Brief History
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The Lost Mill Village of Middlesex Fells
by Douglas L. Heath
Part of the Brief History series
One of the earliest mill communities in the Massachusetts Bay Colony formed along Spot Pond Brook, a few miles north of Boston. Thomas Coytmore built the first mill in 1640 at the brook's downstream end in "Mistick Side" (present-day Malden). Other mills sprang up along the brook as well. Today, most of Spot Pond Brook is hidden in culverts beneath the busy streets of Malden and Melrose. However, remnants of the lost mill village of Haywardville-foundations, millruns and ponds and waterfalls-are preserved within Middlesex Fells Reservation, part of Boston's world-famous Metropolitan Park System. Authors Douglas L. Heath and Alison C. Simcox trace the history of this thriving early American community.
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Carter Lake
A Slice of Iowa in Nebraska
by John Schreier
Part of the Brief History series
When a flood redirected the Missouri River in 1877, a small patch of Iowa landed in Nebraska-and a new town was born. Carter Lake incorporated as an independent city in 1930 as Iowa's only community west of the Missouri River. But the town continued to face Nebraska's continued annexation attempts and floods. The Flood of 1952 covered the town in three feet of water. Meanwhile, uncertainty over the state lines led gamblers to flock to Carter Lake for illicit dogfighting, cockfighting, boxing matches and alcohol. Celebrated journalist John Schreier illustrates how the border town once known for its illicit nightlife has evolved into a growing bedroom community beneath the Omaha skyline.
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The Massapequas
Two Thousand Years of History
by George Kirchmann
Part of the Brief History series
Whether as a town, village or hamlet, the communities of East Massapequa, North Massapequa, Massapequa Park and Massapequa proper all share a rich historic legacy. The area's abundant supply of fish and fertile soils attracted early settlement by the Native American tribe known as the Marsapeags, who lived in the "Place of Many Waters." The first European settler, Thomas Jones, saw opportunity in the land filled with swamps, streams and sandy islands where other early Long Islanders did not. Waves of European immigration in the nineteenth century brought a vibrant German enclave. The founding of Fitzmaurice Flying Field made Massapequa Park a center for early American aviation in 1929. The postwar suburban boom resulted in tens of thousands of new residents by the late 1950s. Historian George Kirchmann takes readers on a historic journey of the Massapequas.
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Colonial North Carolina
by Joe A. Mobley
Part of the Brief History series
Historian Joe A. Mobley recounts events in the Carolinas from prehistory and the first settlement by colonists through North Carolina's emergence as a state in a new, democratic nation. The history of North Carolina began before the first European explorers gazed upon its shores. Its Native inhabitants had long dominated the land and waterways. Before the colonial era ended vast numbers of English, Scottish, Swiss, Germans, French, Welsh and Africans had immigrated to North Carolina, pushing Native Americans to the margins and leaving their mark on the culture of the colony. In some ways, colonial North Carolina was unique in the early American experience. The peculiar configuration of the Outer Banks limited its commercial opportunities, but the colony was very much a part of the Atlantic world.
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A History of Franklin County, North Carolina
by Eric Medlin
Part of the Brief History series
The story of Franklin County is one of remarkable change and growth over the past 250 years. From its Native American roots, this corner of the eastern Piedmont has become a center for tobacco plantations, textile mills and cotton cultivation. It has seen seminal moments in the history of public education, Methodism and even capital punishment. One governor called Louisburg home, while several more have visited and even presidents have made brief stops. Local historian Eric Medlin narrates the history of one of the most exceptional parts of the great state of North Carolina.
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Old Saybrook
A Main Street History
by Tedd Levy
Part of the Brief History series
Here in this distinctive New England town, Main Street is the place to meet your neighbors, get a coffee, do your shopping, watch a parade, attend a concert, worship, vote or volunteer. And behind the familiar buildings is a colorful history. There's the humorist who organized his neighbors to buy land and build a town hall that later became the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. The story of how the Monkey Farm got its name. The nighttime parade that draws thousands. And the heartwarming account of the shopkeeper who sent penny candy to students with good grades. Author Tedd Levy reveals the unique buildings, events, people and heritage of this distinctive thoroughfare.
