Images of America
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Locke and the Sacramento Delta Chinatowns
by Lawrence Tom
(0)
Chinese pioneers in the Sacramento River Delta were the vital factor in reclaiming land and made significant contributions to California's agricultural industry from farming to canning. Since the 1860s, Chinese were already settled in the delta and created Chinatowns in and between the two towns of Freeport in the north and Rio Vista in the south. One of the towns, Locke, was unique in that it was built by the Chinese and was inhabited almost exclusively by the Chinese during the first half of the 1900s. The town of Locke represents the last remaining legacy of the Chinese pioneers who settled in the delta.
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Rockville
by Blaine Martin
(0)
Rockville began in 1824 as the seat of justice for the newly established Parke County. A small brick courthouse was built, and a fledgling community soon sprang up around it. Within a short time, blacksmiths, furniture builders, harness makers, grocers, druggists, and dry goods salesmen were calling the new public square home. Then over a period of 13 years, beginning in 1870, the face of Rockville was drastically altered as fires destroyed the early buildings. The newly resurrected town would look quite different. As the rebuilding occurred, an exceptional example of small-town Italianate architecture emerged. This new Rockville looked much different than its haphazard Colonial-style predecessor. Three-story brick and stone buildings replaced haphazard one- and two-story wood frame structures; concrete sidewalks replaced wooden walkways; awnings, ornate cornices, and large architectural iron and glass storefronts became the standard. It was during these years that Rockville began to resemble the quintessential American small town it is today.
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Around Egg Harbor City and Pleasantville
by Dennis M. Niceler
4
(1)
When the Germans came to Atlantic County in 1855, they imagined a community with an urban center surrounded by a farm district. This would be a great industrial and agricultural community, served by direct railroad and maritime connections to Philadelphia and New York City. In 1858, the urban center these pioneers envisioned became Egg Harbor City. Eleven miles toward the coast is Pleasantville. Originally home to fishing and whaling settlers, it officially became a municipality in 1888. Its proximity to the increasingly popular Atlantic City helped Pleasantville to grow and prosper. Egg Harbor City and Pleasantville showcases the rich history of these two communities through a unique collection of historical images.
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Tiffin
by Keith Elchert
(0)
Tiffin may be most well known because of the devastation caused by the flood of 1913; the 19 people who lost their lives over several weeks literally reshaped the city. But, it is defined by so much more than tragedy. Tiffin-named after Ohio's first governor, Edward Tiffin-was first settled in 1817. The seat of Seneca County has been home to businesses of wide renown: Tiffin Glass, National Machinery, and Ballreich's Potato Chips, among others. Tiffin's institutions of higher learning, Heidelberg and Tiffin Universities, and its strong public and parochial school systems reflect a deep commitment to education among the city's residents. Historic figures like Charles Dickens and Thomas Edison, as well as local luminaries such as Josiah Hedges and Gen. William Harvey Gibson, have played a part in forging Tiffin's history.
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Glen Ellyn
by Russ Ward
5
(1)
Glen Ellyn took its name from a Victorian real estate development whose massive promotional campaigns brought this unusually beautiful village to the attention of city dwellers eager to move their families away from the grimy, coal-fired environs of Chicago. Its story begins with hardy New Englanders who felled trees to build log cabins, broke the virgin prairie sod, and trapped wild game in the marshlands that would become greater Chicago, continuing through the radical changes that came with the railroad and the Civil War. From Potawatomi Indians and pioneers to an important Underground Railway station; from a luxurious lakeside health resort with a fabulous grand hotel to one of Chicago's premier suburban communities, Glen Ellyn presents the village's rich history with evocative photographs from the collection of the Glen Ellyn Historical Society.
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Bisbee
by Ethel Jackson Price
1
(2)
In the early 1900s, it was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco, bustling with the raw material of Wild West legends. Bisbee's infamous Brewery Gulch once supported 47 saloons and was considered the "liveliest spot between El Paso and San Francisco." By the 1970s, opportunists had relieved Bisbee's Mule Mountains of billions of pounds of copper, 102 million ounces of silver, 2.8 million ounces of gold, and millions of pounds of zinc, lead, and manganese. The ore reserves were depleted, and when the last pickaxe struck plain old dirt, a mass exodus of miners collapsed the real estate market. But the lure of cheap land was a magnet for retirees, hippies, and artists. Boarding houses were converted into charming bed and breakfasts. Antique stores, galleries, cafes, and restaurants replaced the saloons. These days, a vibrant and eclectic community of ranchers, politicians, and free spirits; a well-preserved architectural and historic heritage; and "the most perfect year-round climate" make Bisbee, the county seat, a one-of-a-kind gem.
