First visited by English settlers in 1607, Virginia Beach has been a popular tourist destination ever since. The sea, sand, and sun are the most popular attractions, but throughout history the city has also been known for its unique architecture. The first geodesic dome built in the United States, designed by Buckminster Fuller, was the city's convention center for many years. The Cavalier Hotel, when built in 1927, was the state's largest brick structure. The new Cape Henry lighthouse, completed in 1881, remains the tallest cast iron lighthouse in the country. The lighthouse it replaced, a structure that still stands today, was erected in 1791 and was the first federally funded structure built in the United States.

Long Beach successfully incorporated as a city in 1888, and would eventually become California's fifth largest city. Author Marlin Heckman has compiled over 200 vintage postcards to chronicle the history of the "Queen of Beaches." Competition between the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Railroads brought great numbers of visitors to Southern California at the turn of the century. Resort hotels, apartments, pavilions, and band shells quickly dotted the landscape to accommodate the massive influx of tourists. Seen here are the more famous Long Beach attractions, including Rainbow Pier, the Sun Pavilion, the Hotel del Mar, and the great "Walk of a Thousand Lights," or the Pike, as it was better known.

In 1800, James Simpson, a Botetourt County landowner, purchased 31 acres of land for $100 and dedicated half of the purchase to plotting a new town. The Town of Salem was officially established when Simpson recorded his ownership at Fincastle Courthouse in October 1802, and it later became the government seat when Roanoke County was carved from Botetourt County in 1838. Today, Salem is an independent city, boasting a rich tradition of educational, commercial, and residential success. Roanoke County, like Salem, has emerged from its agrarian past to become a suburban county that embraces the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as the strength and success of corporate centers and residential communities.

Take a trip down memory lane to beloved destinations for fun and families across Virginia's tidewater. Cruise the rails of Ocean View Amusement Park's "The Rocket" roller coaster, dig for fossils at Hampton's Rice's Fossil Pit, celebrate the winter season at Portsmouth's Coleman's Nursery and learn the significant role that Buckroe Beach's Bay Shore Beach Park played in American history. From the Great White Fleet to a Wild West park, journey through this vibrant history with author and historian Nancy E. Sheppard and discover whether such cherished places can ever truly be lost.

This richly documented and illustrated tale takes readers on a journey along the edges of the country to 12 of its most famous beach towns to reveal the vitality of the American boardwalk as an idea, rather than just a place.

Situated on the fickle Marshyhope Creek, Federalsburg, has long reached out to Maryland and the rest of the country with trade on its waterways and rails. In 1791, Isaac Nichols called a tract of land in the middle of the eastern shore of Maryland "Rawley." The name became "Federalsburg" in the late 18th century when the small village, consisting of only two streets, was dominated by Federalist influence. Before the Civil War, Federalsburg was involved in the shipbuilding industry; later its energies were invested in mills, farming, and canneries. When the railroad arrived in 1867-1868, trade in Federalsburg proliferated even more as refrigerated cars allowed produce to be shipped to major cities in the North. Federalsburg's agricultural heritage has since continued to endure.

Rehoboth Beach is heralded as the “nation's summer capital.” Located along the Atlantic Coast within 100 miles of Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia, Delaware's treasured resort has provided millions of tourists with unforgettable memories along its mile-long boardwalk and white, sandy beach. Vintage postcards and photographs will allow readers to experience the thrill of this renowned beach and see why many have made Rehoboth their choice for vacations, holidays, and getaways time and time again-and why some call it home year-round. This photo album features then-and-now scenes of the beach, documents the rise of other attractions surrounding the area, pays homage to storms that shook the seacoast, and showcases some of the people, festivals, hotels, and motels that make this a special place to visit.