Winding through the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, the former Native American footpath known as Route 7 has long been an icon of beauty, vitality, entertainment, change, controversy, and even humor. The scenic towns and villages nestled along this historic highway have many common bonds. Stretching north from Canaan, Connecticut, to Williamstown, Massachusetts, Berkshire Route 7 provides a roadside rich in history. Artist Norman Rockwell's studio once stood proudly alongside this road; the first practical electrical transformer for alternating current was developed in a laboratory next to Route 7; legendary civil rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois was born just a block from the highway; President Theodore Roosevelt was injured in a trolley accident on a busy stretch of the road; humorist Josh Billings's large tombstone overlooks Route 7; the first woman to vote legally in the United States cast her ballot just a stone's throw from the road. As Route 7 redefined itself from dusty footpath to asphalt avenue, postcard makers and photograph takers captured the changes along the way. Old Route 7 contains more than 225 vintage images, many of which date back as far as the 1870s. Open this book and take a stroll along old Route 7. You will see many incredible sights: forgotten quarries, old drive-in movie theaters, trolley-car diners, full-service gas stations, and roadside tourist stops such as Red Bat Cave in New Ashford. Family farms, welcoming woodlands, majestic mountains, beautiful waterways, and even an occasional stately elm remain to remind us of how quickly these treasures could be lost.

Old Route 7, a versatile road that runs north through the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, boasts a rich and fascinating history. Known for its unique beauty, this historic highway winds through many scenic towns and villages that have common bonds and interesting stories of their own.

From the 1890s through the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced during this golden age can today be considered works of art. Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photographs of busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in Americas history. This fascinating new history of Route 7 from Norwalk to Canaan, Connecticut, showcases more than two hundred of the best vintage postcards available.

Situated where the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay meet, the city of Havre de Grace in Harford County, Maryland, has seen Revolutionary fervor, a rich maritime tradition, a flamboyant gambling industry, prosperous farms, and thoughtful public servants. Over 200 photographs in this volume depict a century of change in Havre de Grace, from a time when Washington Street was unpaved and covered with oyster shells, to the beginnings of today's tourist industry and efforts to beautify the cityscape. Striking photographs from over the decades show everyday life: the vegetable truck that took local produce street to street, the butchers at Seibert's Market standing proudly with their prize-winning hog, and the exciting Fourth of July parades. Over the years, kids swam in the Susquehanna, played around the oil tanks at Gilbert Oil, danced 'round the maypole, sang in the church choir, and had their photographs taken on Velvet the Pony. At Christmastime, youngsters whispered their wishes to Santa for a Howdy Doody or Betsy Wetsy doll or a set of Lionel Trains. Grown ups bought hardware at Hecht's, car supplies at Western Auto, prescriptions at Lyons Pharmacy, clothes at Levy's, and shoes at Frank's. And every family and business toted the trash to the dump that never stopped smoldering.

Vermont is quintessential New England and a wonderful state to explore, offering grand vistas, lovely farms and villages, historic sites, and rolling mountains. In addition you'll encounter minimal traffic, plenty of scenic turnoffs, and absolutely no billboards. Here a native Vermonter guides us through the entire state, from windswept peaks to lush farmlands, from magnificent Lake Champlain to the Northeast Kingdom. Fascinating histories and anecdotes accompany the precise road directions, giving us a sense of the true character of Vermont.