Bishop

9780738581835

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Located in the stark landscape of Eastern California's Owens Valley, Bishop is situated between two of the highest mountain ranges of the contiguous United States. Native Americans had been in the region since antiquity, and white settlers began to filter in after many battles with the Paiutes and Shoshones. Bishop was named after Sam Bishop, who drove cattle into the area and settled along Bishop Creek. Many more farmers and ranchers followed. To the south, Los Angeles was growing too, tapping the Owens River for a gravity-fed aqueduct for its residents; thus began the Los Angeles–Owens Valley Water Conflict.

Cover image for Bishop, isbn: 9780738581835

Vista

9780738559391

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The vast California land grants of the mid-1800s have long since been divided, yet Vista remains "The Home of the Ranchos." Two imposing adobe ranch houses that served as the earliest centers of northern San Diego County social and business life now stand fully restored as focal points for educational and cultural events. Until 1926, Vista's rich soil and near-perfect climate lacked one critical element: an adequate, reliable water supply. The formation of Vista Irrigation District resulted in the celebrated arrival of an ample supply of water and marked the commencement of an agricultural empire. Vista was soon the avocado capital of the world, with citrus, field, and flower crops flourishing as well. The home-building surge following World War II led to its incorporation as a city in 1963, which enhanced Vista's ongoing reputation as a thriving, family-oriented community that excels today in commercial, recreational, and cultural endeavors.

Cover image for Vista, isbn: 9780738559391

Florence

9781467108348

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The birth of the state of Colorado led to a migration to the base of the Rocky Mountains along the Arkansas River, where men and women readily accepted their responsibilities and stepped up to make Florence an essential supply center enduring for decades. Just like the trees of the first successful apple orchard planted in Colorado, families took root in the area, and Florence grew. Soon, coal and oil from the surrounding hills and gold, silver, and other precious minerals high in the nearby mountains required the existence of Florence to supply materials and labor for operations. They depended on Florence to process and deliver the products of their effort. From the planting of that first apple tree in 1860 to the continued extraction of coal and oil into the 1970s, the community of Florence has played a key role in the area's accomplishment. Now, over 40 years later, take a look back at how those men and women achieved that accomplishment.

Florence 1870s 1970s Images of America book cover with a sepia street scene and vintage gas pumps in foreground.

Catalina Island

9780738529196

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Throughout its history, the 76-square-mile island of Catalina has played host to Native Americans, smugglers, otter hunters, ranchers, miners, entrepreneurs, vacationers, movie stars, and nature enthusiasts. William Wrigley Jr. (of chewing-gum fame) bought the island in 1919 and later constructed the recognizable casino building, which was never used for gambling but did become one of the best-known ballrooms in America. In the 1970s, the Wrigley family deeded 88 percent of the island to the Catalina Island Conservancy, which protects the natural state of the island and her inhabitants. Today nearly one million tourists visit annually to take in the fishing, parasailing, glass-bottomed tour boating, scuba diving, cycling, camping, galleries, shopping, and dining.

Cover image for Catalina Island, isbn: 9780738529196

Moses Lake

9780738596242

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Moses Lake stands out as the "boomtown" of Grant County. A period of exponential growth began in the 1940s as the result of water and air power. Moses Lake sits at the heart of the Columbia Basin Project, a monumental irrigation system controlled by Grand Coulee Dam supplying water to over half a million acres. Activation of the Moses Lake Army Air Base (later Larson Air Force Base) during World War II added to the population boom of more than 3,600 percent by 1960. Originally barriers to the success of early agriculture, warm summer temperatures and low annual rainfall make Moses Lake an attractive recreational destination for water sports, fishing, and hunting. From the pioneering days of gasoline-powered pump irrigation to the phenomenal success of modern irrigated farms, water has played the pivotal role in Moses Lake's Cinderella story of agricultural empire in an otherwise arid desert.

Moses Lake Images of America cover with a child in a small motorboat on a lake in sepia tones

Astoria

9780738575278

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Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. It began in 1811 as a small but ambitious fur trading venture of New York entrepreneur John Jacob Astor and his Pacific Fur Company. The town has seen the development of commerce and trade ebb and flow like the tide throughout its history. Bounded on three sides by water and much of it originally built over the river, Astoria is a town that is deeply rooted in maritime history and traditions. This proud community of 10,000 is ready to share its heritage with the rest of the world.

Astoria Images of America book cover with a sepia photo of workers posing on a large ship

Kingman

9780738579306

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Kingman, county seat of Mohave County in northwestern Arizona, owes its beginning and subsequent prosperity to the building of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in 1882. The city was named for the project's chief engineer, Lewis Kingman. The initial railroad siding quickly became a supply center for mining and ranching operations that dotted the beautiful surrounding valleys and mountain ranges. Through the years, Kingman has been at the crossroads of rail, highway, and air transportation routes. A B-17 bomber gunnery training base brought changes by exposing the area's potential to thousands of soldiers during World War II, many of whom would later return. Actor Andy Devine grew up here, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were married here, and Charles Lindbergh would establish a route for Transcontinental Air Transport through here. Today Kingman is the Heart of Historic U.S. Route 66 and is located in the middle of the longest remaining stretch of the Mother Road, making it a must-see destination for thousands of tourists each year.

Cover image for Kingman, isbn: 9780738579306

Flagstaff

9780738571157

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On July 4, 1876, immigrants from Boston traveling to California were camped at Antelope Spring in a valley just south of the San Francisco Peaks. To celebrate the nation's centennial, the pioneers stripped the branches off a tall pine tree and ran up Old Glory. This event gave Flagstaff its name. Six years later, in 1882, the Atlantic and Pacific Railway reached Flagstaff, and a small settlement was born. Railroad construction crews used local ponderosa pine trees for rail ties, beginning a timber industry that thrived in the region for the next century. Flagstaff also became a center of tourism as visitors came to see spectacular natural sights in the surrounding territory, including the Grand Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, and Sunset Crater, and to experience the Native American cultures of the American Southwest. This volume traces the establishment and early development of Flagstaff and depicts many facets of life in Arizona's Mountain Town.

Cover image for Flagstaff, isbn: 9780738571157

US Forest Service Ranger Stations of the West

9781467103152

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Pioneer US Forest Service rangers and their ranger stations are classic symbols of the American West. Rangers managed the public forests and ranges with the cattlemen, sheepmen, lumbermen, miners, homesteaders, and others who used—and, in many cases, still use— the lands to build and sustain economies and ways of life. The early rangers are no longer around. But some of the stations from which they protected the West's national forests to secure the greatest good for the greatest number in the long run, as decreed by the first chief of the US Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot, remain to tell their stories and inspire their successors.

Cover image for US Forest Service Ranger Stations of the West, isbn: 9781467103152

The Silver Valley

9780738581750

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The descent into Idaho from the Montana border down Lookout Pass on Interstate 90 largely follows the trail Capt. John Mullan blazed over 150 years ago. The Silver Valley is home to Shoshone County's seat, the historic silver-mining city of Wallace, which has been something of a phoenix rising out of the ashes of two great fires. Along with Wallace, the valley encompasses many other small mining towns, such as Mullan, Silverton, Osburn, Kellogg, Smelterville, Pinehurst, and Kingston, with diverse histories that are both humorous and heartbreaking. It also surrounds the Cataldo Mission, Idaho's oldest standing building, built by the Jesuits and the Coeur d'Alene tribe in 1848.

Cover image for The Silver Valley, isbn: 9780738581750

Cardiff-by-the-Sea

9780738569512

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Cardiff-by-the-Sea is a beautiful Southern California coastal town nestled between the San Elijo Lagoon to the south and rolling hills to the east. Known simply by locals as Cardiff, it was named by Esther M. Cullen, who arrived from Boston in 1910 with her husband, J. Frank Cullen, a man determined to transform the swampy expanse of fertile farmland into a coastal playground and town. During the 1920s, the town evolved quickly into a bustling community with a school district, post office, train station, and water irrigation district. The independent character of today's residents can be gleaned throughout the history of the area, from Cullen's determination to build a town in a region thought to be unsuitable for inhabitation, to the citizens' battle in the 1980s to retain autonomy as the town was incorporated into a larger city. Today Cardiff-by-the-Sea is one of five communities comprising the city of Encinitas and is proud of the small-town atmosphere first cultivated by the pioneering spirit of its early settlers.

Book cover of Cardiff-by-the-Sea featuring a man standing in a small boat on the shore.

Palm Springs

9780738559827

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Nestled beneath the San Jacinto Mountains in an oasis of palm trees is a mineral hot springs. For thousands of years, this was the winter home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the original inhabitants of this harsh desert region. A U.S. government survey party discovered the spring in 1853 and identified the area located at the base of "two bunches of palms." In 1884, Judge John McCallum of San Francisco purchased land near the springs for $800 and built the first adobe structure, which still stands today. Stage lines and railroads provided transportation through the area, bringing in visitors year-round. Dr. Welwood Murray built the first Palm Springs Hotel, and in 1909, Nellie Coffman built The Desert Inn, which would become famous as a tourist attraction. This was the beginning of the area's major industry. Today Palm Springs is still a destination for visitors throughout the year and home to a growing population of permanent residents.

Palm Springs Images of America book cover showing a sepia group portrait on a stairway

San Francisco's Bernal Heights

9780738547411

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San Francisco's Bernal Heights is a hilltop village tucked away in the southern part of the city. Freeways and urban thoroughfares now bound the neighborhood, once defined by the swamps and creeks of the original Mexican land grant. The legacy of Potrero Viejo, or old pasture, and the farms of the 19th and 20th centuries have developed into today's passion for the preservation of open space. From the 1860s legend of Widow O'Brien's cow to the 1970s fight that saved the hill's crest from development, Bernal residents have tirelessly guarded their environment. An unofficial coyote mascot reigns over one of San Francisco's few remaining wild areas.