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Ocean City
Going Down the Ocean
by Michael Morgan
Part of the Brief History series
Going Down the Ocean, A Brief History of Ocean City, Maryland, will chronicle the long and colorful history of Maryland's premier ocean resort. Beginning with the visit of the explorer Giovanni da Verrazano, this book will examine the arrival of Asssateague's famous ponies, visits by Blackbeard and other pirates, the birth of Steven Decatur, and brave soldiers who fought in the Civil War. After Ocean City was founded in the late 19th century, the resort became a mecca for vacationers, who enjoyed the surf and sand alongside the pound fishermen who worked their nets a short distance off shore. During the 20th century, Ocean City witnessed the arrival of the automobile, bootleggers, and German submarines. Following the Second World War, Bobby Baker, confidant to Lyndon Johnson, built a motel on the barren dunes to the north and helped ignite the condominium boom that saw Ocean City grow all the way to the Delaware line.
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World's Finest Beach
A Brief History of the Jacksonville Beaches
by Donald J. Mabry
Part of the Brief History series
Beginning as a summer resort for the wealthy, the oceanfront of Jacksonville has morphed into an outrageously popular tourist destination, stretching from Mayport to Ponte Vedra Beach. Encompassing a fishing village, luxury hotels, a carnival, railroads, mines and flocks of tourists, these beaches have a vast and eclectic history. Discover how Mayport became an adjunct of one of the largest naval bases in the United States and how a former mine called Mineral City became Ponte Vedra. Noted historian Don Mabry traces the fascinating history of what he still considers home from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first in this warm account of the "World's Finest Beach."?
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A Brief History of Safety Harbor, Florida
by Warren Firschein
Part of the Brief History series
According to legend, Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto arrived on the shores of Safety Harbor in 1539 believing that he had discovered the fabled Fountain of Youth. For centuries, the area's natural mineral springs had hosted the Tocobaga people and would later attract early pioneers to west-central Florida. The natural mineral springs drew visitors to bathe in their restorative waters, and in the twentieth century, they were eventually transformed into the world-famous Safety Harbor Resort and Spa, enjoyed by wealthy socialites and professional athletes for decades. Today, the city is best known for its abundance of festivals and the collection of artists, writers, poets and musicians who call it their home--an oasis of calm within bustling Pinellas County. Join authors Warren Firschein and Laura Kepner as they detail the vibrant history of scenic Safety Harbor.
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A New History of Lexington, Kentucky
by Foster Ockerman Jr.
Part of the Brief History series
Lexington is known, as the "Horse Capital of the World," but the city's history runs much deeper. Learn about the mayor who refused the Ku Klux Klan permission to march and organize in the city. Meet one of the nation's foremost advocates for voting rights for women who was a native of the city. Visit the many small hamlets around Lexington that were settlements for the formerly enslaved. Lexington was the state's first capital and the nation's first community to establish an urban service boundary to regulate growth and preserve horse farms. Seventh-generation Kentuckian and Lexington native Foster Ockerman Jr. offers an updated history.
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A Brief History of Orillia
Ontario's Sunshine City
by Dennis Rizzo
Part of the Brief History series
Local author Dennis Rizzo tells the fascinating and diverse history of Orillia, Ontario. First populated by the Huron, Iroquois and Chippewa Nations, Orillia is now a well-loved, year-round recreation destination. Its history is deeply tied to its water. Situated in the narrows where Lake Simcoe flows into Lake Couchiching, Orillia was a gathering place for centuries before Europeans used it to bring furs to market. Sir John Simcoe, first governor of Upper Canada, fostered permanent settlement of the area. A gateway to the Muskoka region, it has been home to lumber, manufacturing, and artistic endeavours. Today, summer cottagers and winter athletes alike enjoy the Sunshine City and its more than twenty annual festivals. Local author Dennis Rizzo tells the fascinating and diverse history of Orillia, Ontario.
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A Brief History of Bucktown
Davenport's Infamous District Transformed
by Jonathan Turner
Part of the Brief History series
German immigrants created leafy beer gardens here nearly two centuries ago, establishing Bucktown as the heart of entertainment in downtown Davenport for generations. In 1916, the founding of the Tri-City Symphony Orchestra at the Burtis Opera House embodied the neighborhood's reputation for high culture. The numerous saloons and theaters, as well as the forty-two documented brothels that flourished within two blocks, lent a bawdy side to the good times. Varied industries thrived through World War II, and downtown bustled with shoppers visiting department stores like Petersen's. Later, the neighborhood struggled and declined as a farming crisis hit the region hard. With revitalized landmarks like the magnificent Hotel Blackhawk and the historic Redstone Building, the community is growing more vibrant as a place to live, work and play. Author Jonathan Turner explores this dynamic history and transformation.
