Ridgefield
Part of the Images of America series
In 1662, two men and their families settled along the banks of Overpeck Creek. At this location, the township of Ridgefield would be established and later become the beloved borough of Ridgefield. Historically, the settlement of Ridgefield began as a modest subdivision within the English Neighborhood that spanned an area of 10 square miles, centrally located between the Hudson River and Hackensack River. This valley, with its unique location and close proximity to New York City, intrigued many people. This caused substantial real estate growth, creating a community that would forever be adored by many. Ridgefield was home to distinguished residents, such as Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the Morse code, and Alexander Shaler, Civil War Union army general and Medal of Honor recipient. The charming landscape and stunning views would captivate some of America's most prominent 20th-century artists. This collection of historical images provides a glimpse into what Ridgefield once was and how it grew into what it is today.
Springville
Part of the Images of America series
Located south of Provo, Utah, is artistic Springville. In 1776, Catholic explorers were the first to map this region. Native Americans enjoyed this locale for its abundance of wild game and its ready access to water. Brigham Young, a president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, asked men to examine the area in 1848. Capt. Aaron Johnson and the few families who were asked to settle here arrived in mid-afternoon on September 18, 1850. Hobble Creek was the first name given to the settlement, and that title is still used today by some local venues. In 1853, the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah approved the city charter, and the first municipal election took place. Springville was then officially named after the large springs in the vicinity.
Old Town
Part of the Images of America series
Old Town, situated in north-central Maine, sits snugly along the mighty Penobscot River. Taking advantage of the river's vibrant woods and watershed, Old Town would become the country's leading producer of timber in its early history. Penobscot Indian tribes had inhabited the land for more than 6,000 years, but the area's resources were so vast that, by 1836, the first railroad in Maine had established a line from Bangor to Old Town, with many eager to access the town's wealth. Since its separation from the town of Orono in 1840, Old Town has developed a robust industrial base, including Old Town Canoe Company, Penobscot Chemical Fibre, T.M. Chapman & Sons, the Bickmore Gall Company, Jordan Lumber, LeBree's Bakery, and the James W. Sewall Company. Today, Old Town has lost much of its industrialized base, but nonetheless, its strong ethnic and religious communities, which have worked together for more than 175 years, stand ready to prepare the river town for a bright future.
Freeport-Velasco
Part of the Images of America series
In 1821, Stephen F. Austin and the 'Old 300' colonists boarded the Lively and entered the Brazos River, landing at Old Velasco. After hurricanes repeatedly tore the little town apart, residents moved four miles upstream to New Velasco in 1891. Then, the 1900 hurricane, which nearly wiped Galveston off of the map, also devastated New Velasco. But even the earliest Texans were tough, and they endured, rebuilt, and thrived. In 1912, across the Brazos River, the discovery of sulphur gave birth to Freeport. Freeport and Velasco grew side-by-side for 45 years until 1957, when they were consolidated. Thus, some citizens felt that the city ought to then be called Freeport-Velasco. In 1961, Hurricane Carla roared into Freeport. It was followed through the years by many other mega-storms, but Freeport has weathered them all. Efforts are being made to revitalize downtown to the beauty it had a century ago.
Washington, DC, Jazz
Part of the Images of America series
Home to "Black Broadway" and the Howard Theatre in the Greater U Street area, Washington, DC, has long been associated with American jazz. Duke Ellington and Billy Eckstine launched their careers there in the early 20th century. Decades later, Shirley Horn and Buck Hill would follow their leads, and DC's "jazz millennials" include graduates of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. For years, Bohemian Caverns and One Step Down were among the clubs serving as gathering places for producers and consumers of jazz, even as Rusty Hassan and other programmers used radio to promote the music. Washington, DC, Jazz focuses, primarily, on the history of straight-ahead jazz, using oral histories, materials from the William P. Gottlieb Collection at the Library of Congress, the Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives at the University of the District of Columbia, and Smithsonian Jazz. This volume also features the work of photographers Nathaniel Rhodes, Michael Wilderman, and Lawrence A. Randall.
Edgartown
Part of the Images of America series
Founded in 1642 as Great Harbor, Edgartown is the oldest of Martha's Vineyard's six townships. It has been a shire town and a center of learning, a whaling port and a fishing village, a manufacturing center and a mecca for sportsmen. Its gleaming captain's houses and majestic public buildings are a testament to the wealth that whaling brought to the island in the mid-1800s, but the end of New England whaling was far from the end of its story. Faced with the loss of the industry that had sustained it, Edgartown reinvented itself as a summer-centered community of resort hotels, bathing beaches, and genteel vacation homes. It welcomed the world to its shores and became an unlikely cultural icon--a backdrop to a best-selling memoir, a political scandal, and a blockbuster film--famous for being its inimitable self.
