The History Press

Lakeside Inn is the nucleus of Mount Dora that offers the legacy of frontier Florida. An adventurous and courageous team of pioneers formed a partnership to erect a hotel that was spearheaded by attorney Colonel John M. Alexander, who recruited newcomers to visit and relocate to Central Florida. The partnership of Alexander with Colonel MacDonald and Donnelly family contributed to the early vision of a Florida Inn.

The flourishing orange culture and the intellectual components of Chautauqua shaped the evolving communities and influenced the historic and artistic spirit of modern-day Mount Dora.

Traditionally a seasonal hotel, the recreational oasis is sought after year-round by visitors and organizations who can glimpse a hint of the Gilded age and marvel at the experiences of legendary guests.

For eighty-five years, Porteous, Mitchell & Braun stood guard in the heart of Portland, Maine’s Congress Street commercial district.

Founded in 1873, the firm spent its first three decades in Norwich, Connecticut, before it took over a failing department store in Maine’s largest city and became a beloved shopping tradition. Porteous was home to Portland’s Santa Claus, and its elaborate Christmas displays were a holiday destination for northern New Englanders. By the late 1970s, Porteous had expanded and opened branch locations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. As the retail industry experienced mergers and consolidations, the family-run Porteous bucked the trend and remained in operation longer than many of its former competitors. Although its Portland store closed in 1991, its iconic building has been creatively transformed into the Maine College of Art & Design.

Through interviews with residents, dignitaries, and former employees, and dozens of rarely seen photographs, department store historian Michael J. Lisicky recalls the time when the community knew "You’ll Enjoy Shopping at Porteous."

Veteran guide and creator of the popular Sinners and Scandals of Laurel Hill Cemetery tour, Thomas H. Keels tells the spellbinding stories of thirteen unforgettable characters and unfolds Laurel Hill’s special place in Quaker City history.

Upon its founding in 1836, Laurel Hill Cemetery became the place to spend eternity for many of Philadelphia’s great and good, but alongside the luminaries interred in this Victorian necropolis lie shadier figures.

Philadelphia girl Mabel Tinley became one of the biggest grifters in Gay Nineties New York. Civil War general Henry Morris Naglee was denounced in the press as “a slayer of innocence and a robber of chastity.” The grisly death of Martha Drinnan, spinster daughter of the cemetery superintendent, remains an enduring mystery.

Veteran guide and creator of the popular Sinners and Scandals of Laurel Hill Cemetery tour Thomas H. Keels tells the spellbinding stories of thirteen unforgettable characters and reveals Laurel Hill's special place in Quaker City history.

Learn the history of one of the oldest Black churches in the United States.

The First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, Virginia, stands as a living monument to the enduring power and resilience of its congregation. Beginning in the hush harbors on plantations owned by Virginia’s most powerful leadership, First Baptist emerged as a powerful force, inextricably linking religious salvation and education as tools of liberation and agency for Africans in America. The church was involved in the American Revolution and the Civil War, thus sealing its place as a key player in Williamsburg. Through the antebellum period, Reconstruction, and modern times, First Baptist and its congregation also resisted the growth of slavery, the dissipation of the rights of free Black people, and the removal of Black-owned homes and businesses.

A powerful icon for freedom, resilience, and hope, the church reflects the larger story of Black voices in Virginia and America.

Preserving Pride through Art

Cheyenne’s downtown demonstrates an ongoing appreciation for public art. Melding art and history, bronze statues decorate the streets of Wyoming’s capital city. Following the completion of thirty-five sculptures on Capitol Avenue, the project exploded with the addition of more than fifty bronzes. The city-wide installation immortalizes symbols of the American West. The Cheyenne Children’s Museum includes several statues celebrating paleontology. Others pay tribute to remarkable women like Lakota Sioux Princess Blue Waters and Louisa Swain—the first woman to vote in Wyoming Territory. Near Cheyenne Regional Hospital, the Healers of the West monument honors a notable doctor and nurse. And of particular pride is the statue of champion cowboy, Verne Elliott, riding a wild buffalo for the visit of President Teddy Roosevelt at the 1910 Frontier Days celebration.

Authors Starley Talbott and Michael E. Kassel return to complete the story behind the city’s inspired and ambitious display of The Cowboys State’s unique culture and heritage.

Preserving Pride through Art

Cheyenne’s downtown demonstrates an ongoing appreciation for public art. Melding art and history, bronze statues decorate the streets of Wyoming’s capital city. Following the completion of thirty-five sculptures on Capitol Avenue, the project exploded with the addition of more than fifty bronzes. The citywide installation immortalizes symbols of the American West. The Cheyenne Children’s Museum includes several statues celebrating paleontology. Others pay tribute to remarkable women like Lakota Sioux Princess Blue Waters and Louisa Swain, the first woman to vote in Wyoming Territory. Near Cheyenne Regional Hospital, the Healers of the West monument honors a notable doctor and nurse. And of particular pride is the statue of champion cowboy Verne Elliott riding a wild buffalo, commemorating the visit of President Teddy Roosevelt at the 1910 Frontier Days celebration.

