Ridgewood
Part of the Postcard History series
Given that Ridgewood lies within 20 miles of Lower Manhattan, it would be easy to dismiss this little town as another New York suburb. Settled by Johannes Van Emburgh in 1700, this slice of New Jersey was a pivotal safe haven for the founding fathers, such as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr. In 1894, the State of New Jersey incorporated the area as a village, and what followed were 100 years of business and leisure with places like Woolworth's, the Erie Railroad Company, and First National Bank dominating the landscape. Today, Ridgewood serves as a home for those who wish to evade the city life of the boroughs. With its distinct mix of history and comfort, Ridgewood is unique in comparison to other towns in New Jersey and a fine place to call home.
Pittsfield
by The Berkshire County Historical Society
Part of the Postcard History series
Pittsfield is the center of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. For centuries, visitors have traveled trails, railroads, and highways across the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts to enjoy the serene beauty of Pontoosuc and Onota Lakes, shop on bustling North Street, or stay at a fine hotel. Many more moved here from across the country and around the world to work at Pittsfield's farms and factories. Since the early 19th century, Pittsfield has been host to woolen mills and General Electric's factories, hotels and motels, hospitals and schools, and much more. Cultural sites, such as Arrowhead, where Herman Melville wrote Moby-Dick, and Park Square, the location of the first agricultural fair ever held in the United States, continue to attract visitors to the city.
Denison
Part of the Postcard History series
Denison was founded in 1872, when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad established a terminus just south of the Red River. The small town quickly grew to hold a prominent place in the 19th-century American West, and it prospered alongside the railroad, becoming the gateway to Texas from the North. Denison has the distinction of being the birthplace of Pres. Dwight Eisenhower, the site of the first free, graded public school in Texas, and home to beautiful Lake Texoma. This book features a diverse collection of postcard images and takes readers on a journey through Denison's colorful past.
Joliet
Part of the Postcard History series
In 1673, Louis Jolliet and Fr. Jacques Marquette were the first Europeans to explore the Mississippi and the Illinois River valleys. Their explorations took them through what is now Joliet. Founded in 1834 as Juliet, the settlement's future was shaped by several important developments. The Des Plaines River provided an early waterway, and its power gave rise to mills and manufacturing. Native limestone rock beds helped build a 19th-century city, while Joliet quarries employed thousands of men. From the opening of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848, to the building of the Illinois Central and Rock Island Railroads in the 1850s, to the intersecting of the Lincoln Highway and Route 66 in the 20th century, Joliet became an important hub between rural towns in Will and Grundy Counties and Chicago. Over 200 vintage postcards of Joliet reveal a unique city with a sense of community pride.
Muskogee
Part of the Postcard History series
Muskogee was formed in 1872, when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT or "the Katy") established a depot on an open plain just a few miles to the south of the confluence of the Arkansas, Grand, and Verdigris Rivers in Indian Territory. A small settlement there soon grew to become the center of political and commercial activity in the territory prior to Oklahoma becoming a state in 1907. Muskogee, once known as the "Queen City of the Southwest," enjoyed major growth after statehood due to oil, cattle, cotton, and the railroads. This book features a diverse collection of Muskogee postcard images that take readers on a trip back in time on a virtual tour of the city.
Sarasota and Bradenton
Part of the Postcard History series
From the 1890s through the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced during this "golden age" can today be considered works of art. Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photographs of busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America's history. This fascinating new history of Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida, showcases more than two hundred of the best postcards available.
Columbia, South Carolina
A Postcard History
Part of the Postcard History series
With Columbia, South Carolina: A Postcard History, Dave and Marty Sennema have assembled an unprecedented collection of picture postcards to create a retrospective of the area from the early 1900s through the 1950s. Here you will find dramatic images of businesses, street scenes, hotels, office buildings, and homes. Even more fascinating are the buildings which have, over the years, been recycled and used to house various businesses and educational institutions.
Corning
by Donald Angelo Carapella Jr.
