Drawn by extravagant promises of "a beautiful village of 500 inhabitants, studded with orange trees and grapevines," the Hammond family arrived in Encinitas in 1883 only to find that advertisements had rather overstated the case. Undeterred, these 11 English settlers remained and, in doing so, doubled the town's population overnight. Subsequent pioneers brought wide-ranging talents to this fledgling California coastal town--none more so than the Ecke dynasty, whose flower fields established Encinitas as the poinsettia capital of the world. Today, the city encompasses five distinct communities, and while it boasts many famous celebrities, it is the ordinary folk whose passion and daring have made Encinitas the place their forebears long ago envisaged.
Legendary Locals of Anderson Island
9781467101561
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From explorer Peter Puget to bachelor Johnson Brothers, whose farm became a regional museum, Legendary Locals of Anderson Island chronicles the emergence of a way of life that unfailingly awakens echoes of days long past. Anderson Island, the southernmost of all islands in Washington State's Puget Sound, was settled in the late 1800s by immigrants predominantly from the Scandinavian countries. They naturally brought with them and practiced their old-country ways of navigating, farming, and building. In time, due to its remoteness and relative inaccessibility, a society of self-reliant yet closely connected residents took root. The subsistence farming, logging, and fishing practiced by the early pioneers have mostly given way to cottage industries or daily commutes to the mainland. While retirement has become the majority occupation of today's islanders, a vibrant community life continues to flourish, centered around activities sponsored by the island's numerous volunteer-staffed organizations.
Schafer State Park
9780738596426
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Schafer State Park, a US National Historic Site, not only represents a unique example of 1930s craftsmanship from the Works Progress Administration and other emergency programs but is also a window into the settlement of the Satsop River Valley. In the last quarter of the 19th century, this included the vast logging and lumber operations undertaken at the park and in the surrounding forest, as well as the bounty available from the river stretching far back into the history of Native Americans in the Northwest. It also memorializes an early example of philanthropy by private citizens and corporations in Washington State, an effort that has continued over the years and has been crucial to the expansion of the state park system. The authors are pleased to provide this book as the Washington State Parks System celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Larchmont
9781467134118
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Larchmont Boulevard is more than a street; it is the soul and spine of the surrounding neighborhoods created in the early 1900s when Los Angeles was just coming into its own. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, Larchmont Boulevard is a charming, walkable street running north and south from Third Street to Melrose Avenue that gives residents and visitors the feeling of a small town tucked inside the vast, car-centric city of Los Angeles. This book tells the story of Larchmont's beginnings in 1921 when the Los Angeles Times reported that developers Julius La Bonte and Charles Ramson had purchased seven lots on Larchmont Boulevard to create a business district of 30 stores between First Street and Beverly Boulevard. The one-block stretch, where a trolley line once ran, is affectionately known as the village by locals in the surrounding neighborhoods of Brookside, Citrus Square, Country Club Heights, Fremont Place, Hancock Park, La Brea-Hancock, Larchmont Village, Melrose, Oakwood-Maplewood-St. Andrews, Ridgewood-Wilton/St. Andrews Square, Sycamore Square, Western-Wilton, Wilshire Park, Windsor Square, and Windsor Village.
Legendary Locals of Yosemite National Park and Mariposa County
9781467101646
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In 1846, Thomas Larkin, American council general to the Mexican government in California, purchased a Mexican land grant, Las Mariposas, for Col. John C. Fremont. The grant consisted of 10 square leagues of grazing land located near the Merced River and west of the Sierra. In 1848, when California became the possession of the United States, the treaty called for the recognition of preexisting grants. Gold was discovered in the foothills of the Sierra that same year. Fremont floated his questionable Mexican grant into the gold discovery region. With the formation of the State of California in 1850, one of the original counties was named Mariposa, Spanish for "butterflies." Located within the county was the Fremont grant and much of the yet undiscovered Yosemite region of the Sierra. Encounters with Native Americans near the mining camps lead to the formation of the Mariposa Battalion, and a search for the natives led to the American discovery of Yosemite Valley. Thus, it was custodians and photographers such as Charles Leander Weed, Carlton E Watkins, J.J. Riley, George Fiske, Ansel Adams, and many others that interpreted and introduced Yosemite to the world.
