Name: Pacific Coast Highway in California
Brand: Carina Monica Montoya Forsythe
SKU: 9781467127516
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Pacific Coast Highway in California

9781467127516

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

More commonly known as Pacific Coast Highway, State Route 1 ribbons along or near the Pacific Ocean from Northern California at Leggett in Mendocino down to Southern California at San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. Its construction began in 1913 and was done incrementally, largely because of funding issues, shortage of labor, legal challenges, deep canyons, steep mountains, solid rock, and unstable earth. A true modern marvel, its unique and extraordinary construction allows easy access to some of the country's most famous and historical places and picturesque sights. Thousands of pounds of dynamite were used to blast through granite, marble, and sandstone to build a highway following near or along the coastline. Among the 33 bridges along the route is the remarkable Bixby (Rainbow) Bridge at Big Sur. The highway wends its way through some of the most magnificent and scenic landscapes and historical places found between Ventura and Humboldt Counties, making it more than just a road. It is a destination.

Early Coal Mining in the Anthracite Region

9780738509785

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Four distinct anthracite coal fields encompass an area of 1,700 square miles in the northeastern portion of Pennsylvania. Early Coal Mining in the Anthracite Region is a journey into a world that was once very familiar.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, underground coal mining was at its zenith and the work of miners was more grueling and dangerous than it is today. Faces blackened by coal and helmet lamps lit by fire are no longer parts of the everyday lives of miners in the region. These vintage photographs of collieries, breakers, miners, drivers, and breaker boys illuminate the dark of the anthracite mines. The pictures of miners, roof falls, mules, and equipment deep underground tell the story of the hard lives lived around the hard coal. Above ground, breaker boys toiled in unbearable conditions inside the noisy, vibrating, soot-filled monsters known as coal breakers.

Early Coal Mining in the Anthracite Region

Hoover Dam

9780738596099

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Hoover Dam was America's shining light during the dark days of the Great Depression. This monumental structure was the largest federal works project of its time, constructed after years of scientific study and political maneuvering by California boosters. This thirsty state looked to the untapped Colorado River to supply reliable water for Imperial Valley farms and the fast-growing Los Angeles metropolitan area. Harnessing the unruly Colorado River would be no easy task. Only the federal government could fulfill the dream. An unprecedented high dam, over 700 feet tall, was designed to store two years of river flow, trap tons of silt, and gain control of the river. The project was financed by the sale of hydroelectric power to southern California, Arizona, and southern Nevada. Today, Imperial Valley is an American garden spot, and Los Angeles is one of the nation's most influential cities. The Las Vegas Valley also witnessed tremendous growth beginning with the dam and followed by legalized gambling, defense industries, and tourism. Meanwhile, the small town of Boulder City, born during the dam's construction, still thrives in the shadow of Hoover Dam.

Mackinac Bridge

9780738550695

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On November 1, 1957, traffic officially opened on the far-reaching Mackinac Bridge.

That was the culmination of 70 years of talking and dreaming about a bridge acrossthe Straits of Mackinac, of discouraging attempts for legislative and congressional approval, of efforts to raise the funds, and finally of a three-year construction program necessary for the world's longest and costliest (to date) suspension bridge.Michigan's greatest symbol is expertly maintained, fully funded, and amazingly resilient to the many forces and factors of man and nature that have failed to seriously affect its status as the lone highway link between Michigan's two main peninsulas. The ""miracle bridge"" at the Straits of Mackinac truly allows a view that epitomizes the state motto of Michigan, Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circumspice, or ""If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.""

Cover image for Mackinac Bridge, isbn: 9780738550695

Mining Towns of Southern Colorado

9780738599533

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Lesser known than the gold and silver mines of Western lore, Southern Colorado's extensive coal mines fueled the engines for Western industrialization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of the numerous companies operating the mines, the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) was king. With a total of 62 mines, the majority of them in Colorado's Las Animas, Huerfano, and Fremont Counties, CF&I ruled the lives of countless miners in company towns scattered throughout Southern Colorado. Working long hours, often in cramped underground caverns, the workers emerged to families living in lonely mountain landscapes completely provisioned with company homes, stores, schools, and churches. Images of America: Mining Towns of Southern Colorado gives an intimate glimpse into the lives of these pioneer mining families.

New York City Firefighting

9780738509884

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The story of firefighting in New York City is one of danger, tradition, pride, excitement, and tragedy. It is also the story of man's triumph over destructive forces.

From the gaslight days of horse-drawn steam engines to the World Trade Center tragedy of 2001, the heroic men and women who make up the city's most dynamic public service have risked and often lost their lives in order to protect and serve the people of New York City.New York City Firefighting: 1901-2001 chronicles the proudest fire department in America. The proximity of buildings in the city streets and the construction materials made each fire especially dangerous, but determined firefighters never hesitated to battle the flames and rescue the victims. Later, facing unprecedented heights and unparalleled danger, firefighters in New York City were called upon to battle infernos in the first skyscrapers, often using the most rudimentary equipment and barely protected from the flames. In its most trying moments, the Fire Department of New York responded to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 1993 and 2001, dutifully rushing into the towers to save as many lives as possible and ultimately losing hundreds of their own.

Cover image for New York City Firefighting, isbn: 9780738509884

New York Fire Patrol

9780738538747

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Operated by the New York Board of Fire Underwriters, the New York Fire Patrol was organized in 1839 to patrol lower Manhattan. Their job was twofold: to discover fires and to prevent losses to insured properties. The New York Fire Patrol evolved, and in 1867, a state charter was granted to legally extinguish fires and conduct salvage operations throughout New York City. The New York Fire Patrol is the oldest paid fire service in the United States, and it also remains the last insurance-funded fire salvage corps in the country. Today, the fire patrol continues to serve the city of New York, responding to over 10,000 alarms each year alongside the Fire Department of New York.

Cover image for New York Fire Patrol, isbn: 9780738538747

Bridges of the Oregon Coast

9780738548609

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In the 1920s and 1930s, Oregon's legendary bridge engineer Conde B. McCullough designed a first-rate collection of aesthetic bridges on the Oregon Coast Highway to enhance an already dramatic and beautiful landscape. The six largest of these, at Gold Beach, Newport, Waldport, Florence, Reedsport, and Coos Bay, eliminated the last ferries on the Oregon Coast Highway between the Columbia River and California. McCullough planned to build one bridge each year after completion of the Rogue River Bridge at Gold Beach in 1932, but the tightening grip of the Depression threatened his plans. In 1933, McCullough and his staff worked day and night to finish plans for the remaining five bridges, and in early 1934, the Public Works Administration funded simultaneous construction of them. The combined projects provided approximately 630 jobs, but at least six workers perished during construction. After the bridges were complete, Oregon coast tourism increased by a dramatic 72 percent in the first year.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

9781467103497

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The story of the bridge that transformed Maryland's Eastern Shore from a sleepy backwater to a major tourism destination and caused an economic boom in Baltimore in the west.

When it opened to traffic in 1952, the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge - simply called the Chesapeake Bay Bridge - was the third-longest bridge in the world. The four-mile long span was constructed over the Chesapeake Bay in a dramatic 2.5-year period of progress that became known to the workers as Operation Link, because it would be the first physical connection between the two widely separated parts of Maryland. Today, the two spans - the original Bay Bridge from 1952 and the parallel span built alongside it in 1973 - are towering architectural landmarks along the East Coast of the United States.

Cover image for Chesapeake Bay Bridge, isbn: 9781467103497

Cincinnati Fire History

9780738561127

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The Cincinnati Fire Department's journey to distinction as the nation's first professional fire department began in the early 1800s, soon after Losantiville (later renamed Cincinnati) was founded. The department grew steadily from bucket brigade to volunteer corps; in 1853, an ordinance passed by Cincinnati City Council established the nation's first organized, paid fire department. Cincinnati provided the pattern for fire departments across the United States for the next 50 years and was the first to use successful horse-drawn steam engines to fight fires. The city of Cincinnati was home to the Ahrens-Fox manufacturing company, one of the most famous names in firefighting apparatus in the 1900s, placing the department on the cutting edge. Today the Cincinnati Fire Department continues its tradition as one of the premier urban firefighting systems. For more than 150 years, members have served their city and beyond.

The Merritt Parkway

9781626196353

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Decorated with a breathtaking landscape and a treasured collection of diversely styled bridges, the Merritt Parkway runs thirty-seven and a half miles through Fairfield County.

From its complicated beginnings to the present, authors Laurie Heiss and Jill Smyth navigate the hard-fought yet picturesque path of this beloved road. Meet the bridge artist, the landscapers, the politicians and the activists whose involvement in the Merritt transformed Fairfield County from farms and country estates to one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. With the dedication of preservationists and conservationists, the Merritt Parkway today remains both functional and beautiful, holding a unique place in the heart of Connecticut's drivers.

Cover image for The Merritt Parkway, isbn: 9781626196353

Route 6 in Pennsylvania

9781467125123

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Pennsylvania's mid-20th-century Route 6 brought together appealing natural environments, historical events, and cultural landscapes. The eastern length of the route crosses an area featuring rolling mountains and tranquil valleys dotted by farms and towns. To the west, Route 6 traverses a more level landscape that also includes lakes. This book presents the 370-mile scenic drive as a destination in itself. It covers the secluded setting of northern Pennsylvania where Route 6 and its towns have experienced minimal changes associated with larger metropolitan regions and interstate highways. As a result, the mid-20th-century landscapes of Route 6 have lingered a little longer. The authors give the reader a peek of a past not entirely swept away.

