Images of Modern America
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Mountain Climbing in Washington State
by Donald R. Tjossem
Part of the Images of Modern America series
This book contains images of many of the mountains and views that are available to be climbed in Washington State. Washington's mountains have been used for many years as a training ground for major international mountain climbing expeditions. The very first Americans to climb Mount Everest trained on the mountains of Washington State. Many of these scenes have never been seen by the casual hiker or climber, merely because they cover such a large geographic area of the state and are otherwise very remote.
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USCGC Mackinaw WLBB-30
by Mike Fornes
Part of the Images of Modern America series
June 10, 2006, marked the beginning of a new era. In a one-of-a-kind ceremony, the original U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw was decommissioned, followed by the commissioning of the new Great Lakes icebreaker that carries the same name. The old cutter's legacy would be carried through to the new ship's multi-mission capabilities of ice breaking, buoy tending, search and rescue, oil-spill response, and maritime homeland security. The new Mackinaw's sophisticated propulsion package, computer-based navigation and steering, and state-of-the-art dynamic positioning system bring new technology to its mission as "Guardian of the Great Lakes."
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Rock City
by Tim Hollis
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Since May 21, 1932, tourists have been making the trip to the top of Lookout Mountain to stroll through what pioneers as far back as the 1820's called "the rock city." This collection of huge boulders in a wild array of shapes and sizes was developed as an attraction by Garnet Carter, the inventor of modern miniature golf, and his wife, Frieda, a devotee of European fairy tales. Rock City Gardens quickly became one of the most famous tourist attractions in the Southeast, especially after Carter started a program of painting advertisements on barn roofs. During the post–World War II baby-boom era, Rock City became even more of a destination with the additions of Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village.
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Libertyland
by John R. Stevenson V
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Nestled in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, the Libertyland theme park debuted on America's bicentennial: July 4, 1976. The quaint park celebrated America's history, heritage, and culture. Not only was it home to Elvis Presley's favorite roller coaster, Libertyland also offered guests rides on the historic Grand Carousel, exciting shows, gift shops selling handcrafted souvenirs, delicious food, and much more. The park's themed areas - Colonial Land, Frontier Land, and Turn-of-the-Century Land - paid tribute to some of the country's most historically significant eras. From its opening in 1976 until its closure in late 2005, Libertyland was a first roller coaster ride, a first date, a family reunion, a summer job, or simply a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the real world.
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Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta®
by Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Heritage Committee
Part of the Images of Modern America series
From its humble beginning in 1972 when 13 hot-air balloons ascended from an Albuquerque shopping center parking lot to a stunning annual gathering of 500-plus aeronauts, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta lives on as the most-photographed air show on the planet. As you page through this book, imagine yourself going along for the ride and soaring to new heights. Or if you prefer to keep your feet on the ground, imagine yourself strolling among hundreds of swaying giants, seemingly lost in a dizzying kaleidoscope of color. Join in the camaraderie that draws pilots and fans to Albuquerque from all over the world. You will find yourself mesmerized by the Balloon Fiesta's signature events and its spirited competition among hot-air balloon pilots. As an added attraction, step back in time to when hydrogen-gas balloons once graced Albuquerque skies and enjoy the fascinating world of silent flight, the America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race.
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California's Great America
by Steven W. Wilson
Part of the Images of Modern America series
In May 1972, actor Fess Parker of Davy Crockett fame announced plans for a huge theme park complex in Santa Clara, California. Eventually, the Marriott Corporation joined the effort. Parker later departed, while Marriott continued with what was the corporation's largest project to date. Marriott's Great America opened its gates on March 20, 1976. It featured a variety of family and thrill rides on a grand scale plus live entertainment, including multiple stage shows and even a full circus. From Marriott to the park's current owner, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Great America has entertained and continues to entertain millions of guests in what is now the heart of Silicon Valley.
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Six Flags Great America
by Steven W. Wilson
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Marriott's Great America first opened in Gurnee, Illinois, on May 29, 1976. Located midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, it was the second of two Marriott Corporation theme parks. Great America was created to be a place where families could have fun together while gaining an appreciation for United States history. The parks five authentically themed areas based on America's past included the best in family and thrill rides, restaurants, specialty shops, artisans, and games. First-rate live entertainment included Broadway-style musicals, bands, parades, a circus, and the Warner Bros. characters featuring BUGS BUNNY. In 1984, the park became Six Flags Great America when it joined the Six Flags family of theme parks. Since then, the park has continued to innovate and expand. Today, including its 20-acre Hurricane Harbor water park, Six Flags Great America is one of the country's finest theme parks. Since 1976, the park has entertained more than 100 million guests.