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Saving the North Coast Redwoods
by Susan J.p. O'hara
Part of the Brief History series
The battle to preserve a natural wonder.Towering and majestic, the redwood forests of California's North Coast once drew not visitors, but fortune-seeking timber companies. By 1917, the region had been logged for nearly 70 years and concerns arose that the rapidly disappearing redwoods could be lost. Damage wrought by logging and road construction caught the attention of Madison Grant, John Campbell Merriam, and Henry Fairfield Osborn and the Save the Redwoods League was born. Together with the State of California and the U.S. Federal Government, the League's efforts led to the protection of the remaining old growth redwoods, creating state and national parks to preserve them for future generations.Author Susan J.P. O'Hara recounts the story of the fight to save the world's tallest trees.
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Yorktown, Virginia
by Wilford Kale
Part of the Brief History series
Yorktown's history is often overshadowed by its pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. The site of the British surrender has held several victory commemorations over the past two hundred years. Yorktown also was a thriving colonial port and the site of one of the biggest Union blunders in the Civil War. During Reconstruction, former slaves created a vibrant community called Slabtown on the edge of the hamlet. In the 1930s, the National Park Service began preserving the battlefield; what was for decades a sleepy village is now dominated by tourism, and nearby modern military installations have helped to give it new life. Join author Wilford Kale as he reveals the many facets of Yorktown.
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Coppell, Texas
A History
by Jean Murph
Part of the Brief History series
Coppell history is rooted in peace and community. In 1843, Sam Houston met with ten native tribes along Grapevine Springs Creek to negotiate an accord to end fighting and allow trade and settlement in the area. When Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974, Coppell transformed from a farming hamlet into a thriving town with expanding economic opportunity. Through firsthand accounts with longtime residents and meticulous research, authors Jean Murph and Lou Duggan unfold the contemplative story of a complex and historic community.
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Campustown
A Brief History of the First West Ames
by Anthony Capps
Part of the Brief History series
For more than one hundred years, Campustown has served the students and community of Iowa State University. The originally residential neighborhood west of Ames was born in the early 1900s, when the school compelled students to seek residence off campus. However, local government overlooked the neighborhood, and it fell behind the achievements of Big Ames. After the boom of the previous decade, community leaders organized a secession movement in 1916. It took nearly a quarter century, but the neighborhood finally connected to the grid of public utilities. Author Anthony Capps takes readers on a journey from Campustown's roots, through its vibrant years in the 1960s to current projects breathing new life into the district.
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Dinkytown
Four Blocks of History
by Bill Huntzicker
Part of the Brief History series
Dinkytown belies its name with a big history and outsized influence on the culture of Minneapolis. It began as a business district serving the University of Minnesota and became a creative center between the flour milling district and a massive railroad yard. By 1875, Dinkytown was a terminus on the horse-drawn streetcar system. The area transformed into a nexus of culture and counterculture with the growth and expansion of the university. Its burgeoning arts scene launched Bob Dylan and The Fiddler on the Roof, and its student activism spawned the Red Barn protests of 1970. Dr. Bill Huntzicker narrates the enthralling history of one of Minneapolis's most influential neighborhoods.
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Madison
History of a Model City
by Erika Janik
Part of the Brief History series
Beginning with the retreat of the Wisconsin glacier and the story of early Native American peoples, Janik narrates the journey of Wisconsin's capital city from the "center of the wilderness"? to the "Laboratory of Democracy."? Learn how Madison's citizens responded to the Civil War, industrialization and two world wars, as well as how advances in the rights of workers, women, Native Americans and African Americans made Madison the multifaceted city it is today. Comprehensive, accessible and swift, Madison: History of a Model City offers a fresh take on how Madison and its people came into being.
