Windmills and water mills are truly the wonders of an earlier era, the wooden technology of yesteryear. To us, they may be graceful and charming relics. To the colonists, however, they were a vital necessity. Colonial craftsmen constructed them to mill grain, saw wood, pump water, and do various other jobs. Furthermore, the mill was the gathering place for the villagers. While they waited for their grain to be milled, the villagers exchanged news and gossip and stories. Millers were well respected not only for their mill’s output but also for their own weather forecasts, knowledge of engines and machines, and, of course, up-to-date news. Long Island is an ideal place for catching the steady wind from the ocean and bays: 125 miles long, narrow―only 20 miles across at its widest, and relatively flat. Thus, many windmills were built here and still exist here, particularly at the island’s east end. As a matter of fact, the south fork of eastern Long Island contains the greatest number of surviving windmills in the United States. Before 1700, Long Island also had many water mills, some of them powered by the tide.

Wind & Water Mills Of Long Island, NY

Arts & Photography

Pulling, Sr. Anne Frances

Photography & Video

Arcadia Publishing

Northern Cambria is not only the upper region of Cambria County, it is also the new name of two century-old villages, Barnesboro and Spangler, that have merged to become a millennium entity. Located high in the Allegheny Mountains of western Pennsylvania, the region was once covered by virgin forests. In time, the dense acreage led to the development of numerous sawmills, from which logs were floated all the way downriver to what was then the lumbering capital of the world, Williamsport. Miles of scenic farmland were cleared and cultivated. Then, in the mid-1800s, rich coal veins were found beneath the Cambrian hills. As word of this discovery spread, mines opened throughout the region. Within a short time, immigrants from far and near streamed into the region to work in the mines. Soon, rail lines were constructed to serve the coal fields. High school graduates became miners and dubbed the mines “Dust College.” Coal had become king.

Northern Cambria (Images of America)

Babylon by the Sea focuses on a seaside community that, once rich in salt marshes, attracted many of the area’s first settlers. Originally called Sumpawam, it was purchased from Native Americans in 1670. The township was formed from South Huntington and named Babylon in 1802 by Mrs. Conklin, a staunch advocate of the Bible. Babylon includes the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville, and the hamlets of North and West Babylon, Copaigue, Deer Park, Farmingdale, and Wyandanch. This vibrant community evolved from a humble beginning of farming, fishing, and whaling into an attractive resort community. The area was unknown until the nearby barrier beach, Fire Island, gained prominence as a summer resort. The South Shore line of the Long Island Railroad gave the seaside locality impetus when the train reached Babylon in 1867. Hotels and boardinghouses sprang up around town and beside the sea. Among the pleasure seekers were many wealthy New Yorkers who came in quest of the invigorating air and relaxation outside the city. The trip from New York took just over an hour; a trolley would meet the visitors and transport them to the Great South Bay. For many years, the South Shore Railroad was the only electrified train, and Babylon became the point of convergence for travelers bent on speed. The village also witnessed the birth of radio and wireless communication when Marconi contacted ships at sea from Babylon.

Babylon By the Sea (NY) (Images of America)

Around Central Islip focuses on a modern renaissancevillage that evolved through numerous and diversecultures. It was a small English settlement of the 1800s when “Come to Central Islip, Good Work, Good Pay” was advertised in the newspapers in Ireland. This brought an influx of settlers from nearly every county in Ireland. The area became known as “Little Ireland in America.” At the turn of the century, Central Islip housed one of the largest psychiatric centers in the country. Village life centered around this establishment for many decades. Decentralization of the hospital in 1955 resulted in the abandonment of numerous buildings with a degenerative effect on the village; blighted neighborhoods became commonplace. The transformation brought about by the arrival of the New York Institute of Technology resulted in the community’s revitalization and beautification. Today, Central Islip is a vibrant and dynamic community.

Around Central Islip (Images of America)

The Allegheny Mountains constantly challenged early settlers touse their creativity and skills to conquer what seemed an almostinsurmountable barrier. The founding fathers recognized potentialin the area both as a resort and as a thriving town that would attractindustry. Through hard work and innovation, an all-rail route over themountains was established, linking the area with important industrialand trade centers. Many people came to Cresson to enjoy the healthand recreational benefits of its natural springs, and the area’s “pike”afforded the first stage link between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.When the Pennsylvania Railroad established headquarters here, with aroundhouse, machine shops, and branch lines, the area entered an era ofindustrial prosperity.I n this remarkable volume, over 200 rare images are combines withinformative and insightful text. Early views of the famous HorseshoeCurve, the Gallitzin Tunnels, and the Mountain House are delightfullyintertwined with photographs of homes, workplaces, churches, and thepeople who made the area prosper and grow. Readers visit Loretto, atown founded by “A Prince-Priest, Demetrius A. Gallitzin, Apostle ofthe Alleghenies” and they are transported to Portage and Lilly, areas ofwoodlands that gave rise to numerous sawmills.