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Northville
by Michele M. Fecht
(0)
Most of the first pioneers came from New York by steamship across Lake Erie, disembarking in Detroit in the 1820s. From Detroit, it would take three days of treacherous travel through dense forests, thick brush, and swampy countryside to reach their destination--a hilly region in the northwest corner of Plymouth Township that would come to be called Northville. In the nearly 200 years since the first pioneers cleared the land and established their homesteads, Northville has distinguished itself as one of southeast Michigan's most desirable communities. Its rich historical heritage and small-town charm are evident in the stately Victorian architecture of the city's vibrant downtown and tree-lined neighborhoods. Surrounded by the rolling hills of adjoining Northville Township, the community has been shaped by generations of stakeholders committed to creating and maintaining Northville's picturesque and prosperous identity. Throughout its storied history, Northville has been home to the world's largest manufacturer of school furniture, the site of aviation pioneer Eddie Stinson's aircraft company, and the location for one of automotive legend Henry Ford's first village industries, the Northville Valve Plant.
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Manchester
by Gary Samson
3
(1)
This fascinating and moving book brings to life the industrial and immigrant experience which gave birth to Manchester in the nineteenth century and continued to shape the city's destiny well into the twentieth century. More than a hundred years ago, thousands of immigrants from Europe and Canada were drawn to the mills of Manchester by the promise of a better life. In stirring photographs and text, Manchester: The Mill and the Immigrant Experience examines the aspirations, the struggles, and the everyday adventures of Manchester's immigrant families. Reaffirming the power of photography to move and inform us, Manchester: The Mills and the Immigrant Experience creates a vivid picture of life during nearly a century of rapid industrial change. We join the bustle of Elm and Hanover Streets in the 1880s, witness children working at the mighty Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, enter a Greek coffeehouse in the early 1900s, get caught up in the bitter labor strikes of the 1920s, and meet unusual local figures such as the Hermit of Mosquito Pond.
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Richmond's First African Baptist Church
by Kimberly A. Matthews
4
(1)
First African Baptist Church has served the Richmond community since 1780, proving to be a pillar of strength for African Americans in the former Confederate capital. The First African Baptist Church congregation endured slavery, the tumultuous years of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and repression from the white supremacist regime that dominated Virginia politics and persevered as a vibrant force through civil rights struggle and the daunting challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. Such notables as Lott Carey, L. Douglas Wilder, Maggie Lena Walker, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Mary Lumpkin, and Henry "Box" Brown were church members.
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African Americans of Wilmington's East Side
by Hara Wright-Smith, Ph. D.
5
(4)
Wilmington's East Side is the oldest residential community in the city. The first Swedish colony settled there in the 1600s, and over time, Jewish, Polish, and African American people followed. By the mid-1950s, the East Side emerged as a predominantly Black, achievement-oriented community-a place where working-class families, Black-owned businesses, and Black doctors, lawyers, teachers, musicians, and community leaders lived, worshipped, and worked together amid segregation. Among historic landmarks are Howard High School, People's Settlement Association, Walnut Street Y, St. Michael's School and Nursery, Clifford Brown Walk, Louis Redding House, and multidenominational churches. Situated in an urban setting east of downtown, the East Side is walking distance from the central business district, small retail establishments, and employers.
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Lake Forest
by Arthur H. Miller
4
(4)
Lake Forest: Estates, People, and Culture is the first book-scaled historical survey entirely focused on this notable Chicago North Shore suburb in a generation, offering a newly visual approach to the community's unique early past. Many of the nearly 200 images have never been published, having been newly discovered in local archives and family collections. From the Civil War to World War I especially, this community of millionaires flourished, giving rise to a diverse whole town-within-a-town whose local industry comprised the estates and their owners. West Lake Forest had been settled by Irish-descendant farmers after 1836, but by 1857 a new sort of community had sprung up further east, between the then-new railroad line along the lake and the shore. It was a wooded, naturalistic, anti-urban suburb, centered on education and faith, established by New England descendant Chicago Presbyterians, and businessmen with their families.