Glennville
by Glennville-Tattnall Museum
Part of the Images of America series
The area that would become modern Glennville was first opened to settlement in 1773. In the early decades of the 19th century, settlers converged around the intersection of Hencart Road and Reidsville-Johnston's Station Road. The community that grew around this intersection came to be known as Philadelphia - a name it would hold until 1889, when the village's first post office was established. The village was then renamed after a prominent schoolteacher and minister, Glenn Thompson, who was instrumental in securing the post office for the village. Glennville was incorporated as a town in 1894 and continued to grow remarkably through the coming decades until it became the commercial and agricultural hub of Tattnall County.
Around Elmont and Rosedale
Part of the Images of America series
Once portions of a farming community called Fosters Meadow, Elmont and Rosedale have changed dramatically since Thomas and Christopher Foster first farmed the land in the 1600's. In the 1850's, immigrant German farmers settled in the area abutting Elmont Road, Brookville Boulevard, Linden Boulevard, and Merrick Boulevard. The remnants of that German farming community continued into the early 20th century, despite encroaching suburbanization, renamed streets, and subdivided farmland, along with Irish, Italian, and Jewish immigrants changing the area's ethnic makeup. This new suburban area covering the southern corners of Nassau and Queens Counties became home to landmarks like the Argo Theatre, Rottkamp Farm, Schmitt Farm, Laurelton Parkway, Gouz Dairy, Sapienza Bakery, St. John's Methodist Church, and world-famous Belmont Park. Today, Elmont, Rosedale, and the rest of the former Fosters Meadow are home to a large population of Caribbean immigrants, bringing a new culture to the area and, with it, new landmarks and new ideas.
Early Massillon and Lost Kendal
Part of the Images of America series
Before Massillon, there was Kendal, Ohio. The story of these communities is a tapestry of local, national, and international history. Referencing new archival discoveries in the Massillon Museum, Spring Hill Historic Home, and Massillon Public Library collections, this book tells stories of early Kendal and Massillon, shedding light on the Ohio frontier and its pioneers from 1812 to 1860. Kendal was founded in 1812 by Thomas and Charity Rotch, prominent Quakers from powerful New England whaling families. Kendal became an Owenite utopian socialistic community between 1826 and 1829, visited by Robert Owen himself. In 1826, James Duncan founded Massillon, bordering the Tuscarawas River, the boundary between the United States and Indian Territory. Massillon attracted inventors such as photographic pioneer Abel Fletcher, who invented the paper negative in his South Erie Street studio. Both Kendal and Massillon were hubs for Underground Railroad activities.
Summer Camps around Asheville and Hendersonville
Part of the Images of America series
Historically, western North Carolina has been a haven for summer camps, sustaining one of the highest concentrations of summer camps in America. For generations, the natural beauty, rustic terrain, and cool climates of the southern Appalachian Mountains have attracted campers from around the world. In the last decades of the 19th century, the summer camp movement arose in the Northeast in response to industrial era concerns about the waning of traditional values and new child development theories. By the turn of the 20th century, the first residential summer camps had emerged around the popular resort towns of Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, Black Mountain, and Lake Lure, North Carolina. Founded on lakeshores surrounded by woodlands, these camps offered an array of activities, such as archery, canoeing, horseback riding, swimming, and woodcraft, that instilled lifelong lessons in youth and forged lasting friendships. Today, many of the same camp traditions like council rings and campfire stories are still passed along each summer. Readers will recognize familiar cabins and lakefronts with nostalgia in this collection of vintage photographs.
Cumberland Township and Carmichaels
by Shelley McMinn Anderson
Part of the Images of America series
Cumberland Township, located in the northeastern portion of Greene County, was one of Pennsylvania's original townships. The history of this area shows that settlers were here prior to 1760. The settlement known as Old Town was founded in 1767. In 1796, Carmichaels was named in honor of Maj. James Carmichael, a Revolutionary War soldier and pioneer settler. Carmichael had traded his land in what is now the town of Jefferson for land owned by Thomas Hughes along the banks of Muddy Creek in Old Town. Carmichaels became home to the Greene Academy, notably, the first school of higher learning west of the Allegheny Mountains. The Carmichaels Covered Bridge spans Muddy Creek separating Old Town from Carmichaels. Both the Greene Academy and the Carmichaels Covered Bridge are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Arnold Arboretum
Part of the Images of America series
Established in 1872 and designed in collaboration with landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the Arnold Arboretum is a National Historic Landmark. Founded as a partnership between the City of Boston and Harvard University, the Arnold Arboretum is a unique blend of a respected research institution and beloved public park in Boston's Emerald Necklace. Occupying 281 acres, its living collection of trees, shrubs, and woody vines is recognized as one of the most comprehensive and best documented of its kind in the world. Its lilac collection is a springtime favorite of visitors, along with the magnificent rhododendrons, and in the fall, trees from maples to dawn redwoods provide a wonderful display of color. The living collection is supported by curatorial documentation, a herbarium, library and archival holdings, and a state-of-the-art research center. These facilities and holdings provide the basis for research and education of visitors, students, and scholars from around the world.
