Flowing 75 westerly miles from Florida's Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico, the historic Caloosahatchee River has always been critically important to the region it traverses. As it makes its way past farm fields, quiet hamlets, and urban downtowns, manatees graze in its warm shallows, bass lurk in its shaded oxbows, and alligators sun on its banks. Over the years, the river has attracted luminaries as well as colorful characters. Thomas Edison had a Caloosahatchee riverfront home, as did Henry Ford and telegrapher George Shulz, who created Florida's tarpon-fishing industry. Without the Caloosahatchee, the Southwest Florida that people know today would not exist. Without people, however, the river known as the Caloosahatchee would not exist either, since it was human effort and engineering that connected the river to the lake and made it navigable--changes that sometimes spelled disaster.

The San Francisco Peninsula serves as a geographic and transportation link between the cities of San Francisco, San Jose, and all points north and south. As commerce increased along its highways and railroad lines from the late 19th century onward, cities and towns flourished along that corridor. Wherever commerce went, entertainment followed. Beginning with early playhouses and storefront nickelodeons, continuing through the movie palace period, the golden age of the drive-in theatre, and into the days of the multiplex, this volume of vintage photographs captures the various eras as they applied to the peninsula.

Iowa City (Johnson County, Iowa) is home to the University of Iowa, the world famous Writer's Workshop, and a rich tradition of ghosts and odd goings-on. Some of the better documented hauntings include Maude the ghost at the AW Insurance Agency on Bloomington St or George the ghost in the Hall Mall downtown on College St. Yet, weird noises and sensations are said to happen to the bohemian residents of the Gas Light village (which has head and foot stones built into several buildings). And some claim that the Territorial legislation still hold spectral meetings in the Old Capitol to debate war with Missouri over honey.

This book features a collection of Mike Cox's Texas history columns, "Texas Tales" which has appeared in a dozen or so different Texas newspapers as well as Texasescapes.com. It focuses specifically on the Big Bend Texas region and showcases local tales of ghost towns, soldiers, historical landmarks, foklore and several other infamous stories of the area.

Texans are passionate about this signature sandwich and photographer/writer Rick Vanderpool has become, in his own right, the Hambassador of Texas. In 2006, Rick undertook a quest to find and photograph the best Texas burgers, traveling over 11,000 miles, visiting over 700 Texas burger joints. Since that time, he has continued his travels, sampling the finest the Lone Star State has to offer. He's also picked up some fellow enthusiasts willing to share their own tasty tales along the way. From Fletcher Davis's 1885 Athens creation (recipe included) and the Cheeseburger Capitol of Texas in Friona to Whataburger #2 in Corpus Christi and Herd's in Jacksboro, join Rick and his "Hamburger Helpers" on their journey celebrating the history of the original Texas Hamburger.

From its earliest days as a picnic grove to its subsequent evolution into a major amusement park, Riverside Park was synonymous with summer for generations of New Englanders. Situated on the banks of the Connecticut River at Agawam, Massachusetts, Riverside was enjoyed by area residents for more than a century. Thousands swam in Lake Takadip, danced to the most popular musical groups of the day in Cook's Dancing Pavilion, spent Saturday nights at the Riverside Park Speedway, roller skated at the Rollaway, and thrilled to the Cyclone roller coaster and countless other attractions. Riverside's status as the epicenter of summer recreation in the Northeast continues to this day with the park's current identity as Six Flags New England.

A tall creature that howls on the Devil's Backbone near Harborcreek Township, phantom ships that erupt into flames and melt into darkness, UFOs on Presque Isle these are some of the strange tales from the lakeshores and shadowy woods of Erie County, Pennsylvania. Local paranormal expert and author, Rev. Robin S. Swope explores the dark and bizarre corners of the county's history from the forgotten 1812 dead of the brig Niagra and the mysterious earthen mounds that dot the landscape to the legend of the ravenous Storm Hag and the rumored vampire's crypt in Erie Cemetery. Join Swope as he searches for answers in the lost pages of Erie County history and lore.