Cover image for Route 6 in Pennsylvania, isbn: 9781467125123

New York State's Covered Bridges

9781467121910

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At one time, New York State had over 300 covered bridges, but over the years, floods, fires, and modernization have claimed all but 32 of them. Both the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge and the Old Blenheim Bridge are proud record holders. Located in Glimmerglass State Park, the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is the oldest existing covered bridge in the United States. The Old Blenheim Bridge was the longest single-span covered bridge in the world until it was washed away by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 when the Schoharie Creek flooded. Today, Oxford, New York, is home to the Theodore Burr Covered Bridge Resource Center, which was specifically designed for covered bridge researchers--the first-ever center of its kind.

Fire Lookouts of Oregon

9781467134866

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The first lookouts were rustic camps on mountaintops, where men and women were stationed to keep an eye out for wildfires. As the importance of fire prevention grew, a lookout construction boom resulted in hundreds of cabins and towers being built on Oregon's high points. When aircraft and cameras became more cost-effective and efficient methods of fire detection, many old lookouts were abandoned or removed. Of the many hundreds of lookouts built in Oregon over the past 100 years, less than 175 remain, and only about half of these are still manned. However, some lookouts are being repurposed as rental cabins, and volunteers are constantly working to save endangered lookouts. This book tells the story of Oregon's fire lookouts, from their heyday to their decline, and of the effort to save the ones that are left.

Cover image for Fire Lookouts of Oregon, isbn: 9781467134866

Clifton and Morenci Mining District

9781467134316

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Across America, from big cities to small towns and rural hamlets, there are many stories of challenges, historic events, courageous people, tragedy, and success. Some of the best and most exciting tales may not be well known. Such is the case for the towns of Clifton and Morenci, Arizona. They survived labor strikes, rising and falling copper prices, devastating floods, outlaws and lawlessness, gambling houses, and saloons. All this added to the lore that these towns were some of the roughest communities in the West. Today, after 143 years of mining, Freeport-McMoRan's Morenci copper mine is the largest in North America. Expansion has required new homes in Clifton-Morenci, a modern library, and recreational facilities. Residents are proud of their communities.

Texas Shipwrecks

9781467116176

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The Texas coastline and offshore waters are flat, shallow, featureless, and filled with shoals. Texas waters are subjected to extreme weather, not just hurricanes and tropical storms but also northers and seasonal gales. This, combined with two centuries of naval warfare off Texas waters, produced many shipwrecks of all sorts, from Spanish treasure fleets to simple working boats. The ships of pirates, navies, cotton traders, immigrants, fishermen, and oil shippers line the Texas coast, cover the sea bottom off Texas, and blanket the bottom of Texas rivers. Each wreck has a story, romantic or repellent, prosaic or unusual, but all intriguing.

New Jersey Forest Fire Service

9780738544991

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The New Jersey Forest Fire Service was established by the state legislature in 1906. During the past century, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has evolved from a system of township firewardens who relied on horses, wagons, shovels, and pine boughs to a team of highly trained and experienced firefighters supported by a modern fleet of vehicles, aircraft, and state-of-the-art technology to assist in the annual battle against wildfires. Each year, New Jersey experiences over 1,600 wildfires that can range in size from less than one acre to more than several thousand acres. Since 1906, forest firewardens and firefighters have battled these wildfires and utilized fire as a public safety tool to protect lives, property, and New Jersey's natural resources.

Pottsville Firefighting

9780738536163

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In 1829, the Humane Hose Company and the Schuylkill Hydraulians Engine Company organized in the booming town of Pottsville, a mining center in Pennsylvania's anthracite coal region. Fire protection was urgently needed for this growing community. New fire companies such as the Good Intent, the Rough and Ready, and the Good Will formed, as well as junior fire companies, including the Rangers and the Young America. In a patriotic response to President Lincoln's call to arms, two Pottsville fire companies disbanded, committing themselves to the Union; they became members of the legendary "First Defenders" of the Civil War. The twentieth century brought new challenges of motorization, dieselization, and ever-stricter training standards. Pottsville Firefighting celebrates one hundred seventy-five years of firefighting in Pottsville.

CAL FIRE

9781467116527

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Since the establishment of the California State Board of Forestry in 1885, the mission of the California Division of Forestry has been to protect and preserve natural resources via a focus on resource management and protection of valuable watersheds. From the beginning, pioneers within the communities of San Bernardino County were actively involved in protecting their homes from the ravages of wildfire. In August 1930, San Bernardino County entered into a contract with the state to provide fire suppression and prevention on nonfederal lands within the county. The cooperative services agreement evolved to provide municipal fire protection services from both paid and volunteer staff. In addition to responsibilities within San Bernardino County, in the late 1980s the State Responsibility Area land within Inyo and Mono forestry units were consolidated under the San Bernardino, California Department of Forestry, Ranger Unit.

Cover image for CAL FIRE, isbn: 9781467116527

Pittsburgh's Bridges

9781467134248

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Pittsburgh's Bridges takes a comprehensive look at the design, construction, and, sometimes, demolition of the bridges that shaped Pittsburgh, ranging from the covered bridges of yesterday to those that define the skyline today.

Pittsburgh is the City of Bridges, and what remarkable bridges they are! The area's challenging topography of deep ravines and mighty rivers - the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio - set the stage for engineers, architects, and contractors to conquer the terrain with a variety of distinctive spans. Many were designed to be beautiful as well as functional. While other cities may have one signature bridge, Pittsburgh has such a wide variety that no single bridge can represent it.

The Bay Bridge

9780738529707

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The Bay Bridge combines suspension, cantilever, tunnel, and truss constructions in an astonishing 8.4-mile-long structure. Envisioned first in 1872 by the legendary Emperor Norton, the project finally coalesced in the 1920s, although initial studies concluded that the bridge could not be built due to the bay's deep muddy waters and the area's strong earthquakes. President Herbert Hoover, who was also an engineer, took up the cause, and the $80.8-million project began in 1933. It would replace an extensive set of ferries and forever alter the landscape and commerce of the Bay Area. Over the next three years and four months, the underwater and above-water construction continued day and night, with 152,000 tons of steel, a million cubic yards of concrete, more than 70,000 miles of cable strands, and 200,000 gallons of paint. Roughly 6,500 workers built this amazing bridge, and 12 lost their lives in the process.

Los Angeles Television

9781467132701

$26.99 $20.24 Save 25%

Los Angeles television history began in the small room of an auto dealership in 1931. Since then, much of the nation's television history has been made here: the first television helicopter, the first big story that television broke before newspapers, the first live coverage of an atomic bomb, and the careers of numerous icons like Betty White, Steve Allen, Liberace, Lawrence Welk, and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Many Los Angeles television personalities went on to network fame, including Tom Snyder, Tom Brokaw, Bryant Gumbel, Connie Chung, Maury Povich, Bob Barker, Bill Leyden, Ann Curry, Pat Sajak, and Regis Philbin. Readers will discover, in many untold stories, the origins of that curious building on top the Hollywood sign, Albert Einstein's must-see local program, Marilyn Monroe's video debut, a popular television star's last tragic performance, and the actual identities of legends Korla Pandit and Iron Eyes Cody. Also in these pages is the reveal of the Mystery Tower Sitter, the all-night amateur show, the big Las Vegas premiere telecast that was blown off the air, and the treasured performer who worked at one station for 65 years.

Schuylkill County Firefighting

9780738573076

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From the inception of the Friendship Hose Company No. 1 of Orwigsburg in 1820 to the organization of the West Penn Fire Company No. 1 in 1999, more than 130 volunteer fire companies have served Schuylkill County. This proud tradition of volunteer service for the protection of fellow man continues strong to this day as scores of volunteer firefighters continue to serve their communities. Using the archives of the Schuylkill County Historical Society, Schuylkill Historical Fire Society, and many fire companies and individuals, Schuylkill County Firefighting captures in its images the daunting challenges faced by generations of Schuylkill firefighters. Block-burning conflagrations, deadly explosions, and traumatic rescues reveal the heroic battles faced over the years by these dedicated public servants.

Montana's Waldron Creek Fire

9781467119269

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On August 25, 1931, five men died fighting the devastating Waldron Creek Fire west of Choteau, Montana. Lacking training and preparation, Herbert Novotny, Frank Williamson, Hjalmer G. Gunnarson, Ted Bierchen and Charles Allen dashed into the flames and never stood a chance. The Teton County coroner added insult to injury, noting that each had no one to blame but himself. Three men were buried in unmarked graves. Records show that the body of the fifth was returned to his family, but no burial site is known. Only one has a headstone. National Smokejumper Association chief historian Dr. Charles Palmer shines a light on this important story, finally honoring the heroic sacrifice that led to critical changes in wildland firefighting.