Part of the Postcard History series
In the 1830s, when a feeder branch of the Erie Canal linked up with the Cheumung River, Corning first became connected to the rest of the world. By the 1880s, Corning had become a railroad town with trains going in all directions. Industrial growth in the 1890s led to the rise of businesses and factories, such as Corning Glass Works. Because Corning produced so much glass, it became known as the crystal city and grew into a tourist destination. A town with many accomplishments, Corning was once home to a minor-league baseball team and is the birthplace of Margaret Sanger, a birth control activist who founded the American Birth Control League, which became Planned Parenthood. From the 1890s until the 1960s, the growth of the community's businesses, parks, churches, and recreation were captured in postcards, many never published before.
Bennington
by Bennington Historical Society
Part of the Postcard History series
Nestled in the southwest corner of Vermont, Bennington is rich in history and natural beauty. On August 16, 1777, the Green Mountain Boys and militia from surrounding states defeated British troops at the Battle of Bennington. Like other small towns in New England, this agricultural community soon found its waterways dominated by large factories. When manufacturing declined in the early 1900s, the town reinvented itself as a tourist destination. Postcards promoting local scenery, quaint covered bridges, bustling downtown streets, modern amenities, and significant historic sites explained the town's importance to travelers and fostered local pride.
Along the Brandywine River
Part of the Postcard History series
This fascinating new history of the historical river that winds through Chester County, Pennsylvania, and the upper regions of Delaware and emptying into the Christina River in Wilmington, Delaware, showcases more than two hundred of the best vintage postcards available. The collected postcards show the countryside as it appeared during the Revolutionary War Battle at Brandywine through the time of nineteenth-century settlements in the region and into the twentieth century.
Lower Merion and Narberth
by The Lower Merion Historical Society
Part of the Postcard History series
First settled in 1682 by William Penn's coterie of Welsh Quakers, the Lower Merion area has since undergone several transformations: from farmland, to the home of Philadelphia's industrial elite, to built-out suburb. Besides the development of the unique and impressive Main Line mansions for which the area is famous, Lower Merion and Narberth have been the scene of dramatic railroad rivalries and advances for the middle class. Lower Merion and Narberth focuses on the era of the most intense development, between 1900 and 1950, when the character of each individual neighborhood was coming into its own.
Around Phoenixville
Part of the Postcard History series
The small town of Phoenixville has a multifaceted industrious past that developed around the Phoenix Iron Company, the silk mill, and the Byrne Knitting Mill. It grew steadily through an influx of European immigrants drawn to the area by the promise of work. This growth resulted in Phoenixville's many cultural institutions, such as the Knights of Columbus, the St. Anna Italian Club, and the Holy Trinity Church. The vintage postcards in Around Phoenixville depict the people, places, and events that have shaped the community's rich history and heritage, with images of such landmarks as the Phoenix Hotel, the West End Fire Company, and the construction of the Gay Street Bridge.
Along the Perkiomen
Part of the Postcard History series
The Perkiomen Creek is a picturesque stream that drains a major portion of western Montgomery County. It begins just beyond the northern borders of the county and travels south. The creek empties into the Schuylkill River at the county's lower border. The old Perkiomen Railroad closely followed the same path. Along the Perkiomen showcases postcards of the Perkiomen Valley in Montgomery County as it existed during the first half of the twentieth century. Readers will visit the villages and towns along the creek and others nearby. This visual journey is intended to provide a glimpse of the Perkiomen region's rich history.
Around Brockport
Part of the Postcard History series
Throughout the 20th century, Brockport residents and visitors shared their experiences, sending postcards of the town to friends and family. These postcards present the important places and events that made visitors come back year after year and made residents proud to call the town home. This book complements the author's pictorial history Around Brockport in Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series. Along with Brockport, the towns of Sweden, Clarkson, and Hamlin are included in this extraordinary collection of postcards. The vintage postcards in this volume span a century of the area's history, presenting a portrait of the streets, buildings, events, and disasters that impacted the time and preserving the memories of the past for future generations.