Authors Starley Talbott and Michael E. Kassel return to complete the story behind the city’s inspired and ambitious display of the Cowboys State’s unique culture and heritage.

Just fifty miles south of San Francisco stands Pigeon Point, one of California's tallest lighthouses. 

Named for the infamous wreck of the Carrier Pigeon on her maiden voyage, the beacon began operations in 1872 and has warned mariners away from the treacherous rocky shoals nearby for over 150 years. It has served as a home for many keepers and their families during its lifetime. 

The vantage point is not only perfect for signaling ships at sea, but it also gave Richard Fairchild, the second lighthouse keeper to serve at Pigeon Point, a view of a gunfight in 1875 that ended in the death of local wharf manager. Other memorable keepers include Henry Holbrook, who went on to become a private detective, and Jesse E. Mygrants, who was both the longest-serving keeper at Pigeon Point—from 1924 to 1941—and had the distinction of being kidnapped by rumrunners desperate for a ride to their rendezvous. 

Today, the lighthouse serves as a historical landmark, whale watching point, and incredible stargazing spot. 

Join author JoAnn Semones as she explores the unique history of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

A Tale of Two Lone Stars

Two different breweries from two different centuries, both steeped in German and Texas history, happen to be connected in name only. St. Louis’s seasoned beer man Adolphus Busch and several San Antonio businessmen sought to modernize brewing in Texas and leave their distinctive mark on the burgeoning industry. They brought more than just German lager, serving up porters and bocks as well. Ultimately, Prohibition precipitated their shuttering. Meanwhile, Karl Haegelin’s Sabinas Brewery in Sabinas, Mexico, raised the bar for quality while enduring the whims of Pancho Villa. Eventually, Haeglin would move the operation to San Antonio at the end of Prohibition. By 1940, name and ownership had changed too, rebranded as Busch’s old trademark—the Lone Star Brewing Company. The reborn Lone Star, steered by Harry Jersig, would craft a recognizable, purely Texas persona—in its identity, its approach to brewing, and its relationships with customers. Join author Jeremy Banas and savor the lineage and legacy of a cherished local libation. 

The arena that pitted the east side against the west side.

Portland, Oregon in the 1950s was a city at a crossroads. Would it retain the status quo of the first half of the twentieth century or rush headlong into the future?

Pitting east side upstarts against downtown traditionalists, the battle over where to build the Memorial Coliseum was at times exciting, controversial, and long-winded. Three very different locations set off a storm of subterfuge and political posturing that included the indictment of a commissioner originally tasked with choosing the site, and the rise of an east side used car dealer determined to prevent the city from building the arena downtown.

With the future of sports and recreation in the Rose City at stake, city leaders and private citizens sparred in public hearings and Portland’s first ever televised debates.

Author Michael A. Orr provides a behind-the-scenes look at the drama and machinations in the battle to build Portland a space for future generations.

From the Roaring Twenties to a Rock 'N' Roll Landmark

Since it opened in 1925, the Gramercy Park Hotel has always been one of New York’s premiere cultural hotspots. Early in its history it served as the backdrop to Humphrey Bogart’s first marriage and housed a young John F. Kennedy. Soon Babe Ruth was a regular at the bar, and Joe DiMaggio was feted there. Most famous, perhaps, was the period in the 1970s, when rock ’n’ roll royalty dubbed the hotel “the Glamercy,” and acts such as the Clash, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Madonna, and more stayed “on the way up or on the way down.” The hotel’s history also includes the harrowing personal story of the Weissberg family who owned it for many years and lived there. Author Max Weissberg reveals an inside look at the hotel’s storied past as a rock ’n’ roll muse and a New York icon. 

A century of blessings at a sacred site in Euclid, Ohio

Tucked away under stately trees in Euclid sits Our Lady of Lourdes National Shrine, a peaceful sanctuary steeped in history that draws thousands of people from around the world each year. The land was farmed by the Harms family, and in 1870, the Blessed Mother appeared to Julia Harms in the spot where a statue of Mary stands today. In 1926, a replica of the original Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine was built on the property, featuring a grotto with water flowing over a stone on which Mary stood when she appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France.

Join authors Joanne Boresz and Jennifer Boresz Engelking as they share stories of reported shrine healings, including a child regaining the ability to walk, and of the dedicated Sisters who have called the shrine home, including the Sisters of the Good Shepherd (1920–52) and the Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity (1952–present). 

Author Jeffrey Alan John explores the history, theories and fundamental Serpent Mound questions: What culture made it? Why? And when? Thousands of years ago, people in what would become southern Ohio encountered a vista they recognized as special. They couldn’t know that their view overlooked a 300-million-year-old crater, but as time passed, they made the plateau a resting place for generations of societies that eventually raised—with considerable planning and effort—the Great Serpent Mound, a place where history and mystery coincide. Uninhabited and overgrown when early Ohio settlers found it, the preserved effigy inspired pioneering archaeology and continues to prompt increasingly elaborate thinking. Scientists say that it measures the calendar, while theologians and mystics ponder its spiritual meaning.