Cover image for Montana's Waldron Creek Fire, isbn: 9781467119269

Oregon's Covered Bridges

9780738558189

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Rugged individuals armed with hand tools, sweat, and ambition began building covered bridges in Oregon during the mid-1850s. These bridge builders often camped out at remote sites, living off the land or contracting with local farmers for food. Early owners of covered bridges financed construction by charging tolls--3¢ for a sheep, 5¢ for a horse and rider, and 10¢ for a team of horses and wagon. In the early 20th century, the state provided standard bridge and truss designs to each county, and most of the resulting structures incorporated the Howe truss. With the abundance of Douglas fir and the shortage of steel during the world wars, the construction of wooden covered bridges continued well into the 1950s, mainly in the Willamette Valley. During the 1920s, Oregon boasted more than 350 covered bridges.

Conowingo Dam

9781467126175

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The remarkable story of the people who built the Conowingo Dam brick by brick and bill by bill, and the impact that goes on today.

Second in size only to the massive hydroelectric works at Niagara Falls, the Conowingo Dam across the Susquehanna River was celebrated as a miraculous feat of modern engineering when it opened in 1928. The dam was built with astonishing speed and efficiency and completed on budget and ahead of schedule, and its generators came on line at the very crescendo of the Roaring Twenties, when the race toward electrification was changing American life. The hydro dams of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bonneville and Grand Coulee Dams in the Pacific Northwest, and the great colossus of Hoover Dam were all constructed in the next two decades, but handsome, indomitable Conowingo Dam preceded them all and remains in effective operation to this very day.

Cover image for Conowingo Dam, isbn: 9781467126175

Lost Buffalo City

9781467129008

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Buffalo City got its name when a company from Buffalo, New York, implemented plans for a massive logging operation of 168,000 acres of ancient cypress and juniper trees in a swampy area of the Dare County mainland in eastern North Carolina in 1888. It was an exciting time as 300 Russians, as well as local black and white men, began to cut timber and lay 100 miles of train tracks for locomotives to transport the logs out of the forest. A town was soon built with approximately 50 houses, a hotel, post office, school, general store, and church. While it was not considered a city, it was the largest town in Dare County at the time. When the timber boom was over 20 years later and jobs were scarce, the place was the ideal location for making illegal whiskey, and it soon became known as the moonshine capital of the world. Today, nothing remains of the boomtown. The forest has reclaimed the land.

Cover image for Lost Buffalo City, isbn: 9781467129008

San Francisco Fire Department

9780738520841

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In San Francisco, history is as close as the sound of the fire engines and trucks racing by, sirens wailing. The San Francisco Fire Department took shape, as did the city, from the ashes and embers of the Great Fire of 1906. In the tumultuous seaport full of those seeking California's newly found gold, volunteer fire companies had to adapt to a teeming city full of canvas tents, wood shacks, kerosene lanterns, ocean breezes, and hilly winding streets. From a force that initially pulled hand-operated pumps and competed to be the first at a fire, traveling in horse-drawn equipment, the department has grown from a volunteer contingent of a few hundred to a company 1,800 strong and equipped to protect a city of 49 square miles, surrounded on three sides by salt water. The historic photographs of this volume document the establishment of the volunteer department on Christmas Eve 1849 and the inception of the paid force in 1866, as well as such colorful characters as Lily Hitchcock Coit, a belle who battled many a blaze with the volunteers and a portion of whose estate went to build the 210-foot Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. Striking images, many never before published, illustrate how the fire department was affected not only by the well-known inferno of 1906 but by the six blazes that leveled the waterfront in the 1850s and a number of other fires throughout the city's history.

Lexington Firefighting

9781467107273

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In 1790, when the pioneer settlement of Lexington, Kentucky, was still concerned with hostile attacks by Native Americans, the Lexington Fire Company was formed by volunteers to protect against fires.

The company was the first fire department west of the Allegheny Mountains. The first horseless fire engines were purchased in 1911, while the last horse-drawn hose wagon was retired in 1926. During 1949, under Chief Earl R. McDaniel’s direction, the city began allocating the funds to create a first-class fire department with modern equipment. In 1974, the county fire department was consolidated into the Lexington Fire Department under the merged government. Today, the department operates 24 firehouses, with over 500 sworn firefighters.

William M. Ambrose is a local historian and former chairman of the Lexington History Museum. Foster Ockerman Jr., a Lexington attorney, serves as chief historian at the Lexington History Museum. Authors’ proceeds from this volume will benefit the Firefighter’s Toy Program of the Lexington Fraternal Order of Firefighters.

Cover image for Lexington Firefighting, isbn: 9781467107273

New Hampshire Covered Bridges

9780738510521

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New Hampshire once had nearly four hundred covered bridges, most of which unfortunately are no longer in existence. Some of them were railroad bridges and, although often viewed as charming relics of the past, all of these bridges were actually vital links in New Hampshire's transportation system. Covered bridges were used to cross most of New Hampshire's large rivers, including the Connecticut, Merrimack, Mascoma, Contoocook, Pemigewasset, and Ashuelot.

New Hampshire Covered Bridges is a photographic study of the state's enclosed wooden spans that date from as far back as 1827. The book contains rare photographs of historic bridges that no longer exist, as well as pictures of many that still stand today. The images are accompanied by detailed information about the design and construction of covered bridges and the men who built them. Each bridge has its own life story. Some have defied floods and hurricanes and still stand; others have fallen victim to nature or arson or the demands of modern transportation.

Covered Bridges of Alabama

9781467140768

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

With fewer than a thousand remaining in the United States, the covered bridges of Alabama are an important relic of the paths our ancestors took.

Alabama's covered bridges are reminiscent of a more romantic time, when people rode in horse-drawn buggies and couples stole kisses beneath their roofs. But they are also keepers of history - structures built by former slaves and Civil War soldiers. Such places are steeped in legend, including tales of ghostly children and the hanging of a sheriff turned outlaw. Just eleven historic covered bridges survive in Alabama - the oldest dating to the 1850s - but dozens of more recently constructed spans dot the landscape. Wil Elrick and Kelly Kazek provide photos and detailed information on more than fifty Alabama bridges, reveal the fate of the state's lost bridges and delve into the haunting legends surrounding these nostalgic structures.

Building Interstate 95 in Delaware

9781467129619

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

November 1, 2018, marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of Interstate 95 in its entirety in Delaware. Its construction was part of the largest public works project in American history, the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, signed into law by Pres. Dwight Eisenhower. The bill allotted for a nationwide 41,000-mile National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. The federal government would pay 90 percent of the construction cost. However, the federal money was slow to arrive. The State of Delaware proceeded on its own, using secured revenue bonds that would be repaid by tolls charged to drivers. On November 15, 1963, Pres. John F. Kennedy was part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the Mason-Dixon Line that officially dedicated the initial 11-mile Delaware Turnpike, a stretch of highway between the Maryland state line near Newark and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It was another five years before the highway reached Pennsylvania.

Saturn V Rocket

9781467123877

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In the first comprehensive photographic account of the Saturn V, relive the drama of the Space Race through the production of the rocket that would carry Neil Armstrong and crew to the moon.

In 1961, Pres. John F. Kennedy set the challenge of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In order to achieve this, NASA partnered with US industry to build the largest rocket ever produced, the Saturn V. It was designed and tested in record time and made its first flight in 1967. Less than two years later and within the timescales set by the president, the crew of Apollo 11 was launched on a Saturn V and watched live by millions of people on televisions around the world. From this launch, Neil Armstrong made his famous giant leap for mankind, later to be followed by 11 other astronauts who also walked on the moon.

Mining in Yuba County

9781467132909

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Mining in Yuba County illustrates the story of how this geologically unique part of California drew multitudes of people from around the world during the early days of the Gold Rush. It depicts the region's evolution from anarchy to civilization. It gives faces to the individuals who were instrumental in creating society in Yuba. It elaborates on incidents in which Yuba influenced the nation, on matters as historically significant as California entering the Union as a free state and affecting the outcome of the Civil War. Mining in Yuba fostered technological advancement precipitated by the depletion of surface gold and the necessity to get to the obscured gold. Conflicts between miners and agriculturists over hydraulic mining were litigated, and landmark legal decisions regarding the regulation of hydraulic mining all but ended the practice and were the beginnings of environmental protectionism and water rights issues in California. Finally, it reveals that despite heavy regulations that exist today, there is still mining in Yuba County.

Mines Around Silverton

9781467132862

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Silverton is located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, which have been described by H.H. Bancroft as the wildest and most inaccessible region of Colorado, if not North America. The region has a long and colorful mining history, dating back to the Spanish exploration of the area in the 18th century. For the past 250 years, men have sought gold and silver in these mountains. However, full-scale mining did not begin until the 1870s, and for more than a century, mining was the lifeblood of Silverton and the surrounding area. The San Juan Mountains have been called one of the four great mining areas of Colorado, in a state known for its mining heritage. This is not only the story of the mines but also of the men and women who worked and lived in these rugged mountains.

Firefighting in Washington, D.C.

9780738517315

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Explore the complex, heroic and sometimes tragic history of firefighting in Washington, D.C., with images and oral histories gathered over the past century.

From the burning of Washington by the British in 1814 to the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon in 2001, firefighters in Washington, D.C., have always known they are the defenders of one of the most important cities in the world. Written by a worthy group of authors from The Capitol Fire Museum of Washington, this book covers the creation of the paid fire department during the Civil War, construction of new firehouses for the fledgling city in varying international designs, the heyday of firefighting before World War II, the turbulent times of the 1960s, and the modern department today.

