Travel

Washington's Harrowing Escape from the Hudson Valley

In October 1776 central Westchester witnessed a critical episode in the early campaign of George Washington’s ragtag Continental Army and its quest for American independence. Often overlooked as just an interval between the disastrous Battle of Brooklyn and victory at Trenton, the Battle of White Plains showcased Washington’s sly strategy of perseverance.  Poor decision making and ignorance of the area’s hilly terrain among British leadership gave the patriot army a chance to secure a path to safety despite being on the run and outmanned. Though British General Howe claimed victory, the battle’s lessons informed Washington’s cat and mouse strategy that ultimately brought success later in the war.  

Author Stephen Paul DeVillo presents just how close the American cause for independence came to being extinguished at the Battle of White Plains.

Hand-colored, vivid details bring these historic photographs to life like never before. Witness the beginnings of the sweetgrass basket tradition. See the bleak devastation on Meeting Street after the Civil War. Note intense contrast in blues and grays of prisoners captured at the Battle of Bull Run. Explore the Battery as it looked in the 1800s. And dazzle in the bright fashions of flappers at the dawn of "the Charleston" dance craze. Author Mark Jones and artist Lewis Hayes bring a new vision to Holy City history.

Discover the hidden history of the Hudson Valley's Columbia County with local author Allison Guertin Marchese.

Bordered by the Hudson River and the Berkshire Mountains, Columbia County is part of the famously picturesque Hudson Valley region, but these rolling hills hold secrets most have long forgotten. A mastodon tooth rolling down a farmer's hill in Claverack, changing the world's understanding of prehistoric times; the site of New York's last hanging at Hudson's gallows, as hundreds of ticketholders looked on; outcasts called Pondshiners who hid in the hills of Taghkanic, the only sign of their existence being the fantastic handwove baskets made from strips of hardwood. Join author Allison Guertin Marchese as she explores these little-known stories of people and places that create the history of Columbia County, New York.

Whoa, pardner! Sit y'self down for some good ole storytellin' 'bout the wild, wild West. Western writer Phillip W. Steele and country-music artist John D. LeVan have combined their talents and interests in true stories of the Old West in this exciting narrative and accompanying audiocassette.

Steele's book tells the true story of Jesse James, the Daltons, John Wesley Hardin, Gunfight at the OK Corral, Belle Starr, and Billy the Kid. LeVan's original songs are not only entertaining but also based on the true history of these personalities and events.

For over two centuries, Arlington County has been a steadfast center for government institutions and a vibrant part of the Washington, D.C., community.

Many notable figures made their home in the area, like Supreme Court chief justice Warren Burger, General George Blood 'n' Guts Patton and a beauty queen who almost married crooner Dean Martin. The drama of Virginia's first school integration unfolded in Arlington beginning in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, two motorcycle gangs clashed in public at a suburban shopping center. Local author, historian and Our Man in Arlington Charlie Clark uncovers the vivid, and hidden, history of a capital community.

From the driver's seat, author and guide Edward Morris provides a diverse collection of biographical sketches that reveal the outrageous and opulent lives of some of America's leading entrepreneurs.

Newport, Rhode Island, was the summer playground of the Gilded Age for the Astors, Belmonts and Vanderbilts. They built lavish villas designed by the best Beaux Arts-style architects of the time, including Richard Morris Hunt, Charles McKim and Robert Swain Peabody. America's elite delighted in referring to these grand retreats as ""summer cottages,"" where they would play tennis and polo and sail their yachts along the shores of the Ocean State. The coachman had an important role as the discreet outdoor butler for Gilded Age gentlemen--not only was he in charge of the horses, but he also acted as a travel advisor and connoisseur of entertainment venues.

In the mid-1800s, wealthy farmers and businessmen began bringing their families to North Carolina’s Outer Banks to escape the blistering inland summer heat.

Soon after, the region’s first hotel was built with accommodations for 200 guests. By the mid-1900s, hotels such as the Carolinian, the Nags Header, and the Arlington as well as smaller motels and cottage courts like Journey’s End, the Sea Foam, and the Cavalier dotted the coastline. Most motels were independent, family-run operations. Many guests returned yearly, reuniting with the motel owners and other visitors. However, by the end of the 20th century, many of these mom-and-pop establishments had become a distant memory, lost to wrecking balls and replaced by large beach houses. This book recalls these hotels and motels and their impact on the Outer Banks and its visitors.