Kuwohi towers over the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains as the highest point in both the national park and the state of Tennessee.

The mountain holds an ancient allure—the Cherokee treasured it, as did early settlers, and it captivates throngs of visitors today. Senator Thomas Clingman made an 1858 journey to measure the mountain, and it was called by his name until being renamed Kuwohi, restoring the original name given by the Cherokee people. Scarred by logging, invasive species, and modern pollution, the mountain endures. Through lush narratives and fascinating detail, author Marci Spencer presents the natural and human history of this iconic destination.

Before there was a Los Angeles or a San Francisco, there was Spain’s first colony in upper California, El Presidio de San Diego.

Founded in 1769, this small fortress and mission was the seedling for the twenty-one missions and four presidios that followed. It was here that Franciscan priest Junípero Serra planted the first Catholic cross in what became Alta California. The nearby harbor provided a safe port for sailing ships from all over the world, ensuring a steady stream of goods and supplies. Over its many decades, the San Diego Presidio was home to Spaniards, Mexicans, Native people and, toward the end, Anglo-Americans. Its cemetery became the final resting place for many of them.

Author and historian Richard Carrico provides insights into San Diego’s beginnings.

Remembering two palaces of retail

For generations, Scranton’s two big department stores, The Globe Store and Oppenheim’s Scranton Dry Goods Company, affectionately known as “the Dry,” dominated retail in the Electric City. Facing each other on Wyoming Avenue, they created special memories for those who walked their sales floors with attractive displays, special events, community service and elaborate Christmas decorations. Many fondly recall the steamship round of beef carved to order at The Globe’s Charl-Mont Restaurant or waving to customers passing by on the escalator from the Dry’s mezzanine Tea Room. Together, the two stores brought the best the world had to offer to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Join Scranton-area native Daniel J. Packer Jr. and step through the iconic revolving doors into a bygone era of shopping in grand style.

Once a twenty-seven-thousand-acre parcel named for the hills it features, Rancho Los Cerritos is a place where the past meets the present and provides a fascinating glimpse into California’s history.

Home of the Gabrielino-Tongva for more than five thousand years, the land was claimed and colonized by Spain and then Mexico before it became part of the United States. New Englander John Temple, together with his wife, Rafaela Cota, bought the land in the early 1800s. Through a workforce of Indigenous laborers, he built a unique two-story adobe to be the headquarters of a large-scale cattle ranch, propelling Temple and Rancho Los Cerritos to the forefront of Southern California’s prosperity.

Over the next two centuries, the Rancho adobe was home to gold rush miners, Mexican vaqueros, Chinese cooks, and more. These intrepid individuals persisted through feasts and famine, floods, droughts, and even war. Today, the adobe houses a historic museum and connects visitors to those who left an indelible mark on the region.

Join Dr. Leslie Reese as she shares the stories of the people who called Rancho Los Cerritos home.

History Enshrined

Within months of its founding, Denver required places to bury its deceased. They were initially interred at today’s Cheesman Park and Denver Botanic Gardens. As the city matured, its leaders established beautifully manicured and lushly irrigated garden cemeteries, graced with elegant funerary monuments and mausolea. Everyone being equal in death, mining millionaires, governors and senators are buried alongside prostitutes, gangsters and murderers. Journalists, lawmen and war heroes rest in peace together among stately trees. The intrepid cemetery explorer will find musicians, merchants and various eccentrics—even an Apollo astronaut and a storied cannibal.

Join Denver historian Mark A. Barnhouse and longtime Fairmount Cemetery employee and historian Jim Cavoto to explore more than a dozen Denver-area burial grounds and learn how the departed shaped today’s Colorado.

Hosting icons and legends of folk, blues, bluegrass, jazz, spoken word and world music since 1969.

A decade after Gerald McCabe opened up a guitar repair shop in Santa Monica, California, legendary folk musicians Elizabeth Cotten and Mike Seeger came looking for a way to earn money to get back home. Their inaugural performance kickstarted a concert series that has featured some of the world’s finest musicians—including Doc Watson, Jackson Browne, Bill Monroe and Linda Ronstadt—in one of the most intimate performance spaces on the West Coast.

Against a backdrop of guitars in a room often packed to the rafters, music rang out to fill every corner. But audiences weren’t the only ones who left with cherished memories. Enjoy behind the scenes stories from artists like Rosanne Cash, Taj Mahal, Lucinda Williams, Arlo Guthrie and many more as they look back on their experiences at McCabe’s. From picking up a new hobby to serendipitous meetings of future bandmates, there was never a dull moment in the shop.

This is your backstage pass to the untold stories of one of California’s most celebrated music venues and those who performed live at McCabe’s Guitar Shop.

Once a twenty-seven-thousand-acre parcel named for the hills it features, Rancho Los Cerritos is a place where the past meets the present and provides a fascinating glimpse into California’s history.