The Torrey Pines Gliderport
9781467131360
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As "Air Capital of the West," San Diego boasts a rich history in aviation that began with glider flights by John J. Montgomery in the 1880s. By the 1930s, gliding experienced a renaissance as an inexpensive means to take to the skies. Gliderports dotted the West Coast with pilots testing their designs in the prevailing sea breeze. Locations such as Torrey Pines attracted pilots from all over the nation for their idyllic conditions, where humans could soar with birds over the sea. These early pioneers helped define soaring as a sport and left an indelible mark on American aviation. Of the coastal gliderports of the 1930s, only one remains today--the Torrey Pines Gliderport--an aviation landmark that has become famous around the world with aviators who share this unique resource through multiple forms of motorless flight.
Legendary Locals of Huntington Beach
9781467101868
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For over 100 years, Huntington Beach, a.k.a. "Surf City, USA," has come to represent the true beach culture of Southern California. Originally called Pacific City, it was when railroad magnate Henry Huntington first ran his train line down in 1904 from Los Angeles, approximately 40 miles north, that the then-quaint beach town took on the name that made it famous around the state and around the world. In 1914, the legendary George Freeth put on a surfing exhibition the day the city's vaunted concrete pier was opened, which christened Huntington Beach as a soon-to-be surfing mecca. It became a boomtown after oil was discovered in 1920 and, several decades later, morphed once again into a cradle of aerospace engineering when companies such as Boeing arrived. Throughout its tumultuous and dramatic history, Huntington Beach has always boasted a cast of colorful and profound characters. From the first mayor, Ed Manning, to Medal of Honor-recipient Chris Carr, from the Zamboni family (who invented the ice-cleaning machine) to baseball star Jeff Kent: the list is almost endless. But it is not just professional athletes, actors, and rock stars; it is the teachers, crossing guards, merchants, and activists that give Huntington Beach its well-earned reputation as one of the most interesting and charismatic cities in the state.
Scotts Valley
9781467115711
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Nestled among the spreading oaks of Santa Cruz County, just north of Monterey Bay, lies the city of Scotts Valley. First used as a hunting and camping spot on a Native American trading route, and later a stop on the stage route over the Santa Cruz Mountains, Scotts Valley has a long tradition of providing respite to weary travelers. Hiram Scott purchased the 4,447-acre Rancho San Agustin in 1850, built the community's first wood-frame house, and sold parcels of land that became dairies, farms, ranches, and lumber mills. In the 20th century, with the popularity of the family automobile, several attractions were opened throughout the valley. Travelers escaped the summer heat by flocking to the Tree Circus, Santa's Village, and the Lost World. Today, Scotts Valley remains a family-oriented community offering small-town charm and hospitality.
Legendary Locals of Carlsbad
9781467102339
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A collision of cultures in a seaside resort community, Carlsbad sits on a seven-mile stretch of white-sands beach idyllically located on the Pacific coast of north county San Diego. The idea of Carlsbad began in the late 1880s when two small groups of entrepreneurs ascended, simultaneously, from both the north and the south. The first group discovered natural mineral springs, which they promoted to tourists as having healing powers. As a result, the town became a very popular resting point for the rich and famous when traveling by train from Los Angeles to the famed Del Mar horse races. Subsequently, the Mexican Revolution began to the south and drove a second group of visionaries to Carlsbad. Thus, the quaint downtown area, known as the Village, was created along with a vibrant Barrio. Incorporated in 1952, Carlsbad remains, today, a tight-knit community of multigenerational and uniquely talented locals.
Legendary Locals of the Puyallup Valley
9781467100892
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More than 10,000 years ago, migrating tribes settled in the J-shaped Puyallup Valley lying beneath the majestic mountain known today as Mount Rainier. Tribal traders from east of the mountains called the western valley tribe generous people, a word that in English sounds like Puyallup. Pioneers found promise in clearing the land, creating the towns of Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting, and donating property for the common good. Agriculture produced hop barons, nationally renowned daffodil bulb growers, and successful berry farmers. Early entrepreneurs spawned multigenerational businesses while doctors, educators, and civic leaders more than fulfilled pioneer dreams. In 1900, a small band of men established an annual fair in Puyallup, which became the Washington State Fair. More recently, benefactors helped to build premier fitness and medical facilities. Citizens from each town continue to participate in community service clubs. Legendary Locals of the Puyallup Valley weaves a story of determined people who have left their mark on this beautiful valley.