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Griswold Point
History from the Mouth of the Connecticut River
by Wick Griswold
Part of the Brief History series
At the mouth of the Connecticut River, Griswold Point boasts a rich history filled with remarkable individuals. In 1640, Colonel George Fenwick granted the land to Matthew Griswold I, who then turned a teeming wilderness into productive farming and fishing territory. Over the centuries, many prominent Americans called Old Lyme and the Point home. Nathaniel Lynde Griswold and George Griswold built ships that served as privateers in the War of 1812. Florence Griswold invited boarders into her grand house in 1899 and transformed her home into a vibrant artists' colony for the American Impressionist movement. Local author Wick Griswold introduces the community's colorful characters who left indelible marks on history, from colonial governors and judges to adventurers and sea captains.
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Jamestown
A History of Narragansett Bay's Island Town
by Rosemary Enright
Part of the Brief History series
Jamestown, Rhode Island's history has been formed--both for good and ill--by its geography. The town officially encompasses three islands in Narragansett Bay--Conanicut, Dutch and Gould--plus a number of small islets known as "dumplings." Jamestown was part of the larger world when merchants and travelers used the common roadway of the bay. As the speed of transportation on land increased, that same bay isolated the town. Reliable ferry transport fostered the growth of a low-key resort, and the bridges that followed moved the community from resort to suburb. The changes have left Jamestowners torn. Some look back nostalgically at the ferries and the solitude they allowed, while others look forward to a vibrant village and grand suburban homes. Still, whether one is reviewing Jamestown's past or anticipating its future, the constraints of its geography remain forever unchanged.
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Cocoa, Florida
A History
by Bob Harvey
Part of the Brief History series
Cocoa is the gateway to America's Spaceport. But before it became the tourist haven it is today, it was a small village settled by fishermen and their families. The city's location on the Indian River Lagoon made it central to early steamboat passage and breathed life into fishing and commerce. After World War II, the space age brought science and engineering to nearby Cape Canaveral. The city also has a history of baseball nearly as long as the sport itself. It was home to the Cocoa Fliers of the 1940s and hosted the Houston Colt 45s during spring training for twenty years. Join author Bob Harvey as he recounts the sunny history of one of the Space Coast's oldest cities.
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Medford
A Brief History
by Dee Morris
Part of the Brief History series
Since its early days in the possession of a man who never set foot on the land itself, Medford has been a place of possibility. Many Medford residents have made their mark on American culture, including James W. Tufts, the inventor of the soda fountain, and Fannie Farmer, author of the first modern cookbook. Medford has been the site of revolutionary changes, as entrepreneur Thatcher Magoun built the wildly successful clipper ship industry, and in the case of Belinda Royall, a slave who remarkably won her legal emancipation in 1773. Author Dee Morris renders a richly detailed history, from the Medford Square rum distilleries that sent a molasses smell wafting through town for centuries to the celebration for Amelia Earhart, who lived in West Medford briefly, before her first successful transatlantic flight. Medford: A Brief History reveals hidden stories behind a small town with a big legacy.
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Louisiana Forest Hill
A Bloom Town History
by Cheré Dastugue Coen
Part of the Brief History series
Forest Hill boasts one of the largest nursery industries in the country, despite its tiny population. In the early days, the community was a summer retreat for plantation owners. The lumber industry rolled into town with the railroad, which eased the transportation of virgin timber. By 1901, the nurseries had emerged after Samuel Stokes began selling a variety of plants from his woods. Today, more than two hundred nurseries are in operation, many by the families who founded them. Author Chere Dastugue Coen reveals the deep roots of this horticultural hub.
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Snyder, New York
A Brief History
by Julianna Fiddler-Woite
Part of the Brief History series
In 1823, the Erie Canal sparked visions of opportunity and fortune in many, including Abraham Snyder, who traversed to the land that would become his namesake. But when Abraham mysteriously disappeared in 1832, his son, Michael, became the "man of the family" and consequently became a one-man powerhouse of industry and generosity. Michael Snyder's eponymous settlement became a hamlet of Amherst in western New York that boasts a rich history dating back to its origins. The Snyders and other early settlers established several town institutions and landmarks--including the first mercantile and band hall--that gave locals a sense of community. Further, because of their humanitarian spirit, residents cultivated a sense of generosity and tolerance, evidenced by the practice of donating instruments to schoolchildren and embracing the Seneca Indian tribe as equals. Lifelong resident and Snyder descendant Julianna Fiddler-Woite
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Alabama Trussville
A Brief History
by Gary Lloyd
Part of the Brief History series
Long before Trussville became the commercial hub of northeastern Jefferson County, settlers fell in love with the area's fertile land and proximity to Alabama's longest free-flowing river, the Cahaba. In the late 1930s, a New Deal initiative known as the Cahaba Project established nearly three hundred new homes in the city, a community that became a historic treasure. The Trussville Academy opened its doors in 1869 and is the area's first educational institution. Camp Gertrude Coleman, which opened in 1925, is the third-longest-operating Girl Scouts camp in the nation, remaining open even during the Great Depression and World War II. Join author Gary Lloyd as he recounts the people and events that make Trussville one of the most desirable places to live in Alabama.
