See how homes in the United States have changed over the years. Our homes give us shelter and keep us safe, but homes have changed over time. Long ago families used oil lamps for light and kept food cold in iceboxes; now we use electricity to light our homes and refrigerators to keep our food cold. Historical and modern-day photographs interspersed throughout clearly illustrate how aspects of daily life change over time, while simple text shows readers how to compare and contrast ideas. Timelines in the back of each book give readers perspective by listing key inventions and developments that have modernized our lives.

"Historic Houses of Philadelphia" brings the region's most impressive museum homes to life with maps, touring information, and historical notes on 50 distinctive homes. 160 photos, 150 in color.

Houses are built with many different materials, and in many shapes and sizes. Step by step, this picture book explains how homes are built—from the architect's plans through the arrival of a happy family. The many processes of construction are explained with simple language and bright, clear illustrations, perfect for kids starting to wonder about how the world around them works. Many different careers—including carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and landscapers—are introduced, each doing their part to bring the picture wood-frame house to life. A great read for kids who love construction sites, or who can't get enough of Building a House by Byron Barton. According to The Washington Post, Gail Gibbons "has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other children's writer-illustrator." Ms. Gibbons is the author of more than 100 books for young readers, including the bestselling titles From Seed to Plant and Monarch Butterfly. Her many honors include the Washington Post/Childrens Book Fuild Nonfiction Award and the NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book Award.

“Shows us why the actions that prepare us for emergencies and energy descent are the right things to do no matter what the future brings.” —Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia’s Garden Other books tell us how to live the good life—but you might have to win the lottery to do it. Making Home is about improving life with the real people around us and the resources we already have. While encouraging us to be more resilient in the face of hard times, author Sharon Astyk also points out the beauty, grace, and elegance that result, because getting the most out of everything we use is a way of transforming our lives into something much more fulfilling. Written from the perspective of a family who has already made this transition, Making Home shows readers how to turn the challenge of living with less into settling for more—more happiness, more security, and more peace of mind. Learn simple but effective strategies to: · Save money on everything from heating and cooling to refrigeration, laundry, water, sanitation, cooking, and cleaning · Create a stronger, more resilient family · Preserve more for future generations We must make fundamental changes to our way of life in the face of ongoing economic crisis and energy depletion. Making Home takes the fear out of this prospect, and invites us to embrace a simpler, more abundant reality. “Americans are born to be transient—Sharon Astyk has the prescription for dealing with that genetic disease, and building a healthy nativeness into our lives.” —Bill McKibben, New York Times–bestselling author “Exhaustively researched and compassionately delivered.” —Harriet Fasenfest, author of A Householder’s Guide to the Universe

Many copies in stock but still heavy demand; only a few titles published on this subject. Very popular in rural WA too.

Classic Natchez is the fourth in a series of books about significant Southern cities. By bringing together thought-provoking essays, beautiful contemporary color photographs, and informative maps and illustrations, the editors reveal the essence of each city through its architecture. In this volume, Randolph Delehanty presents the captivating and ironic history of Natchez, identifying the architectural evidence of each era and relating it to the social and economic pulses that created it. An entertaining time line illustrated with archival photographs, maps, panoramas, and floor plans takes the reader from the earliest native habitations, through the construction boom of the cotton era, to the modern-day efforts to preserve this precious legacy. As the introduction and time line give the architecture historical perspective, a portfolio of forty-three landmark Natchez homes gives it life, with stories of Natchez's celebrated nineteenth-century society woven into the lives and lifestyles of modern Natchezians. The portfolio offers a colorful journey through time - the sweet serenity of Spanish-era Hope Farm, to the nearly unbelievable fantasy of Haller Nutt's suburban Longwood, and ending with a bluff-top modern homage to a Mississippi planter's cottage.