Lost Towns of New England
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
New England is home to abandoned towns and forgotten main streets that once bustled with life and commerce. From villages sunk underwater to cities undone by the rise and fall of mill life, madness or just plain bad luck, these ghost towns offer a unique look into the rich history of the past. Get a glimpse into what early life was really like through historical accounts of abandoned villages. Discover the history behind the ruins of towns like Connecticut's religious community Gay City, the former New Hampshire resort town of Unity Springs and Massachusetts's famed Dogtown-before nature reclaims them entirely. Join local author Renee Mallett as she uncovers the heydays of some of New England's most fascinating lost towns.
Lost Towns of Central Alabama
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Settlers came to Central Alabama in the early 1800s with big dreams. Miners panned the streams and combed the hillsides of the state's Gold Belt, hoping to strike it rich. Arbacooche and Goldville were, forged by the rush on land and gold, along with Cahaba, the first state capital. Demand for the abundant cotton led to the establishment of factories like Pepperell Mills, Russell Manufacturing Company, Tallassee Mills, Avondale Mills and Daniel Pratt Cotton Gin. Owners built mill villages for their workers, setting the standard for other companies as well. But when, booms go bust, they leave ghost towns in their wake. Author Peggy Jackson Walls walks the empty streets of these once lively towns, reviving the stories of the people who built and abandoned them.
Vanished Denver Landmarks
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
From its 1858 birth, the Mile High City has undergone continuous change, with each successive generation putting its stamp on Denver's architectural character. Along the way, landmarks initially considered first class were later deemed disposable by those who had different visions of what Denver should be. Beloved buildings like the Tabor Grand Opera House, the Windsor Hotel and the Republic Building vanished. Historian Mark A. Barnhouse revisits these lost treasures along with the lesser known and rarely explored, including an apartment building dubbed "Denver's Bohemia," the humble abode of one of the early twentieth century's most successful novelists and the opulent mansion of a man who gave Denver three consecutive baseball championships.
The Lost Freedmen's Town of Hamburg, South Carolina
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Hamburg is perhaps South Carolina's most famous ghost town. Founded in 1821, it grew to four thousand residents before transportation advances led to decline. During Reconstruction, recently freed slaves reshaped Hamburg into a freedmen's village, where residents held local, county and state offices. These gains were wiped away after the Hamburg Massacre in 1876, a watershed event that left seven African Americans dead, most of them executed in cold blood. Yet more than a century after Hamburg, the one white supremacist killed in the melee is canonized by the racially divisive Meriwether Monument in downtown North Augusta. Author Michael Smith details the amazing events that created this unique community with a lasting legacy.
Lost Flint
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
The city of Flint waxed and waned with the automotive industry of the twentieth century. Where they have not vanished completely, crumbling signs of past opulence stand as painful reminders of more recent struggles. Hardly a trace remains of the Buick City factory complex that sprawled across the city's north side. The placid waters of Flint Park Lake once echoed with the sounds of an amusement park--games, dancing, circus acts and even a roller coaster. Flint Community Schools pioneered a model for how schools can function outside regular hours, but too many now are closed and deteriorating. Local author Gary Flinn uncovers the abandoned places and lost traditions from the Vehicle City's past.
Historic Tales of Whoop-Up Country
On the Trail from Montana's Fort Benton to Canada's Fort Macleod
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Withdrawal of the mighty Hudson Bay Company from present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan created a lawless environment with new economic opportunities. A cross-border trading bond arose with growing steamboat mercantile center Fort Benton in Montana Territory. In 1870, Montana traders Johnny Healy and Al Hamilton moved across the Medicine Line and built Fort Whoop-Up. It established the two-hundred-mile Whoop-Up Trail from Fort Benton, through Blackfoot lands, to the Belly River near today's Lethbridge. Over the next decade, the buffalo robe trade flourished with the Blackfoot, as did violence. The turmoil forced the creation of Canada's North West Mounted Police, tasked with closing down the whiskey trade and evicting the Montana traders. Award-winning historian Ken Robison brings to life this dramatic story.
