Books published by Arcadia Publishing Library Editions

Pigeon Forge is a booming resort town in Tennessee with the majestic Great Smoky Mountains towering in the background. The national park's birth in 1934 forever changed this once-fertile farming river valley. Pigeon Forge is a vacationing playground with every type of family amusement imaginable, the most noted being Dolly Parton's own Dollywood theme park. The town began with a few large-acre farms and a cluster of farm-related businesses. Its unusual name derived from an iron forge built by Isaac Love in 1819 and the Little Pigeon River that provided power for its operation. The Cherokees, native to the area, named the river because of the countless passenger pigeons lining its banks. Love's son, William, built a gristmill in 1830 that still stands today. The Old Mill is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Ocala National Forest, founded on November 24, 1908, by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, is the oldest national forest in the eastern continental United States. The forest is one of central Florida's last remaining expanses of forested lands with magnificent palms, towering live oaks, and the largest sand pine scrub population in the world. The Ocala National Forest contains major springs, including Salt Springs, Silver Glen, Alexander, and Juniper Run. In addition to several wilderness areas for visitors seeking primitive conditions and solitude, the forest has visitor centers, nature trails, and a section of the Florida Trail. Images of America: Ocala National Forest is filled with fascinating stories and exciting facts on the history of the steamboats, logging, trails, movie sets (including The Yearling, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings), Cracker cowboys, modern conservation efforts, and more.

Today visitors to the New River Gorge see a steep gorge filled with a lush hardwood forest. Before the railroad, the New River, with its whitewater rapids, was a barrier to trade, but with the 1873 completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, the gorge came alive. By the 1890s, more than 30,000 people lived and worked in the gorge. Towns like Kaymoor, Nuttallburg, and Thurmond were hives of activity and melting pots of American immigrants who dug the coal that helped build the American dream. Times changed. By 1960, the easiest coal was gone, and miners moved to Midwest factories. Nature began to reclaim the gorge. The 1970s brought a rebirth. Whitewater rafters took on the rapids, and bridge builders built the New River Gorge Bridge. The forest has returned, and if you look under the canopy, you will see that the railroads, coal camps, and mine tipples have given way to rafters, rock climbers, and mountain bikers.

Images of America: Virginia's Presidential Homes takes a visual excursion to the homes of the eight Virginia-born men who served as president of the United States: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. Virginia, nicknamed the "Mother of Presidents," is the birthplace of these eight men who were key to the success of the American Revolution, the forming of the U.S. government, the War of 1812, the annexation of Texas, the Mexican-American War, and World War I. Coming from diverse backgrounds and classes, their residences ranged from simple wood-frame structures to elegant, brick-pillared mansions and estates. Through images and drawings, this book will bring to life their homes and family life.

West Virginia has a unique history of Jewish settlement dating back to 1849 when the first Jewish organization in the state, a Jewish burial society, was established by a small group of German Jewish immigrants in the city of Wheeling. From modest beginnings, Jews settled in towns and cities and established businesses and communal organizations. Since that time, the Jews of the Mountain State have been an integral part of the state's economic, cultural, and political life. Though always relatively small in size, West Virginia's Jewish population has been a strong advocate for the state and gained prominence in many areas. Readers will recognize images of well-known institutions such as Shoney's, Cohen's, Frankenberger's, Embee's, and others that bring back fond memories. Despite declines in Jewish population numbers, today's Jewish community remains active and involved in the life of the state.

An intimate tour of fifty residential designs from grand mansions to cozy cottages, from familiar house museums and boutique hotel adaptations to private homes of charm and sophistication located in one of the largest and most significant historic preservation districts in America."

For almost a century, the heart of Myrtle Beach was defined by a place simply called "the Pavilion." From the original structure built in 1908, the Pavilion was the center of the resort town's growing tourism industry. It was a destination point for anyone coming to the Grand Strand. Here you could stroll the Boardwalk, play arcade games, make faces in fun mirrors, ride rides, dance the Carolina Shag, or sit on a bench and watch everyone else do all of the above. The Pavilion underwent several incarnations. The first ones were wooden and vulnerable, but the final was concrete and seemingly indestructible, standing for nearly 60 years. Hardly an architectural marvel, what the Pavilion lacked in grandeur, it made up for in pure old-fashioned fun. The beloved structure and its rides fell prey to economics and a wrecking ball in 2006.

According to legend, Indian Rocks got its name when Tocobaga Indians brought their ailing chief from inland Florida to drink from the area's sulfur springs, prized for their medicinal qualities. Their leader miraculously recovered, as the story goes, and the tribe returned each year to the place where large rocks surrounded the healing spring. The natural beauty of the barrier island that became Indian Rocks Beach was what attracted Harvey Hendrick to establish his homestead here in the mid-1890s. Years later, he recalled, "I liked the place, I thought it was the most beautiful place on God's green footstool, and I think so yet." The charm and character of this little seaside community is evident in these historic photographs, from the days when the old swing bridge was the center of activity, to the booming post-World War II era when tourists and residents proclaimed Indian Rocks Beach as their special place.

