In 1903, Cambridge Springs was described in Cutter's Guide as "the Great Health and Pleasure Resort of Pennsylvania." Located in northwestern Pennsylvania on the banks of French Creek, it fell halfway between Chicago and New York City on the Erie Railroad. From the promotion of the mineral springs in 1884, this town of some six hundred people grew into a luxurious vacation spot that included accommodations such as the Riverside Hotel, the Rider Hotel, the New Cambridge Hotel (now the Bartlett), and more than forty other hotels and cottages. Around Cambridge Springs not only celebrates this town's golden age of resorts and affluence but also remembers the people, such as W.A. Baird Jr.; the places, such as Alliance College; and the events, such as the devastating fires of 1897 and 1931, that have shaped this community over the last two hundred years.

Erie County, Pennsylvania, is an interesting mixture of peaceful rural landscapes and vigorous industrial scenes. From Albion, Girard, and Fairview in the west, through Waterford and Edinboro, to Corry, Wattsburg, North East, Harborcreek, and Lawrence Park in the east, this volume touches upon many of the small towns, villages, and rural areas that make up this diverse county. The book's images, many never before published, have been selected by local historians and taken from local historical societies' archives to represent the social and cultural aspects of each community. From these pictures, mainly taken in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the distinct identity of each area comes alive with views of farmlands, businesses, schools, and recreation, yet despite this individuality, these unique communities do share much in common in tradition and personality.

The diverse landscape of gay and lesbian Philadelphia is a story of highs and lows. From rustic post-Civil War days when Camden poet Walt Whitman crossed the Delaware River on a ferry or caroused Market Street "eyeing" the grocery boys, to the beginnings of ACT UP more than one hundred years later, the gay and lesbian community in Philadelphia has never lost its flair for the dramatic.Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia is a historical look at the neighborhoods, events, and people that have been a part of this community. The 1920s saw the birth of private dance bars on Rittenhouse Square. It was a time when drag shows in straight bars were the order of the day, as was the presence of men in drag during the annual Mummer's Parade on New Year's Day. The pre-Civil Rights era, when segregation was the status quo, saw the proliferation of African American house parties in neighborhoods such as North Philadelphia, where black gays and lesbians formed a community. During the 1950s and 1960s, Rittenhouse Square was the site of informal public gatherings. These gatherings of friends and strangers helped set the stage for the Annual Reminder, the first public protest in support of "homosexual equal rights," which took place every Fourth of July at Independence Hall. Throughout all of these eras, members of the community faced challenges, celebrated victories, and continued to try to blend their lives with those of their gay and straight neighbors.

Levittown was created in Bucks County outside of Philadelphia in 1951. As one of the largest "planned communities" in America, this book's superb collection of history and photographs illustrates the birth and growth of this unique area. In 1951, Levittown was created in Bucks County outside of Philadelphia by builder pioneers Levitt and Sons. Dubbed the largest and "most perfectly planned" community in America, it featured single-family homes, schools, churches, shopping centers, and swimming pools. A symbol of the "American Dream," Levittown defined the phenomenon of post-World War II suburban developments, which for the first time gave working- and middle-class families the option of affordable, detached houses outside congested urban neighborhoods. Levittown was a melting pot, attracting people from cities, rural areas, and all walks of life, including many World War II veterans with young families. Houses came fully equipped with appliances and landscaping and started at $9,000. Levittown's superb collection of history and photographs illustrates the birth and growth of this unique area, explores the community that resulted, and features residents' personal memories of the golden years.

Minersville documents the history of this Pennsylvania coal mining hub. Minersville, aptly named for those who toiled in the coal fields of east-central Pennsylvania, embodies the very essence of the coal region. This town and surrounding areas, however, are much more than abandoned breakers and row after row of coal company houses. Although coal is no longer king, the people of Minersville still take pride in their heritage. The gridiron battles of the Pottsville Maroons, the much-disputed 1925 NFL champions, and the failed political campaign of Lewis Cass against Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore proved that more than coal could come from this region. Minersville provides a glimpse of the early days of coal, as well as the people of the area and their accomplishments of spirit.

A fascinating history of law and power, Pennsylvania's Coal and Iron Police documents the law enforcement group which ruled these communities from 1865 to 1931. Pennsylvania's Coal and Iron Police ruled small patch towns and industrial cities for their coal and iron company bosses from 1865 to 1931. Armed with a gun and badge and backed by state legislation, the members of the private police force were granted power in a practically unspecified jurisdiction. Set in Pennsylvania's anthracite and bituminous regions, including Luzerne, Schuylkill, Westmoreland, Beaver, Somerset, and Indiana Counties, at a time when labor disputes were deadly, the officers are the story behind American labor history's high-profile events and attention-grabbing headlines. Paid to protect company property, their duties varied but unfortunately often resulted in strikebreaking, intimidation, and violence.

Architect Horace Trumbauer (1868-1938) is well known for the wide range of residential, commercial, and civic structures he designed in and around Philadelphia. His works can be found along Old York Road and the Main Line, as well as in Philadelphia and Springfield Township, Montgomery County. During the American renaissance in architecture, Trumbauer masterfully interpreted the classical styles, designing many of the area's most notable structures. Captured in stunning exterior and interior photographs, The Philadelphia Area Architecture of Horace Trumbauer highlights the architect's most significant works, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Keswick Theatre, the Widener Building, Whitemarsh Hall, Lynnewood Hall, and Ardrossan.

A section of North Philadelphia, Strawberry Mansion is nestled high on the banks of the Schuylkill River, adjacent to the large expanses of Fairmount Park, with many wonderful venues such as Woodside Park. The area became the setting for America's premiere Jewish Community in the 20th century, with over 50,000 inhabitants. Strawberry Mansion was the first Jewish suburb within an urban setting. Affectionately known as "the Mansion," it was only a trolley car ride away from the South Philadelphia immigrant district. Jewish families migrated from one neighborhood to another as they advanced economically in American society during the early 1900's. By the mid-1950's, the decision to discontinue the once heavily traveled route #9 trolley car marked the decline and eventual demise of Strawberry Mansion as a Jewish enclave.