Lost Cedar Rapids
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Cedar Rapids is the only city in America to house its government offices on an island. But tons of other iconic structures that defined the city are no longer around. The Little Gallery on First Avenue was created to showcase local artists. Yager's "moved up to bring prices down." The area was home to thirty-nine theaters, including two from 1928 that are still in operation. From the hotels to the factories, the ethnic districts to the depots, the dance halls to the amusement parks, these are the places that made a difference in the City of Five Seasons. Local author Pete Looney traces the history of the structures.
Lost Napa Valley
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Napa Valley, once known for its cattle and silver mines, has grown into an international wine destination. On the way, many buildings and institutions have vanished. From the Von Uhlit family's fruit farm in Napa to the Wheeler Ranch in St. Helena, fields and orchards became neighborhoods and vineyards. The Dolphin, a steamboat that once delivered travelers from San Francisco, was replaced by faster transport, and the Napa State Hospital's original "castle" was demolished. The Sawyer Tannery, in operation for over one hundred years, closed its doors in 1990, and destinations like the Kay Von Drive-In and the Bel Aire Bowl now live on only in memory. Join author and historian Lauren Coodley as she celebrates these once-beloved landmarks in California's Wine Country.
Lost Delaware
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Former Delaware journalists Rachel Kipp and Dan Shortridge document the past, present, and sometimes the future of Delaware's landmarks and legends. Originally part of Pennsylvania and called "the three lower counties on the Delaware," the First State's present has been shaped by both colonial culture and modern industry. Many landmarks of its past, including the Greenbaum Cannery, the Rosedale Beach Hotel, the Nanticoke Queen restaurant, the Ross Point School and the Kahunaville nightclub now live solely in memory. The tales of airplanes and auto plants, breweries and bridges, cows and churches provide insight into the state's many communities, including its Black heritage. Read about fallen hospitals, long-ago lighthouses, crumbling mansions, demolished prisons and theaters that no longer hold shows.
Lost Fort Ellis
A Frontier History of Bozeman
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Established in 1867 in the Gallatin Valley of Montana, Fort Ellis played a key role in the development of the Montana frontier. From post commanders attacking the town to restoring order when riotous mobs got out of control, explore the ambivalent, albeit contentious, relationship from 1867 to 1886 between the civilians and soldiers in whimsical but dramatic fashion. Competing visions of economic and military conditions on the frontier led to a complex relationship that has all the drama of a Hollywood western. Join MSU–Billings history professor Dr. Thomas C. Rust as he examines the fort's impact on the social and economic development of early Bozeman, the problems of military command, and the dynamics of the soldier-civilian interaction on Montana's frontier.
Indiana Lost Gary
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
A poster child for our nation's urban experimentation a century ago, Gary was forged with hype and hope, dreams and sweat, political agendas and tons of steel. The hardscrabble city attracted all kinds, from shady scoundrels and famous architects to hardworking immigrants and brilliant entrepreneurs. Boasting 180,000 residents at its peak, the booming melting pot eventually faded away under the afflictions of urban decay, racial unrest and political upheaval. Jerry Davich explores the remnants of Gary's glory days, from Union Station in ruins to City Methodist Church stripped of its soul. Revisit the Sheraton Hotel's demise, Emerson High School's hard lessons, Vee-Jay Records' last release and a devastated downtown filled only with façades and fond memories.
Lost Mohawk Valley
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Life in the Mohawk Valley today is vastly different from generations ago. Long gone are the factory whistles calling workers to their shifts in old mill towns. Fort Plain still benefits from little-known inventor William Yerdon, and Utica baseball player George Burns was so skilled that fans called left field "Burnsville." Few realize that a local artist shared a special bond with John Philip Sousa, one of the nation's greatest musicians. The Tamarack Playhouse was once the venue of spectacular theatricals, and as time goes on, there are fewer alumni to remember Amsterdam's Bishop Scully High School. Local author Bob Cudmore shows that while lost, these and other compelling stories no longer need be forgotten.