Originally known as Saxe Gotha Township when it was created by the Colonial government in 1735, Lexington has a unique and rich history. The county began simply as a buffer between the city of Charleston and the Native Americans. Creative locals built a thriving business community in the area around the Congaree River in present-day Cayce, supporting trade between the colonists and the Native Americans. Emigrants from Germany and Switzerland were invited to become pioneers. They were independent, hard-working farmers who built the area into a strong and sustaining home despite numerous trials and tribulations. Native American wars, fires, Civil War, depressions, and world wars only solidified these settlers' strong sense of ownership and pride in their county. Today visitors enjoy over 50 historical sites and recreation facilities.

It began quietly in 1842 as a utopian community known as the Dale of Hope on farmland that was then part of Milford. The followers of Rev. Adin Ballou settled in that year, sharing a farmhouse and chores, as well as ideals and abolitionist inclinations. After the longest-running utopian experiment in Massachusetts faltered, however, the community underwent a dramatic renaissance beginning in the 1850s. Within a few short decades, the Draper family became a driving force-instrumental in the community's separation from Milford, incorporation as Hopedale and development as the cotton loom-making capital of the Industrial Revolution. Hopedale contains more than two hundred photographs portraying life, leisure, and community spirit in Hopedale from the 1840s to the early 1960s. Included are the town's industrial center, public buildings, parks, unique duplex housing, and ostentatious mill-owner homes. Hopedale depicts the town undergoing times of prosperity and facing floods and other disasters. It also examines the citizens working hard, enjoying time off, and displaying their patriotism.

In 1945, Hurricane 9 rocked the Carolinas, severely flooding and incapacitating the New Hope Valley area. As a result, Congress directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to study water resource needs in the area. Originally named the New Hope Project, it received funding in 1963, and construction began in 1967. In 1974, after lake supporter Sen. B. Everett Jordan passed away, the lake and dam were renamed in his honor. The senator never saw the lake finished, as it was not filled until 1982. Jordan Lake encompasses 46,768 acres of which 13,900 acres are flooded to form a reservoir at 216 feet above mean sea level. The lake provides recreation, wildlife conservation, and water supply to surrounding cities. Jordan Lake also attracts one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles in the southeast. With photographs from the flood of 1945 to a group baptism in 2007, these stories and more will make you want to spend an afternoon at Jordan Lake.

Barren County, located in the heart of south central Kentucky, was formed in 1799 and is the commonwealth's 13th largest county. Pioneers found the land without the usual, extensive wooded areas and so it looked barren to them in comparison. The area is anything but "barren," as its land and population have been productive in agriculture, commerce, education, medicine, and the military. Voted in 2007 by Progressive Farmer magazine as the "Best Place to Live in Rural America," the county has also produced one of the South's first African American mayors, two governors, renowned musicians, a Pulitzer Prize winner, two Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, a major television network president, and a U.S. Air Force general. Countless other citizens, equally productive, proudly call Barren County their home.

In 1868, Dykesboro was incorporated as Cochran. The Macon and Brunswick Railroad enabled the community to ship cotton and corn and receive needed goods. As the town began to grow, education was always promoted by the churches. Ebenezer Academy, founded in 1884, became Middle Georgia College. In 1912, Bleckley County was created, and the county courthouse began operation on January 1, 1914. The local economy was good, and World War I brought a period of prosperity due to the need for food and fiber. In the 1920s, the boll weevil devastated the agricultural cotton economy and the Great Depression brought loss of economic wealth and financial hardships that were not relieved until after World War II .

Located on Pea Patch Island, Fort Delaware was erected to defend local ports from enemy attack but never received or fired a shot in anger. The first earthen-work version, constructed during the War of 1812, was followed by a second 1820s plan incorporating a masonry star design with a network of drainage ditches. Engineering issues and a low-lying site doomed the structure; in 1831, it was irreparably damaged by fire. A new plan created a more substantial fortification still standing to this day. Fort Delaware evolved into a well-established community that transformed from protector to notorious Civil War prison camp. Most widely known as a prison, it subsequently served in lesser roles through three more conflicts. Images of America: Fort Delaware unifies an amazing pictorial record of Fort Delaware's historical timeline. The story is not only of active duty but its rescue from abandonment and subsequent successful preservation work.

For centuries, people have been entranced by Clermont's spectacular beauty. Named after picturesque Clermont-Ferrand, France, the birthplace of an early settler, Clermont is often called "Gem of the Hills," referring to the area's sparkling lakes, rolling hills, and an early citrus brand. Clermont's history, like the countryside, includes many pinnacles and valleys--from millions made in land investments and citrus to devastating freezes and economic depression that brought the city to bankruptcy. It is an exotic history filled with adventure; steamboats; railways; freak weather phenomena; iconic tourist attractions; unparalleled golf, fishing, and hunting venues; visionary leaders; legendary athletes; a world-class library overlooking the city; and a historic village beside Lake Minneola. Coming off its 125th anniversary, Clermont flourishes as Lake County's largest city.

