The Russian River has drawn tourists to its colossal redwoods, picturesque seashore and idyllic resorts for more than a century. This collection of John C. Schubert's "Stumptown Stories" columns relates the history of this California river valley through in-depth research and firsthand stories. Ride the first train to chug across the Hacienda Bridge and wave farewell to the town's last train in 1935. Swing around in the many dance halls to the big bands of the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Let the...

The enterprising spirit that led to Sonoma County's storied agricultural heritage defined its earliest denizens. Sail the seas with Captain Bodega y Quadra, whose name graces the coast and beyond, and wave farewell to the last train out of the redwoods. Discover the fate of Charles Henley, spirited from the county jail in 1876 by masked vigilantes. Learn about the rise and fall of Sonoma's tobacco growers and the historic opening of the Jenner Bridge as the automobile rose in popularity. J...

The Russian River region has morphed from a lumber area, to a recreational paradise, to a retirement locale and a semi-bedroom community of Santa Rosa Valley, all the while sustaining itself as one of Northern California's premier vacation destinations. Each resort region town has its own personality dictated by its environment: forest, river, fields, and hills. A self-proclaimed 'River Rat,' Valerie A. Munthe has lived 20 years in Guerneville, where she and her husband, Jesse, raise their...

The astonishing scenery of Yosemite National Park is known throughout the world, primarily for the soaring granite outcroppings and graceful waterfalls around Yosemite Valley. But this park is much larger than just the valley. Relatively few visitors get to experience Yosemite�s vast expanses, whether south to Wawona and Fish Camp or east to White Wolf and Tuolumne Meadows. Indeed, it was John Muir�s efforts to protect the meadows and hills around the valley that ultimately led to the esta...

Lies, murder, and a legendary courtroom battle threaten to tear apart the Territory of Hawaii.In September of 1931, Thalia Massie, a young naval lieutenant’s wife, claims to have been raped by five Hawaiian men in Honolulu. Following a hung jury in the rape trial, Thalia’s mother, socialite Grace Fortescue, and husband, along with two sailors, kidnap one of the accused in an attempt to coerce a confession. When they are caught after killing him and trying to dump h...

The true history of Pinecrest, California as well as stories about camping, the dances, adventures, and what life was like growing up in the 1950's and 1960's in a small resort town that many believe to be "magical".

Kids who learn to travel will travel to learn. National Geographic Traveler Editor Keith Bellows sends you and your children globetrotting for life-changing vacations that will expand their horizons and shape their perspectives. What you won't find inside: predictable itineraries and lists of landmarks and events. Instead, you'll get evocative, slice-of-life experiences and age-appropriate ideas that illuminate place and culture. Each chapter of 100 Places That Can Change Your Child's Life...

The Land Of Fun & Sun: As the story goes, Hollywood grew and prospered and with it, the local resorts, country clubs, and tennis facilities until everything was so overcrowded, so expensive and so exclusive that even the members of the Hollywood movie colony found it difficult to get some peace and relaxation. Two of those celebrities, Charlie Farrell and Ralph Bellamy, began to look for something better. They found it in a small, sun-drenched community in the desert east of Los Angeles a pla...

This lavishly illustrated book brings Gordon Lightfoot’s heart-stirring song, “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” to readers young and old. The song was commissioned by the CBC in 1967 to mark Canada’s centennial year and it has been a classic ever since. It eloquently describes the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway — “an iron road runnin’ from the sea to the sea” — a great feat of nation building that changed Canada forever for good and for ill, as in the process many people died and ...

Are you visiting Palm Springs and would like to find out about sightseeing opportunities, hiking opportunities and other popular activities in the area? What To do In Palm Springs is an up-to-date guide with plenty of attraction listings, images and maps that will give you lots of ideas for your upcoming trip and help you get to know the area the way only locals do.

The tragic, true story of Helen Spence, the teenager who murdered her father's killers in the insulated lower White River area of Arkansas in 1931.The once-thriving houseboat communities along Arkansas's White River are long gone, and few remember the sensational murder story that set local darling Helen Spence on a tragic path. In 1931, Spence shocked Arkansas when she avenged her father's murder in a DeWitt courtroom. The state soon discovered that no prison coul...

This is the official Holiday FM Guide to San Francisco. This handy bitesize guide gives you everything you might want for the ideal trip to the big city. Background information about the history of the City will hopefully give you a better understanding of its origins and make your visit more enjoyable. Get local information about the must see sightseeing places to visit to help make your trip amazing and memorable. The guide also covers tips on where to eat and drink and what to expect t...