Lost Cincinnati
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Cincinnati earned its nickname of "Queen City of the West" with a wealth of fine theaters and hotels, a burgeoning brewery district and the birth of professional baseball. Though many of these treasures have vanished, they left an indelible mark on the city. Revisit the favorite locales from old Coney Island to Crosley Field. Celebrate lost gems, such as the palatial Albee Theater and the historic Burnet House, where Generals Grant and Sherman plotted the end of the Civil War. Along the way, author Jeff Suess uncovers some uniquely Cincinnati quirks from the inclines and the canal to the infamous incomplete subway. Join Suess as he delves into the mystery and legacy of Cincinnati's lost landmarks.
Lost Virginia Beach
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
The Oceanfront's Cottage Line, the music halls of Seaside Park and dunes so large they dwarfed the old Cape Henry lighthouse are a memory. Gone, too, are many of the city's iconic landmarks and open spaces, lost to storm, fire and the relentless onslaught of post-World War II development. With a deft hand and rare vintage images, historian Amy Waters Yarsinske recalls a time when the likes of Chuck Berry and Ray Charles played beneath the sizzling lights of the Dome and locals shagged the night away at the Peppermint Beach Club. Join Yarsinske as she takes one final stroll through a Virginia Beach lost to time.
Lost Biloxi
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Biloxi's beaches and casinos make the city a haven for Gulf Coast tourists. And since it's one of America's oldest communities, local residents have seen many iconic treasures come and go. Before Hurricane Katrina, more than 150 historical structures dotted the area. Of those, 60 were lost to the devastating storm, including the Father Ryan House, built in the early 1840s. In 1969, Hurricane Camille flattened the Baldwin Wood Lighthouse. Other structures like Biloxi City Hall on Main Street faded away with the passage of time, having stood resolute for decades. Author Edmond Boudreaux recalls Biloxi's most significant and cherished landmarks.
Lost York County
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
On October 17, 1947, a fire started near Newfield. It grew quickly and moved east, destroying Goose Rocks Beach, Fortune's Rock and parts of Cape Porpoise. Thousands of historic buildings perished. The 1947 blaze was unique in the scope of its devastation, but fire has claimed countless York County landmarks over the years. Development projects, neglect and weather have doomed many more. Lost York County presents rare photos of many of these buildings, preserving the visual record of lost town halls, churches, schools, homes and hotels, from Kittery to Biddeford. In this collection of many never-before-seen images, Steven Burr offers a tribute to places and memories seized by time.
Lost Miami: Stories and Secrets Behind Magic City Ruins
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Miami architecture is world renowned, but many historic treasures have been forgotten. The Richmond Naval Air Station was a blimp base destroyed by hurricane in 1945. A Cold War missile base lies covered in graffiti. Homestead's old Aerojet complex was originally used in the testing and construction of experimental rockets but was slowly demolished as part of a project to revitalize the Everglades. The Miami Marine Stadium was declared unsafe after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and stands abandoned today. Author and "Abandoned Florida" blogger David Bulit revives the history and secrets of the Magic City's vanishing gems.
Lost Lexington, Kentucky
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Lexington has dozens of well-restored landmarks, but so many more are lost forever. The famous Phoenix Hotel, long a stop for weary travelers and politicians alike, has risen from its own ashes numerous times over the past centuries. The works of renowned architect John McMurtry were once numerous around town, but some of the finest examples are gone. The Centrepointe block has been made and unmade so many times that its original tenants are unknown to natives now. Join local blogger, attorney and preservationist Peter Brackney as he explores the intriguing back stories of these hidden Bluegrass treasures.