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Lake Minnetonka
by Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society
(0)
Known to native peoples for centuries as a sacred place and hunting ground, the ninth largest of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes remained unchanged until its shores were opened to settlement in 1851. The following year, New York promoter George Bertram wrote, "For healthfulness of climate, fertility of soil, beauty of scenery and nearness to markets [it] cannot be surpassed by any other locality in the country, being within twelve or fifteen miles of two of the most important towns in the territory . . . navigable for steam and other boats over forty-one miles, its waters clear as crystal and abounding with fish." Settlers began to flock to Lake Minnetonka's 120 miles of shoreline, clearing the "Big Woods" and building new lives in the wilderness. Soon, the lake became a tourist destination; thousands traveled across the country to stay in its lavish hotels, ride in massive steamboats, and enjoy the lake's beauty.
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Morganza
by Christopher R. Barraclough
4
(2)
Originally the House of Refuge in Pittsburgh, the facility was moved to a healthier setting in 1876, taken over by the state, and converted into an institution for the incarceration of juvenile offenders. Local parents would threaten to send their children there if they misbehaved. Morganza has long been a draw for historical researchers, urban explorers, ghost hunters, and others interested to learn more about those who lived and worked there. Morganza was easily identified by its administration building capped by a striking copper cupola, located prominently just off Interstate 79 in Cecil Township. Its distinctive architecture was also featured in the 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs. Over the years, Morganza underwent several name changes. Standing as a containment campus for delinquent youths for just over 90 years, it later functioned as a facility to aid the mentally handicapped until its closure in 2000.
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Wallington's Polish Community
by Wojciech Siemaszkiewicz
(0)
The years after World War I heralded a large influx of Polish immigrants fleeing war-torn homelands in search of a better life. Drawn by the opportunity to work in the textile and manufacturing mills, Polish immigrants moved to Wallington, New Jersey, a newly incorporated borough in Bergen County. The Polish community of Wallington established themselves as local store owners and businessmen. They constructed churches and social club buildings; established restaurants, pubs, and grocery stores; and participated in the social life of their community. By the 1920s, Polish Americans began to dominate local politics; in 1929, the first Polish American mayor, Leo Strzelecki, was elected. Polish Americans became the majority in Wallington between 1935 and 1945, representing about 70 percent of the population. In 2012, Polish Americans comprise over 50 percent of Wallington's population. Through vintage photographs that capture the spiritual life of these people and the struggles they overcame, Wallington's Polish Community honors the Polish immigrants of the past while educating new generations.
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Port Aransas
by J. Guthrie Ford
(0)
Port Aransas, known colloquially as Port A, is on Mustang Island, one of the Texas barrier islands. This community grew from the seed of El Mar Rancho, the homestead an Englishman established for his family in 1855--the name Port Aransas was adopted in 1910. The evolution of Port A includes the guiding of sport fishermen to the hard-fighting tarpon fish, bouncing back from five major hurricanes, and the development of tourism that has made the town a nationally sought out destination. Despite all of the changes that have visited Port Aransas, the pace there still conforms to "island time." Indeed, a number of images in this book were selected for how they portray that unique quality of life.
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Pruitt-Igoe
by Bob Hansman
4.6
(12)
In the early 1950s, Pruitt-Igoe, a vast public housing project, arose on 57 acres on the near north side of St. Louis. Barely 20 years after construction, the 33 eleven-story buildings that made up the complex were razed, and the vacant land that was once home to thousands of people was gradually reclaimed by a dense, neglected urban forest. What happened in-between is a story that tempts but also defies simple narratives. It is a story of interweaving and competing accounts, both then and now. This volume approaches Pruitt-Igoe with all of its contradiction in mind. Alongside iconic images, other seldom-seen photographs flesh out the history in sometimes surprising ways and, in doing so, preserve some of the stories that are in danger of being permanently erased and lost, just as Pruitt-Igoe was.
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Boonton
by Various Authors
(0)
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.
