Books published by Arcadia Publishing Library Editions

Filipino immigrants came to Ventura County in the 1920s, beginning American lives mostly as farm laborers in work camps, notably the Arneill Ranch and Springville Ranch in Camarillo. They organized early societies like the Filipino Brotherhood Association of Ventura County, the Jordan Lodge 604 Legionarios del Trabajo, the Caballeros de Dimas Alang, the Filipino Optimist Club, and the Filipino Community of Ventura County. During World War II, Filipinos served in the 1st and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments of the U.S. Army. The omnipresence of the U.S. Navy in coastal Ventura prodded many second- and third-generation Filipinos to serve their country in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the Persian Gulf. Today the same spirit of community engagement is illustrated in the 26 local Filipino organizations all under the umbrella of the Filipino American Council, which celebrates history, community, and culture.

One of Portland's oldest neighborhoods, Goose Hollow is steps from downtown and beloved for its quirky character, historic homes, spectacular views, and walkability. Over a century ago, the actual "hollow" was dramatically altered when the meandering Tanner Creek, in a deep gulch with several trestle bridge crossings, was diverted underground and infilled. The creek's presence is still felt in the ravine carved through the Tualatin Mountains (spanned by the Vista Bridge) and in the neighborhood's identity. This book provides definitive answers to how Goose Hollow got its name and how Tanner Creek Gulch was filled. Stories are also told of the Great Plank Road, City Park's slow-moving landslide, and famous residents such as Daniel Lownsdale, C. E. S. Wood, Dr. Marie Equi, John Reed, and Bud Clark. Historic institutions such as Civic Stadium, Multnomah Athletic Club, Lincoln High School, and Washington Park are also featured.

Sugar Valley was named for the many large sugar maple trees found in the area when settlers first arrived in the 1780s. In the 1800s, most of the valley's residents worked as farmers, millers, or lumbermen. In the early 1900s, the White Deer and Loganton Railway transported lumber, mail, coal, other freight, and passengers. The Logan House, a popular resort hotel in Loganton featuring nearby Sulphur Spring mineral waters, flourished until the great fire of June 19, 1918, destroyed it, along with much of the borough. Today Sugar Valley contains the only covered bridge remaining in Clinton County.

The Nisqually Valley has long been a transportation route, a source of livelihood for its residents, and a source of beauty for its visitors. Before settlement, a system of trails through the valley gave Native Americans access to rich hunting and fishing, as well as access to a larger, cross-mountain trail system and places of spiritual significance. The first settlers entered the valley in the 1860s. Not long after, the first tourist arrived in Mount Rainier. The first recorded ascent of the mountain was in 1870. Throughout the years, as more settlers arrived and the forest industries exploded, the valley welcomed an increase in trains, roads, and visitor accommodations. With the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park in 1899, tourism began supplementing the forestry industry. In the last 100 years, forestry, farming, and sightseeing have been the story of the valley and its people.

Citrus Heights, while only recently incorporated, is a town with roots that go back 150 years. Fields of lavish, green grass and groves of beautiful oak trees greeted earlier settlers, who saw fertile land for farming and sustaining growing families. With early residents' insights for agricultural use and development of roads, schools, and places of worship, Citrus Heights has grown from a farming settlement to a modern suburb and a favorite place for families to thrive in Sacramento County.

For more than 100 years, western New Yorkers have enjoyed the region's exciting amusement parks. During the days of trolleys and steamships, area businessmen created Celoron Park, Crystal Beach Park, and other fine local summer resorts. Decades later, lifelong memories were formed for neighborhood baby boomers who visited Glen Park and Fantasy Island, as well as one of New York State's finest theme parks, Darien Lake. Western New York has always been a proving ground for some of the nation's most famous roller coasters. The terrifying Cyclone, the fast and furious Silver Comet, and the extreme Ride of Steel have attracted the very bravest of visitors. In the new millennium, the summer tradition of visiting local amusement parks continues with a blend of family-orientated parks and theme parks that appeal to all ages.

On June 26, 1809, John McKnight and 30 other residents of Pine Township petitioned the courts of Allegheny for the formation of a new township. In the November term, permission was granted, and Ross Township was born. However, the story does not begin there. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Ross Township was settled by early Native American warriors and hunters who used the land as a hunting ground. Ross Township includes the tales of Casper Reel and his family, the first white settlers "North of the Allegheny;" Simon Girty, traitor and renegade of the Revolutionary War; and the infamous Biddle Boys' escape from prison with the warden's wife and escapade through Perrysville in the winter of 1902.

Nestled where the San Joaquin Valley begins rolling into the Sierra Nevada foothills, Waterford is steeped in a rich history. From its scenic Tuolumne River corridor, early gold seekers and travelers in untamed central California forded the summer stream here or crossed swollen winter flows by ferry. Waterford was originally named Bakersville for founder William W. Baker, who arrived by covered wagon in the 1850s. The fertile soil provided good farming and prosperity for disillusioned gold seekers. When an ingenious gravity irrigation system was introduced in the 1890s, farms thrived, drawing families, businesses, and churches. Rowdy saloons briefly flourished before stalwart citizens drove them out. Waterford's brave first settlers, farmers, and businessmen made their marks here, and included such visionaries as the Rudi brothers, longtime meat purveyors whose Waterford offspring included Oakland A's baseball legend Joe Rudi.