Lost Lewiston, Idaho
Elegies and Bygone Places
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Lewiston has a proud heritage of historic preservation. Yet, as with other communities, it has neglected and thrown away once-treasured landmarks and precious memories with the passage of time. Some legacies were crafted with brick and mortar, others with flesh and blood. Nothing is permanent unless we make it so. Join award-winning historian Steven D. Branting as he takes a focused look at some of Lewiston's bygone edifices and the ambitious civic leaders and craftsmen who fashioned them. Reconnect with the city's scholars, its pious, its dreamers and one desperate teenager. They all made Lewiston what it once was, bequeathed their present to be our past and have sadly faded from our view.
Lost Butte, Montana
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
From the stately Queen Anne mansions of the West Side to the hastily constructed shanties of Cabbage Patch, Lost Butte, Montana traces the city's history through its architectural heritage. This book includes such highlights as the Grand Opera House, once graced by entertainers and cultural icons like Charlie Chaplin, Sarah Bernhardt and Mark Twain; the infamous brothels protested by reformer Carrie Nation, wielding her hatchet and sharp tongue; and the Columbia Gardens, built by copper king William Clark as a respite from the smoke and toil of the mines and later destroyed by fire. Through the stories of these structures, lost to the march of time and urban renewal, historian Richard Gibson recalls the boom and bust of Butte, once a mining metropolis and now part of the largest National Historic Landmark District.
Portland's Lost Waterfront
Tall Ships, Steam Mills and Sailors' Boardinghouses
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Today, Portland, Oregon, is a city of majestic bridges crisscrossing the deep swath of the Willamette River. A century ago, riverboat pilots would have witnessed a flurry of stevedores and longshoremen hurrying along the wharves. Situated as the terminus of sea lanes and railroads, with easy access to the wheat fields, sawmills and dairies of the Willamette Valley, Portland quickly became a rich and powerful seaport. As the city changed, so too did the role of the sailor - once bartered by shanghai masters, later elevated to well-paid and respected mariner. Drawing on primary source material, previously unpublished photographs and thirty-three years of waterfront work, local author Barney Blalock recalls the city's vanished waterfront in these tales of sea dogs, salty days and the river's tides.
Lost Towns of the Hudson Valley
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
This is the story of five towns located in New York's Hudson River Valley that met their demise as quickly as they were established. From the icehouses of Rockland Lake to the Ashokan Reservoir towns to the brick quarries of Roseton, only traces of these once vibrant settlements can now be found. Camp Shanks, one of World War II's most significant military compounds, was erected in 1942 but was quickly abandoned at the war's end. 'Last Stop USA,' as it was known, played host to over one million soldiers and welcomed patriotic visitors like Frank Sinatra and Shirley Temple. In this collection of images, local authors Wesley and Barbara Gottlock revive the spirits of these bygone communities and celebrate a lost way of life.
Lost Forts of Casper
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Three army outposts built before and during the Civil War protected critical routes along the western trails at the North Platte River near what later became Casper. All had been abandoned by 1867, and their dramatic stories are mostly forgotten. The Post at Platte Bridge was a vital outpost on Albert Sidney Johnston's Utah War supply route. Camp Dodge and Platte Bridge Station, also called Fort Caspar, guarded telegraph lines from Native American sabotage. Violent winds, horrendous blizzards and scorching summers made life miserable. Tension reached a fever pitch at the Battle of Platte Bridge when Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho attacked a cavalry detachment led by Caspar Collins. Today, a reconstructed Fort Caspar stands as a vigilant reminder of the struggles at those lonely frontier stations. Local historian Johanna Wickman chronicles military efforts to keep the peace, wage war and merely survive.
Lost Providence
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Providence has one of the nation's most intact historic downtowns and is one of America's most beautiful cities. The history of architectural change in the city is one of lost buildings, urban renewal plans and challenges to preservation. The Narragansett Hotel, a lost city icon, hosted many famous guests and was demolished in 1960. The American classical renaissance expressed itself in the Providence National Bank, tragically demolished in 2005. Urban renewal plans such as the Downtown Providence plan and the College Hill plan threatened the city in the mid-twentieth century. Providence eventually embraced its heritage through plans like the River Relocation Project that revitalized the city's waterfront and the Downcity Plan that revitalized its downtown. Author David Brussat chronicles the trials and triumphs of Providence's urban development.
