American Trails Revisited follows in the proverbial footsteps of the many explorers and pioneers who traveled across the American West. Based on the works of the Federal Writers Project in the 1940's, this book organizes, updates, and enhances the original material to provide an easy-to-follow historical travel guide to the Western United States. Along with the history of the people and places you will find along the way, this book also includes information for local, state, and national parks. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be used to support local historical organizations, so that the history that you rediscover in your travels will remain for those who follow in your footsteps.

In 1978, William Least Heat-Moon made a 14,000-mile journey on the back roads of America, visiting 38 states along the way. In 1982, the popular Blue Highways, which chronicled his adventures, was published. Three decades later, Edgar Ailor III and his son, Edgar IV, retraced and photographed Heat-Moon’s route, culminating in Blue Highways Revisited, released for publication on the thirtieth anniversary of Blue Highways. A foreword by Heat-Moon notes, "The photographs, often with amazing accuracy, capture my verbal images and the spirit of the book. Taking the journey again through these pictures, I have been intrigued and even somewhat reassured that America is changing not quite so fast as we often believe. The photographs, happily, reveal a recognizable continuity – but for how much longer who can say – and I'm glad the Ailors have recorded so many places and people from Blue Highways while they are yet with us." Through illustrative photography and text, Ailor and his son capture once more the local color and beauty of the back roads, cafes, taverns, and people of Heat-Moon’s original trek. Almost every photograph in Blue Highways Revisited is referenced to a page in the original work. With side-by-side photographic comparisons of eleven of Heat-Moon’s characters, this new volume reflects upon and develops the memoir of Heat-Moon’s cross-country study of American culture and spirit. Photographs of Heat-Moon’s logbook entries, original manuscript pages, Olympia typewriter, Ford van, and other artifacts also give readers insight into Heat-Moon’s approach to his trip. Discussions with Heat-Moon about these archival images provide the reader insight into the travels and the writing of Blue Highways that only the perspective of the author could provide. Blue Highways Revisited reaffirms that the "blue highway" serves as a romantic symbol of the free and restless American spirit, as the Ailors lose themselves to the open road as Heat-Moon did thirty years previously. This book reminds readers of the insatiable attraction of the “blue highway”—“But in those brevities just before dawn and a little after dusk—times neither day or night—the old roads return to the sky some of its color. Then, in truth, they carry a mysterious cast of blue, and it's that time when the pull of the blue highway is strongest, when the open road is a beckoning, a strangeness, a place where a man can lose himself” (Introduction to Blue Highways).

The author's account of his four-month hike in 1948 of the entire length of the Appalachian Trail.

The modern city of East Lansing, Michigan is a thriving community of 46,000 people located just a few miles from the state capital building in Lansing. Originally a crossroads of Indian trails and encampments, the first modern development at the site was the Agriculture College of the State of Michigan. Founded in 1855, it later became Michigan State University. A surrounding community soon sprang up as a result of the college's establishment and growth. First named Collegeville, this community organized, petitioned for, and received a city charter from the state in 1907. The city and the college still share a symbiotic relationship, but they have developed into two diverse and distinct communities. This pictorial history presents images of the town as it originated and grew, in less than 100 years, into one of Michigan's most interesting cities.

Tory hunting -- Britain's dilemma -- Rubicon -- Plundering protectors -- Violated bodies -- Slaughterhouses -- Black holes -- Skiver them! -- Town-destroyer -- Americanizing the war -- Man for man -- Returning losers

This edition in the Slow Travels series is an update of our California guide, now combined with Nevada into one. Much of the text is edited from the American Guide Series of the 1930’s and 40’s, with updated historical information, improved directions, and material from additional sources. All locations have been verified using GPS coordinates, as well as from satellite imagery and first hand knowledge. The California section explores current U.S. 50 and 395, as well as the former routes of U.S. 40, 60, and 99 which are no longer designated as such. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego are explored along these routes. The Nevada section follows U.S. Highways 6 and 50 east to west across the state, and U.S. 93 and 95 north to south. In addition, the former route of U.S. 40 is retraced along the Humboldt River, the route of emigrants along the California Trail from Utah and Idaho.All routes include reference maps and GPS coordinates for all listed sites.