The village of Arlington Heights--beginning with the diligence and fortitude of William Dunton--is replete with stories of bitter hardship and exalting triumph. Originally named Dunton after its founder, the village's success was sealed by canny deal-making that brought a railroad through the middle of town. As the state of Illinois boomed, the village on the tracks flourished with agriculture, industry, transportation and an expanding population. From the influx of immigrants and industry to the resurrection of the Arlington Park Racetrack, read the compelling history of a small agricultural village's transformation into a thriving commercial district and the unique way in which its small-town charm and industrious spirit coexist.

In 1849, German "Freethinkers" had been dreaming of a communal utopia, free from oppression by church and state. They settled in Texas on the Cibolo Creek, where Native Americans and Spanish explorers had gone before them. The experiment evolved into a frontier outpost, a stage stop, a health spa, a railhead, a small village, a brief chapter in the Civil War, and a farm and ranch community. Boerne is now a tourist destination and a lovely place to live. This collection of pictures and stories explores what has been amazing, unique, and a little odd about this bend in the Cibolo, as well as the history of local conservation efforts. As the little town of Boerne goes through its inevitable growing pains, it is important to remember its special people and places, and what is worth saving.

European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that the codfish were so thick one "could" walk on their backs. Early settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in 1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350 years later. "Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea" inspires new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's unique ecosystem.

Newport, Rhode Island, is renowned for its stunning cliff-side vistas and the luxurious summer homes of the Gilded Age elite. Yet the opulent facades of the City by the Sea concealed the scintillating scandals, eccentric characters and unsolved mysteries of its wealthiest families. Learn how Cornelius Vanderbilt III was cut out of the family's fortune for his unapproved marriage to Grace Wilson and how John F. Kennedy's marriage to a Newport debutante helped to secure his presidency. Travel to the White Horse Tavern, where a vengeful specter still waits for his supposed murderer to return to the scene, and discover the mysterious voyage of the "Sea Bird" and its missing crew. Historian Larry Stanford searches the dark corners of Newport's past to expose these scandalous tales and more.

In the swamps and juke joints of Holmes County, Mississippi, Edward Tillman Branch built his empire. Tillman's clubs were legendary. Moonshine flowed as patrons enjoyed craps games and well-know blues acts. Across from his Goodman establishment, prostitutes in a trysting trailer entertained men, including the married Tillman himself. A threat to law enforcement and anyone who crossed his path, Branch rose from modest beginnings to become the ruler of a treacherous kingdom in the hills that became his own end. Author Janice Branch Tracy reveals the man behind the story and the path that led him to become what Honeyboy Edwards referred to in his autobiography as the "baddest white man in Mississippi."

Although it is only thirteen square miles in size, Woburn boasts a vast history, replete with curious episodes and colorful characters. The town was home to three women accused of witchcraft in the infamous Salem witch trials, and it was the choice camping ground of gypsy queen Marcia Mock in 1917. Discover the nefarious yeggmen who prowled the streets at the beginning of the twentieth century and the seven women known as the Robins, whose friendship inspired a chain letter that has survived for more than fifty years. "Woburn: Hidden Tales of a Tannery Town" explores the mysteries of Woburn's landscape, including the deadly Horn Pond, whose waters swallowed more than fifty victims and were long believed to contain vengeful demons. Columnist Marie Coady reveals Woburn's best-kept secrets with the vibrancy and wit of a true town sleuth.

Texas Hill Country is a rugged and hilly area of central Texas known for its food, architecture and unique melting pot of Spanish and European settlers. The area's rich history is filled with quirky and fascinating tales about this landscape and the animals and people who have called it home. Clay Coppedge has been gathering Texas stories for over thirty years. This collection of his favorite columns includes his best Texas-sized stories on Hill Country history. From the legend of Llano's Enchanted Rock and the true story of Jim Bowie's famous knife to one rancher's attempt at bringing reindeer to the hottest area of the country and an oilman's search for Bigfoot, Hill Country Chronicles has them all and more.

At the heart of Fishtown is the final resting place of generations of Kensington and Fishtown residents. Founded prior to 1748, Palmer Cemetery is one of the oldest in Philadelphia. Interred here, and in Hanover Street and West Street Burial Grounds are soldiers from every war fought by colonists and then Americans, from the French and Indian War until Desert Storm. The fishing families that built the neighborhood, victims of the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793 and the ancestors of the Shibe family are also buried in these plots. Kenneth W. Milano walks the cemetery paths and reveals the secrets the stones keep with Palmer Cemetery and the Historic Burial Grounds of Kensington and Fishtown.