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The Boston Marathon
by Paul C. Clerici
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Many things compose the Boston Marathon-Olympians, record holders, Greek gold-dipped wreaths, running hamburgers and fries, statues, snow, trailblazers, and Heartbreak Hill. Paul C. Clerici's Images of Modern America: The Boston Marathon tells the expansive story of the oldest continuously run marathon and showcases over 165 images that span the decades. From Clarence DeMar, both Johnny Kelleys, Roberta "Bobbi" Gibb, and John Hancock to Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Ibrahim Hussein, Bob Hall, and Ernst van Dyk; from Kathrine Switzer's literal run-in with Jock Semple to the 1970s running boom, the centennial celebration, and Meb Keflezighi's restoration victory, this global footrace and gathering of community is presented in a display of vibrant, historical, and exciting images, some of which from private collections rarely seen and some never-before published.
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Ski Patrol in Colorado
by John B. Cameron
Part of the Images of Modern America series
The Army's 10th Mountain Division, developed during World War II for combat missions in the mountains of northern Italy, evolved into ski patrols as we know them today. Far-reaching and nuanced, the job of a ski patroller combines long days, physically demanding work in high alpine environments, and the ability to respond to complex medical emergencies. In Colorado, ski patrol has grown from a volunteer operation to a professional workforce--incorporating advancements in lifesaving techniques, avalanche forecasting, and specialized guest services. Relying heavily on their fellow patrollers, life-long friendships are forged on the mountain and often embellished in legendary tales--many of which are shared within.
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White Sox Park's Amazing Vendors
by Lloyd Rutzky
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Baseball lives, whether one interprets that as meaning that the country's national pastime is still breathing and well after nearly two centuries or as a reference to the people who work in the "industry." More than 50 years ago, one young man became employed by the Chicago White Sox and began photographing virtually everybody with whom he worked. His intention was to have pictures of his friends and coworkers for the future. Now, Arcadia Publishing is proud to add Lloyd Rutzky's memories of his "team" experiences to its Images of Modern America series in this volume, a companion to the groundbreaking Wrigley Field's Amazing Vendors, published in 2018.
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Wrigley Field's Amazing Vendors
by Lloyd Rutzky
Part of the Images of Modern America series
In 1970, a vendor at Wrigley Field had an amazing idea to turn his personal camera away from the baseball diamond and toward his fellow ballpark hawkers as they went about their daily jobs of selling souvenirs, programs, hot dogs, ice cream, and soft drinks. Along the way, he also captured images of other employees--ushers, security staff, commissary workers, and union officials. The result, Wrigley Field's Amazing Vendors, offers a never-before-seen perspective of major-league baseball that Arcadia Publishing is proud to include in its Images of Modern America series. The subjects themselves are amazing: a blind Frosty Malt vendor; a singing peanut vendor; a Coca-Cola vendor who went on to become an economic adviser to the president of the United States. Many of the vendors photographed in the 1970s are still in the aisles of Wrigley Field today. Others left for new career opportunities. A few became legends in vending history.
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Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania
by Lorena Beniquez
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania documents the region's disappearing anthracite history, which shaped the legacy of the United States of America and the industrial revolution. The coal mines, breakers, coal miners' homes, and railroads have all steadily disappeared. With only one coal breaker left in the entire state, it was time to record what would soon be lost. Unfortunately, one piece of history that persists is underground fires that ravage communities like Centralia. Blazing for over 50 years, the flames of Centralia will not be doused anytime soon. Images featured in the book include the St. Nicholas coal breaker, Huber coal breaker, Steamtown National Historic Site, Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, Eckley Miners' Village, Centralia, and the Knox Mine disaster. A hybrid history book and travel guide, Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania is one final recounting of what is gone and what still remains.