Legendary Locals of Norco
9781467102322
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From its beginning as a poultry powerhouse to World War II Navy town and to Horse Town USA, Norco has been known over time as a community of go-getters and dreamers with unparalleled volunteerism, stubbornly protecting a rural way of life. Founder Rex Clark wished for families to be self-sustaining with what they could grow and raise on their property; wounded Marine Johnny Winterholler, against incredible odds, led the way for other disabled veterans as the star of the famed wheelchair basketball team the Rolling Devils; and Tamara Ivie fulfilled her impossible dream to play professional baseball. And regular folks, known once as Acres of Neighbors, stepped up to create a city of elbow room, stopping cold, big-money developers wishing to cut the community into small lots. Today, Norco is an equestrian paradise with trails on most streets and plentiful open space. For decades, this small community has produced activists, ballplayers, college presidents, physicians, actors, cowboys, and lots of Norconians who give back to the community that raised them.
Mexican Americans in Redlands
9780738595221
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Redlands has long been home to a large Mexican native and immigrant population that was central to both its booming citrus industry and community life. Images of America: Mexican Americans in Redlands is a journey through this vital, vibrant, and often overlooked culture. Follow longtime residents as they tell their personal stories, share rarely seen photographs, and recall life in the self-proclaimed "City of Millionaires." Experience early Redlands through the eyes of Epimenio Guzman, a blacksmith and musician who came from Los Angeles in 1885 to pursue his trade. Imagine arriving in 1913 when a group of 12 families from Northern Mexico chose Redlands to build the first Spanish-language church in the region. Join young Mexican men and women from Redlands who, through times of war and peace, sacrificed deeply, even giving their lives at times, for the right to be both Mexican and American. These and other stories within are based on the Redlands Oral History Project, a collection of conversations with and images of Mexican Americans throughout the East San Bernardino Valley.
Legendary Locals of Chugiak-Eagle River
9781467101363
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Homesteading in Alaska was not an obvious lifestyle choice for most people in post-World War II America. In an age of gleeful consumerism, early settlers of Chugiak-Eagle River made a decision to live simply. Yet a simple life and an easy one were two different things. Many raised their own crops and a few, such as the Pippels, the Tatros, the Glenn Briggses, and the Vanovers, created larger-scale farming ventures. Other entrepreneurs, such as Paul Swanson, thrived in the frontier environment, taking on multiple enterprises to fill gaps in the area's services. Out of this can-do atmosphere sprang a number of artists, musicians, and performers. The Chugiak Belles dance group revved up audiences at the annual Spring Carnival, and the Chugiak Players staged a variety of dramas and comedies. Eagle River homesteaders Arthur and Eleanor Braendel helped found the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra and performed with them for 60 years. Radio host and homesteader Ruth Briggs sang and traveled with the original Anchorage Concert Chorus. As the area matured and schools grew, athletes began to thrive, creating their own legacy. More legendary locals are being minted every day.
Legendary Locals of Vancouver
9781467100014
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Vancouver was originally laid out as Vancouver City, to distinguish it from the Hudson's Bay's Fort Vancouver. Dr. John Mcloughlin, now known as the "Father of Oregon," treated the settlers fairly, and lost his job in return. The Short family, the Hidden family, and other pioneers settled near the fort. The US Army arrived in 1849 and took over the Hudson's Bay properties. Ulysses S. Grant planted potatoes in hopes that he could bring his family here. World War II brought a host of workers to fill positions at the Kaiser Shipyards and the Alcoa plant. Legendary Locals of Vancouver shares the stories of the people, past and present, who have shaped Vancouver's landscape.
Legendary Locals of Ashland
9781467101455
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A century and a half of close-knitted community spirit, independent-mindedness, and a strong sense of stewardship have uniquely melded into present-day Ashland. Behind that patchwork of local ingenuity, artistry, and infamy are the faces of thousands--too many of whom are not mentioned within the pages of this book. There were hundreds of generations of Shasta Native American families that lived off the hills and creeks where Ashland now sprawls, but their abodes were abandoned and replaced by the lumber and flour mills, cleared streets, and painted homes of Ashland Mills. The sense of spirit and enthusiasm instilled by Ashland's early settlers bred the town's participation in the Chautauqua cultural movement, the remnants of which harbor Ashland's world-renown Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which paved the way for a former mill town's future prosperity. That spirit of ingenuity and artistry continues to shape Ashland and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the quaint town nestled below the mighty crest of Siskiyou Pass along the Oregon-California border.