The Rockaways
Part of the Postcard History series
The Rockaway Peninsula, also known as the Rockaways, is located off Long Island, within the borough of Queens. Its remoteness from Manhattan has made it a popular retreat and has provided an out-of-the-way area for families looking to relocate and live by the sea. The Rockaway's became a popular area for seaside hotels beginning in the 1830s, and its popularity grew with the coming of the Long Island Rail Road in the 1880s. In 1893, Hog Island, a resort known for entertaining Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, sank into the sea. Located a few miles east of Breezy Point, and also known as Rockaway Island, the entire island disappeared during a storm. The Rockaways was also the home of Rockaway's Playland, a world renowned amusement park from 1901 to 1985. Through vintage postcards, The Rockaways captures the history and charm of this seaside community.
Part of the Postcard History series
Elgin, Illinois, was founded in 1835. However, the community truly came into its own at the end of the Civil War, when the Elgin National Watch Company moved there and took the city name as its own. The name Elgin became synonymous with quality for over 100 years. Elgin, Illinois: "Wish You Were Here" tells the story of the town of Elgin during the 20th century, featuring vintage postcards of that period. Special events of historic interest include the tornado of 1920, and the Elgin Road Races, which gained national fame for a brief time around the World War I era. More than 200 pictures, culled from the collection of the Elgin Area Historical Society, and colorful narratives tell of the accomplishments by those first few generations who lived and died in the community.
New Castle and Mahoningtown
Part of the Postcard History series
Founded in 1798, New Castle was a small borough located at the confluence of the Shenango River and Neshannock Creek. Mahoningtown, a small borough located just south of New Castle, was a thriving community founded in 1836. The two towns boasted flourishing industries, and in 1896, a trolley line was created to run between them. In 1898, Mahoningtown officially became the seventh ward of New Castle. By that time, New Castle was a third-class city, and railroads and steel were the area's major industries. Eventually many important products were manufactured here, including both Castleton and Shenango China, which were used in the White House. New Castle became known first as the tinplate capital of the world and, later, as the fireworks capital of the world. The stunning postcards featured in New Castle and Mahoningtown document the fusion of these two communities. Among the memorable views are the diverse scenery and amusements of Cascade Park and the parade for baseball manager Chuck Tanner, who led the Pittsburgh Pirates to their fifth World Series.
Lordsburg and La Verne in Southern California
Part of the Postcard History series
From the 1890s through the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced during this "golden age" can today be considered works of art. Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photographs of busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America's history. This fascinating history of Lordsburg and La Verne, California, showcases more than 200 of the best vintage postcards available.
Jones Beach
by Constantine E. Theodosiou
Part of the Postcard History series
Envisioning a noble beachfront park so ordinary people could enjoy a slice of the good life, master builder Robert Moses set out to transform a little-known barrier island off Long Island's South Shore into the civic masterpiece now known as Jones Beach State Park. All vacationers and day-trippers had to do was simply follow its beloved mascot, the Jones Beach seahorse, for an unforgettable day of sand and surf, or for a swim in the saltwater pool at the West Bathhouse, a stroll along the boardwalk, or a friendly match of shuffleboard, pitch-putt golf, or archery. The Indian Village also awaited, as well as fine dining at the Boardwalk Restaurant, a musical at the Marine Theatre, or a night of dancing to the songs of Guy Lombardo.
Hopkinsville
Part of the Postcard History series
Hopkinsville is an enlightening collection designed to inform, entertain, 0and educate history buffs with images of the Pearl of the Pennyroyal." In this volume, authors William T. Turner and Donna K. Stone have teamed up to present more than 200 vintage images from Turner's personal collection to bring to life the people, events, communities, and industries that helped to shape and transform Hopkinsville. Portrayed in this postcard collection is a sampling of the city's past. Showcased are landmarks and people unique to this area, downtown memories, churches, schools and colleges, hotels, the Black Patch Tobacco War, and leisure activities. Personalities include Confederate president Jefferson Davis and world-famous clairvoyant Edgar Cayce, who made postcard views of the area."