Author Elizabeth Ownley Cooper grew up in Nags Head, where her parents owned the Vacationer Motel from 1964 to 2000. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she is a freelance writer and public relations consultant in Suffolk, Virginia. Most of the images in this book are from the Outer Banks History Center as well as private collections.

From the bloody Battle of Wilson's Creek in August 1861 until surrender in June 1865, the Civil War in the Indian Territory proved to be a test of valor and endurance.

Tales from North Carolina's high country.

The Toe River winds its way past the peaks of Mount Mitchell and into the valley that bears its name. Mineral mines go back to the earliest days of Yancey County and encouraged some of the first settlers to come to the region. Mitchell County's Bakersville experienced violent unrest, with a riot and a lynching, in 1892--but did it actually happen? The section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs through Avery County was left incomplete for years because of a property dispute with the owner of Grandfather Mountain. Take a journey along forgotten rail lines, through abandoned communities and past sites whose histories have shaped this valley's story just as the river has shaped its landscape.

North Carolina historian and author Michael C. Hardy explores the hidden historical gems of the region.

The Farallon Islands lie almost 30 miles outside the entrance to San Francisco Bay and are comprised of over 20 islands, islets, sea stacks, and rocks, which span a seven-mile stretch of the Pacific Ocean.

Nineteenth-century sailors called them “the Devil’s Teeth,” in reference to their extreme hazard to navigation, and hundreds of shipwrecks, disasters, drownings, and deaths have occurred here.The sixth lighthouse on the West Coast was lit on Southeast Farallon Island in 1855. Only Southeast Farallon supports historic structures, several of which are maintained for management purposes.Southeast Farallon once served as home to keepers from the Bureau of Lighthouses (1853–1939), the US Coast Guard (1939–1972), and at various times the US Navy. Today, the islands are home to millions of seabirds and five species of pinnipeds.Because of their biological importance, the islands are not open to the public. They are managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration with Point Blue Conservation Science. Visitors can explore the islands by boat, at speeds of five miles per hour and from a distance the length of a football field for excellent viewing of globally significant wildlife populations.

Cultural anthropologist and author Marla Daily, of the Santa Cruz Island Foundation, has spent her career researching the histories of the California islands. The California Historical Society bestowed upon Daily its Distinguished Service Award for her extraordinary service and dedicated efforts in preserving California islands history.

From its humble beginnings as a place to swim and row a boat, Ideal Beach eventually became Indiana Beach, a small amusement park where families could have good old-fashioned fun.

Founded by Earl Spackman in 1926, its popularity was bolstered by the addition of a dance hall that drew the top bands of the nation during the Depression and war years of the 1940s. When Earl passed away, his son Tom continued his legacy, setting Indiana Beach on a course that would make it one of the most popular vacation resorts and amusement parks in the entire Midwest, delighting nearly one million visitors every year.

Wilbur and Orville Wright made the world’s first successful controlled, heavier-than-air powered flight on December 17, 1903, after four years of glider experiments and scientific study.

At what is now the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the brothers discovered and developed the fundamental principles of mechanical flight, setting in motion a series of events that allowed the first generation of flight to travel from Kitty Hawk to the moon in the lifetime of a human being. Located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, and administered by the National Park Service, the Wright Brothers National Memorial features a full-scale reproduction of the 1903 flying machine, an engine block from the original 1903 flyer, and a precise reproduction of the wind tunnel that the Wrights used to conduct their early experiments. Today, the park’s mission is to commemorate the Wrights’ success and to interpret the continuing worldwide significance of their dream, vision, and achievement.

Douglas Stover served as cultural resource manager and historian at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial, and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and is now retired from the National Park Service. Darrell Collins worked with the National Park Service for almost 39 years, spending most of his time at the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Collins is ranked as one of the top five historians in the world on early aviation and the Wright brothers.