Around Cresson and the Alleghenies (Images of America)

Altoona is a city built by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Cities usually grow to maturity and then sprout suburbs. With Altoona, it was the opposite. The suburban towns are older than the city and form a larger community. In 1849, Altoona was farmland, a little hamlet in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. The site was chosen by the railroad for locomotive repair shops. Situated at the eastern base of the Allegheny Mountains, Altoona was destined to become the largest railroad yard in the world. The complex occupied 217 acres and included two huge roundhouses. Centered around the railroad, the city and its population grew. In this historic city were various shops that provided employment to early settlers and the old furnaces of the ironmasters. Also here were the Logan House hotel, where a meeting of governors saved the Union, and Cricket Field, where great athletes from across the country competed. Over the years Altoona has been visited by not only presidents and statesmen but also celebrities of stage and opera. It is home to the world-famous Horseshoe Curve and to Lakemont Park, which has the world's oldest roller coaster.

Altoona

History

Pulling, Anne Frances

Americas

Arcadia Publishing Library Editions

Babylon by the Sea focuses on a seaside community that, once rich in salt marshes, attracted many of the area's first settlers. Originally called Sumpawam, it was purchased from Native Americans in 1670. The township was formed from South Huntington and named Babylon in 1802 by Mrs. Conklin, a staunch advocate of the Bible. Babylon includes the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville, and the hamlets of North and West Babylon, Copaigue, Deer Park, Farmingdale, and Wyandanch. This vibrant community evolved from a humble beginning of farming, fishing, and whaling into an attractive resort community. The area was unknown until the nearby barrier beach, Fire Island, gained prominence as a summer resort. The South Shore line of the Long Island Railroad gave the seaside locality impetus when the train reached Babylon in 1867. Hotels and boardinghouses sprang up around town and beside the sea. Among the pleasure seekers were many wealthy New Yorkers who came in quest of the invigorating air and relaxation outside the city. The trip from New York took just over an hour; a trolley would meet the visitors and transport them to the Great South Bay. For many years, the South Shore Railroad was the only electrified train, and Babylon became the point of convergence for travelers bent on speed. The village also witnessed the birth of radio and wireless communication when Marconi contacted ships at sea from Babylon.

Babylon by the Sea (Revised)

Around Central Islip focuses on a modern renaissance village that evolved through numerous and diverse cultures. It was a small English settlement of the 1800s when "Come to Central Islip, Good Work, Good Pay" was advertised in the newspapers in Ireland. This brought an influx of settlers from nearly every county in Ireland. The area became known as "Little Ireland in America." At the turn of the century, Central Islip housed one of the largest psychiatric centers in the country. Village life centered around this establishment for many decades. Decentralization of the hospital in 1955 resulted in the abandonment of numerous buildings with a degenerative effect on the village; blighted neighborhoods became commonplace. The transformation brought about by the arrival of the New York Institute of Technology resulted in the community's revitalization and beautification. Today, Central Islip is a vibrant and dynamic community.

Around Central Islip

Nestled in the picturesque Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, Somerset County has a rich and vibrant history that spans more than two centuries. In this photographic collection, local historian Sister Anne Frances Pulling brings to life the characters and communities that make up this "Roof Garden of Pennsylvania." From Harmond Husband's rebellious roots that led him to settle in and establish the village of Somerset to the Meyers family of maple fame, Pulling includes images from many of Somerset's treasured boroughs. As the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor wound its way through central Pennsylvania and coal mining towns like Boswell and Jerome sprang up across the countryside, Somerset County changed and evolved with the times. Pulling revives the lost memories of curiosities like the "Ship of the Alleghenies" and extols the virtues of the snowmakers at the Seven Springs resort. She also recounts the tragic accident at the Quecreek mine that trapped nine miners for more than three days, and shares the sorrow and mourning of the community of Shanksville--forever changed on September 11.

Somerset County, Pennsylvania: A History in Images (Vintage Images)

The History Press

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