Reading Firefighting

9780738555324

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From its inception in Colonial times to the modern challenges of today, the Reading Fire Department has battled natural disasters, airplane crashes, and block burners threatening "the Pretzel City." The fire department has faithfully served the city of Reading since 1771, having been established soon after Benjamin Franklin organized the nation's first volunteer fire department in Philadelphia. At one time the Reading Fire Department even boasted the largest all-volunteer fire department in the nation, consisting of more than 10,000 volunteer members operating from 14 fire stations throughout the city. Using the archives of the Reading Fire Department, the Reading Eagle, and the Historical Society of Berks County, Reading Firefighting documents the history and traditions of this dedicated fire department.

Firefighting in Charlotte

9780738552606

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

The story of firefighting in Charlotte is a tale of explosive growth and change that dates back to its humble beginnings in 1887.

The city of Charlotte credits expansion to several events, including the gold rush of the 1830s, the railroad expansion of the 1860s, and the textile boom of the 1880s. During the textile boom, the volunteer firefighters protecting Charlotte and Mecklenburg County could no longer adequately protect the growing city. Thus the Charlotte Fire Department was born. The Roaring Twenties brought in the auto age and along with it motorized fire trucks. Race tensions of the 1960s and the financial boom of the 1990s also figure in the fire department's history. Returning to her roots of growth, Charlotte is now a bustling financial and transportation hub of 650,000 residents protected by more than 1,000 firefighters living in 38 firehouses. Firefighting in Charlotte provides a photographic road map of how fire protection developed from horse-drawn engines of the 1800s to the state-of-the-art apparatus of today. Fire trucks, firehouses, and the firefighters are depicted in images obtained from personal collections, newspapers, archives, and museums.

Cover image for Firefighting in Charlotte, isbn: 9780738552606

Bridgeport Firefighters

9780738504926

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Tracing its roots to 1796, the Bridgeport Fire Department protects Connecticut's largest city. Bridgeport's first step toward independence occured when the Corporation of Newfield was formed in 1797 for the express purpose of forming a fire company. Through the years, the firefighters have continued to play a significant role in Bridgeport's history. Bridgeport's fire department has grown, changed, and shared in its city's triumphs, and tragedies. The purchase of the steam-powered D.H. Sterling fire engine triggered an oftentimes bitter contest between adherents of the traditional muscle-powered fire engine and new mechanical machines. The contest resulted in the formation of the present career fire department in 1872. Bridgeport Firefighters traces the innovations, incidents, and personalities through the hand-drawn, horse-drawn, and motor-driven eras up to the twentieth century.

Historic Fires of Fall River

9781467119245

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Fall River's textile boom in the nineteenth century brought with it a series of fiery disasters. The Big Fire of 1843 left more than one thousand people homeless and destroyed two hundred buildings, as well as twenty-some acres of land. After the Steiger Store Fire of 1916, mill owners pushed the city to replace horse-drawn brigades with fire engines. The intense heat from the Kerr Mill Thread Fire of 1987 melted hoses as first responders battled the blaze. Author Stefani Koorey chronicles the historic infernos of the Spindle City and celebrates the community's resilience in the face of adversity.

San Bernardino Fire Department

9780738528519

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Sixty miles east of Los Angeles, the now-bustling city of San Bernardino established its first fire department in 1865 with just 4 ladders, 4 axes, 4 hooks, and 24 buckets. Though this company was soon disbanded, another rose to take its place following several disastrous blazes in 1878. From these early days of leather helmets and hand-drawn trucks to the modern era of computerized equipment, the San Bernardino Fire Department has kept step with the community's rapid growth through the 20th century and, today, continues to provide first-class service to the citizens of San Bernardino.

Huey P. Long Bridge

9781467110129

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Named after the 40th governor of Louisiana, the Huey P. Long Bridge, just outside of New Orleans in Jefferson Parish, is the longest railroad bridge in the United States. For 15 years after it opened in 1935, it was the longest railroad bridge in the world. Initially conceived in 1892, the Huey P. was the first bridge to span the deep-draft navigation channel of the lower Mississippi River, opening the path for a southern transcontinental railroad. The highway and pedestrian portions of the bridge provided additional transport, which previously had only been available by ferry. New Orleans and its surrounding regions grew in population and economic importance as the publicly owned bridge connected the Port of New Orleans to the rest of the United States through six Class I railroads. The Huey P. continues to function in its original, now undersized, capacity. In April 2006, the state began a widening of the bridge to double its automobile lanes from 18 feet to 43 feet. In September 2012, the American Society of Civil Engineers dedicated the Huey P. Long Bridge as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Cover image for Huey P. Long Bridge, isbn: 9781467110129

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge

9780738562582

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The innovative Benjamin Franklin Bridge, originally named the Delaware River Bridge, was constructed to connect the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey.

For a time after its opening on July 1, 1926, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of 1,750 feet. The Benjamin Franklin Bridge contains many rarely seen images of the bridge's planning and construction, the individuals who helped make the concept of the bridge a reality, and the workers who built it. The bridge has undergone many changes in the decades since its opening, and these vintage photographs trace its evolution, illustrating the bridge's endurance as a symbol of the Philadelphia-Camden metropolitan area.

Bridges of Spokane

9780738596358

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Spokane's history begins with the arrival of explorer David Thompson, who established the trading post Spokane House in 1810. From that period forward, the area teemed with Euro-American settlers who often mingled with the Native American population. Spokan Falls, officially incorporated in 1881, and by 1891 known simply as Spokane, became ground zero for the extractive industries of mining and logging and later a vast hub for the railroads. These factors led to the greatest boom in the city's history between the years 1900 and 1915. Spokane's growth came on the heels of an increase in the built environment that included the creation of parks, subdivisions, an expanded downtown business district, and an almost feverish movement to create some of Washington's most beautifully designed bridges. Because of this, Spokane has often been referred to as the "City of Bridges."

Watermen of Reedville and the Chesapeake Bay

9781467116275

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The story of Reedville, Virginia, is linked to the commercial fishing industry that developed in the late 19th century. In 1874, Elijah Reed transferred his menhaden fishing operation from Brooklin, Maine, to the Chesapeake Bay. He purchased the land on Cockrell's Creek that is now Reedville. The industry flourished, especially in the early part of the 20th century. Today, Reedville is one of the major ports for the landing of commercial fish in the United States, second only to Kodiak, Alaska. This Northern Neck area of Virginia has a deep history dating back to Jamestown, and this book adds another chapter in retelling its past by providing unique photographs that have never been previously published.

Cover image for Watermen of Reedville and the Chesapeake Bay, isbn: 9781467116275

Michigan Apples

9781626194847

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French Jesuit missionaries planted apple seeds in the Michigan wilderness more than a century before the travels of Johnny Appleseed. Seedlings grew into giant fruit-bearing trees that provided tangy apples to pioneers who followed. As the Detroit settlement grew, grafted apple trees were planted. By the late 1700s, orchards that bloomed with Fameuse, Calville Blanc d'Hiver, Pomme Gris and Detroit Red rivaled those of New England, and even President Thomas Jefferson received scions of Detroit trees to plant at his Monticello estate. Today, 850 farms boast over nine million apple trees. Sample the seasons of Michigan's apple history with author Sharon Kegerreis, from early settlements to today's vibrant industry.

Cover image for Michigan Apples, isbn: 9781626194847

Monterey Fire Department

9780738576237

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For more than 129 years, the firefighters of the Monterey Fire Department have provided outstanding service to the people of Monterey. The department has protected the community since 1882, when the first brigade was a handful of citizens armed with buckets and axes. In 2010, a total of 64 firefighters responded to 6,233 calls. This book is dedicated to the memory of Monterey's firefighters, who have all served valiantly.

Johnson City Firefighting

9780738550084

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With compelling photographs dating from 1889 to the present, Johnson City Firefighting portrays not only the spectacular fires that this south-central New York State city has experienced over the years but also the founding, growth, and personnel of the Johnson City Fire Department. This fire history is notable because of the man for whom the community is named: shoe manufacturer George F. Johnson. To keep his factories safe, Johnson paid for fire stations, equipment, advanced alarm systems, and even early sprinkler systems.

Peabody Firefighting

9780738554747

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The Peabody Fire Department was established in 1868, when the town changed its name from South Danvers to Peabody after one of its favorite sons: well-known philanthropist George Peabody. However, its long-standing history of being a first-class department
dates farther back to the purchase of the town's first hand engine, the Federal No. 1, in 1800, and even farther back with the formation of bucket brigades and fire clubs. Peabody's long history of being the "leather capital of the world" parallels the fire department's history, because many of the department's members worked in the leather factories or were leather shop owners. These same leather factories were fodder for many general alarm fires. Peabody Firefighting features photographs and narratives that showcase the history and evolution of the Peabody Fire Department, a department that today is as rich in diversity and tradition as ever and continues to answer the call of duty to a multitude of emergencies.

Hudson River Bridges

9780738549866

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Hudson River Bridges documents how these structures remain beautiful testaments to cooperative efforts during trying times in America's history.