Lake Charles
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Fires, hurricanes, neglect and progress erased much of Lake Charles's physical history. The young town was a magnet for pirates and privateers, like the infamous Jean Lafitte, who conducted business at the mouth of what is today called the Contraband Bayou. Michigan Men, creoles and cowboys made their way to the fledgling Louisiana town to start new lives. A great lumber industry shaped the town in the nineteenth century. Streetcars ran routes around the clock seven days a week. Author and historian Adley Cormier delves deep into Lake Charles's past to uncover a history that has been lost to time and change.
Oxnard Sugar Beets
Ventura County's Lost Cash Crop
by Jeffrey Wayne Maulhardt
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
In the early 1890s, farmers Albert Maulhardt and John Edward Borchard discovered Ventura County's favorable conditions for a highly profitable new cash crop: the sugar beet. Not long after inviting sugar mogul Henry T. Oxnard to the area, construction began on a $2 million sugar factory capable of processing two thousand tons of beets daily. The facility brought jobs, wealth and the Southern Pacific rail line. It became one of the country's largest producers of sugar, and just like that, a town was born. Despite the industry's demise, the city of Oxnard still owes its name to the man who delivered prosperity. A fifth-generation descendant, local author and historian Jeffrey Wayne Maulhardt details the rise and fall of a powerful enterprise and the entrepreneurial laborers who helped create a city.
Lost Council Bluffs
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Nestled in the Loess Hills, Council Bluffs grew from a frontier settlement of wickiups and log cabins. The outpost boomed as a gateway to the West when gold was discovered in California in 1849. The Pacific House and the Ogden House became landmark hotels for the transient population. Meanwhile, residents thrived and cultivated a bustling city with the Masonic Hall, Dohany's Opera House and the Merriam block. None of these once iconic buildings remains today. Author S.M. Senden explores the perpetual rebirth of Council Bluffs through its most important buildings and relates a still unfolding story.
Lost Youngstown
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
The massive steel mills of Youngstown once fueled the economic boom of the Mahoning Valley. Movie patrons took in the latest flick at the ornate Paramount Theater, and mob bosses dressed to the nines for supper at the Colonial House. In 1977, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company announced the closure of its steelworks in a nearby city. The fallout of the ensuing mill shutdowns erased many of the city's beloved landmarks and neighborhoods. Students hurrying across a crowded campus tread on the foundations of the Elms Ballroom, where Duke Ellington once brought down the house. On the lower eastside, only broken buildings and the long-silent stacks of Republic Rubber remain. Urban explorer and historian Sean T. Posey navigates a disappearing cityscape to reveal a lost era of Youngstown.
Lost Cleveland
Seven Wonders of the Sixth City
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Lost Cleveland is an engrossing excursion into the city's rarefied architectural air during its heyday as the sixth-largest city in the country. Author Michael DeAloia recounts the histories of seven culturally significant and iconic architectural gems that defined Cleveland's position of wealth and importance during the industrial age. Inspired by noble visions of Cleveland's most elite residents, these structures reflect the vigor and imagination that suffused city leaders. From Severance Hall, still home to the Cleveland Orchestra and the only structure in this collection that remains standing, to "Andrew's Folly," the grandest house built on legendary Millionaire's Row, Lost Cleveland provides a revealing historical retrospective on the growth, development and ultimate decline of the North Coast's greatest city.
Lost Capitals of Alabama
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Alabama's capital has roots all over the state. It first emerged in St. Stephens in 1799, a small fort acquired from the Spanish atop a tall limestone bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River. Next came Huntsville in the Tennessee Valley, where the state constitution emerged. Cahawba was the capital to receive a visit from the Marquis de Lafayette, the last surviving general of the American Revolution. In 1826, Tuscaloosa took the reins for twenty years before the final move to Montgomery. Discover the leaders and events that established the state and the fates of each dynamic governmental center as author Jim Lewis traces the history of Alabama's lost capitals.
