Bøger i Images of America (Arcadia Pub serien

Nestled in a high-desert valley in northeastern California, bordered by both lush evergreen forests and arid sagebrush, Susanville is a community of independent spirits. First a rugged trading post for Noble's Train wagon trains, in 1854, pioneer Isaac Roop wrought the first permanent settlement by allotting a large piece of his land for the city, which eventually would be named for his daughter Susan. Early settlers worked the surrounding ranches, farms, and mines, and the community began to thrive. Businesses sprang up, including general stores, saloons, stables, and hotels. Soon the hallmarks of domestic society, churches and schools, were established as well. At the beginning of the 20th century, a better water system was installed and a high school was built. As life adjusted to the advent of electricity, the telephone, and a new railroad, Susanville prospered, with the lumber industry at its core. Though the old mill's 5:00 whistle has since fallen silent, the city continues to welcome visitors with its stunning natural surroundings, charming historic downtown, and friendly people.

The Oklahoma Cowboy Band was the first western string band in the nation to broadcast over the radio and appear on vaudeville, drawing large audiences throughout the Midwest and Northeast. The band began in Ripley as Billy McGinty's Cowboy Band and first played over radio station KFRU in Bristow in May 1925. Billy McGinty was a Rough Rider with Theodore Roosevelt and performed in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The public responded to the broadcast of his band with a steady stream of telegrams, telephone calls, and letters asking for more of that old-time cowboy music. Soon Otto Gray and his wife, Mommie, of Stillwater joined the band, with both performing rope tricks, Mommie singing sad songs, and their son, Owen, performing comedy routines as "the Uke Buster." Renamed Otto Gray and His Oklahoma Cowboys, the band traveled for a decade to such cities as St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse. Its custom-built Cadillacs drew crowds wherever the band went. By the early 1930s, other acts were copying the band's cowboy themes and songs, and Otto Gray's lawyers threatened legal action. The lawyers met with only limited success, though, and today the cowboy image is firmly established in country music, thanks in large part to the early success of Billy McGinty, Otto Gray, and the Oklahoma Cowboy Band.

Pioneer settlers began arriving in Pine Creek Valley after the Revolutionary War, drawn to the pristine wilderness filled with towering white pines and hemlocks. In the 1880s, descendants of those settlers began extensive lumbering operations aided greatly by the arrival of the railroad through the valley. Additional logging railroads were rapidly constructed up the tributary runs to the great stands of trees. Pine Creekas villages flourished, with both large and small sawmills buzzing. Around 1910, when the great lumbering days ended, many of the village populations plummeted. Throughout the 20th century and into today, the area remains a popular tourist destination for fishing, hunting, and outdoor enthusiasts.

The story of Putnam County is a twice-told tale. After its original establishment in 1842 was declared unconstitutional, the county was reestablished in 1854. The county seat of Cookeville was named in honor of War of 1812 veteran and Tennessee state senator Richard F. Cooke, and the county name was adopted in honor of Revolutionary War veteran Gen. Israel Putnam. Relatively isolated until 1890 with the coming of the Tennessee Central Railroad, Cookeville and Putnam County have grown into a vibrant hub for the 14-county Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. Located on the scenic Highland Rim some 70 miles east of Nashville, Cookeville has become a top retirement area with access to regional medical facilities, the Tennessee Technological University, and other amenities. Through the use of photographs from archival sources and private collections, Images of America: Cookeville and Putnam County captures the small town atmosphere and appealing qualities of this unique area of the Upper South.

Explore the beautiful island of Kauai through this magnificent collection of photographs.Capt. James Cook stood on his ship gazing at the coastline of Kauai and the Hawaiian village of Waimea in 1778. Kauai was its own kingdom then, and King Kaumualii - the king of Kauai who challenged Kamehameha and managed to keep Kauai from being conquered by him - would not be born for two more years. The oldest and northernmost of the main Hawaiian Islands, Kauai did not see well-meaning missionaries until 1820. From the moment Cook put Kauai on the map, it has gathered admirers from all over the world who come to experience its exquisite beauty and wonder. Fortunately, many photographers have had their own love affairs with Kauai, leaving a vast amount of documentation.

From its beginning as a tourist destination in thepre-Civil War era, Tallulah Falls has drawn largenumbers of travelers and adventurers. The earliest written account of Tallulah, published in 1819 in the Georgia Journal, stated, "the cataract of Niagara and its great whirlpool and banks, is the only superior natural curiosity to the Rapids of Tallulah, that I have ever seen." Soon tourists were flocking to the area, and by the 1840s, groups of visitors were common. With the arrival of the railroad in 1882, hotels and businesses sprang up, leading to an increase in the number of visitors.Quite naturally, photographers have long been drawn to the lush natural beauty of the area, as well as the wealthy tourists and the hotels that catered to them.

Located in the heart of Orange County, the City of Orange has a rich history in the citrus industry and beyond. Founded in 1871 as an agricultural community, the town flourished with the growth of orange and lemon trees in the early 1900s. Downtown Orange grew up around the iconic plaza, with its distinctive circular park and classic fountain. The surrounding neighborhoods filled with homes that reflected architectural styles from the 1880s to the 1940s. As late as 1950, Orange was still just a little town of 10,000 people. Despite the enormous postwar residential growth throughout the county and a tenfold population explosion in the city itself, the community has retained much of the small-town feel of yesteryear.