Mechanicsburg
Part of the Postcard History series
Mechanicsburg, nestled in Cumberland County midway between Harrisburg, the state capital, and Carlisle, the county seat, was once known as Drytown, Pinchgut, and Stauffertown. Incorporated in 1828 and named for a settlement of mechanics that repaired Conestoga wagons, Mechanicsburg was raided by the Confederates and held for three days during the Civil War. Both the Cumberland Valley Railroad and the development of the inland Naval Support Activity Base influenced the rapid growth of this borough. Since 1924, Mechanicsburg has played host to Jubilee Day, Pennsylvania's largest one-day street fair.
Baraboo
by Sauk County Historical Society
Part of the Postcard History series
Like many small Midwestern cities, Baraboo has had the usual share of postcards printed featuring its buildings and landscapes. However, Baraboo's unique place in Wisconsin history provided for a much richer array of subject matter. As the original winter quarters of the Ringling Brothers Circus, along with its proximity to Devil's Lake and its place as a division headquarters for the Chicago & North Western railroad, Baraboo has always provided an interesting setting for postcard images.
Missouri at War
Part of the Postcard History series
The Show-Me State possesses an enduring military heritage that unfolded several decades before it became a state in 1821 and stretches forth to the present day. Missouri has molded many notable military leaders, such as Gen. John J. Pershing, the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. It has been the site of a Spanish fort, built in the area that is now downtown St. Louis, and serves as the home of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. These people and memorials continue to generate reminders to its citizens of the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have fought on behalf of the state and nation.
Along the Delaware River
Part of the Postcard History series
The Delaware River has been home to steamboats and canoes, swimmers and fishermen, and shipyards and factories for generations. Recreation and industry have long coexisted along its changing banks. Along the Delaware River presents the Delaware River corridor-from Hancock, New York, in the Catskill Mountains, to the mouth of the Delaware Bay-at the beginning of the twentieth century. Postcards, many nearly a hundred years old, are used to show a river system that both resembles and differs greatly from the one we know today.
Newport News
Part of the Postcard History series
Within slightly more than 100 years, the sleepy village of Newport News has transformed itself from a sparsely populated region of watermen and farmers to a city known as one of the nation's greatest centers for shipbuilding, scientific research, Virginia history, and scenic sites. Nestled along the eastern coast of Virginia on the James River, Newport News has a colorful and dynamic history intrinsically linked to the surrounding water. As the town filled with people of great energy and enthusiasm, their hard work propelled local industry to the forefront of the city's reputation.
High Bridge
by William Honachefsky Jr.
Part of the Postcard History series
The history of High Bridge is intertwined with the development of the iron and steel industry in the United States. As early as the 1700s, the framework of this little hamlet had already been created by English investors who carved up the rich wilderness of the New World, brimming with iron ore that would be essential to the county's development. High Bridge Borough evolved around the Taylor Wharton Foundry, established in 1742. With the passage of time, however, High Bridge has lost its farming and foundry roots, evolving into what is often referred to as a bedroom community. Just like the lofty trestle from which High Bridge derived its name, the city now runs the risk of being lost to time, forsaking the resilient character of the immigrants who forged a nation. This book aims to preserve High Bridge's glorious history for future generations.
Mohawk Trail
Part of the Postcard History series
The Mohawk Trail evokes visions of the ancient, recalls an abundance of historic incidents, and etches memories of nature's bounty. The trail weaves a fabric of both old and modern footprints through a historic college campus, past a fort under siege, down an old mill town's Main Street, up a barrier mountain, around a harrowing curve, and through aweinspiring expanses of nature's finest work. Nothing paints the enchantment of the trail better than the vintage postcards of the early to mid1900s. Mohawk Trail takes the reader on a postcard vacation, retracing the footsteps of the Native Americans and first settlers who made these valleys their home.