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Philadelphia Mummers
by Stephen M. Highsmith
Part of the Images of Modern America series
The Philadelphia Mummers are costumed individuals and families who celebrate by strutting and performing on New Year's Day. For many, mummery is also a way of life. The first official parade occurred in 1901, but it is an evolving tradition, reflecting both the challenges and opportunities of changing times. Philadelphia Mummers tells the story of modern-day mummery and the expressions of art, freedom, and celebration of thousands of people who come together in the working-class spirit of America's oldest annual folk parade.
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Charlotte Motor Speedway
by Deb Williams
Part of the Images of Modern America series
When Charlotte Motor Speedway opened in June 1960, the track built by Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner became a cornerstone in the decade that launched NASCAR's superspeedway era. Stock car racing's first paved 1.5-mile track immediately grabbed the motorsports world's attention with the young sport's longest event -- a 600-mile race. And the track never left the spotlight, despite struggling through several years of bankruptcy. After regaining control of his beloved track in 1975, Smith, along with former speedway general manager H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler and current president Marcus Smith, transformed the facility into a groundbreaking showplace with trackside condominiums, a 16,000-square-foot high-definition television screen, the luxurious Speedway Club, VIP suites, stadium seating, and the first superspeedway in NASCAR's modern era to host night racing. The historic speedway has always been a favorite with Hollywood filmmakers and in recent years has expanded into a multiuse motorsports facility.
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Route 6 in Pennsylvania
by Kevin J. Patrick
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Pennsylvania's mid-20th-century Route 6 brought together appealing natural environments, historical events, and cultural landscapes. The eastern length of the route crosses an area featuring rolling mountains and tranquil valleys dotted by farms and towns. To the west, Route 6 traverses a more level landscape that also includes lakes. This book presents the 370-mile scenic drive as a destination in itself. It covers the secluded setting of northern Pennsylvania where Route 6 and its towns have experienced minimal changes associated with larger metropolitan regions and interstate highways. As a result, the mid-20th-century landscapes of Route 6 have lingered a little longer. The authors give the reader a peek of a past not entirely swept away.
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John F. Kennedy in New England
by Raymond P. Sinibaldi
Part of the Images of Modern America series
On May 29, 1917, John F. Kennedy was born in the Kennedy home in Brookline, Massachusetts. As a toddler, he wandered the sands of Nantasket Beach in Hull. When he was a little boy, he swam in the Atlantic waters of Sandy Beach in Cohasset, and as a teenager, he learned to sail on Nantucket Sound off the Cape Cod hamlet of Hyannis Port. He was married on the lawn of the Auchincloss Estate in Newport on the shores of Rhode Island Sound, and as president, he sailed the waters off John's Island in Maine, while the Navy's Blue Angels flew over in a salute to their commander in chief. John Kennedy was marked and then defined by his time sailing the seas off New England's shores, and as his brother Ted once said, it was Hyannis Port where he enjoyed his "happiest times."
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Willamette Valley Wineries
by Barbara Smith Randall
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Despite its short, 50-year history, Oregon's Willamette Valley was named Wine Region of the Year in 2016 by Wine Enthusiast, besting Champagne, France; Crete, Greece; and Sonoma, California. Credit for the award can be traced to the pioneer winemakers, a small group of dreamers who-through grit and determination-succeeded in growing grapes where it was considered impossible. Wine has been made in Oregon since the mid-1800s, but it was not until 1965 that winemaking began in earnest in the region. That year, David and Diana Lett planted 3,000 pinot noir vines on a carefully selected south-facing slope. Others joined the adventure, and through collaboration and a passion for making the best wine possible, the Willamette Valley's wine industry was born. This book presents a history of the challenges, hardships, and ultimate success of Willamette Valley wineries.
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Fenway Park
by Raymond Sinibaldi
Part of the Images of Modern America series
In June 1967, Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey declared Fenway Park outdated and stated that without help from the city for a new ballpark, he would consider moving his team. That same year, an impossible dream came true as the 100-1 underdog Red Sox won the pennant and a record-setting 1.7 million fans visited Fenway. Since then, approximately 110 million fans have watched the Red Sox play at what is now called "America's Most Beloved Ballpark." While Fenway Park was once known for simply resembling a warehouse, its nearby streets now hold a baseball festival every game. Those festivals have grown to include concerts, hockey, soccer, and high school football. The exterior walls of the park extoll the accomplishments of each Red Sox World Championship team and fly the banners of Red Sox Hall of Famers since the team's birth in 1901. Red Sox bronzed immortals stand watch at the entrance to Gate B.