Along the Huerfano River
Part of the Images of America series
Long before English speakers set eyes upon it, the volcanic plug on the south bank of the Huerfano River was tagged with a moniker that means "the orphan." Spanish conquistadors saw it as a rock pile that God dumped in the middle of nowhere, an odd little cone far removed from the regular foothills edging the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. In the 18th century, this outcropping and the river that bears the same name were famous landmarks for Native American tribes, Hispanic explorers, and French adventurers. Then in the 19th century, along came US mountain men, gold-seekers, cowboys, sheep ranchers, railroad workers, town developers, and coal miners from 31 different countries, speaking 27 different languages. Counterculture revolutionaries discovered the area in the 1960s and established five separate communes west of Walsenburg. Each wave of immigrants brought new perspectives and lifestyles.
Siler City
Part of the Images of America series
Siler City is located in the piedmont region of North Carolina, on the western side of Chatham County. The railroad first ran through the area in 1884, and the community was officially established in 1887. Blacksmith shops, livery stables, cotton gins, and sawmills were early resources that attracted trade. Lumber mills, furniture manufacturers, and a yarn plant came to town and supported its early industrialization. In 1972, Frances Bavier, better known as "Aunt Bee" from The Andy Griffith Show, retired from acting and bought a house in Siler City, where she lived the remainder of her days. Today, Siler City is a unique town that offers local residents and visitors a variety of activities, including an active artist community, Mount Vernon Springs, parks, and local sporting events at area high schools. Through this collection of historical photographs, Siler City showcases the rich industrial, commercial, and communal history of this small Southern town.
Silvermine
Part of the Images of America series
Straddling the towns of Norwalk, Wilton, and New Canaan is the little valley known as Silvermine, an artists' colony whose rural feel has changed little since it was settled in the Colonial era. By the 19th century, a dozen mills were humming along the Silvermine River. When the mills became silent with the advent of steam power, the bucolic beauty of the valley attracted painters and sculptors, writers and poets, and illustrators and cartoonists who formed a celebrated artists' colony centered around the Silvermine Guild of Artists and the Silvermine Tavern. In 2006, an enclave of 85 buildings in the core neighborhood, including a number of artists' homes, were recognized as part of the Silvermine Center Historic District. Today, Silvermine continues to attract residents who value its artistic heritage and natural beauty.
Nashville Music before Country
Part of the Images of America series
Nashville is a name synonymous with music. Years before the first radio broadcast of country music from Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, music and publishing were central to Nashville's self-identity. Thousands of songs flooded into the Cumberland and Tennessee River valleys from Southern Appalachia, sung by folk performers. These songs became the foundation for the folk-hymn traditions that grew throughout Tennessee. Into this stream flowed a body of African American spirituals, gospel, and minstrel songs. The arrival of trained German musicians brought classical styles to this gathering stream of musical confluences. These musicians found a home in the academies and businesses of Nashville. Nashville Music before Country is the story of how music merged with education, publication, entertainment, and distribution to set the stage for a unique musical metropolis. The images for Nashville Music before Country come from private collections as well as public libraries and archives.
Red River Floods
Fargo and Moorhead
Part of the Images of America series
Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, have existed on opposite sides of the Red River of the North since 1871. Ever since, heavy moisture from melting snow has combined with spring rains to threaten both towns with a rapidly rising, twisting river. Minor flooding is almost an annual event, and on six occasions the two towns experienced major floods requiring evacuations of large numbers of residents. The history of these floods is covered in the photographs contained in this book, including many provided by residents, local flood-fighting crews, and state and federal agencies. These images tell the story of how the two communities deal with one of nature's most common dangers.
Boonton
Part of the Images of America series
Boonton's origins date back to 1747 with the forgotten village of Old Boonton, the remains of which now lie under the Jersey City Reservoir. Distinguished for its iron forges and mills, Old Boonton owed its existence primarily to the waterpower provided by the Rockaway River. The building of the Morris Canal in 1825, which bypassed Old Boonton and caused its decline, was the driving force in the development of the current town of Boonton 1. 5 miles upriver. In 1830, the New Jersey Iron Company selected this site for a new ironworks and imported machinery and workers from England, who brought with them their families and religions. Soon, homes, churches, and schools were built, and a town developed. As the years passed, Boonton evolved from a single-industry town into what it is today, an established community with an abundance of park lands, historic homes, and a thriving main street business district.