Pontiac, Michigan
A Postcard Album
Part of the Postcard History series
"I am sending you this so you won't forget Pontiac." This is the sentiment inscribed on one of the postcards included in this collection. Pontiac, Michigan: A Postcard Album brings to life the history of this uniquely American city. The postcard has always been a very popular means of communication, and now as a historical document, it offers us a fascinating insight into the times and places of the past. Like many cities, Pontiac has passed through many phases, from agricultural center to auto manufacturer--through good times and bad. These postcards capture the people and places of Pontiac, and remind us of the courageous people who built this country.
Iowa City
Part of the Postcard History series
After raucous times on the western frontier during the 1840s and 1850s, Iowa City settled into a relatively sleepy existence while its principal industry, the University of Iowa, was finding its way from obscurity into an important Iowa resource. Its once-too-small-to-succeed university hospital has blossomed into a medical and economic powerhouse. Research in widely varied fields, from space science to microbiology, finds fertile grounds and minds. Big Ten football beckons on fall Saturdays.
Vineland
by Arjorie Moniodis Ingraham
Part of the Postcard History series
In 1861, Charles K. Landis carved the village of Vineland from the western edge of the Pine Barrens. The community quickly attracted a diverse population who farmed and manufactured. A network of railroads enabled the town to ship its produce and products to markets along the East Coast. Vineland was recognized as a cultural mecca as well as a center of civil rights and women's suffrage. Physically the largest "small town" in New Jersey in square miles, Vineland today still attracts newcomers in search of new opportunities, just as Landis hoped for all those years ago.
Peoria, Illinois Revisted in Vintage Postards
Part of the Postcard History series
This delightful follow-up to the first volume of Peoria: A Postcard History guides the reader through the development of Peoria to the twenty-first century. From the Illinois Riverfront to the streets of downtown, these postcards demonstrate the many changes that have taken place in this city throughout the years. The growth and expansion in Peoria have been phenomenal, and this volume allows us to follow the timeline of the city.
The Saco River
Part of the Postcard History series
From its source in New Hampshire's White Mountains to its mouth at Saco-Biddeford, the Saco River draws visitors and residents alike to swim, fish, canoe, and white-water kayak. The Saco brought tourists to the White Mountains and influenced the development of both large and small towns, shaping their history and creating bustling centers of industry. The Saco River documents the river through postcards from 1905 to the 1940s, when mills dominated the landscape.
Key West and the Florida Keys
Part of the Postcard History series
A trip along that magical ribbon of road from the Florida mainland to the "Southernmost City" of Key West makes for an unforgettable journey. Dive the coral reefs at Key Largo's John Pennecamp State Park. Check out the dolphin show at Islamorada. Pack the fishing gear and head out to sea from Marathon. At Pigeon Key, relive the experiences of the workers who built Flagler's Folly, the Overseas Railroad. Climb a historic lighthouse in Key West. Stay at a fancy resort or a mom-and-pop motel. Dine on fresh seafood or just-caught Florida lobster. Awaken to a glorious sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean and end the day with a spectacular sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.
Southern West Virginia
Coal Country
Part of the Postcard History series
Coal was mined in Southern West Virginia even before the state's birth in 1863 but was mostly consumed within a few miles of where it was dug. When the railroads arrived on the scene, they not only provided a means of getting that coal to market, they also brought in trainloads of workers to the sparsely populated region. With the mines generally located in remote, out-of-the-way spots, operators were forced to build housing for those workers and their families, as well as company stores, schools, and churches- everything needed in a small community. Overnight, the nation's demand for coal turned sleepy, little places in Southern West Virginia into boomtowns and helped cities such as Charleston and Huntington grow and prosper as gateways to and from the coalfields.
Bay City in Vintage Postcards
1900-1940
Part of the Postcard History series
At the beginning of the 20th century, Bay City was the third biggest city in Michigan, after Detroit and Grand Rapids. Lumber and sawmills were a big part of that success. The wealth amassed by its lumber barons built a vibrant downtown and mansions along its main streets. Add industry, shipping, sugar beets, schools, and churches to the mix, and you have the pictures in this book. These postcards show you how Bay City looked at its peak in the very early 1900s until about 1940-a time when people were glad they had reached their destinations and happy to send a postcard when they arrived.