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Bridgeton, New Jersey
City on the Cohansey
by Sharron Morita
Part of the Brief History series
Bridgeton, New Jersey, is home to the state's largest historic district, and its past is full of exciting events and remarkable people. The Lenni-Lenape first populated this region, and during the Revolutionary War, the city sent Patriots like Dr. Jonathan Elmer to lead the struggle for the young republic. The town continued to grow in size and importance through the Victorian era, building everything from roads to taverns to industries. Owens-Illinois Company, Seabrook Farms and Ferracute Machine Company were all business innovators and leaders. Bridgeton has always produced concerned, community oriented citizens who through the years have come together to build the hospital, save the library, rebuild a football stadium and perform countless other civic deeds. Local writer Sharron Morita recounts these and other stories in her chronicle of Bridgeton.
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Sea Girt, New Jersey
A Brief History
by Joseph G. Bilby
Part of the Brief History series
From the thunder of National Guard rifle practice squads to the applause of FDR's presidential campaign kickoff, Sea Girt sparkles with a dynamic history that belies its mystique as a quiet seaside resort. In the place that was once called the Summer Capital of New Jersey, a governor's parade could send a parachutist through the window and a beachside stroll could lead to an encounter with Woodrow Wilson or Frank Hague. Joe Bilby's thorough chronicle of this square mile of history is as joyous as a Jersey farmer plunging into the surf on Salt Water Day.
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Ecorse, Michigan
A Brief History
by Kathy Covert Warnes
Part of the Brief History series
Ecorse, the oldest downriver community, was the site of many critical battles from the French and Indian War through the War of 1812, as French and English settlers forged new homes in the Michigan wilderness. By 1827, the scattering of settlers had developed into a small community, and the township of Ecorse was formed. During the Prohibition era, the peaceful riverfront was transformed into hideouts for rumrunners and other nefarious lawbreakers. From a prosperous shipbuilding industry to a championship rowing club and the Detroit River runs made by the Bob-Lo boats, Ecorse's maritime history is one that continues to engage residents and impel the community forward.
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Village of Hoffman Estates
An Atypical Suburb
by Cheryl Lemus
Part of the Brief History series
Established in 1955 by home builder and entrepreneur Jack Hoffman and incorporated in 1959, the Village of Hoffman Estates has flourished into one of the largest suburbs in Northeast Illinois. In this commemorative history celebrating fifty years of the Village, Cheryl Lemus uncovers the unique character and spirit that emerged as Hoffman Estates grew from an isolated farmland where residents woke to the sounds of cows mooing into a modern vibrant suburb with a strong business and residential community. What started out as a typical neighborhood development has today blossomed into an atypical suburb, defying stereotypical expectations and conventions.
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Brielle
Saltworks to Suburb
by Union Landing Historical Society
Part of the Brief History series
Brielle's Manasquan River island provided inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, but the town was relatively isolated until 1919. When the Manasquan inlet was created, it transformed the town into the preeminent hub for recreational fishing and a booming resort destination. The earliest European settlers first harvested salt at Union Landing, and, later, resort developers found it reminiscent of their favorite Dutch seaside town and gave it its current moniker. From its Native American origins to the dubious rum-running of the Prohibition era, the town has a rich and colorful history. Raymond F. Shea weaves a rich tapestry of facts, anecdotes and charming stories that displays the story of a town that exchanged its fledgling, farm-town status for a reputation as one of America's civic gems.