Aiken's Sporting Life
Part of the Images of America series
In 1869, newspaper articles touted Aiken as a health and pleasure resort with the world's largest wooden hotel. Swirling social life and sporting action continued during the war years, when the women of society carried on local traditions. In 1950, Aiken was bustling with scientists and engineers who relocated to work at the Savannah River Site. The last half of the 20th century saw swelling crowds at polo matches, steeplechase races, foxhunts, golf courses, and cultural amusements. In the early 21st century, many Aiken sporting traditions mark milestone anniversaries. At the center of everything is Hitchcock Woods, a woodland paradise, pine-topped cathedral, and equestrian playground that remains open year-round. The Hitchcock Woods Foundation was established to safeguard this treasure within the heart of Aiken. The Aiken Horse Show, held each spring, and Blessing of the Hounds, held on Thanksgiving, are two of the most revered of Aiken's sporting traditions. Jane Page Thompson brings readers a glimpse of the past and offers hope for the future in this book, which contains photographs from private and public collections honoring the seminal events that have made Aiken a social and sporting draw for almost 200 years. The book also includes a foreword by Linda Knox McLean, MFH Aiken Hounds.
Old Cucamonga
Part of the Images of America series
To its first inhabitants, the Tongvan Kucamonga tribe, cucamonga meant "land of many waters," referring to the area's numerous streams flowing down from the southeastern end of the San Gabriel Mountains. By the 1800s, it was a Mexican land grant named Cucamonga Rancho. Murder, drought, and foreclosure led to the subdivision of the rancho's 13,000 acres. Immigrants from around the world arrived in Cucamonga's renowned "wine valley." Italian immigrant Secundo Guasti bought a huge swath of land in southern Cucamonga and planted the world's largest vineyard. Many of Guasti's workers lived north of the winery in an area they named Northtown. Still others planted farms, started businesses, and built schools and churches. The farms are gone, most of the wineries are closed, and parts of the old rancho are now known as Upland and Ontario, but the story of Cucamonga lives on through these and other photographs.
Denair
Part of the Images of America series
Rancher John T. Davis first established Davis Ranch in 1871, but it would be over 30 years before the land was declared the town of Denair. Tucked away in the San Joaquin Valley, this small oasis offered an abundance of fertile land and water, as well as close proximity to the expanding railroad. Originally considered the townsite of Elmwood, it was renamed Denair on April 14, 1907, for John Denair, a Santa Fe railroad man and land developer who had purchased 9,000 acres in the area. Over the next 100 years, the settlement of Denair slowly grew. Businesses came and went. Families and farms appeared and then disappeared like shifting sands, only to be replaced by others years later. In Denair, nothing ends--it just changes.
Nelsonville
Part of the Images of America series
Named for Daniel Nelson, who arrived with his family in 1814, Nelsonville grew to become a boomtown by the mid-1800s. Coal mines and brick factories were its major employers, and the town attracted emigrant workers from England. Two major routes, the Hocking Canal and Hocking Valley Railroad, not only provided transportation for the area but also a means to export coal. The canal suffered attacks by Gen. John Hunt Morgan and his Confederate cavalry during the Civil War and was ultimately destroyed by spring flooding, but the railroad has remained a premiere tourist attraction. The Public Square, around which the earliest establishments such as the Dew House were erected, continues to thrive as an arts district. Images of America: Nelsonville uses archival photographs and postcards to celebrate the most influential people and beloved places of the "Little City of Black Diamonds" and to recap the challenges and triumphs that helped earn Nelsonville its distinctive reputation.
The James River
Part of the Images of America series
In 2007, House Resolution 16 of the 110th Congress named the James River as 'America's Founding River.' The first permanent English settlement in the New World was made on the banks of the James at Jamestown in 1607, and representative government in America began there in 1619. The river runs for 340 miles entirely in Virginia, from the Allegheny Mountains to Hampton Roads and the Chesapeake Bay. Canal boats, steamboats, and railroads made it a mainstream of commerce and communication for the growing state. While the river's scenic views have remained relatively unchanged since 1607, there is still much to discover along its length through 20 counties, three major cities, and numerous small towns on its way to the sea. With more than 200 images, The James River seeks to raise awareness about this great river and its history while helping to protect and preserve it for the future.
Clarinda
Part of the Images of America series
After fighting fiercely to provide for and protect its people and land for over 160 years against enemies and nature, Clarinda stands strong and proud on the west bank of the West Nodaway River in Page County, Iowa. Clarinda has achieved this goal due to the foresight and wits of a handful of early pioneers and the strength and pride carried in the hearts of generations of craftsmen and entrepreneurs. Now, with a population of over 5,000 and a community still strong in character, the town's history is highlighted in Images of America: Clarinda. Some of the photographs featured here may be cracking and fading in places, but this story of Clarinda offers a look back into a community that has a past as bright as its future.
