Wyoming, Michigan, became a city in 1959, the same year Alaska and Hawaii became states, but its history began more than a century earlier. The first permanent settlers came in 1832, and in 1848, the region split, with the northern portion becoming Wyoming and the southern, Byron Center. Wyoming flourished. The farmers came first with the businesses that supported them. Industry followed. The various gypsum mines were among the earliest arrivals. General Motors built a stamping plant on Th...

Jay De Vries prepared for an American dream retirement, which meant living in a nice country home with a nice boat and a truck in the driveway, and plenty of time for hunting, fishing, and camping. He soon began to feel unsettled with his selfish lifestyle. The restlessness continued and at the suggestion of a pastor he journeyed to Mexico and there the Lord gave him a vision for Mission Acapulco and full-time ministry living and serving God in Guerro and the mountains surrounding Acapulco...

From the Mall of America to the world’s only two-story outhouse, we’ve got Minnesota covered like never before!What’s not to love about the state that gave us the Pillsbury Doughboy? Oh, and Judy Garland, Bob Dylan, and Prince, too! Minnesota is a state with a rich history and a proud citizenship, and as Uncle John found out firsthand, “Minnesota Nice” is not an understatement. From the town of Tenney (Pop. 6) to the burgeoning metropolis of the Twin Cities, you’ll...

Graceful Lives summarizes the family history and descendents of William and Grace Lassey--parents of the authors. Th ey were both born and raised in western North Dakota, where their parents homesteaded in the early 20th Century. Th eir younger married years were a major challenge, as they tried to make a living on a farm in the depths of the Great Depression, while raising their children. Th ey overcame great odds to eventually prosper, while contributing mightily to their family, communi...

Vibrant and captivating Nevada City began as a gold-mining camp called Deer Creek Dry Diggins. The large gravel deposits alongside this creek reportedly delivered a pound of pay dirt a day by the fall of 1849, when A. B. Caldwell�s general store opened to supply this haphazard collection of tents. By March 1850, somewhere between 6,000 and 16,000 boisterous souls called it home, and the new town was christened �Nevada,� meaning �snow covered� in Spanish. After 1861, townsfolk took to addin...

The name Ozark comes from the French Aux Arcs. The town of Ozark may have gotten its name because it is at the bend of the creek. Today the term Ozark refers to the large upland region that covers parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Ozark, Missouri is nestled in the hills of this region and serves as the county seat of Christian County. This book looks at Ozark's 150 year history, using vintage photographs from the Pegram Collection to capture the spirit of the town and surr...

Elk Grove's roots go back to 1850, when the community consisted of only a stage-stop hotel. In 1876, this small farm town in the shadow of Sacramento became a crossroads along the new railroad tracks. As the railroad era progressed, it brought significant changes to Elk Grove'fields were transformed into orchards, vineyards, and eventually, residential developments. But Elk Grove remained just a part of southern Sacramento County until citizens prevailed in their attempt to establish cityh...

Once heralded as the �Queen City of the Plains,� Alliance, Nebraska originated as a simple railroad junction called Grand Lake. Founded on true pioneer spirit in 1887, Alliance has grown from a farm and ranch community into a major retail center for Box Butte County. The Knight Museum showcases over 200 images in this new book, depicting the history and growth of Alliance during its 113-year history.Although there are many anonymous threads that make up the social fabric of Alliance, reade...

Laden with pines and interspersed with lakes and rivers, Pine City has long served as the gateway to Minnesota's Northwoods. Over the years, people have traveled through the area via the river, military road, railroads, and scenic highway. In the 1880s, as people of European decent were settling in, the crux of the community moved from Chengwatana, Ojibwe for "City of Pines," to a location west of there, nearer the rail line, called Pine City. The story begins with the fur trade and takes ...

Stretching 265 miles, the majestic Grand River is Michigan's longest waterway, and it was once considered one of the Midwest's most important. The river starts as a trickle just south of Jackson and gains power as it surges toward Lake Michigan in Grand Haven. Trappers first used the river to trade with the Native American villages along its banks. Later, the lumber industry transported logs via the Grand. The river shaped the towns and cities that grew up along its banks, providing them w...

Nestled snuggly against Lakewood on the southern side of Tacoma, South Tacoma is a vibrant neighborhood comprised of old and new. What was once a prairie where elk and deer roamed was first called Excelsior, later renamed Edison, and finally became known as South Tacoma in 1895. Beginning in the mid-1800s, the area was comprised of cemeteries used to bury Tacoma�s deceased, but in 1890, Northern Pacific Railway made the monumental decision to move its railroad shops from downtown Tacoma to...

Early in 1868, Francis �Barney� Prine arrived in the Crooked River Valley of Central Oregon, established a blacksmith shop made of logs, and dispensed spirits from the back of the cabin. Prine saw the potential for development and industry along the lush banks of Crooked River and Ochoco Creek, and as more and more settlers arrived, the post office of Prine was established in 1871. The community soon emerged as a major commercial center for Central Oregon, one of the last frontiers in the ...