Book cover of San Francisco's Bernal Heights showing a sepia photograph of a large crowd with a rider on horseback in the foreground.

Eagle Rock

9780738582160

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Eagle Rock has grown from an open farming community, populated by a few hundred souls, into a busy and diverse neighborhood of Los Angeles. The incorporation of Eagle Rock City in 1911 began the political process necessary to sustain and service this expanding community. The Eagle Rock City that was annexed by Los Angeles in 1923 was much smaller than the area included by the City of Los Angeles in the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council in 2002. The town grew through the century by attracting the loyalty of people living in then-outlying areas. Eagle Rock: 1911-2011 continues the exploration begun in the Images of America volume Eagle Rock, detailing this expansion and the community's everyday life and interaction with the city and the world.

Eagle Rock 1911 2011 cover from Images of America showing a family on a hillside with a large rock formation.

Salida

9780738520674

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Modern-day Salida is admired and sought out for its natural beauty. Surrounded by numerous 14,000-foot, snow-covered mountains that feed the Arkansas River's rushing whitewater, the quiet and hospitable town is situated in a picturesque valley that draws tens of thousands of visitors for summer and winter activities. But nearly 130 years ago, most of the people were coming to the area known as South Arkansas for new opportunities and the fortunes they hoped to find. The images in this book offer a glimpse of some of those individuals and times-the early settlers, miners, railroaders, forestry pioneers, and families who spawned commerce and businesses that held the community together when hard times hit. The photographs reveal the rich variety of people, how they worked, how they played, and how they made Colorado their home.

Sepia-toned cover of Salida Colorado with cowboys on horseback posed outside a hillside.

West Hollywood

9780738528502

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West Hollywood, which began as Sherman, a rail yard town, played an integral role in creating the "Hollywood" film industry while it grew up alongside the fashionable Beverly Hills to house the service industries needed by these wealthy neighbors. During Prohibition, the still unincorporated area was the site of the entertainment industry's watering holes and gambling parlors, and nicknames such as the "Sinful Drag," "The Adult Playground," and "Hollywood's Soul" were bestowed upon West Hollywood's world-famous Sunset Strip, where today's visitors can still dance in the footsteps of legends like Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. As time marched on, the predominantly renter, Jewish, gay, and senior citizen residents of the progressive-minded area determined to step out of the shadows of nearby communities and create a city of their own, an effort that caused some controversy but resulted in the incorporation of West Hollywood in 1984. Since incorporation West Hollywood has been a beacon of hope, drawing refugees from Russia and around the world to its tolerant streets.

West Hollywood Images of America cover depicting a busy vintage street scene with signs and pedestrians

Early Reno

9780738581859

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In 1868, Reno was a rough railroad town located on the new Central Pacific railroad line and quickly became the transportation hub for the greatest silver strike in the world, the Comstock Lode in Virginia City. By the early 1900s, Reno was the state's financial and industrial center. The automobile and the arrival of the Lincoln and Victory Highways made Reno a convenient place for a quick divorce, and between 1910 and 1970, it was known as the divorce capital of the world. Gaming thrived in Reno's back rooms and alleys since its earliest days, and became the state's major economic force after it was legalized in 1931. Known as the "Biggest Little City," Reno was famous as a place where one could do things that were difficult to do anywhere else.

Cover of Early Reno showing a sepia Reno street beneath a glowing arch reading The Biggest Little City in the World

The Owens Valley

9780738595931

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The Owens Valley is a bold and beautiful land where rugged alpine peaks tower over the deep trough of high desert that John Muir called "a country of wonderful contrasts." Inhabiting a rich and complex past are native people, miners, cattlemen, farmers, and city builders who laid claim, often violently, to its resources. By 1913, Owens River water was flowing south through the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and from the long and bitter conflicts that followed emerged an Owens Valley future far removed from the agrarian Eden envisioned by 19th-century pioneers. Today, unparalleled recreational opportunities draw millions of visitors annually to this "long brown land" even as reminders of a quintessential Western past linger in its open vistas, epic landscape, and enduring traditions.

Vintage Owens Valley book cover showing workers by a wooden canal with mountains in the distance and the name Jane Wehrrey

Silicon Valley

9780738570938

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Nestled at the south end of San Francisco Bay, there lies a fertile valley. Cradled by the ancient Diablo and Santa Cruz Mountain ranges, the region spans much of the Santa Clara Valley, curling north from Menlo Park into Palo Alto. At its eastern gateway lies Milpitas and in the south is the Evergreen area, in the shadow of Mount Hamilton. The heart of the valley is San Jose. For many years, each spring, fruit trees produced flower blossoms as far as the eye could see. After World War II, veterans returned home, attended local engineering schools, and quickly became engaged in electronics and aeronautics development. The discovery of semiconductors and computer and Internet technologies radically altered the area, sped its momentum, and earned it its title—the Silicon Valley—now arguably the world's preeminent center for technological advances. Like the seismic waves that created the region, the valley's economic peaks and plunges have shaped the lives of its residents, but they continue to look to the future, developing new technologies to advance mankind.

Cover image for Silicon Valley, isbn: 9780738570938

Early Escondido

9780738555959

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Louis A. Havens was a Southern California pioneer businessman, storyteller, and artist who brought the community of Escondido together via his camera. He was the first successful photographer in the thriving north San Diego County agricultural city, incorporated in 1888. Prior to his arrival, the occasional photographer might seasonally visit Escondido or attempt to set up shop, realizing little success. Havens's timing in his arrival, combined with his skillful eye, ensured his success from 1911 to 1944. His collection documents Escondido's early residents, architecture, events, and landscapes, and it now persists as a historic record of past events, culture, and development of the fourth largest city in San Diego County.

Cover image for Early Escondido, isbn: 9780738555959

Eureka and Humboldt County

9780738518725

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The cry amongst the redwoods-Eureka!-was the shout heard from early pioneers in 1850 as they came to settle in Humboldt County. Discovery of gold permanently changed the area's history, and eventually lead to the extraction of Humboldt's other natural resource: the "red gold" of its forests. Captured here in over 200 vintage photographs is the pictorial history of this bountiful county and its residents.

As the gold fever faded in the late 1800s, Humboldt County's primary source of industry became the lumbering of its vast redwoods. Pictured here are the men and machines that felled, transported, and milled the lumber, as well as photographs of the elegant Victorian mansions of the industry's lumber barons, such as William Carson. Weaving the history of Humboldt County together are the stories of its earliest residents, including the Native American tribes, fevered Gold Rushers, the early Chinese community, railroad workers, shipyard sailors, and industrious farming families, all of whom created the foundation it prospers on today.

Cover image for Eureka and Humboldt County, isbn: 9780738518725

Venice, California

9780738520995

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Venice, California, was unlike any other American city. A miniature railway, an amusement pier, gondolas, elephants, fire divers, Mardi Gras, beauty contests, stunt pilots, and 6 miles of canals overlooking the Pacific Ocean all made Abbot Kinney's Venice-of-America the most popular California resort town of its early century era.

This pictorial retrospective illustrates Venice's history from its beginnings in 1880 through the Great Fire and Consolidation, to the advent of the rollerskaters and carnival-like ambience that characterize the Venice that we know today. A favorite site for Hollywood filming, the city has seen many famous (and infamous) visitors and residents over the years, and is a well-known resort town. It has played host to vacationers from all over the world.

Venice California book cover from Images of America showing women riding pedal tricycles down a sunlit street.

Donner Summit

9780738574776

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The pass over Donner Peak in Northern California is known as Donner Summit and has been a critical route across the Sierra Nevada Mountains for centuries. First it was used by Native Americans, then early settlers, and then emigrant wagon trains such as those used by the ill-fated Donner Party, in whose honor the region is named. The first transcontinental railroad in the United States and the first transcontinental highway in America both made use of the Donner Summit route to gain access to California; even early aviators used a beacon at the Summit for guidance across the Sierras. Most of the communities and points of interest along the railroad and highway route up and over Donner Summit are covered in this book.

Donner Summit book cover showing a sepia lakeside scene with a child fishing

Colorado Springs

9780738520919

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Colorado Springs was founded by General William Jackson Palmer in 1871. He was successful in his intent to build a sophisticated spa town with all the luxuries of the East Coast, including the arts, colleges, and hospitals. It is often said that the men made their money in the gold mines of Cripple Creek, but they spent it in Colorado Springs, building beautiful homes on wide streets lined with trees-roads that were nicknamed Millionaire's Row. The early development of Colorado Springs is shown here in over 200 vintage photographs and drawings, some of which have never before been published. The photographs and captions, often taken from actual diaries and journals, illustrate a broad cross-section of the area's early settlers, as well as the hardships they endured. The timeline begins in 1871 and continues through the war years when many local men fought in World War II, most famously as part of the first 10th Mountain Ski Division. This volume includes photographs from neighboring towns and places of interest that were instrumental in the development of Colorado Springs, including Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, Garden of the Gods, and Cripple Creek.

Cover image for Colorado Springs, isbn: 9780738520919

The Sea Ranch

9780738559902

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The Sea Ranch, translated from the Spanish "Del Mar Ranch," occupies the northwest corner of Sonoma County and is renowned for its architecture and environmental sensitivity. The development of a second-home community in 1965 was just one more chapter in a long history that began in 1846. The Sea Ranch is part of the German Rancho, the most northern coastal Mexican land grant, which was confirmed by the United States following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. It was home to German cattlemen, loggers, and an early-20th-century Russian Baptist colony. Over the years, shepherds, World War II soldiers, and bootleggers have called it home. Early maps and photographs tell the history of the area, and contemporary photographs reveal remnants of historic buildings and sites on the current Sea Ranch landscape.