West Virginia's Traditional Country Music
Part of the Images of America series
West Virginia has been known for a century as a rich repository of traditional country music and musicians. Beginning in the mid-1920s, phonograph recordings and radios brought this music to a wider audience. With the passing of time and the influence of commercialization, this music developed into what became first known as "hillbilly" and then into the more refined "country" because of its long appeal to those of rural background. Although modernization has caused the traditional element to recede considerably, much still remains. Many folk still cling to the older sounds exemplified by the "raw" traditionalists and the neo-traditional bluegrass style that emerged in the 1940s. From the earliest recording artists, such as the Tweedy Brothers and David Miller, who was blind, to contemporary stars like Kathy Mattea and Brad Paisley, West Virginians and others have held their musicians in high esteem.
Vanport
Part of the Images of America series
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.
Tropical Storm Agnes in Greater Harrisburg
Part of the Images of America series
Tropical Storm Agnes, along with the unprecedented flooding which resulted from it, is arguably the most significant event to have transpired in the Harrisburg area in the last 150 years. Over the course of June 21 and June 22, 1972, Agnes drenched the region with more than a foot of rain. As a result, the Susquehanna River rose to record-breaking levels and backed into the already overwhelmed feeding creeks and streams. In Harrisburg, armed National Guardsmen patrolled the vacant streets and set up checkpoints to enforce a curfew and deter looting. Surrounded by floodwaters, row homes near the governor's mansion burned, and firefighters waded through chest-high water as they attempted to reach the blaze. Entire neighborhoods in both Shipoke and Steelton were ultimately lost due to the high waters entering homes. To this day, Agnes continues to serve as the measuring stick by which all storms since have been judged.
Manayunk
Part of the Images of America series
Manayunk, the Native American word for "place where we drink," was first explored by Dutch and English surveyors in the late seventeenth century. These early explorers found the area, which expands upward from the banks of the Schuylkill River, to be quite fascinating. In later years, Manayunk's rolling hills, slanting lawns, and clusters of houses, mills, and church spires stood out and made the neighborhood a unique section of Philadelphia, reminiscent of Italy or southern France. Manayunk explores the growth of the region from a river town with a population of sixty to its rise as "the Manchester of America," akin to the British town of the same name. A manufacturing mecca noted for its mills along its immigrant-dug canal, Manayunk has an indomitable spirit that helped the town triumph over floods and the Depression of 1929. A place of fascinating oddities, one of the first buildings in Manayunk was a gin mill. Manayunk looks at the building of the grand canal, which in 1825 was filled with arks and square-toed flat-bottomed boats. In the summer, the canal became a roughshod rendition of Venice, with its long boats pointed at both ends carrying grains and produce while being poled up the canal by Philadelphia gondoliers. Also illustrated is the construction of the elevated Reading Railroad line and the disarray this engineering feat brought to the town. Notable citizens, such as Capt. John Towers ("the Father of Manayunk"), members of the Levering family, Samuel Streeper Keely, Sevill Schofield, James Milligan, and William B. Nickels, are also profiled.
Delaware's 1962 Northeaster
Part of the Images of America series
Delaware's March 1962 storm caused unprecedented destruction to life and property. Unusually high wind-driven tides carried breaking waves inland, destroying buildings and structures that, ordinarily, would have been beyond the reach of the surf. These photographs and the story they tell about devastation and destruction carry a strong message about hazards, risks, and the vulnerability of Delaware's communities and environments.
Phillipsburg
by Dr. Leonard Buscemi Sr.
Part of the Images of America series
The largest town in Warren County, Phillipsburg is located in the southwestern tip of the county along the Delaware River. Although the origin of its name is uncertain-named after a Native American chief or an early landowner-the area was known as Phillipsburg as early as 1749 and was officially incorporated in 1861. Situated relatively close to New York and Philadelphia, Phillipsburg developed as a manufacturing hub. Companies such as J.R. Templin's Iron and Brass Foundry, Cooper Iron Works, and Reese & Company helped Phillipsburg to grow. The prosperity alive in the town during these times is evident on the faces of those pictured in Phillipsburg. In these rare photographs, our earlier neighbors are on the field playing for the company team, on leisurely drives, or hard at work building the old trolley line. Even when times were harder, such as during flooding of the Delaware River, history was recorded with images and is retold in this volume.
Moraga
Part of the Images of America series
Long before the Gold Rush drew settlers from the East, the land that would one day be developed into the town of Moraga was situated on a large rancho owned by the Moraga family. Nestled amongst hills just east of Oakland and Berkeley, the Moraga Valley of the 19th century attracted cattle ranchers and farmers who planted vegetables, fruit, and nuts. In particular, pear orchards established in the earliest farming days are still celebrated in the city's annual Pear & Wine Festival. In the early 20th century, tourists escaped the sometimes chilly and fog-bound cities near San Francisco Bay to picnic in the Moraga redwoods. Electric trains, which brought Moraga's commuters to cities and students to St. Mary's College, enabled the growth of subdivisions and businesses. Train tracks eventually gave way to trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Once considered a potential site for the United Nations, Moraga has maintained its rural beauty while developing into a thriving suburb.
