Growing from 4 gardens in 1987 to 29 in 2015, Botanica, The Wichita Gardens has become a regional attraction. The dream of a botanical garden in Wichita started in the early 1970s with John Firsching, superintendent of landscape and forestry with the Board of Park Commissioners, and in 1987 the gardens opened on the site of Wichita's Sim Park. Images of Modern America: Botanica, The Wichita Gardens tells the story of the people, events, and stories...

In the 1960s, Tuscaloosa drew national attention when the University of Alabama was fully integrated. The decade also marked the arrival of Paul "Bear" Bryant as head coach of Alabama's football team and the majority of Frank Anthony Rose's tenure as president--a period characterized by race mediation and increases in enrollment, assets, and academic standards. For the next 50 years, sports, education, cultural and recreational opportunities, and...

This book explores Jacksonville's transformation into the largest city (by land area) in the contiguous United States with images of significant events in its history. Like many of the country's older cities, Jacksonville suffered from the negative impacts of rapid urban sprawl after World War II. Amid a declining tax base, public schools losing their accreditation, and government corruption scandals, Jacksonville voters approved a referendum to consolidate...

Lawrence Park Township and Wesleyville Borough are suburbs of Erie, Pennsylvania, and both communities are proud of their comfortable residences, many churches, parks, and business districts. Wesleyville grew along Buffalo Road, while Lawrence Park was developed by the General Electric Company a century later. Four Mile Creek, with its picturesque wanderings, is shared by both communities, and local legend suggests that it might have played a part...

After incorporation in 1866, Scranton demonstrated an indomitable spirit that made it the Electric City and the Anthracite Capital of the World. Nestled in the scenic Lackawanna River Valley, Scranton carried that spirit through the changing economic landscape of the mid-20th century as its coal, railroad, and textile industries declined. In a cityscape that recalls its past, Scranton continues to find creative uses for its iconic structures. The...

In July 1866, three wagon trains of German immigrants from Wisconsin arrived at their new home on the North Fork of the Elkhorn River in northeastern Nebraska. The settlers intended to call the town Northfork, but in 1868, when the abbreviated "Norfork" was submitted to federal postal authorities, the government assumed the name was misspelled and changed it to Norfolk. Since the town's founding, the story of the community has been one of continuous...

Recognized throughout the state as Arkansas's fastest-growing city, Jacksonville evolved from a settlement surrounding the railroad depot, eventually incorporating as a town in 1941. The population soared when the exceedingly large ordnance plant was built during World War II. The plant's footprint included much of present-day Jacksonville and employed upwards of 20,000 people. The migration northward from larger cities to this bustling suburban town...

The changing world of the 1960s forced adaptation upon southern St. Joseph County, which was still trying to retain a rural identity in the towns of North Liberty, Walkerton, and Lakeville. By the decade's end, Studebaker had closed, and multigenerational family farms had been sold to accommodate the creation of Potato Creek State Park. The early 1980s brought further challenges for community leaders tasked with consolidating area schools to form...

St. Joseph and Benton Harbor portrays twin cities with very different personalities weathering a time of great change. Long established as thriving centers of manufacturing, fruit farming, shipping, and tourism, both towns faced the enormous economic and cultural transformations of post-World War II America: rapid demographic shifts, urban renewal, social unrest, and the collapse of industrial manufacturing. Through hard work, creative effort, and...

Kenosha is a suburb of both Chicago and Milwaukee, and it draws visitors from both metro areas and from all over the United States. A historic downtown, frequent community events, and a fierce dedication to the arts have catapulted the city into tourism stardom. Although big businesses have steadily come and gone, the residential population remains strong. From family-owned stores that have been downtown for nearly 100 years, to a vintage streetcar...