Cover image for The Sea Ranch, isbn: 9780738559902

Mount Shasta

9780738555720

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For thousands of years, native inhabitants revered this snowcapped volcano, its craggy peaks, thick forests, crystal waters, and abundant wildlife. "Lonely as god and white as a winter moon, Mount Shasta starts up sudden and solitary from the heart of the great black forests of Northern California," Joaquin Miller so eloquently wrote. In the late 1820s, trappers first encountered the mountain, followed later by other explorers and travelers. By the 1870s, early settler Justin Sisson had developed a resort with guided tours to Mount Shasta's summit. In 1887, after the railroad was completed, the town of Sisson was established at the base of the mountain, where hotels and saloons catered to tourists and lumbermen from nearby mills. South of the mountain, travelers on Southern Pacific's Shasta Route filled the resorts along the Sacramento River. The new century brought a new mode of travel, the automobile, and a new name for Sisson. "Mount Shasta City" was chosen to reflect the town's special connection to the mountain.

Images of America Mount Shasta cover showing a vintage sepia photo of a procession with Mount Shasta in the distance

Telluride

9780738548500

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The tiny town of Telluride is a Rocky Mountain jewel. Wedged in a remote box canyon high in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, it has a remarkable historic architectural landscape, staggering beauty, a past both haunting and enchanted, and an illustrious reputation for skiing and leisure. For centuries, the Ute Indians revered the region as a hunting ground but were banished in the 1880s by mineralhungry legions. This began an era of high-country camps and saloon-lined streets. Ever since, Telluride's unique story has been one of intrepid individualism, boom and bust, celebration and conundrum.

Historic Telluride mining crew posed on a hillside on a sepia book cover

Morro Bay

9780738530864

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Morro Bay, on California's Central Coast, is famous for the massive rock formation that guards the mouth of its natural harbor. A remnant of an ancient volcanic plug, Morro Rock--in Spanish, el Moro, the sentinel--was spotted by explorer Juan Cabrillo as early as 1542. Once sacred to Native Americans, it is now a sanctuary for peregrine falcons and other birds, near secluded dunes, a 2,300-acre national estuary known as the back bay, and eucalyptus groves that are visited each winter by monarch butterflies. With the railroad hundreds of miles away, the small fishing town with sandy streets, surrounded by cattle and dairy ranches, once depended on the sea for transportation. Now a thriving commercial district serves both residents and tourists, and its waterfront is packed with busy seafood restaurants. Kayaks, canoes, and commercial fishing boats mingle in the sparkling waters of the bay.

Morro Bay book cover showing Morro Rock on the beach with a tree in the foreground in sepia tones.

Olympic Mountains

9780738580227

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The Olympic Mountains rise up from the sea with moss-draped forests growing right to the water's edge. Glaciers crown steep slopes while alpine meadows and lush valleys teem with elk, deer, cougars, bears, and species known nowhere else on earth. The Olympic National Park was created in 1938 to protect the grandeur of the Olympic Mountains. The rugged coastal area was added in 1953. To further protect this remnant of wild America, Congress designated 95 percent of the park as the Olympic Wilderness in 1988. Today it is recognized as a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site and one of the most popular wilderness destinations in North America. It is a place that changed the people who would conquer it. Farmers gave up; miners found no riches; loggers reforested. Tourism came early and endures.

Sepia-toned Olympic Mountains book cover from Images of America with two climbers overlooking alpine peaks.

The Manhattan Project at Hanford Site

9781467134446

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The Manhattan Project at Hanford Site describes the top-secret effort undertaken during World War II to develop a weapon never imagined at Site W or Hanford Engineer Works, one of three sites selected in the United States (plus Los Alamos and Oak Ridge) to research and produce weapons that were ultimately used to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki and end World War II. It was a research and engineering feat of unimaginable proportion, and the total project cost for all three sites was $2.1 billion—an unthinkable amount for a country that was coming out of the Great Depression. It is a story of gumption, resolve, tenacity, patriotism, pride, and selflessness for the thousands of people who worked multiple shifts, seven days a week, in a hot, dry, and desolate desert, never knowing what they were working on. It is a tribute to American resolve in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Cover image for The Manhattan Project at Hanford Site, isbn: 9781467134446

Camano Island

9780738531359

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Camano Island is one of dozens of islands in Puget Sound once covered with immense stands of Douglas fir and Western red cedar. Beginning in 1858, and while the Civil War raged half a continent away, a large mill operated at the northern end of the island where the tall ships anchored to take away spars, pilings, and lumber for export abroad. The mill closed in 1891, and small logging companies took the rest of the big trees over the years. Once a bridge was built in 1909, Camano became the "island you can drive to" for a fishing trip, hunting outing, or a vacation cabin within a few hours of Seattle. In the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, Camano has become home to thousands of newcomers who enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the
Cascade and Olympic Mountain Ranges from Mount Baker to Mount Rainier.

Crowd in early 20th century attire gathers on a Camano Island beach.

Vanishing Seattle

9780738548692

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Though Seattle is still a young city, growing and changing, much of its short past is already lost-but not forgotten. Generations of Seattleites have fond memories of restaurants, local television shows, stores, and other landmarks that evoke a less sophisticated, more informal city. This new book explores Seattle at a time when timber and fish were more lucrative than airplanes and computers, when the city was a place of kitschy architecture and homespun humor and was full of boundless hope for a brighter future. These rare and vintage images hearken back to the marvels of the 1962 World's Fair, shopping trips to Frederick & Nelson and I. Magnin, dinners at Rosellini's, dancing at the Trianon Ballroom, traveling on the ferry Kalakala, rooting for baseball's Rainiers, and local personalities including Stan Boreson, J. P. Patches, and Wunda Wunda.

Cover image for Vanishing Seattle, isbn: 9780738548692

Mount St. Helens

9781467130554

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The story of Mount St. Helens is that of an active volcano and human interaction with it. The mountain is culturally important to the regional native people. Its Cowlitz name, Lawetlat'la, means Person From Whom Smoke Comes. Early European settlers saw opportunities to make a living from the natural resources, and people fell in love with the forested valleys and slopes of the glacier-clad peak with the blue lake at its foot. Forgotten were the eruptions of the 19th century and the fact that the landscape was a product of frequent violent explosions. A report from the 1970s reminded locals that Mount St. Helens is an active volcano and could erupt again before the end of the 20th century. Only a few people at that time were aware of what the mountain was capable of, and many were surprised at the events that took place in 1980.

Cover image for Mount St. Helens, isbn: 9781467130554

Lake Chelan Valley

9780738570662

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A jewel nestled in the Cascade Mountains, fjord-like Lake Chelan is known today for its recreational opportunities, prominence in the apple industry, and up-and-coming wineries. This 55-mile-long lake, walled by cliffs for much of its length, was part of the traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering lands of several Native American tribes, including the Chelan Indians. The first European explorers arrived in 1811 seeking fur trade routes. Settlement began in earnest about 1886 with land allotments and homestead claims for the Chelan and Entiat Indians. Mining, logging, hydropower, the establishment of the Chelan town site, and the development of a lake ferry system followed. Generations of colorful characters appear in the history of the valley: trappers and miners, early entrepreneurs, and boat captains who piloted the steamers that served as the highway of the valley. All are part of the fabric of the Lake Chelan Valley today.

Vintage Lake Chelan Valley cover depicting loggers on a rocky lakeshore with a sepia landscape

Early Spokane

9780738581453

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Spokan Falls, known as the Capital of the Inland Empire, was named after the Spokan Indians and the picturesque falls. In 1891, the name was changed to Spokane. The town thrived as a result of the abundant waters of the Spokane River, which powered saw and grain mills, and lured major transcontinental railways to Spokane in 1881. In 1889, a fire destroyed the downtown area, but like a forest after a fire, the town enjoyed growth and resurgence soon after. Spokane would attract people as diverse as Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, Calamity Jane, Billy Sunday, and Charles Lindbergh. Easterners found that its four seasons and profusion of scenic city parks gave them a place to ensure their destiny.

Cover image for Early Spokane, isbn: 9780738581453

Richland

9780738520612

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The Columbia Basin was dusted only with sagebrush and bunchgrass before settlers harnessed the power of the mighty Columbia River. With irrigation came the small town of Richland, and its sister towns of White Bluffs and Hanford. On the advent of U.S. involvement in the Second World War, Richland was discovered by government scientists. Breaking ground in March of 1943, through one of the fastest-built government operations ever, the first nuclear reactor went "critical" in September of that year. Most of the workers did not understand what they had produced until after Nagasaki was destroyed. The local paper announced, "Peace! Our Bomb Clinched It!" This book, the first to cover the history of the small town that played a part in one of the most earth-shattering events of United States history, captures the people and events that have shaped Richland's character, including the Flood of 1948, the Atomic Frontier Days Festival, the relocation of the town to make way for the Hanford site's construction camp, and pictures gathered from Richland Bomber alumni.

Sepia toned vintage barber shop scene on Richland Washington book cover

Dallas

9780738596228

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The only people living along the banks of the LaCreole River before 1842 were Native Americans and a few itinerant French Canadian fur trappers who, according to local lore, bestowed its name. Wagon trains first arrived in 1843 with these pioneers settling along the LeCreole River's banks. The community of Cynthian grew on the north side of the LaCreole River, the area of north Dallas today. The LaCreole River evolved into the Rickreall, and Cynthian was renamed Dallas when it relocated to the south banks of the river. Dallas, the county seat of Polk County, is rich both in its history and its heritage, with many of the old buildings and early homes still in use. Numerous descendants of those original 1843 and 1844 pioneer families continue to call modern Dallas home.

Dallas Images of America cover with a sepia street scene and cowboys on horseback in front of old storefronts.