Author Heather Leigh Carroll-Landon guides readers on a spine-tingling tour through Florida’s haunted lighthouses. Lighthouses dot the Florida coast, there to help seafarers navigate their way to shore. But when tragedy comes for Florida, it often blows in from the sea, giving the lighthouses and the cursed men and women inside a first look at horror. The lively spirits of teenage sisters inhabit the St. Augustine Lighthouse, where an accident claimed their lives, suspending them in their playful youth. A storm wiped out the Sand Key Lighthouse in 1846, claiming the lives of 16 whose spirits now chatter away—generally in contented tones but sometimes straying into anger. A Civil War casualty roams near the Amelia Island Lighthouses, holding to a promise to see his love one last time before departure.

Down East Maine is well known for its breathtaking scenery and art museums. However, much of the history in the traditional mining and fishing area of Rockland and St. George remains untold.

Hanson Gregory from Clam Cove invented the donut. Mary Brown Patten sailed a clipper around Cape Horn. Captain Albert Keller was shipwrecked on Easter Island and Effie Canning of Rockland composed the lullaby "Rock a Bye Baby.'? Captain Charles Holbrook of Tenants Harbor and his ship, the Hattie Dunn, fell victim to a German U-boat in the Atlantic.

Local author Jane Merrill uncovers the forgotten stories and personalities that bring this unique area's history into focus.

Explore the events and characters that make up the more unusual aspects of Cleveland's history. A must-read for fans of fantastic, peculiar, and nontraditional history.

Eliot Ness might come busting in and take all of you crooks to jail - or more likely he won't, even if you've been robbing banks all over Cleveland and bragging about it to the media, like self-proclaimed last of the big-time bank robbersEddie Watkins.

This isn't your Kevin Costner version of Eliot Ness, and this isn't your standard collection of Cleveland eccentrics. Join author Ted Schwarz on this romp celebrating bizarre misdeeds and noteworthy accomplishments of Clevelanders large and small. Learn of the burlesque star who created the striptease and the con woman who claimed to be Andrew Carnegie's illegitimate daughter. Get to know present-day street musician Maurice Reedus Jr. and the remaining cast of loving souls, offbeat characters and one-of-a-kind Clevelanders.

As the Cleveland Plain Dealerput it in April 2009, Ted Schwarz may be the most prolific author you've never heard of.He's been freelancing full time for nearly forty years. During that time, he's written well over one hundred books and more than three thousand articles and short stories for publications throughout the world. His books have been translated into more than a half dozen languages, and several have been made into documentaries and/or television movies. He has appeared on over three hundred television and radio programs in the United States and Canada.

Make a reservation at the Hotel Galvez and enjoy the storied hospitality that has marked the Queen of the Gulf’s reign for over a century.

Come walk the timeless halls of the Hotel Galvez. No expense was spared in the creation of this beautiful statement of Galveston’s resilience, which stands as the only historic beachfront hotel in the state of Texas. Perched on the city’s famed seawall, the building has weathered a century of hurricanes and even “served” in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. Presidents, beauty pageant contestants, gamblers, movie stars, military heroes, newsmen, and countless other guests have gazed out at the Gulf through its gracefully arched windows. Kathleen Maca recounts the legends and shares the secrets of this extraordinary hotel.

DC Represent!

There's a party over here, there's a party over there! In go-go the party never stops, and neither does the beat. The bands, the stars, the clubs, the spots, the sweat, the late nights and the passion are the sound of the city--all photographically captured and preserved right here. For those who know go-go this book is a documentary celebration. Shout yourself out with a special photographic section dedicated to the fans. For those who don't know, this book is a peek into that world through the lens of photographer Chip Py. Once Chuck Brown's official photographer, his go-go collection is now part of the People's Archive at the DC Public Library. Discover the district's distinctive music, its artists, its culture, and why it has become The Official Music of Washington, D.C.

Every history of the Appalachian Trail tells the story from the top down, focusing on who proposed the trail, who built it, who maintain it, and on a few of the most famous hikers. A Hiker’s History of Appalachian Trail tells the trail’s history from the ground up, or more accurately, from the boots up.

Several million hikers each year set foot on the trail for a few hours, a few days, or perhaps a few weeks. The trail was created for them, yet their role in its history is largely ignored. Working with trail shelter logbooks, hiker accounts submitted to trail clubs, newspaper and magazine stories about the experiences of casual hikers, Mills Kelly reveals what it was like to hike the trail from the late 1920s until the 2020s.

What did those hikers eat? What kind of gear did they carry? Why did they go hiking in the first place? What was their relationship to the natural world they found along the trail? What was it like to hike as a woman, as a person of color, as someone with a disability? And how did all those things change over the 100 years of the trail’s history?

