Travel

The modern day village of Lake Ariel is located in Lake Township. The town and the surrounding area have a long and colorful heritage.

The early pioneers settled at the southern end of the Lake Arieland established the area known as Jonestown and Jones Lake. The northern end of the lake was initially called No. 19, for the stationary steam engine on the Pennsylvania Coal Company's Gravity Railroad. While one newspaper account claims that the lake was named for a spirit in Shakespeare's Tempest, another claimed the lake was renamed Lake Ariel from Isaiah 29, the home of David.

Around Lake Arielfeatures historic images of the steam launches and the amusement park that drew hordes of vacationers to the area, as well as the summer homes of many of Scranton's leaders that were built along the lake's shores.

Stunning photographs highlight a marvel of masonry and community vision created by a city hungry to prove its worth on the world stage.

At the crossroads of Center City, Philadelphia, stands city hall, an architectural and sculptural masterpiece whose size and beauty rival the grand structures found in the capitals of Europe. Shortly after the Civil War, city hall embraced the community's need for a new municipal building while filling the visionary desire of its designers to underscore Philadelphia's reputation as ""the Athens of America."" Thirty years later stood a monumental structure that was easily the largest building in North America and one of the most beautiful, displaying over two hundred fifty pieces of sculpture. Philadelphia's City Hall illuminates the fascinating account of the building's controversial origin, its symbolic sculptural program, and the largest statue topping a building in the world.

Featuring over 150 years of obscured history, Neville Island documents this community's journey of change and transformation.

Ten miles from the illustrious city of Pittsburgh is a five-mile island on the Ohio River known as Neville Island. On April 8, 1856, the island was officially named a township and a community was born. The island's fertile soil was rich with produce, and farms grew asparagus, strawberries, and corn. The island became known as the market basket of Pittsburgh with its produce being sold in the most prominent hotels and restaurants. However, at the birth of World War I, the island experienced a drastic turn of fate. Industries arose, and the farms became extinct. Neville Island features over 150 years of obscured history, including the lost Sunshine Island and the failed attempt of Coney Island Park, documenting the community's journey of change under the influence of the Ohio River.

See the story of Western Pennsylvania Homestead and the Steel Valley, home to the great furnaces of America that supported the nation in wars and the immigrants that provided labor and build the area's proud heritage.

Western Pennsylvania is dotted with what are known locally as mill towns, but few of these communities epitomize this definition more than the municipalities of Homestead, West Homestead, and Munhall. Commonly referred to as the Steel Valley, these towns were home to some of the greatest steel-producing operations in the world. As the Mon Valley's steel production answered the nation's call during two world wars, so did the workers who unloaded countless barges of coal and fed the mills' great furnaces that produced the material needed for weapons, armament, and tanks. Workers emigrated from every country in Europe to make their mark in America. Many of these people spoke little or no English and endured long hours of labor in often hazardous conditions. Their families brought with them the traditions of their varied European cultures, filling their communities with ethnic diversity. Through 200 photographs, Homestead and the Steel Valley conveys the proud heritage of three communities and their role in the nation's history.

During Beaver Falls' first 150 years, residents of the town built it into a self-supporting community committed to family values.

Initially known as Brighton before its incorporation, after it became Beaver Falls, the town saw extensive industrial development, and the city was described as "one of the most well-established manufacturing towns in western Pennsylvania.'? Carefully preserved images from the Beaver Falls Historical Society are combined with revealing and informative text, and this fascinating history includes some of the homes and businesses of early Beaver Falls families, as well as the railroad, canal, and river that connected the town to the rest of the state. Newly discovered images and sources of the community's history make this book a rare and timeless keepsake.

Newtown has a rich heritage that is abundant with historic charm, a three-century-long growth founded on deep agricultural roots with a notable role in American history.