Lost Miami Beach
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Miami Beach has been "America's Playground" for a century. Still one of the world's most popular resorts, its 1930s Art Deco architecture placed this picturesque city on the National Register of Historic Places. Yet a whole generation of earlier buildings was erased from the landscape and mostly forgotten: the house of refuge for shipwrecked sailors, the oceanfront mansions of Millionaires' Row, entrepreneur Carl Fisher's five grand hotels, the Community Theatre, the Miami Beach Garden and more. Join historian Carolyn Klepser as she rediscovers through words and pictures the lost treasures of Miami Beach and recounts the changes that sparked a renowned preservation movement.
Lost Fort Worth
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
From the humble beginnings of a frontier army camp, Fort Worth transformed into a city as cattle drives, railroads, oil and national defense drove its economy. During the tremendous growth, the landscape and cultural imprint of the city changed drastically, and much of Cowtown was lost to history. Witness the birth of western swing music and the death of a cloud dancer. See mansions of the well-heeled and saloons of the well-armed. Meet two gunfighters, one flamboyant preacher, one serial killer and one very short subway carrying passengers back in time to discover more of Fort Worth. Author Mike Nichols presents a colorful history tour from the North Side to the South Side's Battle of Buttermilk Junction.
Vanished Downtown Hartford
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Early nineteenth-century illustrations of Hartford, Connecticut, show church steeples towering over the Victorian homes and brownstone facades of businesses around them. The modern skyline of the town has lost many of these elegant steeples and their quaint and smaller neighbors. Banks have yielded to newer banks, and organizations like the YMCA are now parking lots. In the 1960s, Constitution Plaza replaced an entire neighborhood on Hartford's east side. The city has evolved in the name of progress, allowing treasured buildings to pass into history. Those buildings that survive have been repurposed--the Old State House, built in 1796, is one of the oldest and has found new life as a museum. Yet the memory of these bygone landmarks and scenes has not been lost. Historian Daniel Sterner recalls the lost face of downtown and preserves the historic landmarks that still remain with this nostalgic exploration of Hartford's structural evolution.
Remembering South Cape May
The Jersey Shore Town that Vanished into the Sea
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Few would imagine that the land currently occupied by the Nature Conservancy's Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge, or "the Meadows," was once the picturesque Jersey Shore town of South Cape May. By the early twentieth century, a striking hotel and homes designed by renowned Victorian-era architects dotted the landscape. Residents and visitors alike spotted rumrunners racing across the beachfront during Prohibition and endured World War II with German submarines lurking just offshore. But by 1954, barely a trace of the town remained except for about twenty of the original houses, which were moved a mile away. Join one of the town's last residents, Joseph Burcher, as he chronicles life in South Cape May before the angry Atlantic swallowed this serene town.
Lost Myrtle Beach
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Myrtle Beach has long been a favorite vacation spot for families across America, giving parents and children alike a lifetime of memories. The Myrtle Beach Pavilion, considered by many to be the heart of the city since 1908, was demolished in 2007. The Ocean Forest Hotel was as beautiful as a castle, and resembled one, during its forty-four-year span. Members of World War II's Doolittle Raid trained at the Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range, which eventually became Myrtle Beach Air Force Base until its closure in 1993. Join author Becky Billingsley for a trip back in time as she examines some of the city's most memorable attractions.
Lost Ski Areas of Southern Vermont
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Hidden amongst the hills and mountains of southern Vermont are the remnants of sixty former ski areas, their slopes returning to forest and their lifts decaying. Today, only fourteen remain open and active in southern Vermont. Though they offer some incredible skiing, most lack the intimate, local feel of these lost ski trails. Jeremy Davis, creator of the New England Lost Ski Areas Project, looks into the over-investment, local competition, weather variation, changing skier habits, insurance costs and just plain bad luck that caused these ski areas to succumb and melt back into the landscape. From the family-operated Hogback in Windham County to Clinton Gilbert's farm in Woodstock, where the very first rope tow began operation in the winter of 1934, these once popular ski areas left an indelible trace on the hearts of their ski communities and the history of southern Vermont.