Vanport

9781467134798

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Nestled in the floodplain between North Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, a housing project was built to help house World War II shipyard workers. Its very name, Vanport, is derived from Vancouver and Portland. When the United States entered the war, the demand for ships and for workers to build those ships became a huge priority. Workers were recruited from all corners of the United States. Portland had a serious lodging shortage, so much so that these workers lived in cars, tents, parks, and whatever shelter could be found. Vanport, built in a little over a year to house them, was a city that did not sleep. In its heyday, Vanport was the second-largest city in Oregon with a population of over 40,000 residents. It was a city with many firsts. It was a city that touched many lives in a very short period of time. And on May 30, 1948, it was a city that disappeared just as quickly as it came into existence, leaving a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.

Vanport book cover with a sepia photo of a flooded city street and a distant water tower

Around Tombstone:

9780738571270

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The communities that once surrounded the infamous Wild West town of Tombstone, including Dos Cabezas, Fairbank, Gleeson, Pearce, Courtland, Charleston, and Milltown, are now mostly ghosts of their former selves. These rich mining towns had promising futures when they were first established, but many experienced only fleeting boom times, like Courtland, a promising copper camp that survived only 12 years. During its short existence, the town of Charleston, founded in 1879 as a milling site for ore from Tombstone's silver mines, was every bit as wild and rowdy as its neighbor. There was corruption in the region too. Dos Cabezas's Mascot Mine became part one of the largest stock scandals of the time when it was exposed around 1900. Today this fascinating, rough-and-tumble history lives on primarily in faded memories, crumbling remnants on the outskirts of Tombstone, and in vintage photographs gathered together in this volume.

Cover of Around Tombstone Ghost Towns and Gunfights featuring a cowboy on a mule in a sepia western scene.

Visiting the Grand Canyon

9780738528809

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Colorado River began carving a course to create the Grand Canyon some four to six million years ago, but organized tourism to the natural wonder is fairly young, geologically speaking. Getting to the view along and below the rim has not always been as convenient as packing up the family car and hitting the road. The El Tovar Hotel, celebrating its centennial in 2005, had just opened to lodgers when the Canyon was declared a National Monument in 1908. Between the 1890s and the 1920s, horses, mules, river rafts, stagecoaches, and later railroads and automobiles permitted increasing access to the area. Recreation areas, businesses catering to tourists, and federal preservation programs would eventually mark the Grand Canyon as the ultimate American travel destination.

Cover image for Visiting the Grand Canyon, isbn: 9780738528809

Virginia City and the Big Bonanza

9780738569703

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

In Virginia City and its Comstock Lode, miners worked one of the richest deposits of gold and silver ever found. Many places claim that title, but the precious metals retrieved between 1859 and 1880, with an equivalent value today in the billions of dollars, played an unprecedented role in industrial history. With cutting-edge technology, Comstock engineers shaped mining throughout the world for the next 50 years. Virginia City's wealth propelled several people to Congress and others into the nation's highest society. At the same time, those who settled in the mining district built a civilized, sophisticated place. Drawing on former glories, the popular television series Bonanza perpetuated the legend, capturing international audiences with 14 seasons of programs. As one of the nation's largest historic landmarks, the Comstock continues to welcome millions of visitors.

Book cover Virginia City and the Big Bonanza showing a sepia photo of a large group of miners gathered for a portrait

Highland Park

9780738555706

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Founded during the 1886 land boom in Southern California midway between the cities of Los Angeles and Pasadena, the original Highland Park Tract was part of the Rancho San Rafael. Highland Park was the first town to be annexed by Los Angeles, but it nonetheless retains a strong sense of its own identity and has taken a fiercely independent path. The community prides itself on its unique history, architecture, and diversity, and it has always been the home of artists and writers. One such resident was Charles Fletcher Lummis, who helped to preserve the history and culture of the land he dubbed "the Southwest."

Sepia photograph on the Highland Park cover featuring a crowd and a band in front of a theater marquee.

Reno

9780738593265

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Reno has always been a small town where big things happen. Long before it adopted the slogan "The Biggest Little City in the World," Reno was visited by presidents, the nation's elite, and those drawn to the city's wide-open, live-and-let live attitude. "The Fight of the Century," between heavyweight boxers Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries brought Reno worldwide attention in 1910, and the legalization of gambling and liberalization of divorce laws in 1931 made the city a national destination. At the same time, Reno never lost its small-town feel, with generations of families and scores of familiar faces building long-standing businesses and instilling a sense of civic pride.

Book cover from Images of America Reno by Guy Clifton, showing a vintage Reno street parade with crowds and banners.

Pacific Beach

9780738520827

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Pacific Beach, California, was founded in 1887 by land speculators after the establishment of the railroad to San Diego, which resulted in the formation of many ocean-side communities. A "land boom" ensued, yet was short-lived due to the Great Depression of the 1890s. World War II brought a torrent of people to Pacific Beach--workers, sailors, and Marines, as well as their families--increasing its population five-fold. After the war, many residents remained, thus ensuring the growth of the community and the number of businesses, schools, and local services.
A photographic history, Pacific Beach includes images that illustrate the community's birth, hardships, and prosperity since its incorporation, as well as the people, places, and attractions that today make the area a well-known destination for visitors from around the
world. Featuring images of some of Pacific Beach's most historic landmarks, including the Crystal Pier and the Brown Military Academy, as well as local businesses, architecture, and churches, this pictorial tribute celebrates the history of this San Diego suburb from its
earliest days.

Book cover Pacific Beach from Images of America with a vintage beach scene and people on a wooden pier

Clovis

9780738576138

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

In the late 1800s, Clovis M. Cole purchased large tracts of land in California's San Joaquin Valley with the intent to farm wheat. Marcus Pollasky, a businessman from the East with a keen eye for a profit, proposed building a railroad that would bring more people and gains to the area. The two struck a deal. Cole sold key landholdings to Pollasky, and the town was given Cole's first name. Businesses grew along Front Street, and families purchased nearby 20-acre parcels where they built homes and grew abundant crops. Living in Clovis became a way of life as dedication to family, friends, and community defined the area.

Clovis cover from Images of America showing a horse-drawn wagon in front of a real estate office

Washoe County

9780738581682

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Located in the northwestern corner of Nevada, bordering Oregon to the north and California to the west, Washoe County was a crossroads for miners seeking riches in the California Gold Rush and later in the neighboring Comstock Lode. Occupied by the Wassau (or Washo) and Paiute Indians, Washoe County was explored by John Bidwell in 1841 and John C. Fremont in 1844. Settlers began to arrive in the area claimed by Utah Territory as part of Tooele County in 1852, and it became part of Carson County in the Nevada Territory in 1854. Washoe County became one of the original nine counties in the Nevada Territory in 1861 and expanded to its current size with the addition of Lake or Roop County land in 1864.

Washoe County book cover in sepia with a family posing on a porch holding string instruments

Modesto

9780738571508

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Settled in 1870 by the Central Pacific Railroad, Modesto is located in California's agriculturally rich Central Valley. The new town was to be named after the prominent California banker W. C. Ralston, but, as city lore and legend tell it, his modest refusal led to the name Modesto. Originally a wheat-producing region, the city blossomed with the arrival of irrigation, and fruit orchards and vineyards soon grew in abundance. The county seat of Stanislaus County, Modesto became an agricultural hub, with the motto Water Wealth Contentment Health emblazoned on an iconic arch at the town's entrance. California's original junior college is located here along with E. & J. Gallo Winery, the world's largest privately held winery, family run since 1933. Twice named an All American City, Modesto inspired native son George Lucas when he made his classic American Graffiti in 1973.

Cover image for Modesto, isbn: 9780738571508

Anaheim

9780738547435

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

After the developments that the World War II era brought to the small agricultural community of Anaheim, the major transformation arrived in 1955. Anaheim changed forever from a sleepy and proud little town into the center for entertainment and tourism in Southern California with the arrival of Disneyland. Other national and regional businesses and franchises arrived in and around this Orange County anchor city--including the California Angels baseball club, the Anaheim Convention Center, and such aerospace giants as Boeing and Rockwell International--and Anaheim grew exponentially. This collection of more than 200 vintage and contemporary images depict the results of Anaheim's far-sighted elected and business leaders, who nurtured the city from its agrarian roots and made it into one of the nation's fastest growing cities in the 1960s.

Cover image for Anaheim, isbn: 9780738547435

Canyon Village in Yellowstone

9781467119559

$21.99

By 1955, the national parks were facing a crisis of dilapidation from heavy use and lack of funding. The answer was Mission 66. This visionary plan, implemented over the next decade, included installation of new facilities to accommodate the influx of visitors and enhance their experiences. The pilot development in Yellowstone, named Canyon Village, introduced a modern aesthetic to the parks and emphasized the concept of conservation. This man-made environment was purposefully sited away from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, providing a natural buffer. Architect Lesley M. Gilmore presents the complexities of this historic, ambitious model for the movement that marked the continued evolution of the national parks into the destinations we flock to today.

Cover image for Canyon Village in Yellowstone, isbn: 9781467119559

Pueblo

9781467124140

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

At the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek, Native Americans were the first to inhabit Pueblo and its surroundings. Pueblo means village in Spanish, appropriate for an area that was settled in the early 1800s by people from present-day New Mexico with Spanish and Native American roots. A trading post established in 1842 was named El Pueblo. The gold rush of 1858 attracted the first influx of people who saw more opportunity in Pueblo than in the goldfields. With its vision to become a great city with railroads, a steel mill, and smelters, Pueblo was soon known as the Pittsburgh of the West. Employment and business opportunities invited emigrants from all over the world, creating a diverse city populated with people of many ethnicities. Pueblo has persevered through natural disasters and economic turmoil, building a thriving and resilient community through each chapter of its history.

Cover image for Pueblo, isbn: 9781467124140

Mount Whitney

9780738595368

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The history of Mount Whitney is long, complex, and revealing. Identified in 1864 and named for the head of the California Geological Survey, Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. Throughout the years, it challenged several accomplished mountaineers who failed to reach its summit; it was as if the mountain were working to confuse and impede them. Finally, the mountain was climbed from the west side by three fishermen from Lone Pine. Mount Whitney has always called to the adventurous heart of the climber. Gustave Marsh put in the trail to the summit and then built the Smithsonian Observatory. Writers and artists have applied their talents to capturing elements of the Whitney experience, and there is fascinating geological, natural, and cultural history that rounds out this original approach to the story of a mountain.