Once a busy commercial and cultural center, Newtown served as the county seat of Bucks County from 1726 to 1813. It was within this community the shots of British raiding parties resounded off homes and businesses, and from this small town on Christmas morning in 1776, General George Washington marched from his headquarters to join the Battle of Trenton. Over the succeeding years, Newton quietly transformed back into the pastoral town it had once been. Despite the many changes the town has seen, traces of this historic past remain still. From the archives of the Newtown Historic Association, Historic Newtown offers the reader a unique opportunity to see everyday life in this rural community as it was at the beginning of the 20th century. Within these photographs are many rare and never before published glimpses into the past of one of the oldest and most historic towns in Pennsylvania.

Abington, Jenkintown, and Rockledgepresents a portrait of the area that was originally the township of Abington, now a northern suburb of Philadelphia.

The towns and villages that comprise the Abington area are captured in this timeless photographic history.

From the days of the horse and buggy and the stagecoach, to the days of the grand estates, Abington, Jenkintown, and Rockledgeportrays the area as it developed over the years. Pictured are many familiar sites, as well as those that helped define the area but no longer remain. From the long and distinguished histories of such venerable institutions as the Abington Friends' Meetingand Abington Presbyterian Churchto the nationally knownWillow Grove Park.

Abington, Jenkintown, and Rockledgeis a celebration of the area's legacy. Glimpses of the past are brought into focus with many rare and previously unpublished photographs. The fire companies, businesses, schools, people, and institutions that define Abington, Jenkintown, and Rockledgeare included in this comprehensive photographic history.

Ghost stories from Southwest Pennsylvania have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

The haunted history of Prescott comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Walk across the haunted bridges of Beaver County. Or take a drive down Shades of Death Road, but beware of wandering spirits. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

From its days as a small village named Bucktown to its 150th anniversary in 2012, the borough of Dunmore is more than just a suburb of Scranton.

Boasting an ethnically diverse population and several of the best schools in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dunmore has come a long way since changing its name from Bucktown in the hope of receiving financial assistance that never came. Fortunately for Dunmore, the town's fate was secured when the Pennsylvania Coal Company arrived in the mid-1800s, turning it into a diverse and thriving community center. Using vintage photographs, Images of America: Dunmoreaims to celebrate not just the town's history, but also its people. The photographs depict lives of earlier generations who share one thing in common with their modern counterparts: their pride in their hometown.

Mt. Lebanon depicts the interesting and engaging history of this community.

From the mid-1700s to the early 1900s, farming was the principal occupation in the area that would become Mt. Lebanon. When the federal government placed an excise tax on whiskey in 1794, area farmers protested in what became known as the Whiskey Rebellion. The 1901 arrival of the streetcar began transforming the area from a rural countryside to a modern suburban community. Within a few months of the streetcar's arrival, the first real estate subdivision, the Mt. Lebanon Plan, was laid out, and by 1905, no less than 11 subdivisions had been approved. When the Liberty Tunnels opened in 1924, Mt. Lebanon's population exploded, and the community became a premier example of the modern automobile suburb.

In this book, early views of the famous Horseshoe Curve, the Gallitzin Tunnels, and the Mountain House are intertwined with photographs of homes, churches, and the people who made the area prosper and grow.

The Allegheny Mountains constantly challenged early settlers to use their creativity and skills to conquer what seemed an almost insurmountable barrier. The founding fathers recognized potential in the area both as a resort and as a thriving town that would attract industry. Through hard work and innovation, an all-rail route over the mountains was established, linking the area with important industrial and trade centers. Many people came to Cresson to enjoy the health and recreational benefits of its natural springs, and the area's pike afforded the first stage link between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. When the Pennsylvania Railroad established headquarters here, with a roundhouse, machine shops, and branch lines, the area entered an era of industrial prosperity. In this remarkable volume, over 200 rare images are combined with informative and insightful text. Readers visit Loretto, a town founded by A Prince-Priest, Demetrius A. Gallitzin, Apostle of the Alleghenies and they are transported to Portage and Lilly, areas of woodlands that gave rise to numerous sawmills.

