Arcadia Publishing

The House of David.

Benton Harbor, Michigan, a thriving summer resort at the time, may not sound like the ideal place to found paradise, but it certainly suited itinerant preacher Benjamin Purnell and his wife Mary. They founded a religious colony there which grew to over a thousand members, many of whom were skilled in entertainment and architecture. Purnell became exceedingly rich as adherents signed over their possessions and soon his investments, such as the colony's amusement park paid off in hundreds of thousands in attendance annually. The colony boasted hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, private islands, mansions, factories and miniature railroads. Siriano, founder of the House of David museum, has compiled hundreds of fascinating images, including many of the colony's famous bearded baseball team and orchestras, tracing the growth of what soon became one of the biggest faith-based enterprises in America. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Hudson River bridges.

Drawing upon archival documents and historic photographs, Burke portrays the architectural/political feats of bridges built across the Hudson River Valley, a major New York State crossroads. In historical context through the advent of the auto, the Depression, and labor disputes, she traces the building of nine bridges from the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge in 1886 to the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge in 1963. Drivers may be more familiar with the George Washington Bridge, Rip Van Winkle Bridge, and Tappan Zee Bridge. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Rails around Helper.

Here are hundreds of period (b&w) photos mostly from originals at the Western Mining and Railroad Museum in Helper, Utah. Coverage includes the period from the 1883 arrival of the DR&RGW (Denver and Rio Grande Western). (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Spanish Harlem's musical legacy, 1930-1980.

Alava, a founder of Latin Beat magazine, documents the musical legacy of Spanish Harlem through six decades, noting the specific influences of artists from Cuba, Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo. Using hundreds of photographs from the era, this latest entry in the Images of America series charts the birth of salsa music from its origins in Africa and Spain, and shows how it eventually flourished in Manhattan. The text is used sparingly to support the photographic images of such legendary musicians as Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto, Willie Bobo and many others. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Waikiki.

From being a rich traditional fishing/agricultural area to becoming one of the world's most popular tourist meccas, Waikiki ("spouting water") has long drawn people. With some 200 images (including vintage surfing photos) drawn from Hawaiian archives and oral histories, longtime residents White (a student of historic preservation) and Kraus (English, Chaminade U., Honolulu) trace the city's transformation from the pre-to-post U.S. annexation period. They also address development and preservation issues. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)