In recent years, San Francisco has been synonymous with gay and lesbian pride, and the various achievements of the gay and lesbian community are personified in the city by the bay. The tumultuous and ongoing struggles for this community's civil rights from the 1950s to the present are well documented, but queer culture itself goes back much further than that, in fact all the way back to the California gold rush.

Montana's brewing history stretches back more than 150 years to the state's days as a territory. But the art of brewing in Montana has come a long way since the frontier era. Today, nearly forty craft breweries span the Treasure State, and the quality of their output rivals the best craft beer produced anywhere in the country. Maybe it's because there's also a little piece of Montana in every glass, as the state's brewers pride themselves on using cold mountain water and locally sourced barley harvested from Montana's ample fields. From grain to glass, " Montana Beer: A Guide to Breweries in Big Sky Country" tells the story of the brewers and breweries that make the Treasure State's brew so special.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the main thoroughfare between New York City and the state capitol in Albany was called the Albany Post Road. It saw a host of interesting events and colorful characters, such as Samuel Morse, who lived in Poughkeepsie, and Franklin Roosevelt of Hyde Park. Revolutionary War spies marched this path, and Underground Railroad safe-houses in towns like Rhinebeck and Fishkill sheltered slaves seeking freedom in Canada. Anti-rent wars rocked Columbia County, and Frank Teal's Dutchess County murder remains unsolved. With illustrations by Tatiana Rhinevault, local historian Carney Rhinevault presents these and other stories from the Albany Post Road in New York's mid-Hudson Valley.

Throughout the 1800s, explorers braved brutal weather and hostile enemies, trekking through the towering mountains and fertile valleys on the ragged edge of civilization. These early pioneers built stockades, trading posts, military camps and miniature citadels that would shape the state of Colorado for generations to come. As the settlers struggled to survive desperate times, economic depressions and bloody wars, some of these historic outposts would become Colorado's cities, schools, hospitals and museums, while others would sink back into the mud from which they came. Join author Jolie Anderson Gallagher as she chronicles the stories of the forts and the early explorers, fur trappers, soldiers and wives who constructed and occupied them.

Take a break from the bustle of Poplar and Beale and enjoy this easy ride down memory lane, recalling days when downtown gridlock was caused by streetcars and wagons and the Mid-South was ruled by the likes of the Chickasaws, Confederates, King Cotton and Crump. Few know Shelby County and its history like lifelong Memphian John E. Harkins, who expertly chronicles the city's unparalleled heritage and the individuals and groups who have kept its past alive through the decades. Discover the origins of the yellow fever epidemic, Memphis in May, Elmwood Cemetery, the heroes of Shelby County history and so much more in "Memphis Chronicles."

As Remembering St. Petersburg, Florida, More Sunshine City Stories unfolds, it is the dawn of 1913. North of Central Avenue the members of the St. Petersburg Women's Club are beginning to advance city improvements. South of Central Avenue black children are witnessing the opening of Davis Academy, an institution that will help prepare them to tear down the walls of hardship and prejudice. Within the past decade, author Scott Taylor Hartzell has chronicled the Sunshine City's history for the St. Petersburg Times and in his books, St. Petersburg: An Oral History and Remembering St. Petersburg, Florida, Sunshine City Stories. He has tirelessly promoted the city's history to middle school students, lecture audiences at Eckerd and St. Petersburg colleges, and numerous groups and civic organizations. This book furthers his efforts in grand fashion, offering a look at St. Petersburg's history that cannot be found anywhere else.

Famous for being a city of broad shoulders, Chicago has also developed an international reputation for split sides and slapped knees. Watch the "Chicago Style of Comedy" evolve from nineteenth-century vaudeville, through the rebellious comics of the 50's, and into the improvisation and sketch that ushered in a new millennium. Drawing on material both hilarious and profound, Chicago Comedy: A Fairly Serious History touches on what makes Chicago different from other cities and how that difference produced some of the greatest minds comedy will ever know: Amos and Andy, Jack Benny, Lenny Bruce, Del Close, John Belushi, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert and so many, many more.