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King City
by Howard P. Strohn
(0)
The town of King City came into existence in 1886, when the railroad arrived north of San Lorenzo Creek in the Salinas Valley of Central California. Named after Charles H. King, owner of this portion of the San Lorenzo Land Grant, King City has grown into a hub for the magnificent agricultural fields that surround it and support its economy. US Highway 101 and the Salinas River are unique features of the town, and Mesa Del Rey Airport was instrumental in the training of pilots during World War II. Author John Steinbeck's novel East of Eden is set near King City.
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Kentucky's Green River
by Richard Hines
(0)
Named for Revolutionary general Nathanael Greene, Kentucky's Green River begins a 384-mile journey at its source near Kings Mountain in Lincoln County, flowing through the Pennyroyal and Western Coal Field regions until its confluence with the Ohio River in Henderson County. Throughout the 1800s, the Green River was a lifeline for valley residents, both in obtaining supplies or transporting products to cities along the Ohio River and destinations as far as New Orleans. Flatboats moved lime, coal, tobacco, and whiskey out of the valley, while rafts of logs were floated to Evansville sawmills. In the 1830s, a series of locks and dams were built on the Green River, permanently raising water levels that finally allowed larger paddle wheel steamers to begin plying upstream, transporting passengers and freight into the river's upper reaches. Referred to as the "era of steamboating," these magnificent boats were numerous until the last of the fleet, the Evansville, burned in 1931. Today, commercial towboats continue moving numerous products along the lower segment of the river, while the upper portion of the river is known as the fourth-most diverse aquatic ecosystem in the United States, making it a destination for outdoor enthusiasts from across the country.
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Kittanning
by Diane Acerni
(0)
Kittanning, a main street presence in rural Armstrong County, takes its name from the Delaware people who inhabited western Pennsylvania. Considered the site of a pivotal conflict during the French and Indian War, Kittanning later emerged as a center for local government and commerce. Families and businesses prospered by tapping into the Allegheny River and the wealth of other natural resources around them. The Allegheny was a lifeline, carrying valuable goods and materials as it twisted along its hilly southern path to the Ohio River. Among Kittanning's more notable exports were the visible print typewriter and the adventuress Nellie Bly. Kittanning showcases that while the faces and facades of this community have changed over the years, the town has stood the tests of time, largely due to the resourcefulness of its residents and their determination and dedication to preserve their riverside home.
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Detroit Opera House
by Michael Hauser
5
(1)
The theater known today as the Detroit Opera House has been an integral part of the city's culture and history as well as the live entertainment industry. Its existence has been threatened in the past, but it has survived wars, the Great Depression, civil unrest, economic meltdowns, the abandonment of downtown, and, most recently, a pandemic. Generations of patrons have fond, vivid memories of attending films, stage presentations, or events with family and friends as it transitioned from the Broadway Capitol to the Paramount to the Grand Circus to the Detroit Opera House. The reason for building these "temples of amusement" was to literally transport a guest into another world, and the Detroit Opera House has valiantly fulfilled that task. What began as an idea by David DiChiera, founder of Michigan Opera Theatre, the owner and operator of today's Detroit Opera House, blossomed into a magnificent performing arts center with its formal opening in 1996.
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Historic Lighthouses of the Florida Keys
by Laura Albritton
(0)
The Florida Keys possess a staggering wealth of lighthouses-nine in all, from the remote iron light at Fowey Rocks to classic brick structures at Key West and Loggerhead Key. In the 1820s, the US government began constructing lighthouses to aid mariners navigating the dangerous Florida Reef. While some of the original lights were subsequently destroyed in dramatic circumstances, most that followed, including Carysfort Reef, Alligator Reef, Sombrero Key, Sand Key, and American Shoal, survived intense tropical weather and even major hurricanes. Among the lighthouse keepers were remarkable women who succeeded in a profession usually reserved for men.