The Mid Mon Valley celebrates the interesting history of this Pennsylvania community through a collection of striking postcards from the twentieth century.

As the Monongahela River snakes north into Pennsylvania, it twists into horseshoe bends and has few straight stretches. Tucked into these curves are a series of small towns that represent America at its best. The river, which is one hundred and twenty-eight miles long, is divided into regions by local residents, and the mid section encompassing the communities of Brownsville, California, Belle Vernon, Charleroi, Monessen, Donora, and Monongahela is known as the Mid Mon Valley. What unites this region, in addition to a common landscape and common architecture, is a heritage of ethnic pride, industrial achievement, and championship sports teams. The Mid Mon Valley celebrates this history through a collection of striking postcards from the twentieth century.

Columbia County was formed in 1813 and named for the mythic goddess Columbia, who represented the distinctively American qualities of the new nation in opposition to Britannia.

In an area of beautiful, fertile creek and river valleys nestled among high ridges, the county represents the best of rural America with its productive farms, idyllic small towns, and a variety of small-scale industries. Settled at first by Quakers, the villages and towns were later strengthened by Scotch-Irish, German, Italian, and eastern European immigrants. Agriculture was the principal pursuit at first and continues so, but the county developed many industries ranging from timbering in the north to production of canal boats, textiles, and railroad cars in towns along the Susquehanna River to mining of anthracite coal at the county's southern edge. The photographs in Early Columbia County, selected from the historical society's large collection, evoke the people and life of the towns in their heyday from 1870 to 1920, when each locality attained a distinctive character.

Explore the fascinating history of Bradford, Pennsylvania with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

Around Bradford Volume II further looks at the history of the area as it has not been seen before. Once one of the largest cities in Pennsylvania, Bradford relied heavily on oil production in the 1880s for its success.

Author Sally Ryan Costik allows us to glimpse into the Age of Innocence at the turn of the century before she endeavors to examine the city's own tumultuous past. In the 1920s, it was home to KKK activity, gangster slayings, and mob retaliation--events that contrast sharply with the images of Sunday school, industrial growth, and high society from Millionaires Row found in this collection. In the years following the Roaring Twenties, Costik takes a unique look at the Depression era through the eyes of sports fans. She chronicles Bradford's baseball team through the decade as they played within the PONY league circuit (comprised of Pennsylvania, Ontario, and New York). No history of Bradford would be complete without giving mention to the Bradfordians who supported the war effort on the home front.

Philadelphia, as laid out in the 1680s, extended from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River and from Vine Street to South Street, an area known today as Center City.

As its population grew, the settled areas expanded westward from the Delaware River beyond early important landmarks such as Christ Church, the Pennsylvania State House, and Pennsylvania Hospital. By the mid-19th century, commercial, religious, and cultural institutions arose along Broad Street, and exclusive residential neighborhoods developed even farther west in areas previously undeveloped or used as industrial sites. Bustling shopping districts anchored by stores such as Wanamaker's Grand Depot and Strawbridge and Clothier ran for blocks along Chestnut and Market Streets. Center City Philadelphia in the 19th Century highlights the buildings, people, and activities of this area from the 1840s until the end of the century.

In 1682, William Penn offered the Free Society of Traders a nearly twenty-thousand-acre tract of land made up from the then communities of Warwick, New Britain, and Hilltown. The area grew slowly and, in 1745, William Doyle applied for permission to operate an inn at a well-traveled crossroads. With the permission granted, Doyle's town was created. Spared destructive battles of the American Revolution, the town retained its rustic charm and appeal. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Doylestown, as it had become known, had blossomed and was beginning to attract merchants and residents. It spent the next century somewhat in isolation until wealthy Philadelphians and New Yorkers discovered the borough in the 1930s, boasting of its abundant, beautiful, land and rich history. Doylestown is the first collection of images to document the history of the seat of Bucks County. The images contained in this collection were gathered primarily from local residents who, upon hearing of the pending publication, came forth with troves of photographs, stories, and memories of their hometown. Truly a community effort, Doylestown is a unique compilation of a storied past, a spirited present, and an exciting future.