Images of America Mount Whitney cover showing a rugged valley with mountains and a crowd of people near vintage cars.

Hetch Hetchy

9780738593227

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

When water from the Sierra Nevada reached the San Francisco Bay area in 1934, it was greeted by a national celebration after two decades of grueling construction. The Hetch Hetchy Project evolved from a long search for a reliable source of water for San Francisco that began after the 1906 Great Earthquake. Prior to the earthquake, San Francisco had burned to the ground repeatedly due to the lack of water to fight fires. Studies of 14 different sources led to the design of an engineering marvel that conveys water using gravity across California via a complex system of tunnels, reservoirs, pipelines, powerhouses, treatment plants, and dams. But before the Hetch Hetchy Project broke ground, controversy roiled over the project. Finally, the Raker Act was passed by Congress in 1913 and signed by Pres. Woodrow Wilson to permit the use of the rights-of-way for the project. Today, this system serves some of the highest-quality water in the nation to 2.4 million people.

Hetch Hetchy cover showing a circular columned pavilion with visitors.

Temecula

9780738530956

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

In the far southwest corner of Riverside County, a center of commerce grew in the 19th century near the junction of the Temecula and Murrieta Creeks. A stop along the Southern Emigrant Trail and Butterfield Stage route brought a few travelers to Temecula who liked the place and stayed. A cattle baron grazed his stock in the rich pastureland and dominated the economy until the mid-1960s, when an investor bought the land to build a planned community. Today Temecula is the home of over 90,000 people. Old Town Temecula celebrates its frontier past, and the Temecula Wine Country entices visitors to take a taste. The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians operates a casino and resort near Rancho del Paisano, the former home of the author who created Perry Mason, Erle Stanley Gardner.

Temecula Images of America cover showing a sepia photograph of settlers beside a wagon wheel.

Butte

9780738571867

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Butte, Montana, nestled in the Rocky Mountains at 5,545 feet, hosts classic architecture, a vibrant past, and an abundance of colorful characters. The massive copper ore deposits underlying the town earned it the nickname "The Richest Hill on Earth," and Butte was the nation's major supplier of copper that helped electrify the world. Also shown here is Butte's early adoption of innovative ideas and technologies, a practice that kept the city thriving despite the vagaries of the mining industry. The enduring spirit of its people, however, lends Butte an exuberant character. Unlike other mining towns, Butte had the audacity to survive, and its rich history and forward thinking will ensure its existence for many generations to come. Today statuesque gallows frames stand testament to Butte's mining past, along with a historic town center that reminds people of that era's prosperity.

Vintage Butte cover with a steam locomotive and a Butte High School marching band in front.

Lakewood

9780738599908

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Lakewood, California--once the largest planned community in America--grew almost overnight. From lima bean and sugar beet fields, it became a model of postwar suburban development. Everything about the young Lakewood was new: constructing 17,500 homes in just 33 months, opening California's first regional shopping center in 1951, and achieving cityhood under an innovative plan for local government in 1954. Those early years tell an inspiring story of pioneering developers, enthusiastic residents, and the dedicated leaders of community institutions whose legacy continues to sustain Lakewood. Above all, the Lakewood story is about the ability of ordinary men and women to shape their future--and Lakewood's--as their city begins its seventh decade. Today, Lakewood residents continue to see--in their history, traditions, and values--a reflection of the quality of life they seek to pass to future generations, aided always by a community of caring neighbors.

Lakewood book cover showing a vintage street scene with moving trucks and a City of Lakewood label

San Diego's North Park

9781467132251

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Hip and historic, North Park fascinates with its commercial energy and Craftsman charm. The community has always embodied an enterprising spirit. In the 1870s, cronies of Alonzo Horton mapped neighborhoods north of Balboa Park in a patchwork of individual subdivisions. Four decades later, John Spreckels's streetcars finally brought investors, residents, and shopkeepers, creating San Diego's slice of Bungalow Heaven. Baseball great Ted Williams played on North Park's fields, and tennis star Maureen Connolly trained on its courts. The local shops served as a regional commercial center after World War II, and the Toyland Parade attracted 300,000 spectators. Although decades of decline followed the exciting 1950s, North Park is flourishing again in a renaissance initiated by the restoration of the elegant North Park Theatre in 2005. This pictorial history tells the classic story of a boom, bust, and boom.

Cover image for San Diego's North Park, isbn: 9781467132251

Nine Mile Canyon

9781467131643

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

North of Price, Utah, Nine Mile Canyon slashes through the West Tavaputs Plateau and erodes its way east to the Green River, Utah. In 1847, settlements began in Utah along the Wasatch Front. The rangeland was soon taken, and stockmen pushed up Spanish Fork Canyon to discover great grazing for their stock--and an amazing place where ancient people had lived, leaving homes and their stories on brown slate walls with inscriptions and paint. These stockmen were the first homesteaders in Nine Mile Canyon. Three families of early settlers were the Houskeepers, Algers, and Rich families, coming between 1885 and 1893.

Nine Mile Canyon Images of America book cover showing a stone ruin at the canyon with a person standing in front

Russell City

9780738570044

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Between 1853 and 1964, on the western shore of what is now the city of Hayward, there existed a small rural community. This pictorial history traces the role that this region, which became known as Russell City, played in the development of the East Bay. Named for Joel Russell, a New England teacher who came to California during the Gold Rush and found success as a judge, political activist, and businessman, Russell City later became a destination point for diverse migrant and immigrant groups including Spaniards, Danes, Germans, Italians, African Americans, and Mexicans. While the economic means of the residents were never great, social riches abounded in the cultural and religious traditions that were practiced. A plan to create an industrial park on Russell City land emerged during the 1950s, and by 1964 the residents and businesses were entirely removed through eminent domain. An annual reunion picnic, begun in 1978, serves as a reminder of the community once built and then tossed to the winds. In the words of the former residents, The city may be gone, but the memories live on.

Cover image for Russell City, isbn: 9780738570044

Historic Underground Missoula

9781626199194

$21.99

Much of Missoula's history lies beneath the surface. As in many Old West cities, cavernous underground tunnel systems purportedly hid countless nefarious activities, from clandestine prostitution and Chinese opium dens to booze running during Prohibition. These sordid tales captivate today's residents and beg questions about the city's furtive past. Did local elite gentlemen mask their carnal habits there? Did John Wayne really use the passageways to run personal errands unnoticed? Author and urban archaeologist Nikki Manning ventures below to reconcile oral history with archaeological data in a fascinating exploration of Missoula's subterranean labyrinths.

Cover image for Historic Underground Missoula, isbn: 9781626199194

Ranchos of San Diego County

9780738559650

$21.99 $17.49 Save 20%

The Mexican ranchos of San Diego County were a colorful and vital part of early California history. Ranchos covered the most fertile lands in San Diego and produced grain, vegetables, and fruits and grazed thousands of head of cattle, sheep, and horses. The dons and doñas who owned the ranchos were wealthy in land and cattle and built large adobe ranch-house complexes. The Kumeyaay, Luiseño, and Cupeño were the backbone of the ranchos, providing the labor needed to run a successful ranch. Daily life of the dons, doñas, and their families included the Californio traditions of family and religion, dancing and fiestas, roundups and rodeos, and generous hospitality. Many of the ranchos no longer exist. Those that are preserved provide a window into California's past.

Cover of Images of America Ranchos of San Diego County featuring a sepia interior scene of a house under construction.

Cañon City

9780738580371

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

From its early days as a frontier town to now, Colorado’s Cañon City has a rich and unique history even in comparison to other former Gold Rush towns.

From the scenic and geological diversity to some of the initial oil discoveries in the United States, this Fremont County seat has been a hub of coal mining and archaeological discoveries, particularly of dinosaur remains. Here the Royal Gorge Bridge crosses the Arkansas River, 1,053 feet below, as the highest suspension span in the world. The temperate weather means long growing seasons, celebrated each May by the Blossom and Music Festival. Once a commerce center supplying food, lumber, and other goods to surrounding gold towns--from Cripple Creek to Leadville--Cañon City also once was a silent-film capital, the base for hundreds of motion pictures produced after the beginning of the 20th century. Like most of history, times weren’t always good in Cañon City, reflected in the first territorial prison founded here, many more still operating today. Learn about Cañon City’s history—the good, the bad, and the ugly—in this engaging title.

Cañon City cover from Images of America showing a frontier scene with horses and a wrangler.

Cody

9780738548357

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Founded in 1896 by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody and members of the Shoshone Land and Irrigation Company, Cody lies 53 miles east of Yellowstone National Park. Situated in a geographical area known as the Big Horn Basin, the town is surrounded by part of the front range of the Absaroka Mountains. The Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad's
arrival in 1901 coincided with Cody's incorporation as a town. The Irma Hotel, named for Buffalo Bill's youngest daughter, opened in 1902 and provided visitors with a modern, luxurious place to stay. In 1909, Cody became the county seat of the newly formed Park County. Cody and the surrounding areas are known for their superb scenery, excellent hunting and fishing, gas and mineral reserves, and vast ranching lands.

Cover image for Cody, isbn: 9780738548357

Santa Monica

9780738581439

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The city of Santa Monica in the post-World War II era has enjoyed a colorful history as both a resort community and as a bustling, vibrant city. Its coastal Mediterranean climate has provided an ideal atmosphere for the famous California lifestyle. Known for the 100-year-old Santa Monica Pier, as well as the Third Street Promenade, for its beautiful beaches and quaint neighborhoods, Santa Monica has been home to many famous Hollywood movie stars, including Shirley Temple, Cary Grant, Betty Grable, Clark Gable, Bette Davis, and Robert Redford. Arnold Schwarzenegger has also maintained offices here. Santa Monica has played host to many of the nation's most famous names, such as Gen. Jimmy Doolittle and Pres. John F. Kennedy. The companion piece to Images of America: Early Santa Monica, this volume's more than 200 photographs cover the dynamic people, businesses, events, attractions, and celebrities that have shaped Santa Monica into the world-renowned city of today.