New River
Part of the Images of America series
Long before the cavalry and stagecoaches traveled through on military roads and the Old Black Canyon Stage Road, the ancient Hohokam people relied on New River's peaks for fortresses and lookouts. In the late 1800s, the military sweep of the last native people, the Apache and Yavapai, rendered the region safe for settlers. Situated between the cool north and the hot, arid Salt River Valley below, New River became a key location for watering sheep and cattle driven between seasonal pastures. Ranches, such as the Triangle-Bar, sprang to life in the cactus-studded foothills. From the 1920s to the 1940s, the arrival of tough, capable homesteaders formed the community that thrives today. Still an unincorporated area of north Maricopa County, New River retains its western heritage and scenic desert vistas
Around the Gunnison Country
Part of the Images of America series
The Gunnison country, 4,000 square miles of high valleys, heavy snows, deep canyons, and 14,000-foot-high mountains, is one of Colorado's most beautiful regions. Located on the Western Slope of Colorado, the Gunnison country has a long history involving Native Americans, mining, narrow-gauge railroads, ranching, Western State Colorado University, and recreation. The region has also been influenced by nearby Lake City in the San Juan Mountains, Aspen in the Elk Mountains, and towns on the east side of the famed and historic Alpine Railroad Tunnel. Today, the Gunnison country still is beautiful and tranquil, hosting nearly 2,000,000 visitors yearly while remaining much the same as it was over 125 years ago.
Glendive
by Dr. R. Michael Booker Jr.
Part of the Images of America series
Glendive was founded in the early 1880s, and its growth was promoted and sustained by the Northern Pacific Railroad. Legend holds that Sir George Gore, on a hunting expedition with famed mountain man Jim Bridger, named a creek in the area Glendale Creek after a similar one in his native County Donegal, Ireland. Over the years, the word "Glendale" somehow transformed into "Glendive." Prior to the arrival of European Americans, indigenous peoples, including the Crow and the Lakota Sioux, called the area home. The arrival of the Northern Pacific in 1881, along with the passage of the Enlarged Homestead Act in 1909, lured people from America and abroad to this isolated region to pursue their version of the American dream.
Kalama
Part of the Images of America series
Pioneers had first settled in the area along the Columbia River by 1847, but Kalama was not officially incorporated there until 1890. Early riverboats stopped in Kalama to obtain timber to fire their boilers. The Northern Pacific Railroad chose Kalama as the site to land its rail-transfer ferry, and it also became the terminus for Northern Pacific Railroad to complete a rail line to Puget Sound. The city grew and flourished around these industries. However, it also endured many hardships, surviving devastating floods, a fire that destroyed the business district, and the loss of its agricultural base, but each time, the citizens rebuilt. With the second-largest port by volume in Washington State and a growing industrial base, Kalama continues to prosper today. People are drawn to its small-town charm and advantageous location along the I-5 corridor and the Columbia River, where rail, road, and river meet.
Roan Mountain
Part of the Images of America series
Roan Mountain, a 6,286-foot-high peak, straddles the Tennessee and North Carolina state line in the Appalachian Mountains. Home to world-famous rhododendron gardens, the Appalachian Trail, the site of Gen. John T. Wilder's historic Cloudland Hotel, and record-breaking lofty balds, thousands of visitors, including explorer John Muir and Vice Pres. Richard Nixon, have ascended Roan Mountain over the last two centuries. Biologists, botanists, and tourists have enjoyed its unique natural setting. At the mountain's base and on its slopes, rural communities have endearing histories. Decades ago, the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad passed through the village at the foot of "the Roan." The railroad brought wealthy passengers to the mountain-top Cloudland Hotel. It also allowed local industrialists the opportunity to export the area's natural resources. The people of Roan Mountain are proud of their history and have displayed it annually for more than a half-century during the Rhododendron Festival.
Lenox
by Lenox Library Association
Part of the Images of America series
As he rode through mid-19th-century Lenox, Massachusetts, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, "Perfect almost to a miracle." Founded in 1767, Lenox had sent Gen. John Paterson riding to the Revolutionary War 75 years earlier. Named the Shire Town because of its central Berkshires location, Lenox was home to the county courts. In the east, the center of a bustling glassworks and ironworks industry was situated by the Housatonic River. In the west, rolling hills and sparkling waters drew the literary lights to the New England Lake District. When the county seat moved to Pittsfield, fears of a local economic decline were unfounded with the arrival of the Gilded Age millionaires, who built stately seasonal estates with the charmingly ironic nickname of cottage. The exodus of the millionaires saw Lenox reinvent itself as a cultural and educational center, with private schools and performing arts organizations, Tanglewood chief among them, located on former estates. Change may come to Lenox again, but one constant remains throughout these past 250 years: its scenic beauty.