Germantown is a unique community located 40 miles southeast of St. Louis, Missouri. It has a single Catholic church as its center and a rich German heritage. This is a pictorial history of the settlement that grew out of a desire for worship. The first German settlers came to Shoal Creek in 1833 and worshipped in a small house that contained neither benches nor chairs and had a split oak bench supported by four props that served as the communion rail. In 1837, the German homesteaders bought several tracts of land and reserved the ground in the center as church property. Preparations for the present stone building took two years, and it was completed in 1854. At that time, St. Boniface Catholic Church was the largest church in the state of Illinois. It is still referred to as the mother church of Clinton County.

Roots bind people to the Adirondack Mountains. In this rich and diverse collection, local author Sandra Weber celebrates this enduring bond with the region and explores its roots and routes such as women's feats, the naming of mountain peaks and the fight to save forests and tiny alpine plants. From Heart Lake and Caribou Pass to Mount Marcy and Lake Tear, ride an Olympic bobsled run, unearth the destruction of a devastating fire and learn the healing powers of the mountains. Retrace the paths of Theodore Roosevelt, Martha Reben, Edwin Ketchledge, Grace Hudowalski and many others who have lived and loved the Adirondacks. Discover hikers' tales, nature's secrets and local legends in this collection of Weber's finest reflections on Adirondack history and adventure.

Since 1850, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department has proudly served the community as the chief law enforcement agency. The office of sheriff was originally created by the California Constitution to meet the public safety needs of each county. From horseback to gigabit, the sheriff and his deputies have responded to the needs of the citizens by providing the highest quality of protection. While the manner in which service is delivered has changed significantly since 1850, the quality of protection has remained high throughout history and is chronicled in this unique portrayal.

Ventura County's military history encompasses much more than the strategic naval bases that have occupied the shorelines and flatlands of the Pacific Coast from Point Mugu to La Conchita. Individuals from Oxnard, Ventura, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, Santa Paula, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Fillmore, Ojai, Piru, and the other cities, towns, and neighborhoods in the county proudly served their country in times of war. The images in this book pay homage to some of those individuals--men and women who sacrificed so much to preserve freedom. From the European and Pacific fronts of World War II, to the snowy winters in Korea, through the tribulations of the Vietnam era, this book goes beyond the broad scope of war and into the personal experiences of Ventura County's heroes.

In 1926, animal attendant Louis Goebel bought five lots at $10 apiece as a home for his seven African lions along old Ventura Boulevard in a remote, sparsely populated portion of Ventura County just over the Los Angeles County line--where the city of Thousand Oaks eventually grew. Not surprisingly, the big predators became a roadside attraction. By 1929, Goebel added exotic birds and other animals. Premier woman tiger trainer Mabel Stark arrived as Goebel's Lion Farm accrued regional fame, and Capt. Frank Phillips trained Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's famous Leo the Lion after the name changed to World Jungle Compound. The park maintained Hollywood ties, renting animals and hosting scenes for dozens of movies and television shows. Jungleland became the zoo's lasting moniker after name and ownership changes. The enthusiastic opening of Disneyland in 1955 on the other side of Los Angeles inspired big plans for the Ventura County attraction, including a monorail. These plans fizzled, however, and Goebel resumed ownership in 1961. The park closed eight years later, and 1,800 animals were sold at auction. After four decades, the distinctive Conejo Valley lion roars were silenced.

Named for Alexander Spotswood, an adventurous, enterprising, Colonial-era governor, Spotsylvania was formed in 1721 from the western expanses of Essex, King and Queen, and King William Counties. A burgeoning industrial and agricultural region during America's formative years, Spotsylvania County remained an important trade hub in the years leading up to the Civil War. Located between the warring capitals of Richmond and Washington, D.C., Spotsylvania became the battleground of four major land engagements, leaving more than 100,000 casualties over an 18-month period. Left in economic desolation at the war's end, the citizenry reclaimed the ravaged countryside and, with admirable perseverance, sought a return to normalcy. Today Spotsylvanians struggle to reconcile the advantages of a tourism industry, which is based on a history that was thrust upon them, with finding their place in a sprawling suburban future.

