For over 100 years, Huntington Beach, a.k.a. "Surf City, USA," has come to represent the true beach culture of Southern California. Originally called Pacific City, it was when railroad magnate Henry Huntington first ran his train line down in 1904 from Los Angeles, approximately 40 miles north, that the then-quaint beach town took on the name that made it famous around the state and around the world. In 1914, the legendary George Freeth put on a surfing exhibition the day the city's vaunted concrete pier was opened, which christened Huntington Beach as a soon-to-be surfing mecca. It became a boomtown after oil was discovered in 1920 and, several decades later, morphed once again into a cradle of aerospace engineering when companies such as Boeing arrived. Throughout its tumultuous and dramatic history, Huntington Beach has always boasted a cast of colorful and profound characters. From the first mayor, Ed Manning, to Medal of Honor-recipient Chris Carr, from the Zamboni family (who invented the ice-cleaning machine) to baseball star Jeff Kent: the list is almost endless. But it is not just professional athletes, actors, and rock stars; it is the teachers, crossing guards, merchants, and activists that give Huntington Beach its well-earned reputation as one of the most interesting and charismatic cities in the state.

Inspired by a haunting true story...When Rowan and her family move into the 1800s home nestled in the woods on a bluff near Lake Michigan, she's looking forward to a summer reprieve. However, she soon discovers that Helme House harbors dark secrets including people who have vanished from the house and never been found. As Rowan digs into the history of Helme House a series of troubling experiences soon become deadly.Helme House is the second stand-alone novel in the Troubled Spirits Series-where paranormal fiction meets true crime. Do you believe in ghosts?

Situated on top of the bluffs facing Long Island Sound, Miller Place is a treasure trove of Long Island history. With the arrival of the railroad in the late 1800s, the beaches became a popular holiday and summer camp destination. Initially boardinghouses served vacationers until proprietors opened inns and resorts. Throughout the 20th century, Miller Place attracted vacationers from nearby New York City, including Paul Newman, Arthur Miller, and a young Anjelica Huston. Drawn by its bucolic setting, friendly atmosphere, and career opportunities at nearby Stony Brook University and Hospital, commuters in the 1970s and 1980s expanded and updated vacation homes and developed new lots. As the population grew, the civic-minded residents formed their own high school, fire department, historical society, civic association, and the North Shore Youth Council. Miller Place's historic homes, natural spaces, and strong public schools make the hamlet a desirable place to raise a family.

The 100-year history of Huntington Beach is a rich amalgam of agriculture, oil, surfing, beach culture, aerospace, and small-town America. This comparative, visual evolution of the city is crafted for both locals and tourists alike, featuring some of the most defining views ever captured of Surf City, USA.

written by workers of the Federal Writers' Project of the Works progress administration for the state of Rhode Island ...

Orange County was created in 1889. Soon, wilderness evolved into farmlands and communities supported by a year-round harvest of Valencia oranges, lemons, avocados, walnuts, and more. In the 1950s, aerospace and industry expanded here, and today the county boasts more than three million people. This collection features side-by-side historic comparisons of many local institutions, from orange groves to beaches to Disneyland. Chris Epting is the author of 17 books, including Vanishing Orange County and Huntington Beach.