Everglades City
by Maureen Sullivan-Hartung
Part of the Images of America series
Today's Everglades City was originally called "Everglade" when it was but a vast formidable wilderness. Following county namesake Barron Gift Collier's arrival and subsequent establishment of both the county government seat and the company town, it became Everglades (plural) in 1923. This former desolate acreage, located approximately 45 miles south of Naples, was soon bustling, with not only shops and homes but also the construction of the Tamiami Trail, which was completed in 1928. Everglades City is home to the Western Hemisphere entrance of the Everglades National Park, bringing in tourists from around the world. The annual Everglades City Seafood Festival, held the second weekend in February, began 50 years ago to initially raise funds for playground equipment. A former commercial laundry building, dating back to the 1920s, now houses the Museum of the Everglades. Approximately 500 residents live in Everglades City year-round today.
Lake Forest Day
100 Years of Celebration
by Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society
Part of the Images of America series
The first Lake Forest Day in 1908 included a hot air balloon ascension, a cutest baby contest, a mind-reading dog, and a vaudeville show. Proceeds from this event, organized by the Lake Forest Woman's Club, funded the Contagious Hospital, which eventually merged into Lake Forest Hospital. American Legion Post 264 took over in 1921 and has maintained this extraordinary tradition ever since. This annual celebration has changed over the years to reflect local interests, national events, and even cultural shifts. With the advent of World War II, the themes became patriotic, such as "Home Defense," "Prelude to Victory," and "On to Tokyo." Lake Forest Day, held on the first Wednesday of August, continues to inspire civic pride. This book represents a fascinating look at Lake Forest in 1908 and the century thereafter, as parades, carnivals, and contests energized community spirit.
Belchertown State School
Part of the Images of America series
In the first decade of the 20th century, the state of Massachusetts established itself as a leader in the education of individuals with disabilities. The third state school for the feebleminded was built in rural Belchertown, in the western part of the state. Opened in 1915, Belchertown State School would eventually encompass almost 900 acres of land and would become the largest employer in town. For nearly 60 years, the state school educated individuals with disabilities who were otherwise excluded from public education, training the "residents" to become independent members of their families and of society. The model was a success until reports of abuse and neglect began to surface, culminating in the landmark 1972 Ricci v. Greenblatt case, which ultimately led to the state school's closure in 1992. The state school's rich history, maintained and curated by the late Donald LaBrecque, chronicles the rise of special education and developmental services and the ultimate collapse of the state school system.
Eden
Part of the Images of America series
From its inception, Eden has been a beautiful place to call home. For generations, the fertile soils of Eden have yielded outstanding fresh produce, feeding countless individuals locally and in other states. Before the days of easy travel between places, Eden had thriving retail, commercial, and industrial areas. One business still produces that unique musical instrument, the kazoo, and thanks to inventors from Eden, tractors ride more comfortably and train travel is safer. The town produced a handful of poets, a well-known artist, a concert pianist, five state assemblymen, a state senator, and a chief judge of the State of New York Court of Appeals.
Lakes and Ponds of the Granite State
by Dr. Bruce D. Heald, Ph. D.
Part of the Images of America series
Purchased by the El Cajon Valley Land Company in 1886, Lakeside began as a small hamlet along the banks of the San Diego River. Home to the only natural lake in San Diego County, Lakeside offered visitors throughout the century a scenic backdrop for boating, fishing, hunting, riding, and hiking. Captured here in over 200 vintage images is the history of this town located just 25 miles east of San Diego. After the San Diego Mission was established in 1769, the Padres explored the backcountry, seeking grazing lands for their livestock. Following the San Diego River upstream they came to a broad valley, which they named El Cajon, "the box." In 1886, 6,600 acres were sold to the El Cajon Land Company for the Lakeside town site and a large inn was built as a resort. Due in large part to the trains coming through Lakeside in 1889, Lakeside had become a thriving community by the turn of the century.
St. Louis in the Civil War
Part of the Images of America series
On May 10, 1861, Union troops surrounded Camp Jackson, a military encampment where Confederate leaders were accused of conspiring to seize the St. Louis Arsenal, the largest store of munitions west of the Mississippi. The state militia, which numbered more than 600 men, answered the call of Missouri's pro-Southern governor Claiborne Fox Jackson to assemble but found themselves outnumbered 10 to 1 and were forced to surrender. As federal forces marched them through St. Louis, an angry crowd gathered. Gunfire crackled, leaving more than 24 people dead. St. Louis epitomized the growing tensions between the North and South. The city's strategic position enabled James Eads's shipyards to build ironclads, Jefferson Barracks to muster troops, and Gratiot Street Prison to hold POWs. The list of notables with ties to St. Louis reads like a who's who of the Civil War: Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, William T. Sherman, Nathaniel Lyon, James Longstreet, George Pickett, and others.