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Glencoe
by Ellen Kettler Paseltiner
3
(1)
Glencoe, Illinois, "Queen of Suburbs," has long been heralded as an idyllic place to live. Situated on Lake Michigan in the heart of Chicago's North Shore, Glencoe was first settled in 1835 by Anson Taylor, a young storekeeper. Glencoe began to thrive thanks to one of its famous early residents, Walter Gurnee, president of the Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad. Gurnee moved to Glencoe in the mid-1850s and in 1855 established a railroad stop across the street from his home. His presence accounts for the town's accessibility and nucleus, but it was the vision of Dr. Alexander Hammond, who arrived in Glencoe in 1867, that helped to shape it into the model suburban town it has become. It is the people of the past and present who are at the heart of this community. This collection of over 200 images captures the heart and spirit of this all-American suburb, from the village's founding and early history as a farming community and utopian settlement to the annual Fourth of July parades that continue to trumpet through the town's center.
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Duanesburg and Princetown
by The Duanesburg Historical Society
3
(1)
Duanesburg and Princetown depicts the two westernmost hill towns of Schenectady County. Settlers arrived in the region in the mid-1700s, and eventually hamlets grew up where they clustered: Quaker Street, Delanson, Mariaville, Eaton's Corners, Braman's Corners, Duanesburg Four Corners, Rynex Corners, Gifford's, Princetown Hamlet, and Kelly's Station. Images from these hamlets provide glimpses of more than two centuries of American endeavor, including early styles of architecture and the largest coaling station in the world in 1907, natural sites of extraordinary beauty and interest, and a progression of religious, social, political, and economic activity.
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Gainesville
by Gordon Sawyer
3
(2)
With its roots as a small community known as Log Town in the 1750s, agriculture was the way of life for people in Gaithersburg. Today most of the farmland has been developed into shopping centers, businesses, and housing developments. With growth, Gaithersburg has become a center of science and technology in the United States.
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Around Wiscasset
by Jim Harnedy
(0)
The Kennebec and Sheepscot Rivers of Maine, natural boundaries for the Wiscasset region, provided the water highways for early explorers, traders, and missionaries. By the early part of the seventeenth century, colonization by European settlers had begun. For over 360 years, the area has been home to shipbuilders, fishermen, farmers, and tradesmen. This marvelous photographic chronicle traces not only the rich historical traditions of the area, but also the shared sense of life's unbroken continuity present in the towns of the Wiscasset region: Alna, Dresden, Westport Island, Wiscasset, and Woolwich. Vintage photographs profile a few of those who quietly inspired others through their efforts to make life better in the region, as well as those men and women of wealth and vision who provided the area with a legacy by their lifestyles and great homes. The book also features views of local taverns, courthouses, general stores, churches, and schools--all the foundations of a changing, vivacious, and growing community.
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Bellevue
by Eastside Heritage Center
(0)
Bellevue has grown, in just a few generations, from a small farming town into an important urban center and economic hub, with the foundations for this success being laid in the two decades following World War II. The opening of the Mercer Island floating bridge, in 1940, promoted the settlement of the lands to the east of Lake Washington during the population and housing boom of the 1950s and 1960s, and Bellevue became the primary commercial center for these vibrant new communities. Families flocked to the shiny subdivisions, with new schools, shopping centers, churches, and parks springing up right behind. But it was strong political, business, and civic leadership that kept Bellevue from being just another sprawling suburb. As business began to push outward from Seattle, Bellevue was able to grow gracefully and preserve its sense of place. It remains a wonderful community for families from around the globe and a place that longtime residents are reluctant to leave.
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Glendive
by Dr. R. Michael Booker Jr.
(0)
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.
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Bothell
by Margaret Turcott
(0)
The river community of Bothell began with the arrival of Columbus Greenleaf and George Wilson in 1870. They staked claims along the Sammamish River after navigating from Seattle across Lake Washington and then east along the meandering Sammamish. Bothell was first a logging community, with several mills producing boards and shingles. After the forests were harvested, it became a farming community, connected to other settlements by the river and, after 1887, the railroad. In 1909, Bothell incorporated as a city after a contentious campaign. The vote was 79 to 70 in favor of becoming a city. The population of Bothell in 1910 was 599, but many lived outside the two-thirds square mile original city limits. This book tells the story of Bothell as a central hub, with distinct neighborhoods having their own personalities. Bothell's population today is almost 43,000, divided between two counties: King and Snohomish.