West Seneca's history as a working community can be seen in its humble Native American cabins, sturdy Ebenezer Society buildings, simple farms, hardscrabble shops, and blue-collar housing tracts. In the 1700s, the Seneca Indians became the most dominant tribe when the town was part of the Buffalo Creek Reservation. In the 1840s, the arrival of the Ebenezer religious community from Germany continued the area's mostly agricultural development, and they formally incorporated the town in 1851. Their departure in the 1860s led to the arrival of more immigrants, primarily farmers, laborers, and shopkeepers. The next 100 years in West Seneca saw its development continue. In the 1950s, a further influx of new residents looking for affordable homes in a suburban setting led to the town's rapid growth as a mecca for working people.

Iradell Phipps and Conrad Broback saw a golden opportunity in 1884. After convincing the railroad to build its depot on their prairie land near Bear Creek, they began building what became the second-fastest growing city in America, with over 100 new buildings in its first year. Few Medfordites today know that the city once had four separate railroads and was renowned throughout Europe. Intrepid flyers Eugene Ely, Pat Patterson, Seely Hall, and Charles Lindbergh made Medford a regional air hub during the early days of flight. In 1910, Medford had more automobiles per capita than any town in the world, and in 1923, it straddled the world's longest paved road. Told through photographs, facts, and anecdotes, the story of the hometown of film and radio stars Pinto Colvig and Ginger Rogers, as well as sports greats like Dick Fosbury, Bill Bowerman, and Kyle Singler, is a captivating read.

Crested Butte rises 8,885 feet above sea level on the edge of the beautiful Elk Mountains in the Gunnison Country of Colorado's Western Slope. Between Crested Butte and Aspen, 25 miles to the north, are six 14,000-foot-high peaks with 12,000-foot-high passes and scenery that takes the breath away. Crested Butte began as a silver camp but soon turned into one of the great coal towns of the West, with a rich ethnic heritage evolved from the mining camps. In the 21st century, Crested Butte is a tourist town of 1,500 residents highlighted by the Mount Crested Butte Ski Area, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, and its wonderful wildflower and music festivals. The town today is what it always has been, "the queen jewel of the Elk Mountains."

Drawn by the California dream of golden sunshine and promise, many settlers came to the Covina Valley, where, after clearing the rocks, sagebrush, and cactus, they found rich alluvial soil. With the addition of water, everything grew in abundance. Citrus gradually became the best cash crop. This is the story of the men and women who made the citrus industry work in and around Covina, how they founded towns and eventually planted 25,000 acres of oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. They endured droughts, floods, freezes, insect invasions, and unscrupulous buyers who almost ruined them financially. Together they developed water resources and the first stockholder-owned citrus cooperative, and brought railroads, transforming the Covina Valley into a major citrus producing and processing center.

Medina has long been recognized as the home to wealthy and influential members of Seattle's elite. Industry captains such as Clapp, Blethan, Gates, and Bezos have built estates along Medina's waterfront. Meanwhile, a diverse group of families with a variety of backgrounds have settled the uplands, creating a close-knit community. Farmers, including many of Japanese heritage, first settled the area in the late 1800s. Upon the arrival of the car ferry service to Seattle in 1913, Medina gradually evolved into a commuter suburb for the working class and wealthy alike. In 1940, the first Lake Washington floating bridge ushered in a new era, and with incorporation in 1955 and the opening of the Evergreen Point Bridge in 1963, Medina completed its transformation to a largely residential area. Despite its marvelous growth, Medina has successfully maintained its charm. A new generation of families arrived in the 1990s, filling classrooms and parks, and renewing Medina's original identity: close to the big city, but a world apart.

Sunnyvale has been a place for forward thinking and innovation since its founding in 1861, when Irish immigrant Martin Murphy Jr. allowed a new railroad to pass through his land. By linking San Jose's farms to San Francisco's docks, he did more than help overcome the muddy misery of travel on the El Camino Real. The whistle stop first known as "Encinal" quickly grew into a center for agriculture, followed by defense, novel suburban development, and high technology. Sunnyvale is a place where names like Del Monte, Hendy, Lockheed, Atari, and Yahoo have each carried their day. Yet the city's relentless drive forward has made a sense of identity elusive. The downtown core has been rebuilt numerous times without much success, and examples abound of historic structures torn down for something new. But lately, the town has gotten its groove back. The restored city center now draws a crowd, and, thanks to a 50-year effort, the rebuilt Murphy house shimmers in the sun once again.

Historic images and descriptions of some of the most remarkable architecture in the Philadelphia area: Cairnwood, Cairncrest, Glencairn, and Bryn Athyn Cathedral. The structures were build by members of the Pitcairn family in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and reflect their New Church (Swedenborgian) faith and vision.