Smith & Wesson
Part of the Images of America series
Horace Smith and Daniel Baird Wesson shared a dream of manufacturing a firearm that could fire repeatedly, using a new and self-contained cartridge. In 1852, the dream became a reality with the founding of Smith & Wesson Firearms Company. Over the next 154 years, the company grew to be one of the most innovative and respected firearms manufacturers in the world. The story of Smith & Wesson is not only about two knowledgeable and enterprising men but also the story of generations of creative and dedicated men and women. The spirit of innovation generated by the partners has long outlived them. Today Smith & Wesson is synonymous with quality, performance, and durability. Smith & Wesson explores the company history, its people, and significant products from the partners' first venture in 1852 to the sale of the Wesson family business in 1965. This book features rarely seen historical photographs, advertisements, and company documents culled from the company archives, museums collections, and the private collections of Smith & Wesson collectors.
Mexican American Boxing from the Golden State
Part of the Images of America series
The Mexican American boxer is one who leaves it all in the ring. They have been described as devastating punchers, fearless fighters, and tough competitors by boxing fans, sportswriters, and commentators alike. Mexican American boxers have long carried a reputation in boxing circles as being the ultimate crowd-pleasers. In continuing that tradition, the dramatic testimonies of seven distinct, valiant, and dashing warriors from the Golden State of California are presented here in intricate detail: Aurelio Herrera, Art Aragon, Mando Ramos, Bobby Chacon, "Yaqui" Lopez, Arturo Frias, and Oscar Muniz. By exposing new generations to their action-packed stories, new life is breathed into these talented and gifted boxers, ensuring their fighting spirit and heartfelt memories will never die. This volume salutes these pioneers of Mexican American boxing for opening the doors for today's boxers.
Elizabeth City
Part of the Images of America series
Located in Eastern North Carolina, Elizabeth City exists today as a favorite stop among boaters and travelers, while remaining a beloved community for its residents. The city possesses a distinct character, flavored by warm weather, friendly residents, a revitalized waterfront, and historic architecture. With the many waterways that surround the area, such as the Pasquotank River, the Albemarle Sound, and various other creeks and streams, it is not surprising that the city's history has been greatly shaped by such canals. With the completion of the Dismal Swamp Canal in 1805, which connected these waterways with Norfolk's port, Elizabeth City residents were able to offer their agricultural and lumber goods to the world. Elizabeth City is a volume that shares with readers keepsakes from the town's defining years. Vintage photographs, many taken by well-known Elizabeth City photographer William Henry Zoeller, come alive through descriptive text. Spotlighted are the many residents who contributed to the city's heritage, whether publicly or in a smaller, more personal fashion, including Dr. A.L. Pendleton and his family in the city's first automobile and the Wright Brothers who stayed in the city for a while before making their way to Kitty Hawk. Other images offer glimpses of the ever-changing streets and waterfront, as well as the various forms of architecture that have lined both over the years.
Part of the Images of America series
Union County is a paramount of Southern hospitality and Appalachian charm. A true picture of scenic beauty, this mountainous haven enjoys the overwhelming presence of nature, as manifested in its abundant forests, native animals, flowing streams, and waterfalls. Families, retirees, and visitors alike enjoy the serenity of this North Georgia destination. Since its beginning in the early part of the 19th century, Union County has experienced considerable political, economic, and social growth, while still maintaining its quiet comfort and beauty. The admirable work ethic of Union Countians is an ever-present force, which has given way to economic expansion, a proudly conservative government, the creation and endurance of quality educational institutions, strong civic organizations, and a myriad of recreational opportunities. The images in this pictorial volume illustrate such accomplishments, while also paying tribute to the county's military tradition, sports, area attractions, and distinguished individuals. Union County: 1970-2003 includes highlights of the area's natural beauty, while also providing a glimpse of the lasting contributions of local residents over the last 30 years of the 20th century.
Newnan
Part of the Images of America series
Newnan, founded in 1828 in the rolling Piedmont section of west Georgia, has long been known as the "City of Homes." While many small towns in the South have been burned, bulldozed, or transformed by industry and development, Newnan retains much of its 19th-century charm and elegance, including more than a dozen restored antebellum homes and a 1904 courthouse on the downtown square. The town produced two of Georgia's most progressive governors and provided writer Erskine Caldwell with his earliest, formative memories. Newnan is the small town that country music singer (and native son) Alan Jackson immortalized in his hit song "Little Man"; in these pages, readers will see the "old Lee King's apothecary" and other downtown buildings that Jackson found so inspiring during his childhood.