Lost Sandusky
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
SANDUSKY BUILT ITS REPUTATION on the appeal of a picturesque lakefront and the opportunities of a manufacturing hub. Not only did its factories keep pace with the transportation industry, but the Ohio city also boasted the headquarters of international paper maker Hinde and Dauch and enough crayon production to be called the "Color Capital of the World." The amusement park at Cedar Point helped launch a new form of entertainment that continues today. But while the town remains a vacation destination and retains some heavy industry, it misses much of its former glory. Join M. Kristina Smith in revisiting those landmarks of Sandusky's past.
Lost Car Companies of Detroit
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Among more than two hundred auto companies that tried their luck in the Motor City, just three remain: Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. But many of those lost to history have colorful stories worth telling. For instance, J.J. Cole forgot to put brakes in his new auto, so on the first test run, he had to drive it in circles until it ran out of gas. Brothers John and Horace Dodge often trashed saloons during wild evenings but used their great personal wealth to pay for the damage the next day (if they could remember where they had been). David D. Buick went from being the founder of his own leading auto company to working the information desk at the Detroit Board of Trade. Author Alan Naldrett explores these and more tales of automakers who ultimately failed but shaped the industry and designs putting wheels on the road today.
Lost Akron
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
From a prehistoric locale like the Big Falls of the Cuyahoga River to the cavernous 1970s majesty of the Coliseum, explore the places that have melted away in Akron's changing landscape. Remember M. O'Neil Company? Akron Times-Press? The North Hill Viaduct? WAKR-TV? Norka Soda? Rolling Acres Mall? These are icons that all defined the city and its people. For those who live in Akron, for those who have moved away and for those too young to remember the Rubber City's heyday, author Mark J. Price takes a fascinating look at fifty vanished landmarks from Akron's past.
Lost Bluegrass
History of a Vanishing Landscape
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
The Bluegrass region has come to define what makes Kentucky a place unlike any other. What began as the homeland of native tribes developed into ideal farmland for early settlers. Development continued as the region evolved into the premier breeding grounds for world-famous thoroughbreds, helping to bring the Bluegrass international recognition as the epicenter of American horseracing and equestrian culture. Yet development of the region has never stopped. The rolling hills, limestone fences and legendary horse farms that once defined the landscape continue to vanish as suburban sprawl stretches into the far reaches of the Bluegrass. Join author Ronnie Dreistadt as he tracks the history of the Bluegrass, what's been lost and the ongoing efforts to save what remains.
Lost Birmingham
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Birmingham has many notable historic landmarks today, but so many more are all but forgotten. The Bangor Cave Casino was once a world-renowned speakeasy. The Thomas Jefferson Hotel featured a zeppelin mooring station, drawing lots of attention from tourists. Other significant sites from the past, such as Hillman Hospital and the buildings on the "Heaviest Corner on Earth," are unknown even to natives now. Local author Beverly Crider presents an intriguing and educational tour through these and more hidden treasures.
Lost Ski Areas of Southern California
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
The snow-laden slopes of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains have beckoned Southland skiers since the 1930s. Many once-cherished ski areas have disappeared, yet their history remains. A short drive from the sun and sand, places like Rebel Ridge and Kratka Ridge offered snowy escapes. Thrilling races were held at the First International Pine Needle Ski Tournament in North Hollywood, while the San Diego Ski Club boasted Dorothy McClung Wullich, the first female member of the National Ski Patrol. Ingrid Wicken, ski historian and founder of the California Ski Library, chronicles Southern California's lost mountain getaways and the vanished ski areas that introduced everything from rope tows to artificial snow.