The area grew slowly and, in 1745, William Doyle applied for permission to operate an inn at a well-traveled crossroads. With the consent granted, Doyle's town was created. Spared destructive battles of the American Revolution, the town retained its rustic charm and appeal. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Doylestown, as it had become known, had blossomed and was beginning to attract merchants and residents. It spent the next century somewhat in isolation until wealthy Philadelphians and New Yorkers discovered the borough in the 1930s, boasting of its abundant, beautiful, land and rich history. Doylestown is the first collection of images to document the history of the seat of Bucks County. The images contained in this collection were gathered primarily from local residents who, upon hearing of the pending publication, came forth with troves of photographs, stories, and memories of their hometown. Truly a community effort, Doylestown is a unique compilation of a storied past, a spirited present, and an exciting future.

Indiana, Pennsylvania is a compilation of stunning photographs that reveal a historical community. Included in this valuable history are the secret connections to the Underground Railroad, the arrival of electricity and telephones, the first automobiles, and the last Civil War veteran. Indiana, Pennsylvania also features many parts of the borough that have vanished, such as Indiana's early buildings and most of the old downtown hotels.

Witness the sensational Polly Williams murder trial, and learn about some of the unique individuals who have called Uniontown home, such as Gen. George C. Marshall, David Blythe, and ""Crazy Billy.""

Once scattered with frontier forts and Native American paths, Uniontown has changed considerably since Henry Beeson, a Virginia Quaker, offered fifty-four lots for sale on July 4, 1776. Around Uniontown captures this history with nearly two hundred vintage images culled from personal collections and the Uniontown Public Library's archives. In these pages, revisit 1896, when Uniontown had its greatest patriotic festivity. View beautiful tree-lined streets with the magnificent homes of coal barons. Visit the ""patch towns,"" and meet the people who lived and worked during the booming coal and coke era.

Rare and vintage photographs document the daily lives of coal miners and the citizens of Pottsville.

The photographs in this book bring to life a bygone era, when Coal was King, and almost everyone who lived between Pottsville, Hazelton, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton was affected by the daily activity of coal mining. The development of the anthracite coal industry began in 1822 causing the Coal Rush of the 1820s and '30s and drawing thousands of new people to the area. The outstanding images contained in this visual history have been mined by Leo Ward and Mark Major from the rich seam of the Historical Society of Schuylkill County. These images—many of them rare and previously unpublished—take us back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, and capture the harsh conditions of collieries such as Maple Hill, Sherman, and Wadesville: the toughness and humor of the miners; the grit and determination of the young boys who worked as breaker boys; and the solidarity and stoicism of the miners' wives. They also document a fascinating aspect of our social history by giving us an intimate glimpse into the everyday lives of Pottsville people, from the hustle and bustle of Market and Center Streets to the cherished summer days at Tumbling Run.

With images from the Connellsville Historical Area Society's archives and private collections, encounter the hidden history of Connellsville.

Connellsville became the first city in Fayette County when it merged with New Haven in 1909. Connellsville's growth was shaped by the Youghiogheny River, coal mining, and coke production, which fueled the nation's steel industry for nearly 100 years. Known as the ""coke capital of the world,"" Connellsville became an early manufacturing, commercial, and transportation center, attracting a diverse ethnic population. Around Connellsville celebrates this heritage with images of coke ovens, coal patches, railroads, streetcars, and ""Brimstone Corner."" It follows South Pittsburgh Street to Anchor Hocking and the beach, cheers ball teams at Fayette Field in the north end, and admires St. Rita's grotto on the west side. Although recent economic growth shifted from the town center to nearby highways, Connellsville remains the preeminent gateway to the Laurel Highlands Recreational Area, which includes world-class resorts, state parks, historical sites, and the singular beauty of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater.

Postcard images from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century show historic scenes of the first city established in Pennsylvania.