The Hudson River Valley, an invaluable connection between New England and the rest of the colonies during the American Revolution, continues to be a major crossroads today. The Hudson River bridges were architectural marvels of their time. The Bear Mountain Bridge was the longest suspension bridge, while the Newburgh Beacon second span was built with a new type of weathering steel. The bridges were constructed during important times in history. The Bear Mountain Bridge was built as the automobile became an integral part in the country's development, and the Mid-Hudson Bridge was built during the Depression. Labor disputes helped develop labor laws, and world wars led to changes in activity on the bridges.

Cover image for Hudson River Bridges, isbn: 9780738549866

Arizona's Historic Bridges

9781467133449

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Arizona was once just a passage for pioneers headed west for gold, religious freedom, and cheap land. Native Americans had lived in and explored the territory for years, but it was Manifest Destiny and the western expansionist philosophy of the burgeoning US government that created the impetus for better and faster routes across the vast territory with its topographical challenges. In the 1880s, the railroads first booted their way across the landscape, following historic trails before the highways were built. The Grand Canyon and Colorado River were obvious challenges, but there were also seasonal waterways that needed crossings. The history of the state unfolds with this book, profiling the bridges that define these historic transportation routes. Many of them have been proudly restored by their communities or the state, while others are gone or are in a sad state of decline.

The Queensboro Bridge

9780738554884

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Opened in 1909, the Queensboro Bridge is the longest bridge spanning the East River. The bridge had an immediate and profound effect on the development of Queens from a largely rural area into a bedroom and working community. With its graceful symmetry, the bridge has long been a source of inspiration for artists, songwriters, and authors. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel made it an icon for the 1960s with the song "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)," and more recently it was featured in the movie Spiderman. Through historic photographs, The Queensboro Bridge documents the creation of this cultural icon and its contributions to the history of New York.

The Building of the Oroville Dam

9781467130790

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In the early 1960s, thousands of construction workers and their families came to Oroville, in Northern California, to help build the largest earth-fill dam in the world. Located nine miles northeast of town, the Oroville Dam would be the cornerstone of the California State Water Project, which would provide flood control, electric power, recreation, and water to California residents. The project was so massive that it would reinvent the look of much of the area; require the building of roads, bridges, and railroads; inundate much of the area's history under hundreds of feet of water; and greatly effect the lives of the residents of Oroville. The successful completion of the project came at a price--34 construction workers died.

Kentucky's Covered Bridges

9780738544045

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Kentucky is well recognized for bourbon, bluegrass, and the Kentucky Derby. When thinking of covered bridges, the commonwealth is not the state that readily comes to mind. Many of Kentucky's covered bridges were built by such men as Wernwag, Bower, Carothers, Day, Stone, and Long, but many of the names were never recorded or have been lost to time. Kentucky once was home to the longest single-span wooden bridge in the world and to a covered bridge through which a Civil War battle was fought. Time, arson, progress, neglect, and misguided maintenance have spelled the demise of the majority of these structures. Readers of this volume might be surprised to learn that Kentucky once claimed more than 700 timbered tunnels and that over 50 of these survived well into the 1950s. Equally surprising, the commonwealth is still home to 13 of these structures.

Michoud Assembly Facility

9781467112130

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From the American Railroad to Space - Discover the fascinating history of the Michoud Assembly Facility.

After an auspicious beginning as a royal land grant from French king Louis XV to a wealthy French citizen of New Orleans in 1763, the land Michoud Assembly Facility occupies remained in private ownership until 1940, when it was sold to the US government. Prior to World War II, the site was used to grow sugar, hunt muskrat, and build railroad and telephone lines. In 1941, the world's largest industrial site was built, covering 43 acres of unobstructed, low-humidity, air-cooled space under one roof to construct C-46 cargo planes. The Korean War required the assembly of Sherman and Patton tanks there, while the space race compelled the design and assembly of the colossal Saturn I, IB, and V rocket boosters for the Apollo program that reported directly to Dr. Wernher von Braun. The 1970s saw the fabrication of the enormous external tank for the Space Shuttle program. Today, Michoud Assembly Facility continues to support the US space program by building major components for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (or MPCV).

St. Petersburg's Historic 22nd Street South

9781596290839

$19.99 $14.99 Save 25%

With this powerful, evocative new book, St. Petersburg residents Jon Wilson and Rosalie Peck present an informative narrative that explores the history of St. Petersburg, Florida's most vibrant African American neighborhood: 22nd Street South or the deuces.

Throughout the city's history, no other area has personified strength for the African American community like this segregation-era thoroughfare. A haven during the brutal Jim Crow years, 22nd Street South was a place where prominent businessmen and community leaders were the role models and residents and neighbors looked out for one another. The close-knit community encouraged strong, positive values even as its members were treated as second-class citizens in the wider world. Authors Wilson and Peck tell the story of this unique district and how its people and events contributed to and helped to shape the history of St. Petersburg in the context of the greater South and the Civil Rights Movement.

Cover image for St. Petersburg's Historic 22nd Street South, isbn: 9781596290839

Detroit's Historic Water Works Park

9780738591940

$7.99 $5.99 Save 25%

Detroit's Historic Water Works Park takes the reader on a nostalgic trip back to when it was possible to see beyond the horizon from the top of the tallest freestanding structure in the Americas. At one time, Water Works Park's colorful, stunningly beautiful, and varied floral displays were reason enough for thousands of people to travel hundreds of miles or more to Detroit. In addition to its primary function as a source of high-quality drinking water for Detroit and neighboring communities since 1879, Water Works Park was a popular place of rest, reflection, and recreation. At one time, its popularity among Detroiters and visitors to the city was exceeded only by Belle Isle, the city's big island playground in the Detroit River.

Cover image for Detroit's Historic Water Works Park, isbn: 9780738591940

Mines of Clear Creek County

9781467130349

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In 1859, "Pikes Peak or bust!" spread across America and brought men and their families from all over to the Kansas goldfields seeking a new beginning. Thousands came to Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties and eventually settled all of Colorado. The mining communities of Idaho Springs, Georgetown, Empire, Silver Plume, Dumont, and Lawson all exist because of the pursuit of gold and silver. Gold was initially easy to get to, but in time, underground mineral development was necessary. New technologies and the Industrial Revolution made mining easier, but there was still work to be done to establish local fire departments, churches, schools, and governments.

Slater Mill

9780738545448

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Well-illustrated and with fact-filled text, Slater Mill is a charming look back at a pivotal part of Pawtucket life.

As a working cotton mill, a space for varied types of manufacturing, and eventually as a project of historical preservation, the Slater Mill has played many roles in the history of Pawtucket. Leavitt's work includes such illuminating images as a turn-of-the-century bicycle shop, a crowded mill scene in the early twentieth century, and the transformation of the site into a tourist attraction in the 1920s. This volume also shows how the site was re-configured as a community museum in the 1950s and '60s, as well as how the industrial emphasis of the curators eventually resulted in the addition of a working water wheel to the site. Well-illustrated, with fact-filled text, Slater Mill is a charming look back at a pivotal part of Pawtucket life that will interest young and old alike.

Raleigh and Wake County Firefighting

9780738515120

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The story of firefighting in Raleigh and Wake County is almost as old as the county itself. The terrifying threat to wooden structures with minimal water supplies was well known to the planners who laid out Wake County's first town in 1792. Wide streets were created to prevent fires from spreading between buildings. As early as 1802, citizens contributed to the purchase price of Raleigh's first fire engine. More than 200 years later, the dedicated members of 23 fire departments answer the still-familiar cry of fire!

Raleigh and Wake County Firefighting chronicles over a century of fire protection in North Carolina's capital city and surrounding county. Fire engines, fire stations, and the firefighters themselves are depicted in over 220 images culled from local newspapers, area archives, and personal collections. From Raleigh to Cary and Apex to Zebulon, both municipal and rural fire departments are remembered from their early beginnings. Stories of fires at Raleigh's Yarborough Hotel in 1928, downtown Knightdale in 1940, and Pullen Hall at North Carolina State University in 1965 come alive, as do dramatic photographs from the old Mangel's building fire, the North Raleigh tornado, and the flooding after Hurricane Fran.

Cover image for Raleigh and Wake County Firefighting, isbn: 9780738515120

New Haven Firefighters

9780738536699

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The history of the New Haven Fire Department dates back to December 29, 1789, when Mayor Roger Sherman, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, formed the volunteer system. The advent of steam fire engines in 1862 marked the end of the volunteer system and the beginning of the full-time paid department, giving New Haven the distinction of having the first professional fire department in Connecticut. New Haven has a long and proud history of tradition in its fire service. Since 1862 there have been only fifteen different chiefs heading the department. New Haven Firefighters tells the story from the days of steamers to the era of the tower ladder.

Greater Hartford Firefighting

9780738545387

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The Hartford area has a rich history of firefighting, beginning with the bucket brigades of early colonial history. As devastating blazes razed many key buildings and entire neighborhoods, these small teams developed into large volunteer groups. The city finally realized that paid fire departments were needed, and the modern firefighting world bloomed with technological advances in equipment and procedures. The evolution of these brave firefighting groups is richly chronicled in Greater Hartford Firefighting.