Carolina Beach
by Elaine Blackmon Henson
Part of the Postcard History series
Carolina Beach, North Carolina, has been a destination for beachgoers, boaters, and fishermen since the 1880s. Visitors came first by the combination of river steamers and a train and later by automobiles to seek respite from the summer's heat and the daily grind. This book shares the history of this seaside community through the postcards its visitors sent home. From the early hand colored cards printed in Germany to the modern chrome cards of today, we see the people and places of Carolina Beach.
Around Utica
Part of the Postcard History series
Around Utica features the work of A. J. Manning, who traveled with his camera through picturesque central New York in the early 1900s. Manning recorded historic events, such as Sherman Notification Day in 1908, honoring William Howard Taft's vice presidential nominee James Schoolcraft Sherman; catastrophes, such as the fires at Utica Free Academy and the YMCA; and nostalgic scenes of everyday life. His images were produced in small quantities as real-photo postcards, which today are quite rare and much sought after by collectors.
Kenosha
Part of the Postcard History series
Looking from the decks of schooners toward the western shore of Lake Michigan, early explorers quickly saw the potential of the prairie wilderness that was to become Kenosha. The vintage postcards in this book show a community that has evolved through rapid growth due to immigration, employment opportunities, and eras of educational leadership, patriotism, and a phoenix-like revival following devastating economic depression. From its beginning, the people of the area have demonstrated a strong work ethic, religious and civic spirit, and the ability to triumph over adversity.
Around Little Rock
A Postcard History
Part of the Postcard History series
Around Marcellus recounts the rich history of a community founded by strong and determined settlers. Marcellus and its neighbors Otisco and Marietta are located just west of Syracuse. Founded in 1794, the town grew largely because of its successful mills and businesses. Its history from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s is portrayed here in clear narrative and some 200 archival images from the Marcellus Historical Society.
Huntington Beach
Part of the Postcard History series
For more than 100 years, Huntington Beach has been a scenic haven for locals and tourists alike. Huntington Beach has also been the subject of many postcards. After all, "Surf City, USA" is a wonderfully picturesque place. Compelling printed images of the famous pier, downtown, the parks, people, agriculture, and businesses became some of the city's most popular souvenirs. Postcards such as these evoke the magic of long-gone summers; wistful, nostalgic glimpses of a classic Southern California beach city--and they are just as lovely today as they were decades ago.
Sayre
by Sayre Historical Society
Part of the Postcard History series
Sayre dates to 1783, when a gristmill was built along Shepard Creek. Greater Sayre began around 1870 at a railroad junction near the Susquehanna River. Activity at that junction led to the community eventually named Sayre. Sayre experienced phenomenal growth with the expansion of the Lehigh Valley Railroad operations. Its reputation as a railroad town began to fade after World War II, ending with the demise of the railroad by the 1970s. In its place, Guthrie Healthcare now provides the strongest influence on the town. Today the hospital's position in Sayre is as important as the railroad was in its heyday, both serving as the keystones of a town that thousands call home.
Evanston
Part of the Postcard History series
Enjoy a trip through historic Evanston. See how Davis Street and Sherman and Orrington Avenues appeared around the beginning of the 20th century. Learn how Fountain Square has evolved and how the Merrick Rose Garden is connected. See Northwestern University as it was founded, along with early Evanston's lakefront, city hall, library, and post office. Many of the buildings shown in this book are still standing, while others have been demolished. In some postcard views the stately elm trees of later decades are seen as saplings. The Library Plaza Hotel, North Shore Hotel, and Georgian Hotel are here as well, along with the historic schools, churches, train depots, and, of course, Grosse Point Lighthouse, which all helped shape the city in its formative years.