Wallingford depicts the interesting history of this Connecticut community.

Wallingford lies nestled among the hills along the valley of the Quinnipiac River in Connecticut. Its first settlers were 38 planters and their families, who arrived in 1670. The land proved to be productive for farming and orchards. Many years after its founding, Wallingford flourished as a center for the making of silver holloware and flatware. With names such as Wallace, Simpson, Rogers, Elton, Hall, Miller, International Silver, the Community (a commune, which later joined the Oneida, New York community), and later Boardman, Wallingford became known throughout the country. Unique areas of Wallingford such as Yalesville, Tracy, Pond Hill, North Farms, and Cook Hill sprang up, taking on the names of the people who started businesses and farms there. Today, although most of the farms and the silver industry have disappeared, Wallingford still has a thriving industry and rural expanses. Revering its heritage, the community has worked hard to achieve this balance as it has gone forward to meet the challenges of the present and future.

New in paperback!

Justin Wilson made his mark as a storyteller and humorist—a goodwill ambassador of the Cajun culture of South Louisiana. He took a culture slur and made it a label of distinction, proudly identifying himself, and his cooking, as “Cajun.” For this, his final retrospective, Wilson reminisces about times gone by, the recipes he created, and the evolution of his cooking style. He features delicious original recipes, including some healthy and convenient options, and his famously funny anecdotes. Complementing such tasty tidbits are photos that capture the essence of this loveable Cajun icon. Now in paperback, this classic is sure to help you “pass a good time.” I GARONTEE!

Stories from the beheading of an Englishman to the buried ships of Robinson Landing.

The streets of Alexandria have born witness to singular individuals and stirring events in their long history. In 1623, just across the Potomac River, an English adventurer walked into an Indian village and literally lost his head. In 1654, a notorious woman became the first European to own land in what would become Alexandria. A hundred years later, George Washington and General Braddock marched from Alexandria to a massacre and in 1814 the British looted the city. Read the true history of Robinson Landing, the seedy story of Del Ray and the tale of Major George Patton and the 1930s cavalry at Fort Myer.

Author Ted Pulliam follows his popular Historic Alexandria with a deeper look into the fascinating past of the city on the Potomac.

Go behind the scenes with never before reported stories of intrigue from some of the most colorful characters in Virginia politics over the last half century.

Read about the changes that political figures have brought to the Old Dominion, from Henry Howell's legendary gubernatorial run in the 1970s through 2020's successful battle for Richmond Public Schools against the Dominion Coliseum. Along the way, see how visionaries challenged Virginia to overcome her legacy of segregation and how that history still affects our destiny today.

Hailed by the New York Times as part of "a major revolution in racial politics in America'? for running the groundbreaking campaigns of Governor Doug Wilder, author Paul Goldman has spent decades on the leading edge of Virginia politics.

All Hail the Chief in the Garden State

Thousands of people came out to support Franklin D. Roosevelt when he visited the state in 1936 and proved their support at the polls four consecutive times. After voting Republican for most of the two decades following L.B.J., New Jersey once again became the battle state in 1992 when H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton made it their prerogative to win the state. Before Donald Trump took week-long working vacations from his Golf Club at Bedminster, other Commanders in Chief sought out the benefits of resting at the Jersey shore. Cape May's Congress Hall Hotel served as a "Summer White House" for Benjamin Harrison Richard Nixon spent the last thirteen years of his life as part of the Saddle River community.

Author Peter Zablocki presents the heated elections, political events and key moments of the President in the Garden State.

Located in Trenton, Michigan, Elizabeth Park was a gift from the descendants of the Slocum and Truax families to the people of Wayne County.

Donated in 1919, the property was transformed into an oasis providing recreational opportunities previously unavailable to the area.Besides picnicking, the park provided merry-go-rounds, swings, and slides for children as well as tennis courts, shuffleboard, and horseshoes for the adults. As time and tastes changed, the park had to evolve.In its heyday, during the 1930s, the 162-acre park saw nearly a million visitors a year; however, that number dwindled to a low point during the 1970s and 1980s. Amid many complaints to Wayne County officials, a countywide park millage was passed. Today, the park still retains some of the old but is also a carefree center of activity with boat races, antique car shows, and music festivals.