Alameda County Fire Department

9781467134286

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Alameda County spans from the shores of the San Francisco Bay to the golden inland hills. Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) is comprised of multiple consolidated agencies that began joining forces and sharing resources in 1993. Protecting unincorporated county land as well as Ashland, Cherryland, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, San Leandro, Dublin, Union City, Newark, Emeryville, and the National Laboratories at Livermore and Berkeley, ACFD serves over 500 square miles and 330,000 citizens. This legacy stretches back 140 years, recalling the shared experiences of bucket brigades, teams of horses pulling steam-engine pumpers down muddy roads, the advent of motorized apparatus, and the days when school boys would be pulled from class to ride tailboard to fight blazes in the hills. These agencies have sent soldiers to two world wars, survived massive earthquakes, fought catastrophic wildfires, and touched the lives of Bay Area citizens for over a century. The ACFD is the sum of its many unique parts, which together form a premier, all-risk fire department.

The Great Fire of Petersburg, Virginia

9781467118668

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On July 16, 1815, a fire began in a small stable in Petersburg. After only a few hours, almost two-thirds of the city lay in ruins. Citizens stood on the banks of the Appomattox River and watched as wind blew flames from one building to the next. The tragedy claimed a dozen lives and destroyed more than five hundred homes. The fire raged until it was quelled by a downpour of rain. Stories of heroism from firefighters and landowners were left in the aftermath. Author Tamara Eastman describes the city before the fire, the horrific event and the collective efforts to rebuild a stronger city.

Cover image for The Great Fire of Petersburg, Virginia, isbn: 9781467118668

Portsmouth Firefighting

9780738562100

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In September 1756, with only fire buckets, two hand tubs, and citizen volunteers safeguarding the Colonial seaport, Portsmouth decided to organize and regulate its fire protection. By 1852, the Portsmouth Fire Department boasted six suction engines and in 1864 entered the age of steam power when the first steam fire engine was delivered. Disastrous fires and a growing city required the department to modernize as it moved into the 20th century. The department's first motorized engine was purchased in 1912, and by 1921, there was a new central fire station along with a new gasoline-powered ladder truck. Through an exceptional collection of photographs, Portsmouth Firefighting richly illustrates the story and tradition of a fire department forever connected to its brave firefighters, their magnificent fire engines, and the spectacular blazes they fought.

Mount Tamalpais and the Marin Municipal Water District

9780738593173

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Mount Tamalpais rose from the land that has become Marin County. As the crown jewel of the Marin Municipal Water District, the mountain and adjoining watersheds total 22,000 acres. These properties sit adjacent to county open space as well as holdings of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Mount Tamalpais State Park. Together, the land provides an unparalleled world-class recreation and wilderness area only 30 minutes from the city of San Francisco. Amidst the upheaval of the Progressive Era, the Water District was chartered in 1912 by citizens of Marin County to create a public water system and to fulfill the promise of a park. Rich with possibility, the land had remained surprisingly undeveloped throughout the 19th century. Surviving the Gold Rush, a notorious period of wanton greed for natural resources, the mountain needed protection. Armed with the power of eminent domain, the Water District started the conversion of the vast watershed areas from private to community ownership, a process that ultimately saved the mountain and left in its formidable shadow the beloved and beautifully preserved natural land of the Mount Tamalpais Watershed.

Mount Tamalpais and the Marin Municipal Water District

Firefighting in Forsyth County

9781467107129

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

Soon after the first buildings were completed, a fire department was established in Forsyth County in 1772. The Town of Salem purchased the first fire pump in the state in 1785 after a tavern burned down the year before. Old Salem's Market and Fire House is the oldest enginehouse in North Carolina, built in 1803. Growth in both population and industry led to the joining of Salem and Winston. When the two cities joined in 1913, they formed a united volunteer department. Even with the newly formed Winston-Salem department, there was still a necessity for rural fire protection as some farms, churches, and schools were beyond the reach of the city department. It was not until 1949 that the first rural volunteer department was founded in Sedge Garden. Innovation in fire apparatus and equipment, such as the development of the fog nozzle still in use today, contributed to the success of rural firefighting. The fire service in Forsyth County has consistently been on the forefront of technology, diversity, and revolution.

Prescott Fire Department

9781467131780

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Founded in 1885, the Prescott Fire Department began with four 25-man volunteer companies, the Dudes, the Toughs, the Mechanics Hook & Ladders, and the O.K.s. These 100 men reflected both the common man and the leaders of the region. Over the years, their numbers would include governors-to-be F.A. Tritle and Thomas Campbell, business leaders H.D. Aitken and A.A. "Tony" Johns, and numerous members of the Goldwater family. The department and its community survived the great fire of July 14, 1900, as well as the loss of 19 of its own Granite Mountain Hotshots on June 30, 2013. The Prescott Fire Department would go from a volunteer department to a fully paid department of 80 firefighters, operating out of five stations and covering an area of 40 square miles.

St. Louis Fire Department

9780738531922

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The St. Louis Fire Department was established in 1857 and is the second oldest paid fire department in the United States. This pictorial history portrays the department's rich history and exemplifies why its motto is "Justifiably Proud." The St. Louis Fire Department history is one of leadership and innovation. It was one of the first departments to purchase a 100' aerial ladder truck. It was also one of the first to establish an academy for the study of fire and the training of fire fighting recruits. In 1987, the department was the first in the nation to use a "Total Quint Concept," which combined the traditional fire truck and hook and ladder truck into one piece of equipment.

Keyport Firefighting

9780738563619

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

The Keyport Fire Department was created by necessity in the aftermath of the great fire of 1877, which destroyed half of the town's business center and brought the bustling early port settlement to a grinding halt. As the town was being rebuilt, citizens acted to ensure that fire would never again spread uncontrollably. By 1907, seven fire companies formed to provide hose, engine, ladder, and fire police services, with equipment drawn by hand or horses. The department's equipment and firefighting techniques evolved with time and technology. Keyport Firefighting chronicles more than 130 years of the firefighting men and women who lived, worked, and volunteered their services for their hometown in an effort to preserve life and property.

East Bay Hills

9781467137256

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Like the mist rising from San Francisco Bay encircles the towering redwoods, the little-known legends of the East Bay Hills enrich a glorious history. Follow the trails of Saclan and Jalquin-Yrgin people over the hills and through the valleys. Ride with the mounted rangers through the Flood of '62. Break into a sealed railroad tunnel with a pack of junior high school boys. Learn how university professors, civil servants and wealthy businessmen planned for years to create a chain of parks twenty miles along the hilltops. Author Amelia Sue Marshall explores the heritage of these storied parklands with the naturalists who continue to preserve them and the old-timers who remember wilder days.

Cover image for East Bay Hills, isbn: 9781467137256

Milwaukee Fire Department

9780738534343

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The Milwaukee Fire Department, like the city it serves, boasts a long and proud past, rich with diverse details. The department first formed as a volunteer organization in 1837, evolving into a full-time service by 1874. Steeped in pride and tradition, its penchant for innovation is legendary.

These traits have characterized legions of brave and skillful professionals whose devotion to duty established the department's reputation as a leader in protecting lives and property. Throughout the department's history, its members have left their mark in countless ways, reflecting the background, work ethic, and talent of Milwaukee's citizens.

Connecticut and Rhode Island Covered Bridges

9780738575407

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

During their heyday in the mid-to-late 1800s, more than 150 covered bridges dotted the landscape of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Since that time, floods, fires, and progress have claimed all but three of the historic structures. Covered bridges were heavily concentrated in the hills of northwestern Connecticut, spanning the Farmington, Housatonic, and Naugatuck Rivers. In Rhode Island, most were built by the railroads in Woonsocket, Providence, and other communities in the northern part of the state, though few pictures are known to exist. Connecticut was the birthplace of two of the nation's best known covered bridge designers: Ithiel Town and Theodore Burr. Half of the covered bridges currently standing in the United States are supported by trusses patented by either Town or Burr.

Cover image for Connecticut and Rhode Island Covered Bridges, isbn: 9780738575407

The Verde River

9780738578897

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Archaeologists discovered that the Hohokam were an advanced native tribe who built elaborate irrigation systems along the Verde River, and then disappeared. Early Arizona settlers recognized the tenacity and intelligence of the Hohokam and began to reconstruct their canal system. In 1903, the Salt River Project commenced, and the first lake on the lower Verde River was formed with the completion of the Bartlett Dam in 1939. Seven years later and 12 miles upstream from Bartlett, the Horseshoe Reservoir was created in order to expand copper mining during World War II. The astonishing result of these reservoirs is today's sprawling desert megalopolis of Phoenix, Arizona. Nicknamed "The River of Time," the Verde River is a timeline of Arizona history, and it is essential to human life and livelihood in the area.

Boston's Bridges

9780738535715

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Flanked by rivers and ocean inlets, Boston has always been a city of bridges. At one time, Bostonians built more bridges per acre of city land than any other American city. From the days of the old Charles River crossing to the striking new Zakim span, these bridges stand as public monuments as much as they serve Boston's transportation needs. In no other American city can such a dense collection of diverse bridge types, styles, and ages be found today.

Boston's Bridges surveys the city's spans, telling the story of their construction and tracking the evolution in design, materials, and construction techniques from the 1700s to the present. Drawing on previously unpublished images from the Massachusetts Department of Public Works, the city of Boston archives, and numerous other sources, Boston's Bridges is a vivid document of the city's bridges past and present. Written by an engineer-historian, Boston's Bridges will appeal not only to those fascinated by Boston's history but also to those with an interest in construction, civil engineering, and urban architecture.

