Pruitt-Igoe, Missouri, Images of America, Paperback

Pruitt-Igoe, Missouri, Images of America, Paperback In the early 1950s, Pruitt-Igoe, a vast public housing project, arose on 57 acres on the near north side of St. Louis. Barely 20 years after construction, the 33 eleven-story buildings that made up the complex were razed, and the vacant land that was once home to thousands of people was gradually reclaimed by a dense, neglected urban forest. What happened in-between is a story that tempts but also defies simple narratives. It is a story of interweaving and competing accounts, both then and now. This volume approaches Pruitt-Igoe with all of its contradiction in mind. Alongside iconic images, other seldom-seen photographs flesh out the history in sometimes surprising ways and, in doing so, preserve some of the stories that are in danger of being permanently erased and lost, just as Pruitt-Igoe was.

Westminster, California, Images of America, Paperback

Westminster, California, Images of America, Paperback Westminster Colony was founded in 1870 by Presbyterian minister Rev. Lemuel P. Webber. The colony, based on Protestant Christian tenets and temperance, was one of the earliest settlements in what would later become Orange County, California. It developed into an important agricultural area until farmlands gave way to suburban tract homes during the county’s population boom of the late 1950s and 1960s. In 1947, it became the background for the important Mendez v. Westminster case, which helped pave the way for the national dismantling of segregation in schools. A little more than a century after the first settlers arrived in Westminster, Little Saigon became the heart of Orange County’s Vietnamese immigrant community. This latest group of settlers continues to make notable and unique contributions to this historic city.

Detroit, Michigan, Images of America, Paperback

Detroit, Michigan, Images of America, Paperback As the roaring twenties came to an end and a new decade dawned, the United States found itself locked in the grips of the Great Depression.The City of Detroit was no exception as industry laid off workers and bread lines formed across the city. Detroit Mayor Frank Murphy led the country in supporting state and federal welfare programs to help people through the economic crisis. By the middle of the 1930s, Detroit began picking itself up out of the economic mud and was soon flexing its industrial muscle as manufacturing, led by the auto industry, put the Motor City back into shape. As the decade ended and war approached, the city was ready to take its place on the world stage. The country reeled from the shock of the attack on Pearl Harbor and had to shift its industrial might from civilian use to the war effort. Nowhere was that more evident than in Detroit. Its huge manufacturing capabilities, when turned to the making of the implements of war, earned the city a new nickname. The Motor City became to the Arsenal of Democracy and began to evolve once more. The influx of workers from the Deep South to the war industry added yet another facet to the city’s society and culture. As the Second World War came to a close and production re-tooled for the return to civilian life, an economic boom swept through Detroit. The city celebrated its 25oth birthday in 1951, prompting an outpouring of funds to build with. Major additions were made to the Art Institute, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the riverfront.

Southern Colorado, Colorado, Images of America, Paperback

Southern Colorado, Colorado, Images of America, Paperback When the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad laid narrow-gauge tracks into La Veta in southern Colorado in July 1876, it preceded Colorado statehood on August 1 by about one month. The southern Colorado frontier from Walsenburg west to Wolf Creek Pass had only a few scattered villages at this time, but silver mines in southwestern Colorado lured the railroad ever westward to haul out the riches. On the scene to photograph these developments was Iowan Ory Thomas (O.T.) Davis, who moved to Colorado in 1885 to work in the copper mines northwest of La Veta. Davis, backed by corporate sponsors from the mines and railroads, opened a commercial photography business in the Walsenburg-La Veta area in 1888 and, later, in Alamosa in 1906. The photographs of O.T. Davis collected in this book vividly capture a bygone era, documenting the frontier history of southern Colorado in the early years of statehood.

Clearwater, Florida, Images of America, Paperback

Clearwater, Florida, Images of America, Paperback Clearwater, situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast, is a progressive city that is rife with history and known for its breathtaking landscape.Early settlers, which included the Timucuan, Calusa, and Apalachee tribes, had plentiful fresh springs along its shore, and called the area „Pocotopaug,‘? meaning Clear Water Harbor. After Florida had been seceded by the Spanish, early developers and speculators drew tourists and new residents touting Clearwater as a resort community with a comfortable climate. Opportunity and adventure brought many pioneering families, citrus farmers, railroad barons, and land developers to the area, and today, Clearwater is a locality that continues to move forward while preserving its distinct past.Images of America: Clearwateris a unique collection of photographs and facts that brings the history of this thriving city to life. Photographs culled from a variety of sources, including the Clearwater Historical Society and Hillsborough County Public Library’s archives, showcase the people, places, and events that have contributed to the foundation of this special Florida community. Readers can take a visual journey to the unincorporated town of yesteryear to see how the „father of Clearwater‘? James Stevens, Rev. C.S. Reynolds, and Henry Plant’s grand hotel, the Belleview Biltmore, turned Clearwater into a prosperous city.

Manheim, Pennsylvania, Images of America, Paperback

Manheim, Pennsylvania, Images of America, Paperback Manheim is a charming little town nestled in the countryside of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Founded by an eccentric glassmaker named Henry William Stiegel in 1762, this town was born of entrepreneurship and the hardy, adventuresome spirit of early America. Despite its founder’s unfortunate financial downfall, Manheim made it through the Revolutionary War and continued to grow into a center of commerce for the surrounding farmland. Through the 20th century, Manheim continually grew in pride of its history and in modernization, as electric lights, piping, and paved roads built up the town’s infrastructure. Today, Manheim remains rooted in industry but also offers visitors and residents a variety of boutiques, art studios, and community events. One can also stroll through the streets of Manheim as though walking through time itself, as many buildings from the early 1900s, the 1800s, and even two from the 1700s still grace the town’s streets, making it an architectural gem.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Images of America, Paperback

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Images of America, Paperback Located about ninety minutes from three major metro areas – Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia – Gettysburg sits in the „fertile crescent,“ an area brimming with agricultural possibilities.Founded in the 1700s by James Gettys, the little town became headline material during the Civil War, although area residents never expected to be at the forefront of that controversy. Fate, however, had its way with the town, and Gettysburg found itself on the map permanently. When President Dwight D. Eisenhower retired here, Gettysburg became the place to visit for international tourists as well as Americans. Today, the National Park Service maintains the Gettysburg National Military Park, and the town caters to its visitors. Still imbued with small-country charm, Gettysburg beckons visitors from far and wide and treats them royally.

Avery County, North Carolina, Images of America, Paperback

Avery County, North Carolina, Images of America, Paperback Established in 1911, Avery County is the youngest North Carolina county. Despite its recent formation, Avery has an intriguing history and rich Appalachian culture. Over the years, photographers have been eager to capture Grandfather Mountain, majestic Linville Falls, church groups, families, mighty steam engines, and many other diverse aspects of mountain culture. James „Lenoir“ Franklin from the Linville Falls community photographed the southern portions of the county in the early 1900s. Operating during the same time, Willie R. Trivett lived and photographed in the Beech Mountain area. Drs. Mary and Eustace Sloop, founders of the Crossnore School, also took numerous photographs of Appalachian life. In more recent times, Grandfather Mountain’s Hugh Morton has captured endearing images of the people and places of Avery County.