Jeff Wagar is a retired Wayne County Road Commission supervisor and lifelong resident of Trenton. As a youth, he acquired a love of history while listening to his grandfather’s stories. As a teenager, he was hired as a seasonal summer employee at Elizabeth Park. In college, he studied history, and he continues his hobby of researching local history as an adult—so much so, he is considered Trenton’s historian.

Historic Congressional Cemetery dates from the days when Washington, DC, was a burgeoning city on the edge of a malarial swamp.

The stones--sandstone tablets with colonial calligraphy, ornate Victorian statues, 20th-century art nouveau carvings, and contemporary markers in shapes as strange as picnic tables and upended cubes--are a time line of the city. The most distinctive stones are 171 cenotaphs; large cubes designed by Capitol architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe from the same sandstone used in the Capitol. They are found nowhere else. The men and women buried under those stones led lives of beauty, courage, struggle, cunning, leadership, and humor--in short, the stories of American history.

This tour of New Mexico’s largest city goes beyond the traditional guidebook to offer a historical journal through an area rich with diverse cultures and their fascinating past.

The journey through time starts with the settlement of Native Americans in pueblos along the Rio Grande and then initiatives by Spain to settle and convert the region. Visit Old Town Plaza, where trade from the El Camino Real and Santa Fe Trails flourished. Look around lesser-known sites, including railroad depot facilities, major military landmarks and nostalgic Route 66. Join author and local history lover Roger Zimmerman as he carefully curates an expedition through each era of Albuquerque’s history and its most beloved sites.

Poppy Tooker’s Drag Queen Brunch showcases delicious meals and brunch-time cocktails in some of New Orleans’ most iconic restaurants and courtyards.

Featuring luscious photos of all the dishes (both the ladies and the recipes) by renowned photographer Sam Hanna, the inspiring images are accompanied by light-hearted profiles of fifteen flirtatious queens and their favorite flavors— mouth-watering recipes for classic dishes, new favorites, and thirst quenchers— all designed to enhance the brunch experience. No matter where in the world you live, you can prepare a Crescent City style brunch brimming with fun and tasty treats.

Contributors include Vinsantos Defonte, a prominent voice in the national LGBTQ community and founder of New Orleans Drag Workshop; Wayne Phillips, curator of the Costumes & Textiles and the Carnival Collections of the Louisiana State Musuem; and of course, Poppy Tooker herself, celebrated host of Louisiana Eats!

A percentage of all proceeds is dedicated to CrescentCare (NO/AIDS Task Force).

A New Orleans tradition, any time of day.

Celebrate the Big Easy with this collection of fifty classic brunch recipes from legendary restaurants such as Brennan's, Dooky Chase's, and Antoine's. From beignets with cafe au lait to grits and grillades, these recipes sparkle for any occasion. Tips, techniques, and inside secrets accompany each lusciously photographed recipe.

It makes perfect sense that the Big Easy, with its knack for nostalgia as well as its passion for living in the moment and savoring it, would be the home of so many decadent recipes for that most luxurious of meals—brunch. In this gorgeously photographed book, Kit Wohl has compiled fifty recipes from the city’s legendary restaurants and chefs, complete with straightforward instructions for attaining easy elegance any time of the day.

Included are such classics as Grits & Grillades from Feelings Cafe, Huckleberry Pancakes from Commander’s Palace, and Bananas Foster from Brennan’s, as well as more eclectic favorites like Fried Chicken & Waffles from Lüke, Gruyere Biscuits & Ham Creollaise from the Uptowner, and Eggs & Crabmeat Hash from Mr. B’s Bistro. Of course no New Orleans brunch would be complete without some eye openers to accompany the meal like a classic Café Brulot from Antoine’s, a refreshing Pimm’s Cup a la Napoleon House, or an elegant Bellini Baby from Chef Gary Darling.

This addition to the Classics Series provides tips, techniques, escapades, and inspirations from these culinary masters. All recipes are adapted with the nonprofessional cook in mind and all have been home-kitchen tested. Many of the dishes are extremely easy to make while duplicating spectacular recipes from beloved New Orleans chefs and restaurants in your own home. Celebrate the week past and toast the one ahead with a New Orleans’ style celebration—brunch!