Holiday Gifting

This collection of mailable vintage-photograph postcards douments the rich history of Northern Michigan Asylum, which opened in 1885 and was known during most of its years as Traverse City State Hospital. It was run during its first decades by Dr. James Decker Munson, who left his legacy in the landscaped grounds and the medical center that today bears his name. Traverse City State Hospital served the mental health needs of a large part of Michigan for 104 years until its closure in 1989, housing a population as large as 3,000 in its many buildings.This book traces the history of this great institution, from the local and mental health context in which it was founded, through its growth, development, and decline, and finally to its renovation and preservation as a vital part of the Traverse City community.

Providence has one of the nation's most intact historic downtowns and is one of America's most beautiful cities. The history of architectural change in the city is one of lost buildings, urban renewal plans and challenges to preservation. The Narragansett Hotel, a lost city icon, hosted many famous guests and was demolished in 1960. The American classical renaissance expressed itself in the Providence National Bank, tragically demolished in 2005. In these historic postcards, author David Brussat chronicles the trials and triumphs of Providence's urban development.

Oklahoma City boasts a vast collection of bold mid-century modern structures spanning every function and budget, from the giant egg-shaped First Christian Church to the modest but equally dramatic Neptune Subs building to homes like the spiral-shaped Zuhdi House.