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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
by Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez
Part of the Images of Modern America series
When Busch Gardens Tampa Bay opened in 1959, the Tampa, Florida, park became an immediate hit with locals and tourists alike. Over the decades, Busch Gardens has grown to become an internationally acclaimed and accredited zoological facility and world-renowned theme park. Serving as a sanctuary for thousands of exotic and endangered animals from around the globe and offering up unique thrilling rides and world-class entertainment, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay proudly welcomes millions of guests each year.
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The Ohio Valley Jazz Festival
by Scott M. Santangelo
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Cincinnati, Ohio, might have seemed like an unlikely choice to host the nation's largest annual R&B concert, but thanks to local promoter Dino Santangelo, the Ohio Valley Jazz Festival would become the "Granddaddy of Them All." The first festival was held in 1962 at the Carthage Fairgrounds, but the event would continue to grow--moving to Crosley Field in 1964 and then Riverfront Stadium in 1971--to become the nation's biggest two-day stadium concert. The Ohio Valley Jazz Festival would eventually feature the most popular R&B artists of the day and draw audiences from as far as 500 miles away. The festival pioneered stadium concert production, generated millions for the regional economy, and eased the Greater Cincinnati community's difficult cultural transition throughout the turbulent 1960s and 1970s.
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Kings Park Psychiatric Center
by L. F. Blanchard
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Kings Park Psychiatric Center, or "the Psych Center" as it is known locally, was unique for its time, as its focus was on patient care and making the hospital as "homelike" as possible. The facility was made up of a series of smaller buildings to give the feeling of community to the patients and staff alike, and both men and women were treated fairly and humanely. Long Island was home to many immigrants, some of whom had difficulty adjusting to life in the United States. This unique population led to interesting personal stories of those who worked at this facility, those who were institutionalized, and their families. The authors took the time to listen to their stories and endeavored to understand their pasts and recognize how these events continue to influence the mental-health industry today. Pictured throughout are the physical relics of the now-abandoned Psych Center, where these stories unfurled.
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LGBTQ Columbus
by Ken Schneck
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Throughout the decades, Columbus has been a central gathering place for Ohioan LGBTQ individuals, creating a timeline of milestones--both big and small--all showcased within the Buckeye State capital. From the hidden joy of the underground Berwick Ball of the 1960s to the unrestrained opulence of the Red Party in the 1970s to the sense of community displayed at the first Columbus Pride in the 1980s, the city has played host to celebrations, struggles, and history. Through the bar raids at the turn of the millennium to the Black Pride 4 in 2017, the LGBTQ Columbus community has steadfastly marched forward, using their voices to proclaim their undeniable presence, their demands for equality, and their passion for this city they call home.
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Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens
by S. Jane Von Trapp
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens follows the history of this exquisite Stamford, Connecticut, gem from its genesis as a tree research lab and a training school for arborists to today's 93 acres of irreplaceable open space. It highlights the best of what Connecticut's native landscape has to offer: magnificent award-winning champion trees, charming gardens, wildflower meadows, red maple wetlands and boardwalks, woodland walking trails, varied wildlife, and native habitats. As the original home of Francis A. Bartlett, the founder of the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company, the grounds were developed with his favorite trees, including nut trees, small flowering trees, and conifers, from around the world. This is a fascinating story about the passing of the property from Bartlett to the State of Connecticut to the City of Stamford, the hundreds of volunteers who have advocated and toiled to keep the arboretum beautiful and accessible to the public, and the impressive century-old plants.
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Sioux Falls
by Dr. Rick D. Odland
Part of the Images of Modern America series
The 1950's and 1960's were a time of historic growth, when over 20,000 new residents chose to make Sioux Falls their home. In 1981, Citibank came to Sioux Falls, bringing many more people to the city. Since the start of the 21st century, health care has been the job sector employing the most people in Sioux Falls, creating jobs and bringing many new medical specialties to the area. New entertainment, restaurants, parks, and shopping have improved the quality of life for locals. As the population has increased, Sioux Falls has proven it can keep up with demand.