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The Waldo Story
The Home of Friendly Merchants
by LaDene Morton
Part of the Brief History series
The quaint and quirky corner of Kansas City known as Waldo has earned its reputation the hard way through good times and bad since 1841. From its early days as a way station on the Santa Fe Trail, through the dark times in the path of a civil war, from the railroad boom to the Great Depression and right on into the challenges of the modern community, the merchants of in Waldo have played a unique and fascinating role in rooting and nurturing this special, yet very familiar place. Their stories the people, the landmarks, and the special times together make the Waldo Story.
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Historic Hatchville
Horse and Farm Country on Cape Cod
by Les Garrick
Part of the Brief History series
The village of Hatchville on Cape Cod boasts a rich history that began in 1740 with the first Hatch settler. Join author Les Garrick on a journey from the founding of Hatchville to the rise of the cranberry, poultry and dairy industries. Against all odds, the village has preserved this heritage, and today Hatchville remains horse and farm country. In 1915, Charles R. Crane purchased fourteen thousand acres of land, which his family turned into the Coonamessett Ranch Company, a model farm for locals that later turned into a resort. In 1986, dedicated individuals formed a land trust to preserve the remaining wildness of historic Hatchville, while local neighbors held the line against development. Uncover the stories of the land and the local heroes of historic Hatchville.
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Geneva On The Lake
A History of Ohio's First Summer Resort
by Wendy Koile
Part of the Brief History series
For over a century, Ohio and Pennsylvania families have made an annual trek to a special spot on the shores of Lake Erie. This tiny piece of Northeast, Ohio, has made a huge impression on the hearts of thousands of visitors. But what is it about this town that draws generation after generation back for a vacation every summer? Why, when other resorts and amusements crumbled apart in the mid-nineteenth century, was Geneva on the Lake able to sustain some of the most trying times in the entertainment industry? Perhaps, by tracing the history of the town, and by exploring what the town is today, one may discover the answers to these questions. By examining numerous accounts of happy times on the lakeside, one will discover that some feelings have held true since the resorts beginnings; Geneva on the Lake has a magical way of lingering in our memories, connecting us to our past, and forever remaining in our hearts
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Eastside Indianapolis
A Brief History
by Julie Young
Part of the Brief History series
In its early days, Indianapolis was designed to be a city of only one square mile, but as settlers flocked to the Circle City, a steady beat of progress made its way across the Eastside. Through their dedication to maintaining the character of neighborhoods like Woodruff Place, Fountain Square and Irvington, Eastsiders have banded together time and again to preserve the memories of landmarks like the Rivoli Theatre and Al Green's. Julie Young, a lifelong resident of the Eastside, celebrates one of the most culturally diverse areas of Indianapolis as she illuminates the strength and determination that would make any resident proud to call the Eastside home.
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Virginia Pittsylvania County
A Brief History
by Larry G. Aaron
Part of the Brief History series
Queen of Virginia's tobacco-producing counties, one of the top five fossil sites in the world, home to heroes, adventurers, counterfeiters and innovators...Pittsylvania County's lush, rolling farmland has seen a host of significant events and personalities throughout its nearly three centuries. Join local historian and longtime resident Larry G. Aaron as he guides you through Pittsylvania's rich and remarkable history, from the achievements and sufferings of Pittsylvanians through all of America's major wars to the lives of the county's African Americans and the early history of neighboring Danville, the last capital of the Confederacy. A concise, enjoyable volume that you will treasure for years to come.
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Massachusetts Somerville
A Brief History
by Dee Morris
Part of the Brief History series
Enter Somerville, a city packed with stories larger than itself, to salute a heritage that justifies the fierce pride of its citizens. Share a perch on one of Somerville's celebrated hills with Dee Morris and Dora St. Martin and watch the raising of America's first flag and the stringing of its first telephone line. Strolling from neighborhood to neighborhood, this brief history knocks on the doors of everyone from the father of Fenway Park to Missy LeHand, Franklin D. Roosevelt s private secretary and steadfast companion. Even the notoriously elusive Captain Kidd is caught for inspection as he tries to slip through a trapdoor in a bedroom closet.
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Boulder City
The Town that Built the Hoover Dam
by Paul W. Papa
Part of the Brief History series
In the depths of the Great Depression, the United States undertook a task so monumental it demanded nearly five thousand people to complete. The Hoover Dam stands as a modern marvel, a testament to America's ingenuity. However, few know the story of the town that built the dam. To house the workers, Secretary of Interior Ray L. Wilbur envisioned a model of city planning, giving birth to Boulder City. Wilbur intended for the city to be temporary, to disappear once the dam was complete, but it didn't work out that way. Local author Paul W. Papa offers a unique look at a town that may have been forged by a dam but took on a life of its own.