Home of the Gabrielino-Tongva for more than five thousand years, the land was claimed and colonized by Spain and then Mexico before it became part of the United States. New Englander John Temple, together with his wife, Rafaela Cota, bought the land in the early 1800s. Through a workforce of Indigenous laborers, he built a unique two-story adobe to be the headquarters of a large-scale cattle ranch, propelling Temple and Rancho Los Cerritos to the forefront of Southern California’s prosperity.

Over the next two centuries, the Rancho adobe was home to gold rush miners, Mexican vaqueros, Chinese cooks, and more. These intrepid individuals persisted through feasts and famine, floods, droughts, and even war. Today, the adobe houses a historic museum and connects visitors to those who left an indelible mark on the region.

Join Dr. Leslie Reese as she shares the stories of the people who called Rancho Los Cerritos home.

The Rooms Where History Happened

Before Jefferson City became the Capital, hotels shaped its story. As the town grew from frontier roots, places like the City Hotel served travelers, lawmakers, and locals for over 80 years.

During each legislative session, hotels and boarding houses—like the one run by the Lansdown sisters—were in high demand. Hotels like the Madison and Monroe House became landmarks of progress, constantly expanding and modernizing.

These spaces weren’t just for sleeping. They hosted teas, dances, civic meetings, and debates that shaped the future of Missouri.

From social events to political movements, hotels were at the center of it all.

Local historian Michelle Brooks checks in to tell the stories behind these historic stays.

Perfect for readers who love small-town history, Missouri heritage, and forgotten local landmarks.

Remembering two palaces of retail

For generations, Scranton’s two big department stores, The Globe Store and Oppenheim’s Scranton Dry Goods Company, affectionately known as “the Dry,” dominated retail in the Electric City. Facing each other on Wyoming Avenue, they created special memories for those who walked their sales floors with attractive displays, special events, community service and elaborate Christmas decorations. Many fondly recall the steamship round of beef carved to order at The Globe’s Charl-Mont Restaurant or waving to customers passing by on the escalator from the Dry’s mezzanine Tea Room. Together, the two stores brought the best the world had to offer to Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Join Scranton-area native Daniel J. Packer Jr. and step through the iconic revolving doors into a bygone era of shopping in grand style.

From the Roaring Twenties to a Rock 'N' Roll Landmark

Since it opened in 1925, the Gramercy Park Hotel has always been one of New York’s premiere cultural hotspots. Early in its history it served as the backdrop to Humphrey Bogart’s first marriage and housed a young John F. Kennedy. Soon Babe Ruth was a regular at the bar, and Joe DiMaggio was feted there. Most famous, perhaps, was the period in the 1970s, when rock ’n’ roll royalty dubbed the hotel “the Glamercy,” and acts such as the Clash, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Madonna, and more stayed “on the way up or on the way down.” The hotel’s history also includes the harrowing personal story of the Weissberg family who owned it for many years and lived there. Author Max Weissberg reveals an inside look at the hotel’s storied past as a rock ’n’ roll muse and a New York icon. 

Before there was a Los Angeles or a San Francisco, there was Spain’s first colony in upper California, El Presidio de San Diego.

Founded in 1769, this small fortress and mission was the seedling for the twenty-one missions and four presidios that followed. It was here that Franciscan priest Junípero Serra planted the first Catholic cross in what became Alta California. The nearby harbor provided a safe port for sailing ships from all over the world, ensuring a steady stream of goods and supplies. Over its many decades, the San Diego Presidio was home to Spaniards, Mexicans, Native people and, toward the end, Anglo-Americans. Its cemetery became the final resting place for many of them.

Author and historian Richard Carrico provides insights into San Diego’s beginnings.

Author Jeffrey Alan John explores the history, theories and fundamental Serpent Mound questions: What culture made it? Why? And when? Thousands of years ago, people in what would become southern Ohio encountered a vista they recognized as special. They couldn’t know that their view overlooked a 300-million-year-old crater, but as time passed, they made the plateau a resting place for generations of societies that eventually raised—with considerable planning and effort—the Great Serpent Mound, a place where history and mystery coincide. Uninhabited and overgrown when early Ohio settlers found it, the preserved effigy inspired pioneering archaeology and continues to prompt increasingly elaborate thinking. Scientists say that it measures the calendar, while theologians and mystics ponder its spiritual meaning.

It has been four centuries since the first Roosevelt arrived in New Amsterdam as a humble farmer.

The Roosevelts became one of America’s most distinguished families—one with ties to many sites in New York City. A brownstone on East 20th Street where Theodore Roosevelt was born and developed his love of nature. A twin brownstone next door where his uncle Robert instilled in the future president an interest in conservation, while having multiple affairs and even starting a second secret family with a mistress. And the double townhouse on East 65th Street built by Sara Delano Roosevelt so the growing family of her son, Franklin, would have a suitable place to live while she meddled in their lives. Historian Bill Bleyer details the unique places in the city where family members lived and worked and unveils the private interactions behind this famous American family.