Redondo Beach
Part of the Postcard History series
Redondo Beach in the 1910s and 1920s was one of the best-attended weekend getaway spots in America. The beaches, pier, and downtown were jammed with vacationers and the Hollywood crowd. Water sports mavens drawn to the area included the great surfing pioneer George Freeth, who became a local icon. At one time, Redondo Beach boasted the world's largest indoor plunge along with visionary tycoon Henry Huntington's enormous Hotel Redondo overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The town grew as an import-export point for the City of Los Angeles until political powers decided to put its main port in nearby San Pedro. Since World War II, Redondo Beach has evinced a quaint charm as the jewel city of Santa Monica Bay's southerly shores.
Sewickley
Part of the Postcard History series
With its prime location along the Ohio River downstream from Pittsburgh, Sewickley was destined to become a great American town. In 1753, a young George Washington traveled through the area on his way to inform the French that the British crown would not tolerate French trespass in the Ohio Valley. Meriwether Lewis mentioned the obstacle presented by its waterfront eddies in his 1803 journal. Eventually the area became home to river men, including the captains of steamers that plied the Ohio. After the arrival of the railroad, many of the railroad brass made their homes in Sewickley. With the automobile came the industrial barons of Pittsburgh, who erected their palatial summer "cottages" on Sewickley Heights. The town learned quickly to adjust to celebrities, taking in stride the likes of iron pioneers Henry Oliver and Benjamin Franklin Jones, author Mary Roberts Rinehart, composer Ethelbert Nevin, and Capt. Frederick Way Jr. Using historic postcards, Sewickley illustrates the history of this community, which maintains its status as the queen of Pittsburgh suburbs.
Montreat
by Mary McPhail Standaert
Part of the Postcard History series
Montreat is nestled in a cove of 4,500 acres on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville and Black Mountain. Established in 1897 by an interdenominational group largely from the North, it was the first religious assembly to be founded in the Swannanoa Valley. True to its initial charter, Montreat serves as a location for physical and spiritual renewal and as a center for Christian study and practice. In 1906, Montreat was purchased by a group of Presbyterian individuals largely from the South. Today it consists of three entities: the Town of Montreat, Montreat College, and the Montreat Conference Center, which serves the Presbyterian Church (USA). Montreat is also widely known as the mountain home of the Billy Graham family.
Missoula
Part of the Postcard History series
Missoula began in 1860 as Hellgate Village, a trading post located about 4 miles west of what is now downtown. In 1864, the construction of a mill powered by water diverted from Rattlesnake Creek drew residents of Hellgate to the new town, and the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1883 assured Missoula's future. The establishment of the University of Montana led to growth on the south side of the Clark Fork River, and the timber industry drove the economy. Missoula has evolved into a trade, medical, educational, and governmental center of western Montana.
Murfreesboro
Part of the Postcard History series
Murfreesboro was recognized as an official city in 1817, and from 1818 to 1826, it was the capital of Tennessee. In its early years, the town established itself as a rich agricultural community. By 1853, the area was home to three colleges and several academies. Murfreesboro played a decisive role in the Civil War and suffered the loss of many of its people and much of its architecture. However, in the early 20th century, Murfreesboro regained its momentum and began to rebuild. Many of the buildings from this era still exist today and stand as great reminders of the town's past.
Around Boynton Beach
Part of the Postcard History series
Named for an early entrepreneur who arrived by boat in 1894, the tiny settlement of Boynton Beach emerged around the luxury hotel Maj. Nathan S. Boynton built on the beach. This enterprise brought carpenters, truck farmers, and railroad workers. Pineapple plantations, tomato fields, and citrus groves flourished. Shell shops, drift fishing, roadside fruit stands, and motor courts transformed the landscape. In Postcard History Series: Around Boynton Beach, author Janet DeVries uses more than 200 postcards from her own collection and others to show a carefree lifestyle long gone. Featured are picture postcards, some over 100 years old, of Boynton Beach and neighboring Briny Breezes, Ocean Ridge, Hypoluxo, and Gulf Stream.