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Saturn V Rocket
by Alan Lawrie
Part of the Images of Modern America series
In 1961, Pres. John F. Kennedy set the challenge of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In order to achieve this, NASA partnered with US industry to build the largest rocket ever produced, the Saturn V. It was designed and tested in record time and made its first flight in 1967. Less than two years later and within the timescales set by the president, the crew of Apollo 11 was launched on a Saturn V and watched live by millions of people on televisions around the world. From this launch, Neil Armstrong made his famous giant leap for mankind, later to be followed by 11 other astronauts who also walked on the moon.
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Biscayne National Park
by James A. Kushlan
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Biscayne National Park protects the larger portion of south Florida's Biscayne Bay, a uniquely tropical lagoon harboring crocodiles, manatees, dolphins, and Caribbean fish. Tropical trees cover its islands, while the world's fourth-longest coral reef sits offshore. Native Americans lived here thousands of years ago; the Spanish held it for 200 years. Hundreds of ships foundered on the reef, fueling a lucrative wrecking industry. In the late 1800s, hardy homesteaders created an agricultural and fishing community. In the 1920s and 1930s, it became a playground for the newly rich and famous. Bracketed by Miami and Key Biscayne to the north and Key Largo to the south, the nearby population eventually grew to over 2. 5 million residents and over 14 million annual visitors. To protect these unique natural and historical resources and to assure its enjoyment by future generations, a half century ago, the federal government created Biscayne National Monument, which later became Biscayne National Park.
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Congaree National Park
by John E. Cely
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Located in central South Carolina, only a few miles from the capital city of Columbia, Congaree National Park is the largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the country and one of the most biologically diverse parks within the national park system. Nearly 100 species of trees have been documented within the park, almost as many as in the entire Pacific Northwest. The park has one of the tallest hardwood forests anywhere in the temperate world and features numerous trees of record-setting proportions, a distinction that has earned it the name "Forest of Champions." This book discusses the early history of the area that later became the Congaree National Park, shows efforts to protect it from logging by a citizen's grassroots campaign, traces the park's early beginnings and development, and illustrates some of the park's notable flora and fauna.
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Moraine State Park
by Polly Shaw
Part of the Images of Modern America series
About 20,000 years ago, the late Wisconsinan glaciation reached its maximum extent. Glacial deposits identify the moraine, or farthest area covered by the glacier. Muddy Creek was a north-flowing stream that was blocked by the south-advancing glacier, forming a huge lake that lasted until the glacier dam began to retreat. The lake rapidly drained, eventually exposing the vast Muddy Creek basin. Dr. Frank Preston envisioned recreating the ancient glacial lake and worked with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to begin the project that became 16,725-acre Moraine State Park. Its centerpiece, man-made Lake Arthur and the surrounds, provide outstanding outdoor recreation and relaxation opportunities.
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The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad's Pittsburgh Division
by Bruce Elliott
Part of the Images of Modern America series
The Pittsburgh Division had its earliest beginnings in 1837, but what would be known as the main line was not completed until 1871. At its height, the Pittsburgh Division consisted of five distinct main lines and 14 branch lines, and the division had trackage rights over the Western Maryland and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroads. Images of Modern America: The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad's Pittsburgh Division looks at five of these lines: the B&O Main Line from Cumberland to Pittsburgh; the Pittsburgh and Western; the Somerset and Cambria; the Fairmont, Morgantown and Pittsburgh; and the Wheeling, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
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California's Capitol Corridor
by Matthew Gerald Vurek
Part of the Images of Modern America series
The "Capitol Corridor" is the name of the Amtrak passenger train route between California's capital, Sacramento, and San Jose, the state's first capital upon admission to the Union in 1850. The scenery between these two areas highlights vastly different land uses; examples include an industrialized shoreline covered with a forest of petroleum refineries, urban areas transitioning from industrial to residential use, and a wildlife refuge disturbed only by the passage of trains. The Capitol Corridor is now an integral part of the transportation scene in Northern California. Since 1991, its equipment and infrastructure have evolved to keep pace with technology as well as the area's dynamic economic and social environment.