Bridges of Portland

9780738548760

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

Portland is an inland port city that rose to importance in the mid-19th century as a major shipping point for the Pacific Northwest's wheat, lumber, and other commodities. The Columbia and Willamette Rivers enabled seagoing vessels to reach the port, but they also presented obstacles to local travel and commerce. Willamette River ferry service was available by 1853, but Portlanders had to wait until 1887 for a bridge. The first was the Morrison Bridge, followed by the Steel Bridge in 1888, the Madison Bridge was in 1891, and the Burnside Bridge in 1894. These bridges helped Portland grow from 17,600 residents in 1880 to 90,000 in 1900. Many more bridges were added as Portland grew during the 20th century, and well-known bridge engineers Ralph Modjeski, J.A.L. Waddell, Gustav Lindenthal, David Steinman, and Joseph Strauss each contributed to Portland's world-class collection of bridges.

Cover image for Bridges of Portland, isbn: 9780738548760

Detour New Mexico

9781467118507

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

New Mexico's rich and varied history is easily accessible via detours down obscure backroads and overlooked off-ramps. By taking the road less traveled in any direction, visitors can experience ancient landmarks, cultural heritage sites and striking vistas. Stop at places along the old Route 66, sample the world's best chiles by the Rio Grande or soak in geothermal water flowing under Truth or Consequences. Ancient dwellings in remote canyons, the town where the first atomic bomb was secretly assembled and the grave of Billy the Kid all lie off the beaten path in the Land of Enchantment. Authors Arthur and David Pike map out these and many more worthwhile points of interest for the curious traveler.

Pennsylvania's Historic Bridges

9780738549941

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

Pennsylvania's Historic Bridges examines the development of different types of bridge structures across Pennsylvania through the world of postcards, many of which are from the early 1900s. The structures featured are constructed from various materials and in a multitude of styles. Also found within these pages are several postcards of pedestrian bridges, canal bridges, trolley bridges, railroad bridges, and an aqueduct.

Elephant Butte Dam

9781467133326

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On November 18, 1904, engineer B.M. Hall submitted his final report to the 12th National Irrigation Congress in El Paso, Texas. He concluded that the ideal location for a dam and reservoir would be a site in western New Mexico. A congressional act of February 25, 1905, authorized the construction of Elephant Butte Dam, the first civil engineering structure concerned with international allocation of water. Part of the Rio Grande Project, the dam and its reservoir would provide irrigation water for farmers along the Rio Grande in New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. Today, Elephant Butte Dam is designated as a National Historical Engineer Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the oldest national professional engineering society in the United States. The area is home to Elephant Butte Lake State Park, where camping, fishing, and water sports are enjoyed by both residents and tourists.

Building the Columbia River Highway

9781626192713

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When nine-hundred-foot ice age floods carved the Columbia River Gorge through the Cascade Mountains to the sea, little space was left for man to form a highway of his own. It took an artist-poet-engineer extraordinaire to conquer this reluctant piece of real estate and produce the nation's first scenic highway. Meet Sam Hill, the mover and shaker, and Samuel Lancaster, the polio survivor, who turned modern engineering on its ear to create a "poem in stone." Today, Oregon's historic Columbia River Highway is hidden among the trees, where it meanders past spectacular waterfalls and dramatic views. Ride along with Peg Willis as she explores the beginnings of this miracle highway and the men who created it.

Blue Ridge Fire Towers

9781626198173

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Fire lookout towers have graced the highest peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains for more than a century. Early mountaineers and conservationists began constructing lookouts during the late 1800s. By the 1930s, states and the federal government had built thousands of towers around the country, many in the Blue Ridge. While technology allowed forestry services to use other means for early detection of fires, many towers still stand as a testament to their significance. Author Robert Sorrell details the fascinating history of the lookouts in the Blue Ridge's forests.

Cover image for Blue Ridge Fire Towers, isbn: 9781626198173

Massachusetts Covered Bridges

9780738573236

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From hidden valleys in the Berkshire Hills to the North Shore, 275 documented highway and railroad covered bridges have been constructed in Massachusetts from the early 19th century onward, a figure that often comes as a surprise to those who traditionally associate these unique structures with northern New England. All but a small handful of these are long gone, lost to modern replacements, fires, wear, and the region's notorious weather, especially the devastating storms of the late 1930s. The bridges came in all shapes and sizes, from diminutive 50-foot spans to multitiered structures of nearly 900 feet that crossed the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers and were stout enough to support railroads across their roofs.

Coal in Campbell County

9781467130172

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In his Annual Report of the Territorial Geologist to the Governor of Wyoming 1890, Louis D. Ricketts wrote, "The coal of this district has little other use than that of supplying a local market." Years later, nothing could be further from the truth. The United States uses approximately one billion tons of coal a year, with about 390 million tons coming from Campbell County, Wyoming. Since large-scale commercial coal production began in Campbell County in the mid-1970s, most coal companies have changed names, owners, and boundaries several times. To let those changes go unrecorded would be to lose the very beginning of coal in Campbell County.

Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania

9781467126410

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Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania documents the region's disappearing anthracite history, which shaped the legacy of the United States of America and the industrial revolution.

The coal mines, breakers, coal miners' homes, and railroads have all steadily disappeared. With only one coal breaker left in the entire state, it was time to record what would soon be lost. Unfortunately, one piece of history that persists is underground fires that ravage communities like Centralia. Blazing for over 50 years, the flames of Centralia will not be doused anytime soon. Images featured in the book include the St. Nicholas coal breaker, Huber coal breaker, Steamtown National Historic Site, Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, Eckley Miners' Village, Centralia, and the Knox Mine disaster. A hybrid history book and travel guide, Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania is one final recounting of what is gone and what still remains.

Cape Cod Shore Whaling

9781596294295

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While Nantucket has long enjoyed an illustrious position in America's whaling history, Cape Cod's contribution to the industry is relatively unknown. Yet, it was a Cape Codder who taught the Nantucketers how to hunt whales. In Cape Cod Shore Whaling, authors Duncan Oliver and John Braginton-Smith uncover Cape Cod's integral role in shaping whalefishery, which began along the Cape's sandy shores and evolved into the far-flung whaling expeditions that drove Nantucket's economy into the nineteenth century. Drawing on rare documents never before published, whaling journals, and diaries, Oliver and Braginton-Smith recreate a bygone age when men fought one another for rights to the sea.

Firefighting in Frederick

9780738517346

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The story of firefighting in Frederick, Maryland, is a complex tale of heroism, sacrifice, and duty that dates back to 1818.

Firefighters play a vital role in any time, but it's almost easy to forget the days before mandatory fire safety practices, when most buildings were made of wood, how often the fire department was the only thing to prevent a fire from destroying an entire city. This volume describes the heroic role the fire department has played in defending the city of Frederick for close to two centuries. Highlighted in this work are the Independent Hose Company, Junior Fire Company, United Steam Fire Engine Company, Citizen's Truck Company, Fort Detrick Fire Department, as well as historic fires, emergency medical services, and major disasters throughout the region.

Firefighting in Hagerstown

9780738516585

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The story of firefighting in Hagerstown is almost as old as the town itself. From the bucket brigades in 1791 to the modern fire apparatus used today, the fire department of Hagerstown has played a significant role in protecting local citizens and structures from the ravages of fire. By highlighting the major components of the fire department, including firefighters, fire stations, and the blazes that have spread throughout the city, Images of America: Firefighting in Hagerstown chronicles over two centuries of protection in Hagerstown. This work touches on the dedication, sacrifice, and willingness to serve by the members of each fire company. With over 200 archival images, this volume highlights many rarely seen photographs, including horse-drawn equipment, firehouses, and many of Hagerstown's most challenging fires.

Oakland Fire Department

9780738529684

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For over 150 years, brave firefighters have battled to preserve the lives and property of the citizens of Oakland. Beginning in 1853, volunteer engine and hook and ladder companies organized and the Oakland Fire Department formed in 1869. Until 1922, teams of magnificent horses pulled steamers belching black smoke and embers, with firemen holding on for dear life. These gallant fire horses were as much firefighters as the rugged men of Oakland who extinguished blazes with leather hoses and brass nozzles. After waging an internal battle of racial integration--a 35-year struggle that began in
1920--the Oakland Fire Department became one of the first in the nation to hire women firefighters beginning in 1980.

Portland Fire & Rescue

9780738548838

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Firefighting in Portland boasts many proud traditions and a long and storied history. In 1851, Col. Thomas Dryer, editor of the Oregonian newspaper, decided that it was in the best interest of the city to establish a firefighting force, and with that, he founded the Pioneer Fire Engine Company No. 1. Little better than a bucket brigade, this volunteer force of 37 men wearing red shirts started operations with just a single hand pump. From these humble beginnings, the organization grew to keep pace with a burgeoning city. From the great fire of 1873 and the colorful era of horse-drawn apparatus to technological innovations and community involvement, Portland Fire & Rescue--as the department is now known--has valiantly protected lives and property in Portland for more than a century and a half.