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East Village, Des Moines
by Hope Mitchell
Part of the Brief History series
East Village was not always the fashionable destination it is today. When the first settlers arrived in 1843 on the muddy banks of the Des Moines River, it was in direct violation of a treaty with the local natives. The settlement grew so quickly that by 1855, the fledgling city had been selected to be the state capital, and the building was constructed in East Village. The next century saw rivalries with the western half of the city, the birth and battle of one of the city's largest red-light districts and the construction of some of Des Moines' most prized historic treasures. Historian Hope Mitchell investigates the people and events that shaped the culture and landscape of Des Moines' most dynamic neighborhood.
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A Brief History Of Easley
by R. Chad Stewart
Part of the Brief History series
Easley has a rare combination of a quaint Main Street and a thriving industrial presence. The city was a series of small farms and open land until residents convinced officials to make the area a stop along the Atlanta and Richmond Air-Line Railroad after the Civil War. Access to the railroad and the popularity of cotton spurred an era of rapid growth and expansion, culminating in the dominance of the textile industry throughout most of the twentieth century. While cotton drove textiles in the area, advances in agriculture and manufacturing brought dozens of companies, placing Easley at the center of the state's biggest industrial area. Author Chad Stewart details the history of a city that moved from sleepy train stop to vibrant South Carolina city.
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A Brief History of Tremont
Cleveland's Neighborhood on a Hill
by W. Dennis Keating
Part of the Brief History series
For almost two centuries, the historic Tremont neighborhood has rested on a bluff overlooking Cleveland's industrial valley. The sleepy farming community was transformed in 1867, when Cleveland annexed it. Factories attracted thousands of emigrants from Europe, and industrialization gave rise to a class of wealthy businessmen. After the city prospered as a manufacturing center during World War II, deindustrialization and suburbanization fueled a huge population loss, and the neighborhood declined as highways cut through. The 1980s marked the beginning of the rebirth of the cultural treasure Tremont became. Author W. Dennis Keating chronicles the challenges and triumphs of this diverse and vibrant community.
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A Brief History of Biddeford
by Emma R. Bouthillette
Part of the Brief History series
Captain Richard Vines founded Winter Harbor in 1616. The small coastal village, now known as Biddeford, is the largest city in York County, with more than twenty-one thousand residents. During the nineteenth century, the city experienced a boom from the textile industry when textile magnate Samuel Batchelder established Pepperell Manufacturing Company, which rapidly became an international brand. The city suffered when textile manufacturing moved south in the mid-twentieth century, abandoning its expansive infrastructure along the Saco River. In 2004, Mayor Wallace Nutting organized local residents in a revitalization effort for the downtown area, and developers renovated historic mill buildings into residential and commercial space. Join author and lifelong Biddeford resident Emma Bouthillette as she revisits the city's early history and explores its recent rebirth.
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Northern Liberties
The Story of a Philadelphia River Ward
by Harry Kyriakodis
Part of the Brief History series
Since the time of William Penn, the Philadelphia neighborhood of Northern Liberties has had a tradition of hard work and innovation. This former Leni-Lenape territory became one of the industrial River Wards of North Philadelphia after being annexed by the city in 1854. The district's mills and factories were powered not just by the Delaware River and its tributaries but also by immigrants from across Europe and the city's largest community of free African Americans. The Liberties' diverse narrative, however, was marred by political and social problems, such as the anti-Irish Nativist Riots of 1844. Local historian Harry Kyriakodis traces over three hundred years of the district's evolution, from its rise as a premier manufacturing precinct to the destruction of much of the original cityscape in the 1960s and its subsequent rebirth as an eclectic and vibrant urban neighborhood. In this first history of Northern Liberties, Kyriakodis unearths the story of this remarkable riverside community.