Built on the site of a Seneca Iroquois village, Canandaigua was an important railroad junction and home port for several steamboats by the mid-19th century. After the Civil War, local industries included two brick works, the Lisk Manufacturing Company, several mills, and the regionally prominent McKechnie Brewery. The shire town of the original county of western New York, Canandaigua was the site of the Susan B. Anthony trial in 1873. Today, the town is a center for business, government, health care, and education. Canandaigua is the home of Constellation Brands, founded as Canandaigua Wine Company; Finger Lakes Community College; Thompson Health System; the Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center; and Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park. It is also home to one of the largest Wegman's food markets and the New York Wine and Culinary Center.

Nestled within the heart of North Carolina's Piedmont lies Lexington, a town with a history so iniquitous that few dare to tell the tales. Discover how a veritably unknown young singer named Elvis Presley wiggled and gyrated his way through town, and how the Jolly Black Widow claimed her third husband (and victim) in a string of doomed love affairs. It was here in Lexington that an obscene mail menace sent hundreds of depraved letters to wholesome families, and on a sleepy summer day, police seized nine barrels of illicit liquor only to be stolen back and imbibed by the original owners that night. Travel with local author Alice Sink down the streets of old-time Lexington to view a city riddled with all manner of unsavory deeds.

In 1626, the Sparrow-Hawk began its final journey across the brutal winter waves of the Atlantic Ocean, departing from the southern coast of England-with America as its goal. As cases of scurvy and whispers of mutiny rose, the hopes of those aboard the small vessel began to fade. The ever-changing coastline of Cape Cod caused the Sparrow-Hawk to run aground. Desperate to repair their ship and attain their goal of becoming wealthy Virginia tobacco planters, they wrecked her again, forcing them to abandon their beloved ship, and take up residence in Plymouth colony. Revealed by the tides over two hundred years later, the wreckage was pillaged by local scavengers and put on display in Boston. Join Mark Wilkins as he delves into the secrets of the Sparrow-Hawk.

By 1898, when the production of picture postcards began, Bar Harbor had become one of America's leading summer resorts and second only to Newport, Rhode Island, in wealth and social standing. For the next six decades, the postcard recorded the transformation of this coastal island community into a middle class tourist destination. Grand hotels, seaside mansions, and elegant gardens made way for roadside cabins and motels catering to automobile travelers. Bar Harbor features many never-before-published postcards from the collections of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, the Bar Harbor Historical Society, and the Penobscot Marine Museum.

Each summer, a small miracle occurs in southern Indiana, when the little town of Madison becomes the hydroplane racing capital of the world as 100,000-plus people flock in for the Madison Regatta. The townsfolk, not merely content to host, also own the Miss Madison, one of the most successful hydroplanes on the circuit. In recent year, Miss Madison has emerged as the top hydroplane in the world, winning both the driver and hydroplane points standing multiple times. Roar down the Ohio with Fred Farley and Ron Harsin and revisit the long history of racing in this town and the sixty-plus years of the Madison Regatta.

Established by real estate developers Tracy E. Shoults and S. H. Woodruff in 1923, Hollywoodland was one of the first hillside developments built in Hollywood. Touting its class and sophistication, the neighborhood promoted a European influence, featuring such unique elements as stone retaining walls and stairways, along with elegant Spanish, Mediterranean, French Normandy, and English Tudor-styled homes thoughtfully placed onto the hillsides. The community contains one of the world's most recognizable landmarks, the Hollywood sign, originally constructed as a giant billboard for the development and reading "Hollywoodland." The book illustrates the development of the upper section of Beachwood Canyon known as Hollywoodland with historical photographs from Hollywood Heritage's S. H. Woodruff Collection as well as from other archives, institutions, and individuals.