In the wake of San Francisco's 1906 catastrophe, an enterprising publisher dispatched journalist Charles Morris to obtain firsthand narratives from survivors. Morris's gripping report was rushed to press a few weeks later, providing "a complete and accurate account of the fearful disaster which visited the great city and the Pacific coast, the reign of panic and lawlessness, the plight of 300,000 homeless people, and the worldwide rush to the rescue."...

Known as the area "within the magic circle," the Western town of Woodlake, along with its surrounding valley, is rich in both natural resources and hardworking citizens who are proud of their heritage. Most Tulare County towns sprang up along the Southern Pacific Railroad. Woodlake, designed as a tourist town, drew together farming communities, consisting of people too busy raising fruit and cattle to create a town. Starting with Thomas Henry Davis...

Meridian Township began as a collection of small pioneer communities. Pine Lake was the largest body of water in Ingham County, and Native tribes camped along its shores and cut a trail along the west side of the lake. White pioneers appeared in 1836 and began to turn the thick forests into viable farmland. In the late 19th century, James Haslett helped establish a community focused on the practices of spiritualism. The new Haslett Park community...

Carved eons ago by the Cache la Poudre River, the Poudre Canyon, north and west of Fort Collins, Colorado, has long been a favored recreation place, for fishing, hiking, camping, and more, of area residents and tourists. The canyon has many colorful tales to tell; this book takes readers on a drive through that history, milepost by milepost, stopping at historic places and taking some side trips along the way. Beginning with trappers and mountain...

Wellsboro, the county seat of Tioga County, owes much of its vitality to dense forests, abundant wildlife, and mountainous terrain. Named by the National Park Service as a Natural Landmark in 1968, nearby Pine Creek Gorge was introduced by George Washington Sears, better known as "Nessmuk," in 1860 and later publicized as "the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania." A weeklong Laurel Festival, organized in 1938, celebrates the canyon, the state flower, and...

Newcomers to the "Mile-High City" of Denver, whether arriving during the 19th, 20th, or 21st centuries, have often remarked on how new the city seems, and how proud its citizens are of it. Heady boom times at various intervals have inspired successive waves of city builders eager to make their mark by building grand, new edifices. Often, these new wonders replaced older structures that earlier Denverites had once seen as great accomplishments. As...

Located on New York's Long Island in Nassau County, the quaint, tight-knit town of Bethpage was established as a settlement for the Thomas Powell family in 1687. In the early years, it consisted of a few small villages of farmers. In 1884, the Long Island Rail Road extended through Bethpage, which was renamed Central Park. Many businesses opened up around the station, bringing the town to the attention of land buyers, which had an enormous impact...

Clay County extends from the banks of the Tombigbee River in the east across Mississippi's fertile Black Prairie, the Kilgore Hills, and ends in the Flatwoods to the west. West Point, the county seat, lies in the eastern part of the county in the midst of the Black Prairie and was first developed as a railroad center for the cotton trade during the 1850s. Today, the local economy is largely dominated by manufacturing and services. Images of America:...

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...

On October 6, 1846, Gad Norton invited the public to witness a scientific experiment to be conducted at his family-owned lake. The experiment failed, but the crowds of people inspired him to open a recreation area. In 1851, the firm of Pierce and Norton began land improvements. Not only were new attractions added, but corporate outings and outdoor concerts with big bands were also held, providing for a full day of fun and memories. As the oldest continuously...