From the late 19th century until the mid-20th century, Chester was a bustling hub of industry, historic sites, tourist attractions, and entertainment. The first city established in Pennsylvania, Chester was famous for its many mills. The area was also home to a major shipbuilding center, the Sun Ship Corporation, as well as other industries, including the Chester Brewery and Blue Naphtha brand soap. The postcards in Chester showcase historic scenes of the city and highlight the long history of this dynamic community.

Whether a local citizen, former resident, or visitor, Erie County will definitely entertain, and it will remind us of the perseverance and strength of small-town America.

Erie County, Pennsylvania, is an interesting mixture of peaceful rural landscapes and vigorous industrial scenes. From Albion, Girard, and Fairview in the west, through Waterford and Edinboro, to Corry, Wattsburg, North East, Harborcreek, and Lawrence Park in the east, this volume touches upon many of the small towns, villages, and rural areas that make up this diverse county. The book's images, many never before published, have been selected by local historians and taken from local historical societies' archives to represent the social and cultural aspects of each community. From these pictures, mainly taken in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the distinct identity of each area comes alive with views of farmlands, businesses, schools, and recreation, yet despite thisindividuality, these unique communities do share much in common in tradition and personality.

The Stroudsburgs in the Poconos is a fascinating, pictorial history of this diverse community.

Nestled in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania are the twin towns of Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg. Discover the history, people, and places of this community in an unprecedented collection of images. Authors and local historians Marie and Frank Summa have compiled fascinating images with a carefully researched and informative text to tell the story of the Stroudsburgs and the Poconos from the time of the Native Americans through the mid-1950s. Known first as Dansbury, in honor of Daniel Brodhead, the settlement later became known as Stroudsburg, in honor of Jacob Stroud. The Stroudsburgs endured and prospered throughout war, fire, and flood. Its inhabitants included Abraham Lincoln's substitute in the Civil War, a veteran of five wars who became a parish priest, and an attorney general of the United States. The lives andindustries of ordinary citizens as well as these unique and colorful figures of the past are depicted. Images were provided through community loans and local historicalsocieties to produce this timeless tribute to the history of the Stroudsburgs in the Poconos.

Their pride is evident in the images in Catasauqua and North Catasauqua. Bustling businesses, spacious schools, cherished churches, opulent houses, big parades and public celebrations, and strong, confident faces abound in these photographs. The culmination of that pride and prosperity came in 1914, when Catasauqua welcomed the world to celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Crane Iron Works with Old Home Week. Less than ten years later, the iron business was gone, its last years recorded in extraordinary photographs. Life in Catasauqua, though harder, went on and today, the heritage of the Iron Borough days is visible everywhere in both towns-the streets, houses, and churches still loved and lived in as they were a century or more ago.

Idlewild and SoakZone has charmed people across Western Pennsylvania and beyond since the late 1800s.

The park was developed by Pittsburgh's Mellon family as a picnic grove to boost traffic on the Ligonier Valley Rail Road. When C.C. Macdonald took the helm in 1931, rides, entertainment and other attractions came to Idlewild over the next half century, along with the adjacent Story Book Forest. After joining the Kennywood family of amusement parks, Idlewild added a Wild West town, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make-Believe and a water slide complex. Author Jennifer Sopko tells the heartwarming history of a Pennsylvania amusement park that continues to delight generations of families.

Johnstown, Pennsylvania, famed for flood and disaster, is shown here in over 200 rare images, many publsihed here for the first time.

In this photographic history of Johnstown, readers will enjoy more than two hundred rare images, many published here for the first time, from the collections of historical organizations and private individuals. After enduring three devastating floods, residents have adopted the phrase "This town won't die" as a testament to their gritty determination to survive and to be seen as more than flood victims. Johnstown records the true American Dream: the faces of immigrants building their lives in a new country; the expansive golden age of American industrial growth in the steel, mining, and railroad industries; a community's iron will in the face of destruction; and a snapshot of human bonds through love for family and nation, as well as an inherent faith.