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Houston Heights
by Anne Sloan
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Founded in 1891, Houston Heights, one of the earliest and largest planned communities in the state of Texas, weathered the national decline of urban neighborhoods and has entered an era of growth, new construction, and a denser use of its space. Located approximately three miles from downtown Houston (the fourth-largest city in the nation), Houston Heights is now prime real estate. As townhomes, condos, and large apartment complexes continue to be built, the area's "small-town feel" has become diluted. Houston Heights is struggling to maintain its walkability, residents are trying to remain connected to their neighbors, and preservationists are striving to save its history. Almost everyone who lives here appreciates the quirkiness of the neighborhood, the visual impact of art that is part of their daily lives, the ethnic diversity, and the respect that residents show toward young and the old. Three City of Houston historic districts preserve portions of the neighborhood's traditional fabric.
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Manchester
by Robert B. Perreault
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Known as New Hampshire's Queen City, Manchester could be called Change City. Throughout its history, it has reinvented itself many times. From a Native American fishing and gathering place called Amoskeag to a Yankee colonial town known as Derryfield, it became a multiethnic industrial center, the Manchester of America, home of the world-famous Amoskeag Manufacturing Company (1831-1936). When Amoskeag Manufacturing closed during the Depression, the city that would not die was reborn through more diversified industries that carried it through the post-World War II era. Several decades of urban renewal saw the demolition of many older buildings and entire neighborhoods. Lamenting the loss of Boston & Maine Railroad's Union Station and St. Mary's Bank's marble building, Manchester residents drew inspiration from the US bicentennial in 1976 to create a renaissance of interest in history and architecture, which brought about the adaptation to modern use of several remaining older structures. Yet more major losses came in 1978 and 1989 with the destruction of the State Theatre and Manchester's beloved Notre Dame Bridge.
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Abingdon
by Donna Gayle Akers
Part of the Images of Modern America series
According to legend, in about 1760, Daniel Boone first named this hinterlands settlement 'Wolf Hills.' Incorporated in 1778, the town of Abingdon became the leading trade, business, and legal center for Southwest Virginia from the late 1700s to mid-1800s. With a key location along the Great Wagon Road, the community blossomed during the 19th and 20th centuries due to trade, railroad commerce, banking, industry, and its natural resources, such as timber and salt from nearby Saltville. However, from the 1960s to 1980s, downtown lost several historic landmarks to fire and demolition. Businesses began to move to outlying shopping centers, and small, locally owned businesses were replaced by national chain stores. Railroad traffic decreased and no longer moved goods and passengers. Previously the locus for commerce, transportation, and entertainment, the historic downtown area transitioned to an arts and tourist destination and to a unique crossroads service area with government centers, restaurants, specialty stores, offices, banks, and hotels.
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Mystic
by Kent Fuller
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Since Mystic, Connecticut, celebrated its 300th anniversary in 1954, it has evolved from a working-class village into a tourist-driven community while embracing its quaint New England charm and keeping its rich history alive. The shoreline village of two townships (Stonington to the east; Groton to the west) is divided by the Mystic River, which passes through the downtown center where the iconic bascule bridge unites the community. Many establishments occupy buildings preserved from Mystic's deeply anchored shipbuilding past. Towering wooden ships, beluga whales, creative arts, shops, restaurants, and events overflowing with Mystic's heart and soul attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
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Brewing in Maine
by Tom Major
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Maine was once a national leader in the temperance movement to outlaw alcohol. In the last 30 years, however, the Pine Tree State has been equally influential in the craft beer movement. Since 1986, when David and Karen Geary opened New England's first microbrewery, more than 50 breweries have opened in Maine. The state not only ranks among the top 10 for breweries per capita, it also boasts two of the 50 largest craft breweries in the country. The personalities and visions of the brewers are as diverse as the beers they create. Some have opened their breweries in the hulking mill complexes of Lewiston and Biddeford or the former factories of Portland. Others have brewed at the scenic mountain resorts of Sugarloaf and Sunday River or on the quaint, historic wharves of Belfast and Kennebunk, and even on distant Monhegan Island. Farmstead breweries have sprung up from Skowhegan to Lyman, while the state's industrial parks are no less fertile.
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Key West
by Frances Watson Clark
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Key West has a colorful history. It was the beachhead that protected the United States from the Soviet Union and Cuba in the 1960s, its literary and music scenes attracted and developed writers, artists, and musicians in the 1970s, and it seceded from the Union and created a new nation, the Conch Republic, in the 1980s. Through the rest of the decades to the present, festivals, celebrations, and revelries have drawn tourists here year-round and supported the Conchs, the key's residents. The vibrant community, people and places, military presence, and significant historic sites make Key West one of the most interesting places in the United States.