Bothell
9781467126205
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The river community of Bothell began with the arrival of Columbus Greenleaf and George Wilson in 1870. They staked claims along the Sammamish River after navigating from Seattle across Lake Washington and then east along the meandering Sammamish. Bothell was first a logging community, with several mills producing boards and shingles. After the forests were harvested, it became a farming community, connected to other settlements by the river and, after 1887, the railroad. In 1909, Bothell incorporated as a city after a contentious campaign. The vote was 79 to 70 in favor of becoming a city. The population of Bothell in 1910 was 599, but many lived outside the two-thirds square mile original city limits. This book tells the story of Bothell as a central hub, with distinct neighborhoods having their own personalities. Bothell's population today is almost 43,000, divided between two counties: King and Snohomish.
San Diego County Parks
9781467125994
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From its earliest park in 1913, the County of San Diego has more than 100 years of serving the public with unique park and recreational experiences while preserving significant natural and cultural resources. Officially, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors established the Department of Recreation in 1946. Today, the department manages over 50,000 acres of parks, campgrounds, trails, recreation centers, sports complexes, and ecological and open-space preserves. The county covers an area that includes coastline, mountains, deserts, lakes, lagoons, and other habitats—it is the nation's most biologically diverse county—and the department's properties mirror this biodiversity. They also contain sites that reveal the county's history: Mexican-era ranchos, an overland stage station, remnants of an early gristmill, Victorian mansions, traces of flume systems, Depression-era construction projects, an 1887 boathouse, and parks that reflect the advent of early automobile tourism.
Legendary Locals of Ukiah
9781467101820
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Mountains. Trees. A lake. What makes a city, town, or village come to life are the people--those who have gone before and those who are there today. They are what shape and build the community of Ukiah. With their personalities, foibles, compassion, and humor, some of these influential men and women stand out by design and some quietly exist on the sidelines. Utah Haley, a disabled veteran, drives other veterans to doctors' appointments. Rick Paige is always the first on-scene to help in a disaster. Spencer Brewer started the "Sundays in the Park" free concerts more than two decades ago. Ukiah is a town that supports its businesses, and those same local businesses give back to the community in many ways. Shannon Riley of Shoefly and Sox holds an annual shoe drive. Jan Hoyman and Doug Browe of Hoyman Browe Studios donate countless pieces of their work to charitable auctions. Ann Kilkenny of Mendocino Book Company gives time and assistance to local organizations. Marty Lombardi, who spent 40 years with Savings Bank of Mendocino, was always lending a helping hand to local nonprofits.
Legendary Locals of Oakland
9781467102094
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Oakland has been shaped by the transcontinental railroad, freeways, earthquakes, and its location on the shores of San Francisco Bay. But what makes Oakland such an amazing city are the people who have called Oakland home over the years, like Mayor Samuel Merritt, who helped make Oakland the terminus of the transcontinental railroad; Elizabeth Flood, who worked to desegregate Oakland schools in the 1870s; and F.M. Borax Smith, who created the Key System. Oakland has been home to game-changing athletes like father of modern tennis Don Budge and Curt Flood, who helped bring free agency to sports; artists like writer Jack London, dancer Isadora Duncan, poet Joaquin Miller, and cartoonist Morrie Turner; and culture-shaping movements like the Black Panther Party. However, the impact of Oaklanders is not just historical. From Oscar Grant to Favianna Rodriguez to Marshawn Lynch to Jerry Brown, people in Oakland continue to shape not just the Town, but the entire country.
The Folies Bergere in Las Vegas
9781467127592
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Debuting at the Tropicana Hotel on Christmas Eve, 1959, at a reported cost of one quarter-million dollars (over two million in today's dollars), the Folies Bergere stage show featured a cast of eighty stars and promised an elegant evening of sensual entertainment complete with sensational song and dance numbers, curious novelty acts, and exquisite leggy showgirls. Imported directly from Paris, the iconic French production, famed for its elegant and chic legacy, was a mainstay on the Las Vegas Strip for nearly half a century. A 1959 Las Vegas Sun newspaper article portends the significant role that the Folies Bergere would play in the city's history: From beginning to end this is the most dazzling entertainment which any city has been privileged to see. It's saucy, piquant and racy in the splendidly provocative French way. Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, is now no idle boast.