Upper Darby, one of the earliest settlements west of Philadelphia, began with the Lenni Lenape Indians and early Swedish settlers of the 1650s. From the beginning, influential families left their mark.

Mills and farming were fueled by several creeks forming a fall line before dropping off to the Piedmont through Upper Darby. The descendants of Samuel Sellers were inventors whose skills benefited the nation. Dr. George Smith authored the bill for Pennsylvania public education, and famous financiers A.J. Drexel and his son A.J. Drexel Jr. created beautiful estates with landscaped vistas where residents enjoyed leisure activities. By the early 1800s, most farms had turned to dairying and became part of the Butter Belt. The Sixty-Ninth Street Terminal, built in 1907, was the transportation hub for those going farther west and brought rapid development to the community. Upper Darby chronicles the people and the changing demographics of this thriving area.

This is the story of how one quaint Pennsylvanian village became a modern utopia.

Until 1906, Aliquippa was known as a small farming community called Woodlawn, but the 20th century ushered in tremendous change when the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company came to town. The company designated the plant site as the Aliquippa Works, ultimately leading the town to change its name to Aliquippa in 1928 to more closely identify with the mill. By 1930, the population would balloon to over 27,000 residents. To accommodate its workforce, Jones & Laughlin developed a community that boasted of homes with all of the modern conveniences, including indoor plumbing and electricity. Schools and businesses were built to support the population, along with fire and police departments and a modern transportation system. Immigrant workers were recruited from around the world to man the massive industrial complex, and as the mill grew, so did the town. Aliquippa is a testimony to the people who built and nurtured the growth of this memorable city.

Mauch Chunk (Bear Mountain) was a boomtown gone bust by the mid 1900s, and came up with a unique way to change its fortunes via Olympian Jim Thorpe.

Jim Thorpe in the 20th Century examines the causes and effects of a community's decision to relinquish its Native American name Mauch Chunk (""Bear Mountain"") to become the town of Jim Thorpe. In the 19th century, Mauch Chunk rode a wave of prosperity, as coal shipping and tourism turned ordinary men into millionaires. In the 20th century, the mainstays of the town's economy began to tumble like dominoes: mule-drawn coal boats could not compete with the iron horse, ending Mauch Chunk's days as a canal town by 1922; the touristattracting Switchback Gravity Railroad, unable to afford parts, closed in 1932; the coal mines and working railroads collapsed, as industry, home heating, and trucking turned to petroleum. Down-and-out by the mid-1900s, Mauch Chunk was looking for a means of saving itself when the widow of 1912 Olympian Jim Thorpe proposed a stranger-than-fiction solution.

Originally a simple fish hatchery, Dorney Park expanded to include a hotel, casino, bowling alley, along with many rides and modern amusements, becoming one of America’s greatest historic amusement parks.

Dorney Park was founded by Solomon Dorney in 1884 and was held by Dorney until the early 1900s, when Jacob Plarr assumed ownership. The Plarr family operated the park until 1985, with the exception of a brief period during which it was owned and operated by the local trolley company, the Allentown-Kutztown Traction Company. The park is known today as Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom. Dorney Park illustrates the development of one of America's greatest historic amusement parks. Among the vintage photographs and postcards one will find images of the Mill Chute, or the Tunnel of Love, as it was also known; the old wooden roller coaster under construction; the Zephyr train, a headliner in the park for many years; Castle Garden; the original Dentzel carousel; the racetrack; and the merry-go-rounds that were once a major attraction at the park.

McKees Rocks and Stowe Township, just downriver from the Point of Pittsburgh, contributed significantly to the growth of steel and transportation in western Pennsylvania.