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Silver Lake Chronicles
Exploring an Urban Oasis in Los Angeles
by Michael Locke
Part of the Brief History series
Situated between Los Feliz and Echo Park a few miles from downtown Los Angeles, Silver Lake thrives as a perennially avant-garde and enchanting enclave. From mansion builders and movie stars to bohemians, visionaries and just plain folk, discover Silver Lake's illustrious past and a fantastic cast of characters sure to enrich contemporary experience and inform the past. Colorful anecdotes about early movie magnates William Selig and Mack Sennett and silent-screen idols Mabel Normand, Antonio Moreno and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle flesh out these famous figures' lives in new and surprising ways. Other lesser-known but richly deserving stories about the area's pioneer families are shared perhaps for the first time. Authors Michael Locke and Vincent Brook present a rich tapestry of this unique urban oasis whose appeal seems only to grow.
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Bethel, Maine
A Brief History
by Stanley Russell Howe
Part of the Brief History series
The town of Bethel had a tumultuous birth, caught in a land battle between France and Britain in the late seventeenth century. This hardy Maine town was originally called Sudbury Canada, and its rugged settlers weathered the hardships of nature and devastating Indian raids. With the growth of agriculture, more and more families began settling the rich intervales along the Androscoggin River until, in 1796, they were incorporated as the town of Bethel, Maine. In this detailed and comprehensive history, Stanley Russell Howe outlines the importance of the railroad to the town's growth, its post-Civil War industrialization, the birth of Gould Academy and the rise of modern tourism spawned by Sunday River Ski Resort. From the famous Indian healer Molly Ockett to Dr. True, first historian of Bethel, the characters from Bethel's past are sure to inspire the residents of today.
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A Story of North Carolina's Historic Beaufort
by Mamre Marsh Wilson
Part of the Brief History series
From creek-side settlement to the days of the grand old Bayside Hotel, Beaufort has been a proud center for fishing, tourism and gracious living for more than three hundred years. This history explores and celebrates the communities that make up a remarkable section of eastern North Carolina. Established in 1709, Beaufort is the third-oldest town in the state. The community is shaped by its waterside location, flanking Taylor's Creek, Town Creek, and the Newport River. Residents have long shared an attraction to the water: both commercial fishing and nationally famous laboratories for marine study have thrived in Beaufort. Visitors are drawn to the town's historic houses and architectural treasures, glimpses of a serene and gilded age. In this captivating history, author Mamre Wilson walks readers through the rich past and intriguing community that is Beaufort.
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Cherry Hill
A Brief History
by Mike Mathis
Part of the Brief History series
Cherry Hill, New Jersey, is known today for its shopping centers and residential neighborhoods. This tightknit community, founded in the 1600s by English followers of William Penn, began as a collection of hardworking farm families and early American Patriots. The town played an important role as the "crossroads of the American Revolution" and bravely fought to help southern slaves to freedom using the Underground Railroad. Townspeople persevered through the turbulent and trying times of the early twentieth century, eventually to triumph in building the haven from the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia that it is today. From its agrarian roots to the excitement of the Garden State Park racecourse, join authors Mike Mathis and Lisa Mangiafico as they take you through an illustrated, imaginative tour of Cherry Hill's past and present.
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A Brief History of Norco
by Kevin Bash
Part of the Brief History series
Legend has it that Rex Clark won fifteen square miles of failed farms, rutted roads and broken water mains in a poker game. Using his wife's newspaper fortune, Clark tried orchards and then poultry. Local hot springs inspired Clark's creation of a giant recreational resort. U.S. presidents and Hollywood royalty sojourned at the fabulous Norconian until the Great Depression hit. The spa was converted to U.S. Naval Hospital #1 during World War II and then a top Cold War missile lab. Norco became a horse-raising enclave while staving off annexation from nearby southwestern Riverside County cities. Today, the city is known nationwide as HorseTown, USA. Join former mayor Kevin Bash and his coauthor daughter Angelique Bash for this engaging trail ride through Norco's colorful past.
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Spring Lake Heights
A Brief History
by Lissa Wickham McGrath
Part of the Brief History series
From very humble beginnings, this small but charming borough has evolved into one of the New Jersey Shore's most vibrant business and residential communities. While Spring Lake Heights now enjoys numerous modern facilities, the town still contains many visible links to its unique past. This book explores these links and offers readers insight into various personalities, socio-economic factors, and local lore that have helped to shape the identity of this community. It includes an Irish pub that was also a brewery and stage coach stop in the late 1800s; an inn that once doubled as a brothel; a tea room once home to an international mail fraud ring; an historic cemetery and church; and a beautiful country club that once frequently hosted Richard Nixon.