Seattle's Historic Houses of Worship
9781467126380
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As Seattle grew in the mid-1800s, the increase in families settling in the area created a need for churches. Seattle First Church was established in 1853 and by 1901 Seattle had 112 churches; today, there are less than 20 of these churches still in existence. Seattle's Historic Houses of Worship explores many of these churches, examining how they have survived over 100 years, while still going strong today. Churches have guided the Seattle community through the great Seattle fire, world wars, internment camps, the assassination of a president, and the protests of the civil rights era.
Legendary Locals of the Mendonoma Coast
9781467100137
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The Sonoma Mendocino coastline, famous for jagged cliffs, timber-filled ridges, and pounding surf, has been home to many people from varying histories and backgrounds. Pomo tribes, renowned for basketmaking, who were the first settlers and descendants, still live in the area. From early pioneers such as George Call, H.A. Richardson, Cyrus Robinson, J.A. Hamilton, and Antonio Stornetta to Pomo spiritual leader Essie Parrish and the founders of Sea Ranch (Al Boeke, and the team of designers and architects Lawrence Halprin, Charles Moore, William Turnbull, Donlyn Lyndon, and Richard Whitaker), the Sonoma Mendocino coast has many legendary locals. This area also has been home to renowned artists, musicians, writers, scientists, educators, and business leaders. Community services are especially vital to rural areas. Dedicated volunteers created Gualala Arts, services for seniors and youth, the Coast Library, theater groups, and restored historic buildings such as the famous Point Arena Lighthouse. These unsung heroes have brought new meaning to this vibrant community.
Ghosts of Leavenworth and the Cascade Foothills
9781625858542
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The spirits of the early pioneers still roam the streets of Leavenworth and lurk in the lengthening shadows of the surrounding hills. Chas Gordon's murder sits unsolved after a century of mystery, as does the location of the lost Ingalls gold. Muffled sobs mark out the Thorp Cemetery, while a ghostly hand coaxes a soft tune from the piano in the lobby of the Tumwater Inn. Saloon shootings and railroad tragedies left their own legacy of restless souls. Author Deborah Cuyle reveals the fascinating history behind the ghost stories from this corner of the Cascade Mountains.
A History of Pacific Northwest Cuisine
9781609496166
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With a dash of humor and a sprinkling of recipes, culinarian Marc Hinton chronicles the bounty of the Pacific Northwest from the mastodon meals of the earliest inhabitants to the gastronomic revolution of today. In this lively narrative, learn how Oregon's and Washington's chefs have used the region's natural abundance to create a sumptuous cuisine that is stylish yet simple and how winemakers and brewers have crafted their own rich beverage traditions. From potlatches to Prohibition, seafood to sustainability and Lewis and Clark to James Beard, Hinton traces the events and influences that have shaped the Pacific Northwest's edible past and created a delectable fare that has foodies and enophiles from around the world clamoring for a taste.
Exploring Camano Island
9781626193642
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The beaches, forests and wildlife of Washington's Camano Island offer a treasure-trove of natural beauty and endless recreational possibilities. English Boom Historical Park was once a bustling center for logging and is now a peaceful spot with its uplands, salt marsh, shoreline and tidelands. Davis Slough is named after Reuben Davis, who lived on Camano Island before 1880 and was the oldest settler in the area. The island has historically been used by Native Americans, loggers, farmers and fishermen alike but today is enjoyed by Camano Islanders, who have worked hard to protect and preserve the island's cherished nature sites. Discover Camano Island with author Val Schroeder as she takes readers on a trek around the location's best-preserved features while uncovering the unique history behind them.
Tacoma's Parks
9780738548968
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When civic benefactor Clinton P. Ferry donated a graceful, elliptically shaped plot of land in 1883 for the first park in Tacoma, he hoped his adopted hometown would do him proud and become a veritable city of parks. The young community did not disappoint. Landmarks such as Wright Park, Lincoln Park, and Point Defiance Park graced the landscape by 1900, a testament to Tacoma's appreciation for beauty, conservation, and recreation, which continues to this day. In 1907, residents voted to establish the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma, Washington's first independent parks municipality, to act as steward of these civic treasures. A century later, Metro Parks Tacoma embraces some 57 parks covering 2,700 acres, as well as swimming pools, sports complexes, community centers, and recreational programs for all ages.