Santa Monica 1950 2010 book cover with a sepia aerial view of Santa Monica and a museum label at the bottom

South San Francisco

9780738529219

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Locals call it "South City." The founding fathers always intended South San Francisco to be an industrial leader, clearly distinguishing it from its northern neighbor. Fuller Paints, Pacific Coast Steel, and Western Meats made an early impact on the city's economic growth. During wartime, the development of a deep-water harbor brought shipbuilding to Oyster Point. The historic sign on Sign Hill still reads "South San Francisco: The Industrial City," but evolution is the name of the game, and the workhorse of the city's modern economy is biotech research and development.

South San Francisco cover from Images of America showing a vintage car and a gathering of people in sepia tone

Maritime Seattle

9780738520643

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Seattle grew from pioneer settlement to bustling metropolis, its waterfront evolving from a marsh to a thriving complex of industrial sites on both salt and fresh water. This pictorial history weaves the story of the evolution of the Seattle and King County waterfronts through photographs, images, and maps as it develops from marsh to container terminal. Beginning in 1850 with the pre-canal era, here are the lumber mills, local freight and passenger transportation, coastal and ocean shipping, the shipyards, and the stories of significant figures in the history of Seattle's waterfront. Shown also is how the rapid growth of the shipyard facilities was counterbalanced with the development of the labor movement. The forging of this shipping epicenter is captured here in over 200 vintage photographs.

Sepia cover of Maritime Seattle showing a harbor scene with ships and historic waterfront.

Poulsbo

9781467130325

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Poulsbo is one of the earliest communities on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Founded in 1883, it quickly became the destination place for Scandinavian immigrants looking for a fjord-like setting where they could farm, fish, and flourish in a climate more user-friendly than either their homeland or America's Midwest. The village on Liberty Bay is home to the oldest Lutheran church on the Olympic Peninsula. It was also the homeport for the Pacific Coast Codfish Company, at one time the largest codfish supplier on the Pacific coast. While motorized fishing boats and pleasure craft of all types have replaced the three-masted schooners of yore, Poulsbo today still cherishes its Scandinavian heritage with Syttende Mai, Midsommarfest, and Julefest. The local bakery put Poulsbo on the map in the 1970s with the development of Poulsbo Bread, now sold worldwide; however, the town's most unique claim remains its name--the result of a spelling error.

Poulsbo Images of America book cover with a sepia harbor street scene and historic buildings

Oysterville

9780738580760

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

For generations, Chinook Indians camped in the area that is now Oysterville, gathering oysters from the shallow waters of Shoalwater Bay. When tribal elder Old Klickeas introduced two young adventurers, Robert Hamilton Espy and Isaac Alonzo Clark, to the oyster treasure, the pioneer boom years began. Oysters were marketed in gold-rich, oyster-hungry San Francisco, where a plateful sold for $50. Within months, there were several hundred settlers, and in 1855, Oysterville was chosen as the seat of Pacific County, Washington Territory. Oysterville had many county firsts: a school, a college, a newspaper, a post office, and a church—but never a bank. When schooners arrived to pick up their oyster cargoes, oystermen were paid in gold coin that then might be buried or stashed under floorboards for safekeeping. Often there was more gold in Oysterville than in any town on the West Coast except San Francisco. Today the peaceful vistas along the lanes and shoreline of the village belie its tumultuous history. Oysterville was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Cover image for Oysterville, isbn: 9780738580760

Vanishing Vancouver

9781467130301

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Stretching along the north shore of the Columbia River, Vancouver, Washington, is the gateway to the state of Washington. Beginning as a wilderness outpost for the Hudson's Bay Company, Vancouver has seen many, often rapid changes. In its early years as an Army town, Vancouver attracted settlers seeking the security of the military. Farms and orchards prospered. Shipyards and the defense industry brought explosive growth during both world wars, each followed by a devastating slump. New highways and bridges brought more growth through the last half of the 20th century. The city grew to the north and the east. Through all the changes, the resiliency of the city and its people shone through, and as changes alter the present-day city, that tradition is certain to continue.

Cover of Vanishing Vancouver from Images of America showing a sepia street scene along a river with a distant bridge.

Vashon-Maury Island

9780738574998

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Vashon-Maury Island lies between Seattle and Tacoma and is connected to the mainland by the Washington State Ferries. The bridge proposed in the 1950s and 1960s did not materialize, which helped retain the island's isolation and rural lifestyle. Like other Puget Sound islands, its original economy was based on logging, fishing, brick-making, and agriculture, especially its strawberries. Island industries included the largest dry dock on the West Coast, shipbuilding, and ski manufacturing. Distinct from the other islands, Vashon-Maury is the only one whose major town is not on the water. Originally inhabited for thousands of years by the S'Homamish people, the island's first white settler arrived in 1865. Today, 145 years later, the population is more than 11,000.

Cover of Images of America Vashon-Maury Island showing a sepia group of workers in a rural scene.

Coos Bay

9780738589176

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Originally called Marshfield, the city of Coos Bay has transitioned from a pioneer and frontier boomtown that was developed by coalminers, shipbuilders, timber men, and entrepreneurs. The rich, pioneer history of Coos Bay is predated by the Coos Indians, who maintained many villages along the bay and survived in peaceful harmony with nature until forcibly removed by white settlers in the 1860s. After merging with nearby Eastside and Empire, the city is now the largest municipality in Coos County and on the entire coastline of the state of Oregon.

Coos Bay cover showing a sepia beach scene with a line of women in swimsuits and men shaking hands.

Sunriver

9781467129930

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

The idyllic community of Sunriver sits at the crossroads of Central Oregon. The region was inhabited as early as 11,500 years ago by native tribes. The first non-native explorers filtered through the area in the early 19th century, and homesteaders began farming the region in the late 1800s. During World War II, large tracts of land in the area became a training center for the US Army Corps of Engineers called Camp Abbot. In 1965, developer John Gray and attorney Don McCallum announced plans to build a residential and resort community on the former Army site. Named for the area's two main features, sunshine and recreational waters, Sunriver is a dynamic community. Today, permanent residents and vacationing visitors take advantage of Central Oregon's recreational opportunities, including golfing, fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, and snowboarding.

Sunriver cover showing a vintage airfield scene with a small propeller plane and a crowd of people.

Cannon Beach

9781467134347

$29.99 $20.99 Save 30%

Cannon Beach is a small town nestled off Highway 101 along the Oregon coast. It has been called one of the World's 100 Most Beautiful Places by National Geographic and one of The 100 Best Art Towns in America by author John Villani. Located 80 miles west of Portland and 25 miles south of Astoria, the town is surrounded by the Oregon Coast Range, ocean beaches, and rivers. Only four miles in length, and with a population of less than 2,000 residents, Cannon Beach is a popular and picturesque town catering to almost 1 million visitors annually. Life seems simpler, more beautiful, and quieter here. People stroll along holding hands, enjoying an ice cream cone or a latte, and daydreaming of building a fire later that evening on the beach. The salty air frizzes their hair, and sand is found in every shoe. But no one is bothered by this, because they are at Cannon Beach, with the legendary Haystack Rock.

Cover image for Cannon Beach, isbn: 9781467134347

Carlsbad

9780738569925

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Once a small coastal community known for avocados and flower fields, Carlsbad has grown into a sprawling suburban city, with a small beach-town feel that still maintains ties to its roots. The discovery of its mineral wells in 1885, and the subsequent naming of the city after the famed European spa in Karlsbad, Bohemia, put Carlsbad on the map as a world-class resort destination. Miles of beautiful beaches, and three lagoons located within its boundaries, have shaped Carlsbad into a recreational destination as well. The Flower Fields, with vibrant rows of colorful ranunculus, now serves as a reminder of the past and a link to the future, as shopping and businesses have grown up around them, helping Carlsbad evolve into the diverse, progressive city it is today.

Carlsbad book cover from Images of America showing a vintage beach scene with sunbathers on the sandy shore and dunes.

Orange County:

9780738569086

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Relatively small in size among California's counties at 789 square miles, Orange County supports one of the nation's largest county populations: three million. Yet this county is surprisingly rich in its diversity of natural elements. Bounded all around by a spectacular seacoast and rambling hills, it contains a portion of Cleveland National Forest, including two mile-high mountain peaks. Orange County has numerous canyons, dramatic in looks and legend, as well as the Santa Ana River with its seasonal branching tributaries. Yet extensive acreage within this forward-looking county is being permanently preserved as wilderness parks, preserves, and conservancies as governmental and private agencies respond to the ecological challenges of the future.

Orange County A Natural History book cover featuring a vintage car on a rocky mountain road

Scottsdale

9780738548753

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Just a century ago, the now-tony tourist destination of Scottsdale was a tiny farming village in the pristine desert east of Phoenix. Named for its 1888 homesteaders—U.S. Army chaplain Winfield Scott and his wife, Helen—Scottsdale remained a farming and ranching community through World War II. After the war, businesses and families flocked to Scottsdale for its climate and unlimited opportunities—creating a place they branded The West's Most Western Town. Throughout the decades, residents and visitors alike have enjoyed adventures in the desert; a thriving arts, crafts, and cultural community; a healthful climate and healthcare industry; and fun-packed events and outdoor sports. Residents have had the additional benefits of living and working in a great hometown, with excelling schools, an international reputation for environmental preservation, and a diverse economy that boasts an eclectic array of businesses.