From Scantily Clad Women to Impassioned Suffragist Speeches

Virginia City boomed in the nineteenth century, with thousands coming to try their luck in the mines. The entertainment industry boomed with it. Piper’s Opera House became one of the most well-known theaters in America, attracting actors from the East and West Coasts for lauded performances. The Alhambra Theater took a different approach, advertising acts with women in scanty clothing to bored, restless miners. The vibrant scene drew in big names like renowned actors John McCullough and Lawrence Barrett, William Cody (better known as Buffalo Bill) and even Mark Twain.

Author Carolyn Grattan Eichin takes a deep dive into Virginia City’s theatrical history and its importance for the stars of the day.

There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places. -  Wendell Berry

This is the story of a dramatic landscape in an improbable location. Since the last continental glacier receded, the rollicking falls of the Big Sioux River were exposed as a geographical anomaly. Early inhabitants of the Northern Plains were amazed that a stair-stepping series of waterfalls existed in the midst of vast, rolling prairie. Today’s visitors marvel that this rugged, dynamic setting survives in the heart of thriving, bustling Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Environmental author Peter Carrels recounts the human activities and inclinations that first disfigured and then later rescued this distinct, unexpected landmark known today as Falls Park.

A Highway Runs Through It

When U.S. Highway 29 between Greenville and Spartanburg was completed in 1946, it became the first modern super highway in the Upstate region. Known by many as the Super Highway, it was lauded as the “finest type in the country.” Although it is technically a north–south highway, it takes a meandering course across piedmont ridges, adding side roads and economic development. The businesses that grew along the corridor created a new landscape for the region. J. Harley Bonds was a longtime furniture store owner who helped desegregate Greer High School. W.O. Ezell helped beautify Spartanburg with his landscaping. Authors William “Lynn” Duncan and Scott Withrow explore the fascinating history of this well-traveled Upstate highway.

Below the bustling skyscrapers of Wall Street lie a connection to the city’s colonial and revolutionary past...

The graveyards of historic Trinity Church and St. Paul’s have endured for centuries, even as the rest of Manhattan’s cemeteries have mostly vanished amid the constantly evolving metropolis. The gravestones invoke incredible stories of famous Americans and lost figures from the history of New York.

Join author Adam Selzer as he presents the lives, mysteries and epitaphs of New York’s Trinity Church and St. Paul’s graveyards.

Founded in 1914, Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is one of the leading zoos in North America. From humble beginnings as a small collection of animals, it transformed into a state-of-the-art home to more than seven hundred animals, including many threatened or endangered species. A small family of Asian elephants, including an unusual set of twins, play a crucial role in both education and conservation efforts to protect these majestic animals. The zoo collaborates with its nonprofit partner, Friends of the Zoo, to provide visitors with experiences that excite, memories that endure and knowledge that inspires global wildlife conservation.

Discover the History Behind the Beauty of Long Island's Most Cherished Parks

Each year, tens of millions of people visit Long Island’s state parks. Most visitors are unaware that each one of the state parks has its own fascinating chapter in the region’s storied history. Some were once vast estates of New York’s elite during the turn-of-the-century Gilded Age, such as Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park. Others were “hunting clubs,” where wealthy members banded together to create retreats, including Caleb Smith State Park Preserve. Montauk’s Camp Hero has a multigenerational military history, even inspiring conspiracies that the government experimented with mind control and time travel. Underprivileged children from the bustling boroughs of New York City found fresh air and formative experiences at Camp William Carey in today’s Hallock State Park Preserve. Author Kristen Matejka presents the hidden history of the New York state parks on Long Island.

A Century of Faith

The first Mass was offered for what would eventually be known as St. Rita Church in the humblest of places, a cobbler’s shop on East Custis Avenue in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria. The ladies of the yet-to-be-established parish provided its name—St. Rita of Cascia is the patron of impossible causes. The first small church was built on Hickory Street in Mt. Ida and a parish was founded on September 21, 1924. Through depression, war and post-war growth, political and social change and into a new millennium St. Rita Church has grown under its namesake’s patronage. A beautiful new church was built in 1949 and a school was founded in 1952. The St Rita Centennial Committee tells the stories of a century of community.

Built in 1747 in the center of Concord, the Wright Tavern has witnessed the evolution of America for over 200 years. The Minutemen met here the morning of April 19, 1775, and a few hours later, the British Redcoats searched for munitions and supplies of the rebels before being defeated in the Battle of Concord.  The building has been used as a tavern, inn, bakery, bookseller, and office as it witnessed the transformation of the town from a frontier agricultural community to a bustling commercial center and commuter hub. Closed to the public for most of the last forty years, The Wright Tavern Legacy Trust was established in 2021 to oversee the restoration and renovation of the building. From modest beginnings under Amos Wright to the Battle of Concord, author Tom Wilson uncovers the fascinating history of this National Historic Landmark. All royalties from the sale of this book will go to the Wright Tavern Legacy Trust. 