Lost River Towns of Boone County
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
When Boone County was officially founded in 1799, a local population was already growing by the day. The Ohio River offered settlers access to this new frontier west of the Alleghenies, and soon many vibrant communities were established along the banks of the Ohio. Today, once thriving towns like North Bend, Belleview and Touseytown, built to last through generations, have all but vanished. The unforgiving current of the Ohio River washed many away, while modern transportation construction dispatched the remaining towns. Fortunately, through the efforts of editor Bridget Striker and a skilled team of local historians and archivists at the Boone County Public Library, these sunken homesteads have been unearthed. Peer into a bygone way of life through this comprehensive collection of vintage photographs and engaging historical accounts.
Lost Ski Areas of the White Mountains
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
The White Mountains of New Hampshire are world renowned for the array of skiing opportunities offered to every skier, from beginner to gold medal Olympian. Today over a dozen resorts entice tourists and locals each year with their well-manicured trails, high-speed lifts and slope-side lodging. But scattered throughout this region, the ghosts of former ski areas can still be found. In the White Mountains alone, sixty ski areas have closed since the 1930s. Author Jeremy Davis has compiled rare photographs, maps and personal memories to ensure that these beloved ski outposts, cherished by generations of skiers, are given recognition for transforming the White Mountains into a premier ski destination.
Lost Memphis
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
Memphis is a city founded on some of the great vestiges of our past. City staples such as steamboats, cotton plantations and exchange centers, relics symbolic of the city's rich industrial and agrarian legacy, have either been forgotten or completely lost. Every city, especially one as thoroughly modern as Memphis, naturally loses even the more recent aspects of its past through growth and expansion. Join Memphian and library historian Laura Cunningham as she unearths the lost hallmarks of Memphis, from the city's earliest beginnings to the present. Filled with rare and archival images that range from whimsical to haunting, Lost Memphis provides a glimpse into the vanished landmarks and bygone ways of life that once defined the city. Though the people and places featured in Lost Memphis are gone, this collection of compelling photos ensures that they will never be truly lost to history.
Where Cleveland Played
Sports Shrines from League Park to the Coliseum
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
These shrines, now gone save for League Park's crumbling remnants, hosted American sports heroes and icons, rock legends and hockey stars. Babe Ruth launched his 500th home run at League Park, where Indians great Bob Feller, all cleft chin and leg kick, debuted. A young and seemingly weightless Michael Jordan sunk the Cavs and Craig Ehlo at Richfield. Jim Brown broke the will of opponents at Municipal, where both Larry Doby--the first black American Leaguer--and Frank Robinson--baseball's first black manager--shattered color barriers. Morris Eckhouse and Greg Crouse delve into the city's lost sports sanctuaries, where Clevelanders rejoiced and wept, experiencing moments of jubilation and ineffable sadness that remain glowing and raw.
Lost Omaha
by Janet R. Daly Bednarek
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
The landmarks of Omaha's past reveal a history of industry, innovation and change. The Hotel Fontenelle, the Omaha Athletic Club and the Medical Arts Building disappeared in the wake of changes remaking downtown after World War II. Jobbers Canyon, a vital part of the city's wholesale district, was sacrificed to ConAgra's headquarters. Peony Park closed as suburban sprawl prevented its expansion, and changing leisure patterns took residents farther away for their amusement park experience. The stockyards finally closed in 1999, ending a long chapter in Omaha's history. Author and historian Janet R. Daly Bednarek charts the legacy of Omaha's lost history through its landmarks.
Lost St. Louis
by Valerie Battle Kienzle
Part of the Lost (The History Press) series
St. Louis has been a shining beacon on the shores of the Mississippi River for more than 250 years, and many iconic landmarks have come and gone. The city hosted the World's Fair in 1904, with beautiful acres of buildings, gardens and fountains, nearly all of which are lost to time. Famous Busch Stadium now sits on an area that was once a vibrant community for Chinese immigrants. St. Louis Jockey Club was an expansive and popular gathering spot in the late nineteenth century until the state outlawed gambling. The Lion Gas Building was home to a unique mural featuring more than seventy shades of gray in tribute to famed aviator Charles Lindbergh. Author Valerie Battle Kienzle details the fantastic forgotten landmarks of St. Louis.