designated as a National Scenic Byway as well as an All-American Road. From Addison to West Alexander, The National Road in Pennsylvania contains images of important historic sites and towns on the ninety-mile stretch of highway. The defeat of Col. George Washington's troops at Fort Necessity spawned the French and Indian War. One of the most famous instigators of the Whiskey Rebellion, David Bradford, built his home alongside the National Road. The first cast-iron bridge in America was built on the National Road in Brownsville. The road is flanked by toll houses, coal mines, historic taverns, and automobile camps. One will find images of an S-bridge, mile markers, and memorials relating to the history of the area.

Pennsylvania Lighthouses on Lake Erie

9781467118743

$21.99

Four lighthouses remain in Pennsylvania, and Lake Erie is home to three. In 1818, Old Presque Isle Light became the first United States lighthouse built on the lake's shore. But a need for even more navigational assistance gave birth to the North Pierhead Lighthouse forty years later. The Presque Isle Light Station first shined on Lake Erie in July 1873. Thanks to the guidance from these landmarks, Erie's port is one of the busiest in the Great Lakes. Author Eugene Ware offers an edifying history of Erie Harbor lights.

Along the Route 100 Corridor

9780738536330

$24.99

The tiny villages along what is now known as the Route 100 Corridor are Bally, Eshbach, Bechtelsville, New Berlinville, Boyertown, and Washington Township, which consists of Schultzville, Barto, and Forgedale. In the late 1800s, the area's prosperous industry attracted such figures as Thomas Edison. The rich history of the area also includes the worst fire in U.S. history, the first Mennonite house of worship, one of the first Catholic missions in the thirteen original colonies, and a young missionary woman who traveled to India and perished on the Titanic. Through vintage photographs and descriptive captions, Along the Route 100 Corridor is a trip down these historic dirt roads with the early settlers.

Philadelphia's 1926 Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition

9780738565446

$24.99

In 1926, the city of Philadelphia hosted the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition to honor the 150th anniversary of American independence. The exposition featured four major exhibition palaces where innovations and advancements in science, technology, education, industry, and agriculture were displayed. An additional fifth palace was dedicated to the fine arts, and foreign nations and individual states erected their own buildings as well. The exposition's theme of patriotism was showcased through the re?created High Street of 1776, a favorite for many. Visitors were also entertained and delighted as they experienced areas known as Treasure Island and the Gladway, where all manner of amusements abounded. Crowds were drawn to the many sporting and cultural events held in the newly built stadium. Even the grounds of the navy yard were opened to the public, allowing citizens views of historic and modern naval vessels and military exhibits. By these offerings, and many others, the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition celebrated the nation's past, present, and future.

The Philadelphia Flower Show

9781467120999

$24.99

Since its first exhibition in 1829, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) has introduced beautiful new plants, inspiring design concepts, and innovative environmental practices to the American public at its annual show. Having begun as a modest display of fruits, vegetables, and flowers in a 19th-century Masonic Hall, the event expanded into the Philadelphia Civic Center, later completed a 21st-century transformation of 10 acres in the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and blossomed into the world's largest indoor horticultural event--the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show. Today, the nine-day celebration of astonishing gardens and superb floral and landscape design attracts a quarter-million visitors to the city.

Carlisle Barracks

9780738562322

$24.99

Carlisle Barracks was established by the British Army in 1757 to support operations against the French during the French and Indian War. During the Revolutionary War, the post supported Washington's army against the British. After the post was burned by Confederate forces during the Civil War, it was rebuilt and served as the U.S. Army's Cavalry School until 1871, when the post was closed. In 1879, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School opened at the post to educate Native American children. This school operated until 1918, when the U.S. Army resumed control of the post and opened a hospital to care for wounded World War I soldiers. The U.S. Army Field Medical School opened there in 1920 and remained until that function was relocated in 1946. In 1951, the U.S. Army War College moved to Carlisle Barracks, where it remains. Using vintage photographs, Carlisle Barracks chronicles how for more than 250 years this post has supported military operations and training and continues to do so today.

Along the Route 100 Corridor Revisited

9780738538440

$24.99

Along the Route 100 Corridor Revisited documents the villages and townspeople along the Route 100 Corridor that were instrumental in the beginnings of many industries in the area. They also played a significant role in the formation of religious organizations, including the Mennonite, Catholic, and Schwenkfelders. Heavily populated by the Pennsylvania Dutch, industries such as furniture making, pottery, shoemaking, and tinsmithing all developed. Businesses known as hucksters serviced the nearby
communities by traveling via horse-drawn wagons. Travel back to the dirt roads, country doctors, and rural lifestyle through this collection of vintage photographs.

Along the Bucktail Highway

9780738555232

$24.99

The Bucktail Highway, Pennsylvania Route 120, traverses over 100 miles of the commonwealth's historic northern tier, linking Ridgway in the west with Lock Haven in the east. The Bucktail Highway crosses the eastern continental divide east of St. Marys and closely follows the picturesque, deep valleys carved by Sinnemahoning Creek and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Originally a Native American path and later a road that carried settlers west beyond the Allegheny Front, today's Bucktail Highway is a centerpiece of the Pennsylvania Wilds, a public-private initiative to promote and conserve the unique natural and historic resources of the region. Along the Bucktail Highway showcases over 200 vintage postcards profiling the cultural and natural history of the towns, forests, and waters linked by this scenic route from its beginnings as a westward trail, its growth as a commercial and industrial corridor in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and its recent emergence as a premier Pennsylvania scenic byway.