Casting the Cowboy State’s Past

Wyoming’s history is enshrined in the bronze sculptures lining Capitol Avenue and across Cheyenne. The idea, conceived only a decade prior, rapidly grew into the most successful public arts project in city history. Inspired by and committed to preserving the history of the state, private citizens donated bronze sculptures depicting important figures and contributions. Tribal leaders, explorers and governors are represented. The contributions of architects, artists and suffragettes are celebrated. And dedication to service in politics, agriculture and the military are honored. Authors Starley Talbott and Michael Kassel explore the state’s rich past cast in bronze. 

Step into the historic grandeur of a Texas icon – The Tremont House. The storied history of the Tremont House began when Texas was still an independent Republic. Since then a series of hotels bearing that illustrious name have operated as a hub of Galveston high society. Buffalo Bill, Stephen Crane, Clara Barton walked the corridors of The Tremont House, along with presidents, millionaires, actors and countless other celebrities. Having witnessed the Gilded Age, the Jazz Era and every decade in between, the hotel was reborn in the 1980s to continue its legacy of hospitality and luxury. Join author Kathleen Maca as she explores the captivating secrets and remarkable heritage of the Tremont House.

The Story Behind an Iconic Landmark: Woodland Cemetery

Woodland Cemetery was founded in 1848, three years before Des Moines was incorporated as a city. One of the earliest Victorian “garden cemeteries,” its oak tree–covered hills served as the city’s first park. People could be buried at Woodland regardless of race, religion or income. Meet early pioneers like the Younkers, Tones and Neumanns, who immigrated here and started early businesses that withstood the test of time. Veterans from the War of 1812 to the Vietnam War are buried here. Civil War brothers in arms, Black and white, Union and Confederate, lie side by side. Woodland Cemetery is also an official stop on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Woodland volunteers Mary Christopher and Mike Rowley reveal fascinating stories of these departed residents.

Summer at the Cottage/

By the 1890s, a newly rising middle class found itself having time, money, and access to begin taking vacations. Church denominations began creating summer cottage communities that combined natural settings and intellectual and spiritual pursuits. The first communities were the Chautauquas, where lectures on philosophy, science or politics were offered. For the devout, there were Camp Meetings where one attended purely for religious instruction. Spiritualist camps were among the rarest and incorporated séances to talk to your dead ancestors./While attending programs, families could engage in outdoor recreation and craft classes. Tents were first used for accommodations but were quickly replaced by wooden frame cottages in Victorian, Arts and Crafts and Adirondack styles. By 1900, more than 300 cottage communities existed and were found throughout the United States with the majority in the Mid-Atlantic.Join author Peter Seibert as he reveals the beauty, history and influence of summer cottage communities of the Mid-Atlantic. 

Dig into a first-hand account of excavations at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. A small earthen fort on Roanoke Island, traditionally known as Old Fort Raleigh, was the site of the first English colony in the Americas. Previous archaeological discoveries at the site left many questions unanswered by the 1990s. Where was the main fort and town founded by Raleigh’s lieutenant, Ralph Lane, the first governor? Was the small log structure outside the fort really a defensive outwork? And why did the colonists go to the effort of making bricks from the local clay? These are the questions that scholars hoped to answer in an extensive, professional dig funded by National Geographic from 1991 to 1993. This skilled team of excavators–with a little luck–revealed America’s first scientific laboratory, where the Elizabethan scientist Thomas Harriot analyzed North American natural resources and Joachim Gans assayed ores for valuable metals./Famed archaeologist of Colonial America Ivor Noël Hume describes the labor-intensive process of discoveries at Fort Raleigh.

The story of Charm City on stage.

Baltimore's dynamic theatrical tradition had hard-scrabble beginnings in the eighteenth century.  The popularity of the theater only grew, continuing to the vaudeville and burlesque boom of the early 20th century. Discover the sometimes brilliant, sometimes heart-breaking stories of the actors Baltimore clamored to see and the riots that broke out when they hated what they saw. Key figures such as Lewis Hallam, the Peales, Laura Keene, John T. Ford and James Kernan sought to stage their own versions of the world in playhouses that reflected an ever changing American culture.

Let theatrical historian Charlie Mitchell take you on a fascinating journey through this bygone era.

Take a comprehensive tour of Fort Clark, Texas, one of best-preserved districts on the National Register of Historic Places. Thomas Jefferson recognized that a morsel of genuine history is a thing so rare as to be always valuable. The Fort Clark Historic District, in Kinney County, Texas, is far more than a morsel. It is a full-course buffet of U.S. Army architecture, with more than one hundred well-preserved structures from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, some built to Quartermaster model plans, and many the only remaining examples in the nation. While most other Texas Indian War–era forts are long abandoned and reduced to nothing more than stark chimneys on the prairie, Fort Clark’s wide-ranging military architecture has survived virtually unchanged. Author William Haenn surveys the landmark site that represents nearly a century of active service to Texas and the nation.

Discover Chester County's Lost Landmarks/

Chester County has a deep and enriching history, from sites of the Underground Railroad to great moments of Women's Suffrage and incredible remnants of Native American culture. The stories of the county's past can be experienced in many of its historic landmarks. Author Mark DeWitt Lanyon charts Chester County's lost history and the places that defined it.