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Kane County
by Kevin J. Gaffney
(0)
The declaration of war in 1917 and the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, stirred the men and women of Kane County, Illinois, to action and service. In World War I, many in Kane County joined the Illinois National Guard 3rd Regiment, 65th and 66th Brigades, and 129th and 131st Infantries of the 33rd Infantry Division. Many of the men also served in the infantry regiments of the 1st Division, known also as the "Big Red One." They trained for war in places like Camp Deneen in Elgin, Camp Grant in Rockford, and Camp Logan in Houston, Texas. In World War II, Kane County's men performed on the war's biggest stages, aiding in Operation Torch, Operation Husky, and the invasion of Normandy. The women of Kane County also served overseas in both world wars as Red Cross nurses and WAVES, and domestically, they worked in factories, supporting in many vital ways.
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Springville
by April Clawson
(0)
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.
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Waterville
by Phyllis Witzler
4.3
(3)
Following the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794 and the end of the War of 1812, the Maumee Valley became open to settlement. John Pray arrived in 1817, built a dam to run a mill, and the site became known as Pray's Falls. By 1831, Pray had platted the first 50 lots and called it Waterville. Others were attracted to the area, and the trading post inn that Pray had constructed in 1828 was greatly enlarged in 1837. The Columbian House became an important stop on the stagecoach run between Fort Wayne and Detroit and the social center of the village. In 1843, when the Miami and Erie Canal opened through Waterville, there was an economic boom. The business center of town moved from Main Street (River Road) to Third Street, and the town was incorporated in 1882.
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Early Massillon and Lost Kendal
by Mandy Altimus Pond
3.3
(3)
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.
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Old Town
by Peter R. Stowell
5
(1)
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.
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Ridgefield
by Mauro De Santis
(0)
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.
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Burleith
by Ross Schipper
(0)
Known as the Village in the City since 1973, Burleith is a small 10-square-block residential community nestled between Georgetown to the south and east and Glover Park to the north. The name Burleith dates back to 17th-century Scotland, and the area was first subdivided in 1887 as part of Frederic W. Huidekoper's Burleith Addition to West Washington. Also known as Georgetown Heights, Burleith caught the attention of Charles Dickens, who wrote in 1842, The heights of this neighborhood, above the Potomac River, are very picturesque and are free, I should conceive, from some of the insalubrities of Washington. The Shannon & Luchs real estate firm built the majority of Burleith's row houses in a predominantly Georgian style during the early 1920s.
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Williamston
by Susan Woody Martin
(0)
The rich history of Williamston lives in the memories and memorabilia passed through generations of individuals. Williamston's raconteurs tell vivid tales of energizing spring water; a thriving community of hotels, restaurants, and theaters; and a school system reaching unbelievable heights. Founded by West Allen Williams near a natural mineral spring in 1842, the town of Williamston beckons for all to hear its history and soak in its rejuvenating heritage of trust, hope, and assurance. The town grew to accommodate travelers who arrived by train to partake of its medicinal waters. Many stayed in the Mammoth Hotel, the largest building in South Carolina at the time of its construction. The Civil War brought an end to this era of prosperity, but the turn of the 20th century saw the rise of cotton mills on the banks of the nearby Saluda River. This book unveils the timeless tapestry of Williamston's past-a history woven through time that unites people from all walks of life.
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Tell City
by Chris Cail
3
(2)
Founded in 1858, Tell City is located in the rolling hills of southern Indiana, along the Ohio River between Evansville, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. Carefully planned by the Swiss Colonization Society of Cincinnati, Ohio, Tell City was originally named Helvetia. To proclaim their Swiss origin and honor their hero, William Tell, the founders chose to rename the area Tell City. Tell City is known for its famous Tell City Pretzels, a tradition that dates back to 1858, and the Tell City Chair Company, a well-known manufacturer of Early American–style furniture. After the closing of the Tell City Chair Company, the city changed from a furniture-manufacturing community to a more automotive-manufacturing community, with Waupaca and ATTC Manufacturing both employing a total of 1,500 people.