In 1888, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, known as the ""Little Giant,"" built a 100-acre maintenance facility in McKees Rocks, igniting the spark to the region's massive industrial, business, and population explosion. By 1910, the population soared to 15,000, fueled by the rapid influx of nearly 6,000 immigrants. A landmark event in labor history occurred in July 1909, when 5,000 foreign workers, representing 16 different nationalities, waged a long and bloody strike against the Pressed Steel Car Company. McKees Rocks and Stowe Township showcases a region whose diverse history includes the largest Native American mound in Pennsylvania, visits by George Washington, floods, and even Al Capone. Today a rich mix of ethnic cultures still flavors the local neighborhoods, and the accomplishments of homegrown businessmen, musicians, clergy, athletes, public servants, artists, and educators are recognized and respected throughout western Pennsylvania and beyond.

Thomas White spins a beguiling yarn with tales that reach from the misty hollows of the Alleghenies to the lost islands of Pittsburgh.

Oppaymolleah's Curse. General Braddock's buried gold. The original man of steel, Joe Magarac. Such legends have found a home among the rich folklore of Western Pennsylvania. White invites readers to learn the truth behind the urban legend of the Green Man, speculate on the conspiracy surrounding the lost B-25 bomber of Monongahela and shiver over the ghostly lore of Western Pennsylvania.

Frackville, Pennsylvania, is a perfect community for exploring the identity of small-town America.

This borough is representative of the many struggles American citizens and immigrants had to overcome in the mid-nineteenth through the twentieth century on their way to success. Even though Frackville's men and women possess a tremendous drive for progress, they have not forgotten the sacrifices made by earlier generations that have helped shape them and create the area in which they live. This volume looks back on the borough's history and retells the fascinating stories of its original families and early settlers, like the Fracks and the Merediths, and traces Frackville's growth and development from its incorporation in 1876 to its centennial celebration in 1976. With over 200 images, many never before published, this collection shows the reader buildings and homes, some now demolished, lining dusty roads and peopled with citizens in antiquated hats or dresses, and even presents pictures of more recent generations participating in the centennial parade.

The Native Americans called it shackamaxon, the place where the chiefs meet, but Kensington soon became a meeting place of a different kind.

Ideologies and demagogues, industry and entrepreneurs all came together in Kensington and Fishtown. Kensington was the epicenter of the American vegetarian movement, and a decade later the area's shipyards gave birth to the U.S. Navy's first submarine. In Kensington & Fishtown, native son Kenneth W. Milano presents a collection of fascinating and diverse articles from his column The Rest is History. Relive the golden age of Kensington and Fishtown as you learn about learn about their fascinating pasts.

Baseball in Reading captures for the first time the images of the teams, players, and ballparks that have made the city one of minor-league baseball's true legends. Claiming the title Baseballtown in 2002, Reading has a baseball legacy that dates back to the late 1800s. Only three other minor-league teams have remained in the same location for a longer period of time. Players such as Charlie Wagner, Roger Maris, and Rico Petrocelli have contributed to the rich history that unfolds in Baseball in Reading.

Pittsburgh is synonymous with winning. From the Penguins and Steelers to the Pirates and Panthers, the Steel City knows championships.

There must be something special in the water to make Pittsburgh so particularly gifted with its sports teams. The most famous teams in the city's history would most likely be the 1970s Steelers, known as the Steel Curtain for obvious reasons, and the Penguins who raised the Stanley Cup five times. Names such as Lemieux, Crosby, Roethlisberger, Bradshaw, Clemente and Stargell are legends of American sport and members of Pittsburgh's most cherished franchises, but for every sports legend and multi-million dollar franchise, there are a dozen more talented players and long-past teams that have been forgotten to history; the Negro League's Crawford and Homestead Grays are too often overlooked in the city's sports history but were as talented as any team that has played there. Author Dave Finoli ranks the fifty greatest teams that won trophies, brought glory and lifted the hearts of Pittsburgh's devoted sports fans.

Wonderful photos of teams and players, going back to the first in 1947, a pictorial history of this iconic American sporting event!

