Galveston's Historic Downtown and Strand District (Images of America) (Images of America Series)
Title: Interest in history inspires Carbondale authorAuthor: Caitlin HeaneyPublisher: The Times-TribuneDate: 10/29/10Whenever James Racht traveled to a new town, he found himself picking up a book to learn about the history of the area or its attractions.But after continuously finding books from the "Images of America" historical book series, he started wondering why his own city, Carbondale, did not have one of its own.That changed with Sunday's release of the "Images of America" book featuring Carbondale, which Mr. Racht organized with the help of the Carbondale Historical Society, for which he volunteers; its executive director, S. Robert Powell, Ph.D.; and a few others who contributed images."I'm just happy to have been able to do this and do something to preserve the rich history that this area has that a lot of people are not too familiar with," Mr. Racht said.Interested in history since childhood, Mr. Racht was raised in Mayfield and has lived in Carbondale for the past 10 years. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School and the University of Scranton and is president and co-founder of ICON Technologies Inc. Now he can add "pub- lished author" to his list of accomplishments."I think just now it's starting to sink in that this is happening and it's going to be out there and a lot of people are going to be buying this book and reading this book," Mr. Racht said.The book covers the city's history from when the first settlers arrived through modern times, using portraits and historical photographs while touching on some of its well-known inhabitants."I didn't want this to be a coffee-table book," Mr. Racht said. "I wanted it to have a nice structure to it. I wanted it to be a useful book that people could pick up and learn about the area."The publication process took about a year from when Mr. Racht suggested the book to the publisher, Arcadia Publishing, and submitted a proposal. He said he is looking forward to feedback about the book, and he also is considering putting together another, possibly on Mayfield."I really want to kind of preserve that history before it fades away and dies with the last people who remember," he said.Title: Galveston Historical Foundation Releases New Book on Galveston's Downtown and Strand DistrictAuthor: Staff WriterPublisher: galveston.comDate: 10/29/10New from Arcadia Publishing and local author Denise Alexander is Galveston's Historic Downtown and Strand District. This latest volume in the popular Images of America series is filled with vintage images ranging from the late 1870s to current day of Galveston's downtown.The Strand, known as the Wall Street of the Southwest, contains a significant collection of 19th-century buildings. Long the center of Galveston's business community, its architecture is a reminder of the grand past of this historic port city. The National Historic Landmark District includes buildings classified as Greek Revival, Italianate, and Victorian style--sometimes with traces of vernacular building traditions that date to the 1850s. The book's historic images illustrate the development of the Strand and surrounding streets, including Mechanic, Market, and Postoffice. Galveston's Historic Downtown and Strand District demonstrates the power of place, despite an ever-changing economy and natural disasters. The book retails for $21.99.Author Denise Alexander is the director of museums and museum programs for Galveston Historical Foundation, one of the nation's largest preservation organizations.Also available is a set of 15 postcards featuring images from Galveston's Historic Downtown and Strand District. The set retails for $7.99.Highlights of Galveston's Historic Downtown and Strand District:•Sales of this title will benefit Galveston Historical Foundation and its mission to preserve and revitalize the architectural, cultural and maritime heritage of Galveston Island for the education and enrichment of all.•Focusing on the cultural and architectural history of downtown Galveston, the book reveals the history of the businesses and people associated with the famous buildings there.•Illustrates the role immigration played in Galveston's history with more than 200,000 immigrants entering through Galveston.Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Its mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America's people and places.The book and the postcard set are available for sale at Bishop's Palace, 1402 Broadway, Galveston, or online at www.galvestonhistory.org.About Galveston.com & Company...Galveston.com & Company, Inc.is a destination marketing corporation based in Galveston, Texas. The company specializes in destination portals, as well as online lodging, cruise, parking, and transportation reservations; and event ticketing via its proprietary DestinationNext module. For more information, contact Galveston.com & Company at via phone (409)763-8676 or email at websites@galveston.com.