Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, is still remembered fondly for the 5cents Staten Island Ferry ride to Manhattan. The rolling hills of Staten Island greet ships as they enter the Narrows of New York Harbor and sail beneath the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The island's ever-evolving history dates back to days as a hunting ground of the Lenape Indian tribe. Today, it is a thriving suburban community. In this volume, the reader will explore the roots of this historic island, tour its streets, and meet some memorable Staten Islanders--Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, founder...

Tova Navarra's new visual history of Howell and Farmingdale presents a wealth of vintage images and carefully researched information on the area's past. The book's focus on the social and cultural aspects of Howell's history is particularly appropriate, given the remarkable ethnic diversity of the region. Howell is a vibrant and unique New Jersey community whose character and heritage are lovingly conveyed by this resident author. At once rural and suburban, contemplative and yet very active, Howell is today an intriguing mixture of old and new. Age-old churches and Buddhist temples stand...

When developer Abraham Levitt and his two sons conceived the idea for Levittown in 1946, they were probably unaware of the future impact of their radical concept--to build cellarless, affordable tract housing on Long Island farmland. Levittown
became the prototype suburban community that has
been mirrored in towns throughout America and around the world. This delightful photographic history chronicles the growth and development of Levittown as returning World War II GIs flocked to it in droves, attracted by the promise of the American Dream of becoming homeowners. Despite criticism of...

Here is Staten Island at its liveliest. Through an
outstanding selection of images coupled with an insightful narrative, this New York City borough
emerges, with friends and families at play, at work, and in between. Staten Island once hosted noteworthy visitors from the Wild West, such as Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley. It served as an arena for politics and prominent political figures, including Kennedy, Rockefeller, Nixon, and Eisenhower. It was also an arena for sports of many sorts--baseball, football, tennis, bowling, racing, and hunting. Within this remarkable collection, these...

Levittown, the prototype for suburban housing development in America, emerged from the hands of legendary builders Abraham, William, and Alfred Levitt in 1947, in response to the housing dilemmas
faced by veterans returning home after World War II.
Skeptics predicted that the community would deteriorate, but Levittown soon became the model for housing developments throughout the nation. Its strategically planned neighborhoods were reproduced overseas as well, including cities in Germany, France, Spain, and Israel. Through more than 200 vintage photographs combined with a thoroughly...