Little League Baseball is a microcosm of American history, filled with countless anecdotes, good fortune, adversity, and hope. In 1947, when the first Little League Baseball World Series was played, there were seventeen leagues in two states. Since then, Little League has achieved global recognition and has touched the lives of children and families in more than one hundred countries. The World Series is the culmination of dedication and teamwork in more than sixteen thousand games ending in a sixteen-team tournament in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Little League Baseball World Series remembers the history of the tournament and its role in bringing together communities. More than two thousand five hundred spectators witnessed the first championship game in 1947, when the Maynard Midgets took home the trophy, and the results were printed in newspapers around the country. Now, millions more tune in to ABC's Wide World of Sports and ESPN for live coverage of the final game. Little League Baseball has enriched the lives of more than thirty million boys and girls who have worn a Little League uniform. Well-known figures such as Derek Jeter, Kevin Costner, and Pres. George W. Bush were all Little League players. The Little League Baseball World Series celebrates this rich baseball history and the best teams the league has produced through the years.

Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia is a historical look at the neighborhoods, events, and people that have been a part of this community. The 1920s saw the birth of private dance bars on Rittenhouse Square. It was a time when drag shows in straight bars were the order of the day, as was the presence of men in drag during the annual Mummer's Parade on New Year's Day. The pre-Civil Rights era, when segregation was the status quo, saw the proliferation of African American house parties in neighborhoods such as North Philadelphia, where black gays and lesbians formed a community. During the 1950s and 1960s, Rittenhouse Square was the site of informal public gatherings. These gatherings of friends and strangers helped set the stage for the Annual Reminder, the first public protest in support of "homosexual equal rights," which took place every Fourth of July at Independence Hall. Throughout all of these eras, members of the community faced challenges, celebrated victories, and continued to try to blend their lives with those of their gay and straight neighbors.

One of the oldest amusement parks in the United States, and one of the last surviving "trolley parks,'? Waldameer Park has provided generations with fun-filled afternoons.

Originally beginning as a picnic area known as Hoffman's Grove on the banks of Lake Erie in Northwestern Pennsylvania, the Erie Electric Motor Company leased the park in 1896 and renamed it "Waldameer,'? translated literally as "Woods by the Sea'? in German. A trolley park's main purpose was to entice people to ride the new-fangled trolley car on the weekends, and Waldameer accomplished that in spades. Initially, the park's main attraction was its beach on the lake, a popular destination for people to go and escape the heat of summer, but over the years, Waldameer Park changed and grew significantly. In the early 20th century, rides like Dip the Dips, Ravine Flyer, and Mill Run grew to be the main attractions at the park. Over the past three decades, Waldameer Park has grown into a modern amusement park, while maintaining its beloved nostalgic atmosphere. Today, visitors cool off in the Water World water park and enjoy thrill rides like the Comet, Steel Dragon, X-Scream, and Ravine Flyer II.

Since opening in 1980, Sesame Place® theme park in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, has been the Northeast's premiere destination for fun, learning, and entertainment for children and adults alike.

This wonderful playland has seen immense change and growth from opening day, ever adapting like Sesame Street® itself to engage the newest generation of kids. Here, the original Muppets™ from Sesame Street created by Jim Henson, such as Big Bird, Grover, and Cookie Monster, as well as the newer residents, such as Elmo, Zoe, Murray, and Abby Cadabby, come right out of the television and into attractions, shows, parades, meet-and-greets, and more.

In its very early years, Butler County was a vast wilderness of untamed forests. The fi rst pioneers suffered insurmountable odds while scratching out an existence in this frontier west of the Allegheny River. With determination, they succeeded, and the 1800s brought the development of many towns from the scant settlements. Butler City, the county seat, was laid out in 1800, and many smaller towns followed suit. With the arrival of oil after the Civil War, the county grew. The railroads and trolley lines that expanded into the area furthered the growth and helped industries prosper. Butler County Revisited celebrates the history of the area with 200 postcards, including scenes of the Chicora Whip Factory, a Memorial Day parade in Evans City, the Buhl Trolley Trestle over Connoquenessing Creek, and a large bear wrestling his trainer on Bruin Street.