Witness the evolution of Albuquerque from the perspective of its birthplace, the historic Old Town Plaza. Explore the rich architectural heritage and traditions that frame the bustling tourist attraction that is Albuquerque’s Old Town Plaza. Learn to navigate the district by the original street names and property owners of the settlement. Survey the square from the basket of a hot air balloon suspended 14,207 feet above the 1882 Territorial Fair. Or gain a deeper appreciation for the legacy of venerable landmarks like San Felipe de Neri Church down to the mixing of the adobe plaster. With rare photographs and a detailed account of each historic structure, author Debra Montoya maps out how the Old Town Plaza became what it is today.

Minnesota is often called the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it could also be called the Land of 20,000 Bridges. /

During the early days of the state, the Mississippi River and its many tributaries barred and disrupted transportation and commerce. To span these obstacles, communities battled to build and maintain bridges. Their efforts created a variety of bridge designs and purposes—from small hiking and biking bridges to concrete beams across rural rivers. Across the area, one can behold wonders like the beautiful Stone Arch Bridge, the La Crescent Swing Bridge, the Point Douglas Drawbridge, the elegant Winona Main Channel Bridge as well as other massive structures crossing the Mississippi.

Studying and photographing these amazing structures, local author Steve Gardiner celebrates the innovation and determination of Southeast Minnesota./      

Over a century of history, pride and tradition.

Armijo High School opened its doors for the first time in 1891. What began in the upstairs classrooms of Crystal Elementary School in Suisun City grew to the sprawling campus on Washington Street in order to serve the rising population of Fairfield, California. Armijo alumni have made indelible marks in numerous fields, including medicine, law, civil and military service, athletics, and the arts. Notable graduates include Noriyuki “Pat” Morita who earned an Academy Award nomination for playing Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid movies, New York Giants Super Bowl champion George Martin and Johnny Colla, multi-platinum recording artist with Huey Lewis and the News.

Join Tony Wade as he delves into the generations of students, parents and faculty that embody Armijo pride.

The History of an Historic Cemetery

Founded in 1850 and dedicated in 1852, Knoxville's Old Gray Cemetery is one of the area's most iconic landmarks. It provides an important example of planning and design, and is named after poet Thomas Gray. Join author Judy Loest as she details the history of this renowned cemetery.

Author Tristan Smith offers an insightful guide through two dozen of Houston and Galveston’s most historic cemeteries.

Houston and Galveston’s historic cemeteries lie scattered amongst the neighborhoods and thoroughfares of the nation’s fourth largest city. Some of these portals to the past nestle in hidden pockets of the bustling metropolis. Other cemeteries carve out the kind of contemplative sanctuary that rivals the city’s largest greenspaces. Explore the burial grounds around the Bayou City, where astronauts, musicians, movie stars and civic leaders rest alongside rogues, scoundrels and murderers.

Wyoming History Enshrined/Created in 1871, Lakeview Cemetery serves as a repository of local and state history. Resting in the historic grounds are eleven of Wyoming’s governors, including the first woman governor in the nation. Other hallowed, eternal residents include a wild west showman, the namesake of a military base, and a famed photographer of the west. Suffragists, Japanese railroad workers, and a young range war victim are buried here too. Authors Starley Talbott and Michael Kassel explore the rich past of the famous and not-so famous citizens of Lakeview Cemetery.

Inside the historic Cold War landmark at Vandenberg Space Force base—its technology, its people, and its military importance. Includes photos.

Situated in the sand dunes of California’s Central Coast, Space Launch Complex Ten, often called SLC-10 or “Slick Ten,” is a National Historic Landmark that commemorates a powerful Cold War legacy. Home to Vandenberg’s Space and Missile Technology Center, or SAMTEC, the facility contains the rich technological heritage of the U.S. Air Force’s space and missile launch systems.

As the only remaining Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile launch site in the world, SLC-10’s noteworthy achievements span the globe. The complex trained British Royal Air Force missileers for Project EMILY, assisted during nuclear atmospheric tests in the Pacific, and launched military weather satellites in support of the covert National Reconnaissance Program.

Former air force space and missile officer Joseph T. Page II recounts amazing stories of dedicated men and women who led the American military effort to explore space.

Author and historian Anthony Sammarco reveals the fascinating history of Boston's beloved Jordan Marsh.

Jordan Marsh opened its first store in 1851 on Milk Street in Boston selling assorted dry goods. Following the Civil War, the store moved to Winthrop Square and later to Washington Street between Summer and Avon Streets. The new five-story building, designed by Winslow & Wetherell, unveiled the novel concept of department shopping under one roof. It attracted shoppers by offering personal service with the adage that the customer is always right, easy credit, art exhibitions and musical performances. By the 1970s, it had become a regional New England icon and the largest department store chain in the nation.

Join Letitia Stuart Savage on a journey to a time of leisurely shopping for the latest fashions complete with a side of Mile High Ice Cream Pie from the Tic Toc Restaurant.