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Westport
by Westport Museum for History & Culture
3.5
(2)
Westport, Connecticut, started as a 17th-century colonial English settlement. Nestled on the shores of Long Island Sound and at the mouth of the Saugatuck River, the area was ideally placed for farming, fishing, and commerce. Westport was formally incorporated as a distinct municipality in 1835 and would evolve into a factory town, a bucolic retreat for both the wealthy and the common man, an enclave for artists and performers, and finally, a bedroom community for New York City. Notable townsfolk have included E.T. Bedford, a Standard Oil executive and philanthropist; inventor Benjamin Toquet; and William Phelps Eno, the "father of traffic safety." F. Scott Fitzgerald penned The Great Gatsby while summering in Westport in 1920. Silent film star W.S. Hart called the town home, as did Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Bette Davis, and many more. Artists George Hand Wright, Robert Lamdin, Tracy Sugarman, and others were part of a vibrant art community that spanned nearly 100 years. The town retains its cultural flair with several institutions, such as the Westport Country Playhouse and Museum of Contemporary Art.
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Kennebunk
by Kathleen Ostrander Roberts
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In the summer of 1643, John Sanders was granted land bordering the Mousam River in Kennebunk. From this early grant to the present, many generations have called Kennebunk home. Through nearly two hundred vintage photographs, Kennebunk portrays life in this charming village from 1850 to 1940. From the architecture of its downtown neighborhoods to scenes of the rural countryside, the images in this book provide a window on Kennebunk's past.
They also capture the people who made up the fabric of this community, from early sea captains to hardworking farmers. Among them are immigrant Sam Tvedt, an eccentric preacher who sported shoulder-length hair and a long flowing coat while shouting sermons from beside the town pump, and Colby Jack Coombs, the famous World Series pitcher, shown spending time with his family on their Alewive farm.
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Idaho in World War II
by Idaho State University's Management
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Although far from the front lines of war, the people of Idaho contributed to the US effort in World War II in myriad ways. Entrepreneurs perfected the dehydration of potatoes and onions that became staples of the rations that sustained Allied troops stationed around the globe. Idahoans mined rare metals and manufactured them into weapons and munitions that allowed US forces to compete with the technologies of their opponents. Local communities organized USO huts that provided coffee, cookies, and warm smiles to homesick troops in transit to and from the war. However, World War II also left an indelible mark on the state of Idaho. On the one hand, the federal government's ambitious construction of airports, buildings, and roads to support the war effort transformed a rural state that had lacked infrastructure. On the other hand, Idaho soil housed detention camps where American citizens were denied fundamental rights. And loss and heartbreak impacted nearly every community.
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Detroit in World War I
by Elizabeth Clemens
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World War I was the catalyst that ushered in themes that would define the 20th century: industrialization, urbanization, and the struggle for equality between social classes, gender, and race. During this time, from 1914 to 1918, Detroit was a city rapidly on the rise, with spectacular economic, industrial, and population growth. These were years when some of the city's most beautiful structures were built, when its industry practices became the international standard, and when its population exploded with new, hopeful emigrants from across the globe. The war provided a unifying theme to a city struggling to define itself and caused its people to come together in new and unexpected ways to support the war effort at home and abroad, often stepping into unfamiliar roles outside of societal norms. Detroit in World War I offers a visual exploration of a city and a people caught in a time of dynamic change--from the men who served the cause to the communities they left behind--who rose to the challenge splendidly and helped create one of the 20th century's most remarkable and vibrant cities.
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Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
by Frank J. Cavaioli, Ph. D.
5
(1)
Located on Florida's Gold Coast, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is noted for its beach activities, living reef system, and family-oriented lifestyle. The quiet beauty of the sea and sand amid friendly low-rise lodgings and quaint stores and restaurants draws visitors to this thriving paradise year-round. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea developed slowly around the original platted land set down by William F. Morang in 1924 as he and others promoted a land boom. The completion of the Flagler Railroad by 1900 paved the way for regional growth. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea lacked a railroad terminal and remained undeveloped in the early years. Melvin I. Anglin pioneered in chartering the town in 1927 and became its first mayor. Two hurricanes and the 1929 stock market crash burst the real estate bubble, leading to the demise of the charter in 1933. In 1947, citizens drew up a new charter that was certified by the state legislature two years later. Construction of the Anglin Pier in 1941 and the Commercial Boulevard Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway in 1965 broke down the isolation of the town. Annexation of the unincorporated area north to Pompano Beach completed its growth cycle.
