Nestled in the shadows of the Blue Ridge, the Roanoke Valley has developed as the capital region for western Virginia. After a century of growth fueled by transportation, education, and healthcare, the region has undergone significant visible change. While some of the valley's landmarks remain, many have been replaced or dramatically altered.

Postcards are an important element of understanding our past, for they provide future generations a rare glimpse into a world that many times has disappeared under the aegis of expansion and progress. This book, containing over 200 vintage postcards, allows readers to see one of the South's most historic cities as it looked in the earlier part of the twentieth century'a time when the city was experiencing unparalleled growth. Spartanburg, South Carolina contains scenes of early textile mil...

Through the images and stories of the people who built it, discover the fascinating history of a railway established to fuel the nations' appetite for coal and that grew into so much more. For a century, the Norfolk and Western Railway operated as one of the greatest transportation companies in the southeastern United States. From developing the coal fields of West Virginia to accommodating passengers aboard its famous Powhaten Arrow and Pocahontas lines, the N&W was the last major railroa...

There is no better way to see America than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are preparing for a road trip or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a downloadable walking tour is ready to explore when you are.Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer o...

In 1837, Henry Janes applied for a post office called Black Hawk for the southern Wisconsin settlement where he ran a ferry across the Rock River. The postmaster general, however, noticed a town already by that name in the Iowa part of Wisconsin Territory, and he assigned the name Janesville, with Janes as postmaster. Two years later, Janes moved his family west, but the community grew to become the Rock County seat, and by 1860 it was Wisconsin's second-largest city. Today more than 62,00...

There is no better way to see America than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are preparing for a road trip or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a downloadable walking tour is ready to explore when you are.Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer o...

This collection uncovers the fascinating past of Tennessee's legendary Music City from true tall tales to larger than life characters and much more.Perched on the banks of the Cumberland River, Nashville is best known for its role in the civil rights movement, world-class education and, of course, country music. In this unique collection of columns written for The Tennessean, journalist and longtime Tennessee native George Zepp illuminates a less familiar ...

Troup County in Vintage Postcards traces a major period of growth and development for this Georgia community, from the late 19th through the mid-20th century. Snapshot glimpses of history preserved on postcards reveal the second courthouse, which burned in 1936; the textile mills that opened at a rapid pace as the county entered the era of the "New South;" the early days of LaGrange Female College, which became co-ed in 1954; Southern Female College, which closed in 1919; Ferrell Gardens, ...

The rise and near destruction of Dayton in the early 20th century is chronicled in this visual postcard history. The postcards showcase some of the city's unique commercial buildings, hotels, churches, and residences, many now long gone due to urban renewal and highway construction in the 1960s and 1970s. Landmarks featured include the National Soldiers' Home, built for veterans of the Civil War in 1868, and there is an entire chapter dedicated to the events of the 1913 flood that forever ...

Allentown is many things to many different people. It is a historical city, a city of churches, a city of immigrants, and a place that values hard work, education, and recreation. This is a city with rich and unique stories to tell. Allentown captures historical stories such as the hiding of the Liberty Bell, early railroad and canal transportation, and the training of World War I ambulance drivers. Other stories include how politics influenced the building of a world-class park system. Th...

In 1800, James Simpson, a Botetourt County landowner, purchased 31 acres of land for $100 and dedicated half of the purchase to plotting a new town. The Town of Salem was officially established when Simpson recorded his ownership at Fincastle Courthouse in October 1802, and it later became the government seat when Roanoke County was carved from Botetourt County in 1838. Today, Salem is an independent city, boasting a rich tradition of educational, commercial, and residential success. Roano...

From our contemporary vantage point, we should take the time to look back to how people in American communities lived at the beginning of the 20th century. The focus of this work is Evansville - in the early 1900s, the only emerging metropolis between Louisville and St. Louis, and then the radial center of a hinterland stretching in all directions for at least 100 miles. Evansville illustrates how the city landscape changed because of the early industrial era, how people made a living and ...