With the exception of Mount Desert Island�s Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, the lighthouses of Bar Harbor and the Acadia region are among the most remote and lesser-known lighthouses of Maine. As the vessel traffic changed in these areas in the early 1900s, some of these lighthouses were sold into private ownership while others became less important as aids to navigation. Since the structures were located on remote islands or in a highly restricted military installation, the photographs and h...

During his career as an actor, William Gillette portrayed world-renowned character Sherlock Holmes in more than 1,300 performances.His career as a playwright and actor afforded him the opportunity to purchase a 184-acre estate, where he also built a twenty-four-room medieval-style castle. Overlooking the Connecticut River, Gillette's castle was complete with spy mirrors, sliding furniture, hidden rooms and a three-mile quarter-scale railroad. Since becoming a state...

A close-up look at this historic Massachusetts landmark, including photos and illustrations.Though Salem is located on Massachusetts's scenic North Shore, its history has not always been picturesque. The "Witch City," as it is internationally known, is home to numerous landmarks dedicated to the notorious trials of 1692.Of these, the Witch House is perhaps most significant—the former residence of Judge Jonathan Corwin, whose court ordered the execution of t...

As many as 15,000 covered bridges were built in North America over the past 200 years. Fewer than 1,000 remain.In America's Covered Bridges, authors Terry E. Miller and Ronald G. Knapp tell the fascinating story of these bridges, how they were built, the technological breakthroughs required to construct them and above all the dedication and skill of their builders. Each wooden bridge, whether still standing or long gone, has a story to tell about the natur...

For centuries, heroic men and women have guarded the treacherous yet beloved Cape Cod coastlines. From Provincetown to Chatham, Sandwich to Cuttyhunk, and many towns in between, residents have relied on the Atlantic for employment and nourishment. But Cape Cod has always been plagued with a shifting coastline that consistently defies mariners� efforts to pass through Massachusetts waters. In 1792, as shipping increased, mariners petitioned for a sorely needed lighthouse. It was not until 1...

The maritime history of Cape Ann, on the northern coast of Massachusetts, is filled with stories of heroism, adventure, and human endeavor. The lighthouses and lifesaving stations surrounding Cape Ann since the late 18th century have served to protect and safeguard the area's mariners and major industries. Fishing, shipbuilding, and granite quarrying businesses all flourished under their watchful eyes. They provided artists with spectacular subject matter and attracted tourists from around...

Inaugurated in 1877 as a camp meeting ground by eastern Massachusetts residents who believed in communication with the dead, Onset quickly emerged as the nation's leading spiritualist summer community. By 1900, however, spiritualism had been overwhelmed by an influx of tourists, and Onset subsequently developed as a secular summer resort noted for its scenic bluffs, recreational pursuits, and beaches. At this same time, neighboring Point Independence found wide appeal among middle-class va...

The early nineteenth century in New Bedford was a time of unimaginable wealth, intellectual ferment and artistic treasures. Prosperous whaling magnates like members of the Rotch, Morgan and Howland families commissioned the nation's finest architects to design and construct their majestic mansions. The city's architectural and cultural expansion brought great writers and artists like Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson into the homes of County Street's elite. Yet behind the elegant...

For thousands of years, Point Piedras Blancas, located along the central coast of California, has attracted people to its rocky, windswept shores. In ancient times, it was used by Native American cultures. Since 1875, it has been the site of a First Order Lighthouse, warning ships to steer clear of its rocky shoals, a duty it continues to fulfill. Although the years have not been kind to this stunning area nor to the lighthouse, new life is being breathed into it by a partnership of enthus...

Discover within these pages little-known facts about the USS Albany, the U.S. Navy's oldest commissioned warship, USS Constitution, and the WWII destroyer, USS Cassin Young.The photographs in this exciting new volume illustrate the history of the Charlestown Navy Yard from the late nineteenth century through the twentieth century. Founded in 1800, the yard was oneof the first military shipyards in the United States.Charlestown Navy Yard celebrates the...

After the discovery of Alta California, the Spanish Crown charged the first Franciscan friars to enter into the New World through Lower Baja, with a succession of conquistadors, explorers, and soldiers, on a trail called El Camino Real or �The Royal Road.� The settlement began in 1769 at Mission San Diego de Alcal�, a new port and military presidio with buildings of mud, brushwood, and tule grass. Fr. Jun�pero Serra, the legendary mission presidente and founding father of nine missions, tr...

The Ventura County coast has been illuminated for more than a century by three distinctive lighthouses, united in their mission of warning mariners of coastal hazards and guiding ships to safe passage. Port Hueneme�s original 1874 Victorian Stick Style lighthouse stood sentry until it was replaced in 1940 by the still-standing art moderne structure, which guards the only deepwater port on the California coast between San Francisco and San Pedro. The Anacapa Island Light, a cylindrical bric...