Firefighting in Buncombe County

9781467121804

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When Buncombe County was formed in 1792, firefighting efforts were left up to individual landowners and helpful neighbors using buckets and a nearby well or body of water. Not until 1882 was an organized, community-sponsored fire department established; this was the Asheville Fire Department. Other fire departments followed, and no two were the same. Stations appeared in the towns of Weaverville and Black Mountain, while others sprang up in the residential communities of Kenilworth, Biltmore Forest, and George Vanderbilt's Biltmore Village. In September 1953, county commissioners formally passed a resolution for county aid and supervision for rural volunteer fire departments. Through photographs that illustrate firefighting in many of its forms--rescue squads, wildland firefighting units, ladies auxiliaries, and ambulance services--Firefighting in Buncombe County showcases and honors the firefighters of this mountainous area who have always worked to keep their communities safe.

Newport Beach Fire Department

9780738555935

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For nearly a century, the men and women of the Newport Beach Fire Department have served their Orange County community with dedication, professionalism, and grace. Starting with a primitive hose reel and a dozen volunteers in 1911, determined Newport Beach firefighters protected the always tourism-friendly community with more dedication than equipment. In 1927, the volunteers were disbanded and a paid fire department was organized. This volume celebrates 100 years of the Newport Beach Fire Department's exemplary service by combining historical photographs with a narrative that traces the evolution of firefighting in Newport Beach from its turn-of-the-century roots to the state-of-the-art operation it is today, entrusted with protecting one of coastal California's most affluent and picturesque showcase communities.

Firefighting in Hopkinsville

9780738553238

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Organized in 1832, the Hopkinsville Union Fire Company represented the first attempt to provide fire protection for the town of Hopkinsville, which had 1,260 residents at that time. Succeeding volunteer groups (called runners) were created through the remainder of the 19th century. By 1900, a paid, professional fire department had been established with the firemen and equipment housed in the old town market house at the intersection of Fifth and Main Streets. Five years later, the City of Hopkinsville completed the new Central Fire Station located on East Ninth Street between Liberty and Clay Streets. In October 1924, the destruction of this building by fire generated widespread comment. A new station was built within the original walls of the burned building. This facility served as the Hopkinsville Fire Station until the department moved to the new Main Station on West First Street in May 1964.

Orlando Firefighting

9780738553078

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Mystery surrounds the origins of Orlando's name, but the most probable explanation for its moniker dates back to the exploits of Orlando Reeves. While guarding Central Florida forts against Native American attacks, Reeves was alarmed in the middle of the night. A log rolled toward Reeves in the darkness, and he knew it disguised movement by an opponent. After firing his gun to awaken his fellow soldiers, he was bombarded by arrows, which resulted in his death. Orlando's name was bestowed upon a local post office in 1857 and then on the city incorporated in 1875. Just like the brave solider for whom the city was named, firefighters of Orlando boldly risk their lives for the welfare of others. This volume commemorates those men and women and traces a rich history from 1883, when a devastating fire inspired William C. Sherman to start a volunteer fire company, to today.

A Chicago Firehouse

9780738518572

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From its humble beginnings in 1884 as a one-story frame building with one bay to house Hose Company 4 and its team of horses, Engine Company 78 has been the firefighting sentinel at the end of Waveland Avenue, sitting in the shadow of Wrigley Field. Using vintage photographs and moving stories from firefighters themselves, Karen Kruse captures the spirit and heroism of this historic Chicago landmark. Captain Robert F. Kruse served the Chicago Fire Department for 30 years, half of those at Wrigleyville's Engine 78. Growing up within the tight-knit firefighting community, Ms. Kruse records the dramatic and touching stories from her father's and his peers' experiences, and combines them in this volume exploring the unique history of Lakeview's firehouse, including a foreword by Mike Ditka and preface by Fire Commissioner James Joyce. With details about little known historic districts and a brief guide to Chicago's cemeteries and their relations to firefighters, A Chicago Firehouse: Stories of Wrigleyville's Engine 78 relays in first-hand accounts some of Chicago's most fiery tragedies, the brave men who battled them, and the diversity of the neighborhood that housed them.

Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus Heritage

9780738552637

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The formation of the volunteer fire and rescue departments were a central part of Loudoun County's rich history. In the beginning, residents rallied to provide fire protection and emergency medical care to their neighbors. As more communities were
established, fire and rescue departments worked together to provide assistance to each other during an emergency. As Loudoun County experiences incredible growth, volunteers from the community
work side-by-side with career personnel to ensure that citizens are well protected. The images in this volume capture the history of Loudoun's fire and rescue apparatus, from the earliest trucks to today's modern fire and rescue vehicles. The photographs depict a time when departments struggled to raise funds and provide protection to their communities. This Images of America book shows how far fire and rescue departments have come to ensure the protection of life and property in Loudoun County.

Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Apparatus Heritage

Bristol Firefighting

9780738510774

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In 1845, a series of disastrous fires nearly crippled the economy of Bristol. Earlier in the century, the community had become one of the leading clock producers in the world, and this astounding success spawned many other local businesses. As the factories multiplied, so did the need for fire protection; unfortunately, when the whirlwind of fires struck, Bristol was unprepared and suffered heavy losses. Yet, it was not until eight years later that three prominent businessmen took the first steps toward organizing a fire company: in September 1853, a firehouse was built on School Street and it was equipped with a used hand pump and five hundred feet of leather hose. It became Bristol Engine and Hose Company No.1.

With some two hundred stunning images, Bristol Firefighting relives the fire department's proud history over the past one hundred fifty years, as the old hand pump gave way to an 1881 Amoskeag steamer drawn by horses, which in turn moved aside in the early 1900s for a Pope-Hartford, a motorized auto chemical truck, which changed firefighting forever. Years later, Bristol was recognized throughout the country for owning the first American La France foam pumper, appropriately known as the Bristol Model. Bristol Firefighting recalls firsthand accounts of many infamous fires, told through the eyes of the local people who witnessed them. Most dramatically, it relates the stories of heroism, sacrifice, and bravery displayed by firefighters in their unending desire to serve and protect their community.

Springfield Firefighting

9780738550114

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The history of the Springfield Fire Department dates back to 1792 when the first hand pumper, Lion, was purchased. On January 24, 1794, a fire club with 50 members, all prominent citizens of the city, was organized. Fire districts were established in 1830 by an act passed by the Massachusetts legislature. By 1833, Springfield officially organized a fire department, and like the fire club, the new volunteer department consisted of prominent members of the community. The fire department changed from volunteer to paid in 1872. The volunteers then formed the Springfield Veteran Fireman's Association. After 1872, the department made great strides, especially in the area of apparatus. In 1906, Springfield entered the motorized age with the introduction of a Knox squad truck, and by 1916, Springfield became the first fullymotorized fire department in the United States.

New Jersey's Covered Bridges

9781467120111

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In the 18th and 19th centuries, covered bridges dotted the landscape of New Jersey, providing safe passage to travelers. Forty-five covered bridges once crossed waterways in all corners of the state. Perhaps the most extraordinary examples of these wooden bridges were found along the western border, crossing the Delaware River into neighboring Pennsylvania. These bridges were feats of construction and engineering but were ultimately unable to prevent the inevitable fate of almost all the covered bridges of the state, namely ice, floods, and fire as well as the development of new materials and technology. Today, only one covered bridge survives in New Jersey. The Green Sergeant's covered bridge in Hunterdon County was constructed over the Wickecheoke Creek in 1872 and has stood the test of time. New Jersey's Covered Bridges showcases the rich transportation history of these structures and pictorially honors the lost ones.

Smith Mountain Dam and Lake

9781467122658

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Explore the vibrant history of Smith Mountain Dam in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

The construction of a dam in the gap of Smith Mountainin Pittsylvania County, Virginia, had been considered as early as the 1920s. However, the dam's construction did not begin until 1960.Smith Mountain Damclosed the gap completely in 1963, and Smith Mountain Lakebegan to fill and form behind it.

The hydroelectric dam consists of 175,000 cubic yards of concrete and has the capacity to generate 605 megawatts of electricity for up to 11 hours.Smith Mountain Damis part of a two-dam system on the Roanoke River, and its companion dam, the Leesville Dam, is a smaller structure designed to pump water back to Smith Mountain Lakeand to also generate hydroelectric power for American Electric Power (AEP) customers.Smith Mountain Lakecovers 20,000 acres and has a 500-mile shoreline, which borders Franklin, Pittsylvania, and Bedford Counties.

Over the years, development near and around Smith Mountain Lakehas exploded, and this has presented both opportunities and challenges in regard to stewardship of the area's natural resources. James A. Nagy, author of Images of America: Franklin County, presents images from various collections, including the AEP archives, showing the construction and development of Smith Mountain Dam and Lake.

Indiana's Covered Bridges

9780738533353

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Once there were hundreds of 19th-century and very early 20th-century covered bridges in Indiana--so many in fact, that the state ranked third in the nation in the number of structures still standing. By the early 1930s and 1940s, a movement was afoot to preserve those magnificent structures that had not already disappeared due to desertion and deterioration. Some were saved, but many were not. What was saved and cherished, however, was an abundance of vintage black and white images taken by pioneer photographers who willingly trekked from bridge to bridge decades ago. Captured in this volume are nearly 200 of those photographs from the mid-20th century and before, representing more than 36 Indiana counties from Adams County to Wells County.