Cover image for Scottsdale, isbn: 9780738548753

Sun City

9780738579511

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Sun City, Arizona, the nation's first master-planned, active-adult retirement community, reinvented the definition of "retirement living" when it opened its doors in 1960. Located 14 miles northwest of Phoenix, this community was cultivated from the dusty desert cotton fields once known as Marinette Ranch. Developed by master builder Del E. Webb, Sun City combined affordable housing with recreational amenities to create a lifestyle designed to rejuvenate the body and keep the mind and spirit feeling forever young. Sun City's success gave birth to an entirely new industry catering to older Americans. The famous "Sun City Lifestyle" remains as popular today as it was in 1960.

Sun City vintage pool scene with seniors enjoying a communal swim at a retirement community

Pinetop-Lakeside

9781467132169

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In 1984, the White Mountain communities of Pinetop and Lakeside in east-central Arizona undertook a "marriage of convenience" and incorporated. Historically, they could not be more different. Like rival sisters, one was pious and churchgoing while the other was wayward and fun loving. But in the best of American traditions, they formed a town government to provide services for their combined residents. Pinetop-Lakeside's history is as rough-and-tumble as that of any Western town. Settlement began with the establishment of Fort Apache in 1871. The cavalry post provided employment for freighters and skilled laborers, as well as a market for beef, hay, and grain. The 1880s brought colonists from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They built the dams and lakes that in the next century would become the basis for an economy based on outdoor recreational tourism. Today, Pinetop-Lakeside is a thriving community of approximately 4,500 residents. One thing that hasn't changed since the time of the pioneers is the natural beauty that defines life on the mountain.

Book cover for Images of America Pinetop-Lakeside featuring a large vintage group photo beneath trees.

San Francisco Landmarks

9780738596853

$7.99

San Francisco is one of the most recognized and beloved cities in the United States, brilliantly illustrated through a visual history of 493 designated local, state, and national landmarks.

San Francisco's attributes speak to us through stunning topography, the arts, and a unique array of architectural styles. The city inherited the imprint left by the Spanish with Mission Dolores, by the Gold Rush with Jackson Square, and by 20th-century entrepreneurs with the Bank of Italy. The period from the 1920s to 1950s brought a growing cosmopolitan metropolis with such landmarks as the Mark Hopkins Hotel and the Golden Gate Bridge. Residents and visitors want to know why there is a monument in the neighborhood park and why the delightful Victorians next door have a historic plaque by their front steps. Each landmark embodies the characteristics of the surrounding community and the history of the City by the Bay. Enjoy the rich history of San Francisco’s landmarks in this collection of 15 historic black-and-white postcards.

Cover image for San Francisco Landmarks, isbn: 9780738596853

Early Reno

9780738581873

$7.99

Reno boasts a rich history.

Cover image for Early Reno, isbn: 9780738581873

Claremont

9781467131919

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Situated along the eastern border of Los Angeles County and at the foot of the majestic San Gabriel Mountains is the community of Claremont. The city, founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1907, quickly became one of Southern California's most unique communities. Known as the City of Trees and PhDs, Claremont has become famous for its lush oak-and-sycamore-lined boulevards, beautifully crafted architecture, and as the home of the highly praised liberal arts schools of the Claremont Colleges. First settled by the Serrano peoples on Indian Hill Mesa and once part of the vast Rancho San Jose, Claremont has gone through several important periods, including expanding from a frontier town to a Congregationalist hub and transitioning from a citrus powerhouse to an artist colony. Equal parts suburban community and college town, Claremont has attracted many for its picturesque setting and charming small-town feel.

Cover image for Claremont, isbn: 9781467131919

Berkeley

9780738569420

$24.99

The Huchiun Ohlone people were the first inhabitants of the land that is today Berkeley. Early in the 1800s, the 47,000-acre ranches of the Peralta family stretched into the hills from San Leandro Creek to El Cerrito Creek. Only a scant 50 years later, newly arrived American settlers established the community of Ocean View on the bay, and in 1860, land nestled into the foothills was dedicated for the establishment of the future University of California. With a university to the east and Ocean View to the west, the threat of annexation by the larger town of Oakland finally brought the two communities together into one, and "Athens of the West," as Berkeley was known, became a municipality in 1878.

Berkeley Postcard History Series cover with a sepia photograph of Sather Gate at the University of California Berkeley.

Coloma

9780738595498

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A chance discovery on January 24, 1848, profoundly shaped the destiny of California--and the world. On this day, in a river valley that quickly became the town of Coloma, James W. Marshall found gold in the tailrace of a sawmill he was building for John Sutter. The discovery precipitated the largest gold rush in history, bringing an estimated 300,000 fortune-seekers from all over the world in just a few years. By 1849, Coloma mushroomed into a town of 10,000 people, most of them transient miners. Soon, the town became more permanent, with grand hotels, fine homes, and stout brick buildings. In 1857, with the moving of the county seat to Placerville, Coloma entered a period of relative slumber. By the 1870s, however, Robert Chalmers presided over the largest winery outside of the Napa Valley. Orchards and ranches proliferated. The discovery site later became a state park. By the 1970s, tourism brought in even more wealth with the advent of the white-water rafting and kayaking industry.

Coloma cover from Images of America with a gold rush era scene of workers by a tent and river.

Downtown Stockton

9780738529424

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Between 1850 and 1950, Stockton grew from gold rush depot to booming California metropolis. Capitalizing on its abundance of water and rich soils, Mediterranean-like climate, hard-working population, and efficient transportation system, Stockton quickly became an epicenter of "the breadbasket of the world." The historic downtown skyline reflects the abundance and adversity of California's Central Valley over the years, and Stockton's ever-changing, ever-expanding role as a modern city.

Sepia toned street scene of downtown Stockton with early cars and pedestrians on the cover of Images of America Downtown Stockton

Orange

9780738559056

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Located in the heart of Orange County, the City of Orange has a rich history in the citrus industry and beyond. Founded in 1871 as an agricultural community, the town flourished with the growth of orange and lemon trees in the early 1900s. Downtown Orange grew up around the iconic plaza, with its distinctive circular park and classic fountain. The surrounding neighborhoods filled with homes that reflected architectural styles from the 1880s to the 1940s. As late as 1950, Orange was still just a little town of 10,000 people. Despite the enormous postwar residential growth throughout the county and a tenfold population explosion in the city itself, the community has retained much of the small-town feel of yesteryear.

Cover image for Orange, isbn: 9780738559056

Monterey Peninsula

9780738520803

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From the building of Hotel Del Monte in 1880 to the completion of the Pacific Coast Highway in 1937, connecting the peninsula to the redwood forests of Big Sur and San Simeon beyond, the history of the Monterey Peninsula is the story of the development of a collection of coastal communities-each with its own unique character. Captured here in over 200 vintage images is the heritage of these seaside communities and their role in the peninsula's history. The Monterey Peninsula is home to some of the most famous (and most photographed) shoreline in the world. Pictured in this book is the peninsula's golden era, explored through images that document the growth of Carmel, Pacific Grove, Monterey, Pebble Beach, Point Lobos, and Big Sur. Here you will find rare photographs of Cannery Row, the mission at Carmel, the bathhouse at Lover's Point, the bridges of the Pacific Coast Highway, the cottages of Carmel, the adobes of Monterey, and the cypress trees of Pebble Beach. Included in these pages are images from the author's collection as well as from the Monterey Public Library and Carmel's Harrison Memorial Library. Many of these have never been published.

Monterey Peninsula The Golden Age book cover features a sepia outdoor group photo

Around Trona and Searles Valley

9781467133999

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Trona was once the most populous community in the Upper Mojave Desert. Originally explored by the Death Valley 49ers in 1850, Searles Valley was formed by remnants of the Owens River Lakes. The small towns of Borosolvay, Magnesium, Burnham, and Slaterange City prospered for a period before fading. Homewood Canyon, Westend, Argus, Pioneer Point, and Trona continue to provide pleasant housing for Searles Valley residents. The valley is dominated by mining history, and Searles Valley Minerals still produces products for worldwide markets. Wyatt Earp played cards and gambled at Poeville and was arrested in 1910 in Searles Valley for claim jumping. In 1913, Stafford Wallace Austin helped create the planned town of Trona. Amelia Earhart's husband, George Putnam, died at the Trona Hospital in 1950. Sit down and enjoy the jaunt through some of the most interesting history in the West.

Placeholder cover for Around Trona and Searles Valley showing cover coming soon text

Steamboat Springs

9780738570174

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Known as Ski Town, U.S.A., for its deep powder and its growing crop of winter Olympians, Steamboat Springs was named nearly two centuries ago by French trappers. Hearing the "chug, chug" of one of many hot springs, they supposed they had reached navigable waters. For centuries, the area's abundant fish, game, and mineral springs drew the Yampatika, a Ute subtribe. In the 1870s, a rush of settlers came, first for precious metals, followed by more renewable riches--the lush summer pastures--and next the extraction of carbonized forests (coal) millions of years old. Ironically, real wealth ultimately fell free from leaden winter skies, and this Routt County community experienced a boom like few places on earth. Winter sports, including ski jumping, with some world records, made Steamboat Springs famous worldwide.

Steamboat Springs cover shows a sepia photo of four people riding a snow sled in a winter landscape

Pacifica

9780738520681

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Predominantly built as a "bedroom" community for the San Francisco Bay Area, Pacifica's rich and diverse heritage stretches back to the Spanish explorers of the 17th century. Captured here in over 200 vintage images is a tribute to this coastal community and the settlers and pioneers who made it what it is today. From the early 1900s story of the Ocean Shore Railroad to the recent battles over the California red-legged frog, Pacifica has often been shaped by outside forces. Like few other cities, it is primarily the result of a mixture of people and location; blue-collar families from the 1950s discovered Pacifica's oceanside charm, and helped create it. In the 21st century, the wealthy from the Peninsula and Silicon Valley are rediscovering the same charms, choosing Pacifica over the hustle and bustle of the rest of the Bay Area. This book of photographs, culled from the collection of the Pacifica Historical Society, the files of the Pacifica Tribune, and contributions of local residents, offers a glimpse of the history of one of California's "best kept secrets."