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Staging the Great Circus Parade
by Jim Peterson
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Milwaukee was home to the Great Circus Parade for almost 30 years. Beginning in 1963 and continuing until 1972, the parade became an annual tradition, except in 1967 when the event was cancelled because of civil unrest. Revived on a smaller scale in 1980, the parade traveled between Baraboo and Chicago until it returned to Milwaukee in 1985. Each year, it grew in size and scope, gaining national prominence. The old-fashioned circus parade became an event of mammoth proportions, requiring an army of volunteers working behind the scenes.
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Hampton and Hampton Beach
by Grace C. Lyons
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Hampton Beach is a gem tucked away on New Hampshire's 18-mile coastline, but its unique qualities and picturesque views have made it one of New England's most beloved vacation destinations. At the center of beach activity is the Seashell Complex and the Hampton Beach Casino. The Seashell has been on the coast since 1962, and the Casino Ballroom has occupied Ocean Boulevard for over 110 years. The community boasts a seamless combination of old and new, from the recent Hampton Beach Redevelopment Project to the long-standing Ashworth by the Sea Hotel. Its small-town values, annual parades and festivals, and weekly fireworks continue as they have for decades.
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Elmwood Park Zoo
by Stan Huskey
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Elmwood Park Zoo was established in 1924 when roughly 16 acres of land and a small group of animals were donated to the borough of Norristown. Although the early years of the zoo were more akin to a small farm, it has gone through an extensive expansion during the past few decades. This expansion and the continued revitalization of Elmwood Park Zoo include some notable residents, such as the zoo's owl, who has become the mascot of Temple University, and its bald eagle, a sideline regular for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. The zoo today, with new features including a zip line and a giraffe exhibit, looks to the future, with plans for even more exhibits, a new restaurant, and an additional 20 acres yet to be developed.
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Museum of the American Railroad
by Museum of the American Railroad
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Establishing its collection as the Age of Steam exhibit at Dallas's Fair Park in 1963, the Museum of the American Railroad would go on to acquire over 45 locomotives and railcars. By 2006, the museum needed to move from its first home to a larger facility to allow more space to exhibit the collection of railcars, documents, and other artifacts. One of the keystone pieces is the GG-1 electric locomotive that pulled Robert Kennedy's funeral train in 1968. It has been restored to its original Pennsylvania Railroad appearance. The museum also houses the Centennial - the world's largest diesel-electric locomotive - as well as the rare and famous Santa Fe Alco PA-1 locomotive, acquired from the Smithsonian Institution.
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Jimmy Carter in Plains
The Presidential Hometown
by Robert Buccellato
Part of the Images of Modern America series
The physical connections to most American presidents are deeply rooted in the past and unfamiliar. One can no longer see Washington's birthplace or William Henry Harrison's log cabin. Plains, Georgia, is different, and the attachment Americans have for it remains truly unique. Jimmy Carter in Plains: A Presidential Hometown tells the inspirational story of how one man and his community transformed a nation. When Jimmy Carter, a one-term governor of Georgia, announced his candidacy for president, few took him seriously. Yet, in just two years, he managed to pull off a spectacular and unprecedented victory, thanks to his personal style of politicking and the support of his hometown. Many of his neighbors campaigned for him, and they became known as the "Peanut Brigade." Crowds started to flock to the sleepy hamlet of Plains, making celebrities out of the candidate's mother, younger brother, and daughter. The exceptional photographs of Charles W. Plant guide the reader through the 1976 election, which made Plains "America's hometown."
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Oregon Surfing
North Coast
by Scott Blackman
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Surfing culture began in Portland, Seaside, Cannon Beach, and Pacific City in the early 1960s. Influenced by surf music and a few California surfers, a handful of skin divers and adolescent boys yearned to engage in the sport. In the beginning, surfing was illegal along the beachfronts of Seaside and Cannon Beach. Answering the siren call, locals took to the beaches, while others from around Oregon, Washington, and California found their way to isolated spots along the Northern Oregon coast. The early surfers were not intimidated by their lack of knowledge, poor equipment, or the unpredictable waves. Instead, surfing caught on in the cold waters of Oregon. Experience the early days of Oregon surfing through the pioneer surfers' stories and vintage photographs.