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Meriden
by Janis Leach Franco
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Incorporated in 1806, Meriden was once proposed as the state capital. Although the plan was not implemented, the rural village quickly burgeoned into a major manufacturing center with the advent of the industrial revolution. Meriden advanced to become renowned as the "Silver City." International Silver Company and other key businesses, such as Parker Gun, Manning Bowman, Wilcox and White, and Handel Lamp, made Meriden a familiar name. Home to Gov. Abiram Chamberlain, Arctic explorer Hugh Johnson Lee, opera diva Rosa Ponselle, and baseball's Connie Mack, the city has also long been enlivened by a diverse mixture of immigrants and newcomers. Bordered on the north by dramatic traprock ridges, Meriden has a larger percentage of parklands than any other town in Connecticut, with Hubbard Park its crowning jewel.
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Schenectady
by Susan Rosenthal
5
(1)
Midway between New York City and Montreal lies Schenectady, an area that first developed as an outpost to the fur trade and for agriculture. Schenectady's future growth was assured by its location on two major water routes, the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal. Schenectady survived the massacre of 1690 and was chartered as a city in 1798, becoming only the third city in the state. At the time of the charter, Schenectady was 12 miles long by 18 miles wide. The city saw astounding growth during the industrial age which brought not only a flood of new enterprises and commerce but also elegant homes, cobblestone streets, gaslights, and trolley cars. Schenectady also contributed to the development of the nation: the Monitor's turret, M7 tanks, and World War II radio and radar equipment were produced here.
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Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters of Michigan
by Patricia Montemurri
2.5
(2)
Since 1845, along the River Raisin in the southeastern Michigan town of Monroe, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) have distinguished themselves as educators, activists, and Catholic pioneers. At the congregation's peak, the motherhouse dispatched nearly 1,600 nuns to more than 100 schools across metropolitan Detroit and several states. For 175 years, the sisters taught the three Rs and the meaning of faith to nearly 700,000 students and established important metro Detroit institutions such as Marygrove College, Immaculata and Marian High Schools, and St. Mary Academy. Widely known by their initials, the IHMs have extended their reach worldwide. Monroe IHM members have served in key roles at the Vatican, as leaders of organizations representing Catholic sisters in the United States, as missionaries in Third World countries, and as groundbreaking activists and theologians. The Monroe IHMs today also attract lay women and men who dedicate themselves to the congregation's values and goals by becoming IHM Associates.
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Marshall Space Flight Center
by Cindy Donze Manto
(0)
Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was carved from the environs of Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, at the height of the Cold War with the former Soviet Union. Originally, the area was a center for cotton production and large mills, but on the eve of World War II, civic leaders sought a US Army initiative that established Redstone and Huntsville Arsenals for the manufacture and stockpile of small solid-fuel rockets and chemical weapons. After World War II, Operation Paperclip brought scientists and engineers from Germany to pursue missile and rocket development at Redstone Arsenal's Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) and eventually the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). After establishing the civilian NASA on July 29, 1958, Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower dedicated the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center on September 8, 1960, to the resolute general, statesman, and "builder of peace." The president concluded, "May this great center be ever worthy of its honored name." Following the Mercury and Apollo programs of the 1960s and early 1970s, MSFC's notable achievements continued with Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, Space Shuttle, Spacelab, and the space station. Today, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA's leading center for propulsion systems and launch vehicles, supports the lunar missions of Project Artemis.
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Luke Air Force Base
by Rick Griset
3.8
(4)
Luke Air Force Base, created in less than a year from desert scrub and farmland, stands some 20 miles west of Phoenix. On March 31, 1941, months before the United States entered World War II, construction began. That summer, the Army Air Corps named Luke Field after World War I hero and triple ace Frank Luke Jr. Some pilots from Luke Field's first class flew from airfields in Hawaii during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From the beginning, Luke Field trained fighter pilots, as it does today. Over the years, Luke Air Force Base was home to 14 primary fighter aircraft, graduated over 60,000 students, and accounted for millions of training flight hours. Of the pilots who trained at Luke Field, a number became aces, including the all-time US leading ace, Maj. Richard I. Bong. For decades, Luke Air Force Base has been home to more fighter aircraft than any other base in the United States, earning the moniker "Fighter Country."
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