Images of America: Historic Silver Spring celebrates the community's past, beginning with founder Francis Preston Blair's 1840 discovery of the mica-flecked spring and the 1873 arrival of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Vintage photographs document the progressive growth of the "Main Streets," Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road, and the construction of the Silver Spring Armory and National Dry Cleaning Institute in 1927 and the Silver Theatre and Silver Spring Shopping Center in 1938. The volume culminates with modern pictures of downtown Silver Spring's 21st-century revitalization, which continues to preserve the past and secure the future of the area. In a pictorial journey through the community's Central Business District and bordering residential neighborhood, East Silver Spring, Historic Silver Spring honors the people and places that have come before.

On July 11, 1864, some residents cheered and others watched in horror as Confederate troops spread across the fields and orchards of Silver Spring, Maryland. Many fled to the capital while General Jubal Early's troops ransacked their property. The estate of Lincoln's postmaster general, Montgomery Blair, was burned, and his father's home was used by Early as headquarters from which to launch an attack on Washington's defenses. Yet the first Civil War casualty in Silver Spring came well before Early's raid, when Union soldiers killed a prominent local farmer in 1862. This was life in the shadow of the Federal City. Drawing on contemporary accounts and memoirs, Dr. Robert E. Oshel tells the story of Silver Spring over the tumultuous course of the Civil War.

Author Jerry A. McCoy, founder and president of the Silver Spring Historical Society and a special collections librarian at the D.C. Public Library's Washingtoniana Division and Peabody Room, offers readers a tour of this dynamic central business district and surrounds.

Life, Alice McKinley feels, is just one big embarrassment. Here she is, about to be a teenager and she doesn't know how. It's worse for her than for anyone else, she believes, because she has no role model. Her mother has been dead for years. Help and advice can only come from her father, manager of a music store, and her nineteen-year-old brother, who is a slob. What do they know about being a teen age girl? What she needs, Alice decides, is a gorgeous woman who does everything right, as a roadmap, so to speak. If only she finds herself, when school begins, in the classroom of the beautiful sixth-grade teacher, Miss Cole, her troubles will be over. Unfortunately, she draws the homely, pear-shaped Mrs. Plotkin. One of Mrs. Plotkin's first assignments is for each member of the class to keep a journal of their thoughts and feelings. Alice calls hers "The Agony of Alice," and in it she records all the embarrassing things that happen to her. Through the school year, Alice has lots to record. She also comes to know the lovely Miss Cole, as well as Mrs. Plotkin. And she meets an aunt and a female cousin whom she has not really known before. Out of all this, to her amazement, comes a role model -- one that she would never have accepted before she made a few very important discoveries on her own, things no roadmap could have shown her. Alice moves on, ready to be a wise teenager.

From museums and monuments to sleepy mountain towns and beaches, history comes to life with Moon Virginia & Maryland. Inside you'll find: Strategic, flexible itineraries, including a two-week tour of the best of both states and a week on the eastern shore, with ideas for road-trippers, history buffs, claw-cracking crab lovers, and more Can't miss experiences and unique activities: Peep the changing leaves on Skyline Drive, raft down the Shenandoah River, hike a segment of the Appalachian Trail, or relax on the beach of the quaint (and car-free!) Tangier Island. Wander through world-class museums and marvel at the impressive monuments in Washington DC. Feast on oysters and beer in a historic tavern, hit the trendy eateries in Baltimore, or kick back at a crab shack for a taste of Maryland's famous blue crab Ways to immerse yourself in history: Step back in time at Revolutionary and Civil War battlefields, experience colonial life in Williamsburg, or tour the homes of former presidents like Jefferson and Washington Local insight from native Virginian Michaela Riva Gaaserud on when to go, where to stay, and how to get around Full-color, vibrant photos and detailed maps throughout Thorough background on the landscape, wildlife, climate, and local culture, plus advice for families, seniors, and international visitors With Moon Virginia and Maryland's practical tips and local know-how, you can experience the best of these two remarkable states. Hitting the road? Try Moon Drive & Hike Appalachian Trail. Staying in the city? Check out Moon Washington DC.

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