Book cover for Images of America Pacifica showing a girl posing on a hill with a small town in the background

Ventura County Motor Sports

9781467115292

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Ventura County has a long tradition in motor sports, and area racing enthusiasts have done it all, whether on four wheels or two, on the road or off, in a straight line or a circle, or even on the water. Ventura County Motor Sports takes you back to the vintage years of the Central Coast car and racing culture with a new set of classic photographs. Visit the forgotten racetrack known as Oxnard Speedway, check out the hot-rodding scene in Ojai during the 1950s and 1960s, and meet some of the personalities from Ventura County that made their mark in the automotive and racing world, plus get a special look at local custom cars and some great motorcycle, off-road, and drag boat action from the golden years.

Book cover showing a vintage race car on a track with a crowded grandstand for Ventura County Motor Sports

Healdsburg

9780738530604

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Healdsburg was founded in 1857, when Harmon Heald, gold seeker and pioneer merchant, laid out a central plaza among the trees to serve as the heart of one of California's early communities. As Healdsburg evolved from rough farm town to wine-country destination, the plaza has drawn residents and visitors together to shop, socialize, and celebrate. The Western Wappo and Southern Pomo people lived on the bounty of this generous land and created the finest woven baskets in the world. The American settlers in the 1860s found these rich valleys could grow virtually any crop. In 1871, the railroad opened up new markets for farm produce and established Healdsburg as the center of a prosperous agricultural district.

Sepia toned cover image from the Healdsburg book showing a vintage downtown plaza with palm trees

Silverton and the Alpine Loop

9781467131551

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As the ancestral hunting grounds of mountain people known as the Utes, the future site of Silverton was explored by nomadic hunters for generations. During the 1860s, Charles Baker, an early mining prospector, discovered some mineral wealth in the area and spread highly exaggerated rumors that brought in even more prospectors. Significant wealth was found in Arrastra Gulch along the Alpine Loop, north of Baker's Park. From the beginning of its mining heritage, Silverton has gone through periods of boom to bust. In the 1950s, the area was discovered by Hollywood, increasing its appeal to tourism, and in the 1960s, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad reinvested heavily to dedicate itself to tourist travel. Although mining continued on a limited basis up until the 1990s, Silverton's economy is now supported by those who come for its history, picturesque landscapes, fly fishing, jeeping, and hiking.

Cover image for Silverton and the Alpine Loop, isbn: 9781467131551

San Francisco's Castro

9780738528663

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Nestled in the Eureka Valley area, the Castro is arguably the most well-known of San Francisco's neighborhoods, having been the epicenter of the gay rights movement since the 1970s. This new collection of photographs shows the area's growth from a smattering of Victorian houses built for working-class families in the 1870s to the flood of young gay men who settled in the neighborhood during the 1970s. This influx transformed the area and led to the rise of Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person elected to a major public office. This book also chronicles the 1978 assassination of Milk and Mayor George Moscone, the subsequent riots, and the effects of AIDS on the community in the 1980s and 1990s. Ultimately, these stirring images bear witness to the resilience of the Castro today.

San Francisco's Castro book cover showing a crowd of people waving on a street in a sepia photo

Monterey County's North Coast and Coastal Valleys

9780738546773

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Fog billows gently across Monterey County's north coast, a white blanket tucked up against the hills of Aromas. Beneath its protective shroud, fishing boats gently rock, artichokes thrive, and shorebirds build nests along Elkhorn Slough. In this muffled landscape of fertile loam crisscrossed by sloughs, settlers built four distinct communities. Juan B. Castro subdivided his family's rancho to found Castroville, now known as the artichoke capital of the world. Captain Moss and Cato Vierra opened a port, a sea gate to a premier agricultural area. Moss Landing later hosted whalers, a salt works, canneries, and a power generation plant. John Porter's ranch was a safe haven for Chinese immigrants. Their apple-drying businesses spearheaded Pajaro's development as a central rail-shipping point with several produce-packing companies. Aromas pioneers judged their valley well suited for growing apricots. Drifts of white blossoms buried Aromas in spring, while summer's vistas were golden with trays of drying apricots.

Historic Monterey County waterfront with a dockside building and several boats.

Carmel Valley

9780738571621

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From the Ventana Wilderness, the Carmel River descends 36 miles through steep canyons into the spreading Carmel Valley. Rain-gorged in spring, it rushes to the Pacific Ocean at Carmel Bay. In summer, shallow riverbanks welcome deer, mountain lions, and waterfowl. For millennia, native tribes fished along the river, which was discovered in 1602 by Sebastian de Vizcaino. He called the waterway El Rio del Carmelo, describing it as "lined with black poplars and other trees of Castile." Ranches, dairies, and orchards thrived under Spanish, Mexican, and finally American flags. The Carmel River, like the valley it defines, has accommodated native, farmer, resident, and now the vacationer as it flows along through time. Today vineyards, tasting rooms, boutiques, and resorts decorate the rural landscape, beckoning visitors and locals alike.

Cover for Carmel Valley with a sepia group photo of people in early 20th century clothing outdoors near a camp.

Point Reyes Peninsula

9780738558486

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Point Reyes Peninsula has a rich history encompassing thriving Native American settlements, visits by Francis Drake and Spanish explorers, dramatic shipwrecks, Mexican rancheros, famous dairy farms, railroads, and one of the country's most spectacular lighthouses. These historical facets spawned the three small towns of Olema, Point Reyes Station, and Inverness; each is unique with its own distinctive foundations. Most of the land is now within Point Reyes National Seashore, a refuge created during the Kennedy administration and now one of the more popular destinations on the California coast. The unique geography of the forest, bay, and ocean environments and the abundant wildlife in Point Reyes offers fine scenery, diverse recreational opportunities, and good food and lodging, while the towns retain their old-time character.

Cover image for Point Reyes Peninsula, isbn: 9780738558486

Big Meadows and Lake Almanor

9781467132299

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Few among the thousands of vacationers who recreate on and around Lake Almanor each summer realize that beneath its waters lie the remains of a vanished way of life. This tiny Atlantis, Big Meadows, was a microcosm of the cultural forces and conflicts that racked the West in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Rich in natural resources, the Meadows sustained the lives of the native Maidu and the hundreds of encroaching whites who followed on the heels of the Lassen Trail immigrant parties. White men came seeking to exploit those precious resources for gold mining, stock raising, dairying, tourism, timber, and later, hydroelectric power. In the tumult of cultural and industrial change, a pastoral way of life was lost and a native culture vanquished.

Book cover for Big Meadows and Lake Almanor featuring a sepia photo of people on a raft on a lake

Pismo Beach

9781467130233

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Pismo Beach was home to some of America's earliest people. They thrived in the mild climate and were sustained by abundant natural resources, including the now famous Pismo clam. European settlers developed Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and Rancho Pismo. With the breakup of the rancho, a small town grew at the beach. The spectacular wide, sandy beach, stretching away from hills and a rugged shoreline, has drawn many photographers to the town, its people, and its progress. An early aerial photograph of Pismo Beach was taken not from an airplane but from kites.

Pismo Beach Images of America book cover featuring a seaside camp scene and a vintage group photo.

Arcadia

9780738558066

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Santa Anita Rancho's famously ambitious and colorful owner, Elias Jackson "Lucky" Baldwin, had established a popular tourist attraction on his productive working ranch by the late 1800s. Baldwin planned to incorporate the section of his ranch known as Arcadia, but opponents feared that he would turn such a city into a "gambling hell and booze pleasure park." However, the vote for city-hood was virtually unanimous, and Baldwin took over as mayor on July 27, 1903. Arcadia flourished as alcohol sales were approved, saloons and gambling halls remained open 24 hours a day, and Baldwin's ranch, racetrack, and Oakwood Hotel became popular with society's elite. After Baldwin's death in 1909, Arcadia's new leaders prohibited the sale of alcohol and steered the city in a less controversial direction. Agriculture, poultry farms, dairies, and land development became staples of the economy, and Arcadia gradually lost its rural simplicity, growing into a sophisticated, bustling city.

Arcadia book cover depicting a horse drawn carriage in front of a Victorian house

Lake Tahoe

9780738530314

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Washoe Indians called it Tah-ve, an unfathomable liquid sapphire set in a 500 square-mile watershed of alpine snow and ice. Too deep and vast to freeze, Lake Tahoe's waters have, over time, reflected pristine forests, barren hillsides littered with slash and sawdust, managed restoration, and the glow of neon casino marquees. Its spectacular natural landscape, shared by both California and Nevada, is more designed than people realize. Humans transformed most of the old trees into mine shafts and cities. When the railroad, and later the automobile, domesticated the lake, putting it within recreational reach of the middle class, much of Lake Tahoe's shore became a managed wilderness. Its location along a political border created a unique merger of naturalist and gaming economies.

Book cover with a sepia toned photograph of Lake Tahoe and pine trees along the shore.

Bozeman

9780738548449

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges, Bozeman is an impressive city with a remarkable past. The land that would become Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley was cherished by Native Americans for its fertile soil, plentiful water, and bountiful hunting grounds. During the 1800s, pioneers traveling on the Bozeman Trail hailed the lush valley as a welcome oasis. While gold lured many to the region, it was
the abundant natural resources and the beauty of the landscape that persuaded them to settle here. Although miners once flooded the area in search of riches, many found their fortunes in the black gold of coal, in agriculture, or in local businesses. Bozeman owes its existence to the dogged determination of the first settlers, and it managed to retain that hardy pioneer spirit even as it evolved into a modern town. Present-day Main Street and downtown still showcase the historic architecture of early Bozeman and preserve its unique legacy.