In 1871, Jacob and Isaac Kaufmann created a classic Pittsburgh institution. The business grew from a small store on the South Side to a mammoth clothing house downtown that outfitted the community. The removal of the original freestanding clock upset customers, so Kaufmann's added its iconic version in 1913. A redesign of the store's first floor attracted national attention in the 1930s. While most Pittsburghers remember and celebrate the downtown store, others recall the suburban branches - miniatures of the expansive flagship store.

The History within a National Landmark

Prior to Wyoming becoming the forty-fourth state in the Union on July 10, 1890, the territorial legislature passed a bill authorizing the construction of a capitol at a maximum cost of $150,000. Governor Warren signed the bill on March 4, 1886, and appointed the Capitol Building Commission, which purchased a site on Hill Street, now Capitol Avenue, at a cost of $13,100. Many changes have occurred since the 1887 laying of the cornerstone. Recent renovations upgraded the capitol’s Classical style and striking gold-leaf dome. The most important room, where women’s right to vote began, has been restored to its original grandeur.

Authors Starley Talbott and Linda Graves Fabian celebrate these and other historic firsts in this history of the state capitol building.

From watch catalog to international retail empire, revisit Sears's Windy City history with author Val Rendel and remember how good the “Good Life” once was.

In 1887, Richard W. Sears started a Chicago mail-order house that quickly outpaced its competitors, including Montgomery Ward. For millions of rural Americans over the next hundred years, Chicago was the place where dreams came from. Here, the “World’s Largest Store” opened its first retail buildings, debuted its WLS radio station and transformed the global marketplace from the Great Works headquarters complex. Today, Sears has faded from the city of its birth, but many marks of the once-great business remain, from repurposed iconic department store buildings to the Sears kit homes still scattered across the suburbs. The 110-story skyscraper that dominates the skyline will forever be known to locals as the Sears Tower. Sears greatest legacy, however, was the role it played in shaping the lives of generations of Chicagoans.

A unique history of the park across from the White House, and the many tumultuous events that have happened there—includes photos and illustrations.

Lafayette Square, near the White House, has been in the spotlight during recent protests—but many are unaware that this Washington, DC, spot is surrounded by landmarks and steeped in a fascinating history of rebellion. A congressman shot and killed the son of Francis Scott Key in broad daylight on the square and got away with it. On the night Lincoln was assassinated, a co-conspirator forced his way into Secretary of State William Seward’s house and nearly killed him. The women’s suffrage movement created the tradition of White House protest that goes on to this day, and in 1950, Puerto Rican nationalists tried to force their way into Blair House to assassinate President Truman, who was living there.

In this book, prominent Washington journalist Gil Klein recounts these and other stories, bringing to life the rich and sometimes bloody history of this seven-acre public gathering place.

Experience the architecture and colorful history of the Historic Theaters of New York’s Capital District as author John A. Miller charts the entertaining history.

For generations, residents of New York's Capital District have flocked to the region's numerous theaters. The history behind the venues is often more compelling than the shows presented in them.

John Wilkes Booth brushed with death on stage while he and Abraham Lincoln were visiting Albany. The first exhibition of broadcast television was shown at Proctor's Theater in Schenectady, although the invention ironically contributed to the downfall of theaters across the nation. A fired manager of the Green Street Theatre seized control of the theater with a group of armed men, but Albany police stormed the building and the former manager regained control.

Founded in 1844, Laurel Hill Cemetery was one of the first to follow the rural cemetery movement that began with Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These park-like arboretums provided peaceful, natural places to bury and visit the deceased. Nearly everyone who played a significant role in local history, as well as numerous less well-known people who led typical but historically revealing lives, has a grave in the cemetery. Authors Leslie and Emory Rounds chronicle the history of the cemetery and the fascinating stories of those buried there.

These park-like arboretums provided peaceful, natural places to bury and visit the deceased. Nearly everyone who played a significant role in local history, as well as numerous less well-known people who led typical but historically revealing lives, has a grave in the cemetery. Authors Leslie and Emory Rounds chronicle the history of the cemetery and the fascinating stories of those buried there.

Hobcaw Barony is a beloved 17,500-acre plantation and wildlife refuge on the South Carolina coast between Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

Plantation Between the Waters, by Lee Brockington, senior interpreter at Hobcaw, brings the centuries of history surrounding Hobcaw Barony to the public in remarkable clarity. The images and text provide an intimate glimpse into the lives of the people who have been connected to this unspoiled landscape for generations.

At the height of America's Arts and Crafts movement, Detroit neighbors Horace J. Caulkins and Mary Chase Perry pooled their talents together to found Pewabic Pottery.

With modest beginnings in 1903, Pewabic transformed from a rented stable in Brush Park to an English Tudor building on East Jefferson Avenue, where it has operated since 1907. Today, the iconic enterprise continues Perry's dedication to handcrafted ceramics and remains known for its iridescent glaze on everything from vessels and architectural tiles to ecclesiastical installations in churches across the country, including the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Author Cara Catallo illuminates the story behind one of the oldest American handcrafted pottery traditions.