Since the first documented arrival of white men in its borders in 1769, Lewis County has morphed from a howling wilderness known simply as West Augusta, Virginia, to a major player in a hub of interstate highway transportation and a recreational area with a number of tourist destinations. Formed from Harrison County in 1816, Lewis County and its 17,003 citizens represent the best of central West Virginia. The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Jackson's Mill, Stonecoal Lake, and Stonewall Jackson Lake define the county by their unique place in history. The county's native sons and daughters have been industrialists, U.S. senators, Civil War generals, and nationally recognized athletes. They have been the fabric that makes America the great country it is today: the ordinary, everyday citizen who lives life to its fullest potential while enduring whatever struggle fate sets before them.

Bowling Green became the city of speed immediately after World War II as America began its love affair with the automobile. Stock car racing took the city by storm in its inaugural season of 1951, drawing crowds of up to 7,000 in a city of only 18,000. Soon thereafter, the city attracted the Chevrolet Corvette assembly plant followed by the National Corvette Museum. Images of Sports: Bowling Green Stock Car Racing documents the history of stock car racing in Bowling Green and the emergence of the raceway at Beech Bend Park.

The name Dunwoody developed from a spelling error. Soon after the Civil War ended, Maj. Charles Dunwody left nearby Roswell to settle in a new community and decided to start a post office. The post office added one "o" to his name, and from that moment, the area was known as Dunwoody. Beginning as a humble farming community, Dunwoody grew into a popular suburb of Atlanta. Careful growth control, under the supervision of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association, kept Dunwoody from becoming too developed. The Dunwoody Preservation Trust works to identify and save Dunwoody's historical landmarks. The Dunwoody Farmhouse, located at the central crossroads of the community, is one of the trust's success stories and is enjoyed by many.

Ijams Nature Center, on the banks of the Tennessee River, evolved from humble beginnings during the early 20th century into a natural showplace known as the Island Home Bird Sanctuary. Developed by Harry Ijams, Knoxville's leading ornithologist, and Alice Yoe Ijams, "First Lady of Knoxville Garden Clubs," the Ijams property has been a gathering point for birders and nature-lovers for more than a century. Girl Scouting has been a fixture at Ijams since 1923, followed by Camp Mary Ijams, and Camp Margaret Townsend in the Smokies was created in part through Ijams and Townsend family ties. Harry Ijams also helped establish the first official campsite on Mount LeConte and used his artistry as a commercial illustrator to promote the Smoky Mountains as a national park. Over the years, Ijams Nature Center has grown in size and stature to become the region's leading wildlife sanctuary and environmental learning center incorporating Mead's Quarry, which in its heyday produced Tennessee marble used both in local buildings and national monuments.

Kentucky's magnificent capitol building was constructed in the industrious early 20th century, considered the age of conspicuous consumption. Architect Frank Mills Andrews designed the striking 403-foot-long Beaux Arts edifice, faced with sublime Indiana limestone and Vermont granite and surrounded with 70 monolithic columns. Nearly five years of construction followed the August 14, 1905, ground-breaking, and an estimated 20,000 proud Kentuckians and dignitaries were present for the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the June 2, 1910, dedication of the $1.8-million "New Kentucky Home." Kentucky's landmark capitol building forever changed the landscape of Frankfort, its capital city, while presenting the commonwealth a monument to its progress since statehood in 1792.

The Colonial Parkway is a living timeline to the critical beginnings of our nation. Connecting a historic triangle of cities, the parkway winds along the James River overlooking Jamestown Island, where the first permanent English colony was established; through Williamsburg, the Colonial seat of government for the new country; and arrives in Yorktown, where the fledgling nation won independence from the British at the end of the Revolutionary War. The vision of the early directors of the U.S. National Park Service became the foundation for getting the approval to construct a road that would allow visitors to move from one historic place to the next without the disruptions of the modern world. Construction began in the early 1930s, and the final phase was finished in 1957 for the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. While the parkway is a marvel in engineering, the area it covers also serves as a recreational locale for biking, fishing, and hiking.

Floyd County, named for Kentucky pioneer John Floyd, was formed in 1799. Originally encompassing all of the Big Sandy River Valley and much of eastern Kentucky, the boundaries included portions of what are now Pike, Martin, Knott, Magoffin, and Johnson Counties. Because of its river access, Floyd County developed earlier than many counties in eastern Kentucky. Prestonsburg, the county seat, became a major river port and center of trade in the region. With the coming of the railroad in 1903 and the coal industry, which began booming in the early 20th century, the county rapidly grew. This growth included a rapid rise in population due to the migration of native-born whites from around the country, European immigrants, and African Americans from southern plantations and coalfields. What had been an agrarian, white population suddenly took on a whole new face, one more reflective of the nation. The railroads and coal industry permanently changed both the economy and culture of Floyd County.