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LGBT Hampton Roads
by Dr. Charles H. Ford
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Virginia's Hampton Roads region has long attracted diverse and mobile people, some of whom embraced same-sex love or fluid gender identities long before lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities identified as such. By the mid-1900s, Hampton Roads would lead the state in its development of LGBT institutions and infrastructure. Our Own Press would chronicle the extraordinary burst of creativity and activism that seemed to place LGBT developments in the region on a national stage. In the late 1980s and 1990s, however, military crackdowns and the HIV/AIDS epidemic devastated the leadership of local LGBT communities. Only in the new century would there be a renaissance of networking and engagement to bring the annual Pride Festival to center stage at Town Point Park in Norfolk.
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Abandoned Asylums of Connecticut
by L. F. Blanchard
Part of the Images of Modern America series
This collection of photographs, history, and firsthand accounts gives readers a glimpse at the roots of mental health. These vignettes are born of the personal stories of those who worked at these facilities, those who were institutionalized, and their families. The authors took the time to listen to their stories and endeavored to understand their past and recognize how these events continue to influence the mental health industry today. Pictured throughout are the physical relics of the places-the now largely abandoned asylums of Connecticut-where these stories unfurled.
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Erie County Fair
by Martin Biniasz
Part of the Images of Modern America series
During the mid-20th century, the Erie County Fair in Hamburg, New York, began a journey that transformed a traditional, agriculturally based fair into the largest independent county fair and exposition in the United States. As the number of fair days and exhibits expanded, so did the number of fairgoers, increasing gate attendance figures to over one million visitors annually. While fair traditions have provided continuity over the decades, the fair continues to evolve and renew itself through improvements to the fairgrounds, the addition of unique attractions, and an ongoing commitment to agriculture. Erie County Fair showcases the many dramatic changes that have taken place during the modern era of this fair. From the thrills of the midway and entertainment to nationally recognized agricultural, creative arts, and livestock competitions, the fair's history comes alive through color photographs from the archives of the Erie County Agricultural Society.
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Chatham
by Alan Pollock
Part of the Images of Modern America series
In 1987, the hungry Atlantic Ocean broke the barrier beach protecting Chatham, swallowing a handful of shorefront houses. But in the last half century, most of the change that has come to this town on the elbow of Cape Cod has been more subtle. Historic houses gave way to hotels when Chatham became an attractive vacation destination for motorists, and then the hotels became homes again as summer visitors sought to have a place of their own for retirement. Amid real estate booms, Chathamites struggled to keep the town's history and natural beauty from being erased. Treasures like the Godfrey gristmill, the Marconi wireless station, and even the Main Street School fell into disrepair but were later preserved. Chatham continues its wrestle with nature, confronting old challenges like erosion and new ones like water quality-and now great white sharks.
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The Decade
by Gabby Means
Part of the Images of Modern America series
The Decade was the birthplace of rock 'n' roll in Pittsburgh, at the corner of Atwood and Sennott. The eclectic bar with parachutes covering the ceiling was home base for local bands such as the Iron City Houserockers, but it also served as a showcase for rising international recording acts, including the Police, U2, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the Ramones. Under the shadow of the University of Pittsburgh, The Decade was an oasis of live rock and blues music in the 1970s to the early 1990s. The small venue had wide appeal to bands who felt they could intimately connect with their audience. Owned and operated by Dom DiSilvio, The Decade will forever be a home to many Pittsburghers, and Images of Modern America: The Decade is a home for their stories.
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Old Cowtown Museum
by Keith Wondra
Part of the Images of Modern America series
Old Cowtown Museum originally started as a shrine to the pioneers and founders of Wichita. It later reinvented itself according to Hollywood's version of the Old West. After the peak of Western films, the museum once again updated its theme to reflect Wichita's agricultural history. In recent years, Old Cowtown Museum has become a nationally recognized and accredited living history museum. A product of 1950s Old West nostalgia, it has become one of the most beloved of all of Wichita's museums and institutions. Inside this book is the story of how Old Cowtown Museum became the regional and cultural attraction it is today, along with images of the museum throughout its 66-year history, including people, events, and stories, many of which have never been published before.