Palm Beach In Vintage Postcards

Once little more than a steamy, tropical jungle, Palm Beach was transformed in the early twentieth century by industrialist Henry Flagler and a handful of architects into a playground for the famous, wealthy, and powerful. There, in the garden of earthly delights, celebrities and capitalists enjoyed a variety of leisure and recreational activities--from parties and tennis to sunbathing and dining--and stayed in the most opulent accommodations ever conceived and constructed. Many who loved this lifestyle became part-time residents and built palatial homes for the winter months. To this day, Palm Beach remains one of America's toniest and most exclusive resorts.

From the early 1900s, when visitors reached the sparkling new bathing resort by ferry, to the heydey of Art Deco hotels in the 1930s and beyond, Miami Beach has cast its spell over millions of people and been transformed into a world-class travel destination. Sandy beaches, a balmy climate, a vibrant local community, and a distinctive architectural heritage certainly make Miami Beach a one-of-a-kind city.

Palm Springs has been a desert vacation oasis for nearly a century and remains the ultimate posh desert spa in pop culture. Film stars put Palm Springs on the map as a destination for weekend getaways. In the postwar era, it became a centerpiece for golfers and a second home for such Hollywood icons as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Over the years, postcards portraying Palm Springs have concentrated on its hotels, spas, golf courses, celebrities, and other aspects that have fed the national reputation of the city and its environs as a playground for the rich and famous.

In the brief 100 years since its inception, Miami, which began its life on the shores of the Miami River, has been transformed into an international city that continues to blossom under the warm South Florida sun. Home to just 30,000 pioneering souls in 1920, the greater Miami area has grown to be 2.1 million residents strong and boasts a unique heritage made up of grand hotels and skyscrapers, aviation and marine history, as well as famous people and places.

Settled along 47 miles of beautiful Atlantic coastline, Palm Beach County has long been a mecca for sport fishing enthusiasts. Graced with a mild climate and bounded with waters nourished by the warm Gulf Stream current, Palm Beach's coastal waters host a rich reserve of marine life. Featured in this captivating retrospective is a history of the sport fishing industry and tales of legendary captains, devoted weekend anglers, and wealthy sportsmen. Bringing to life the sailfish tournaments, fish fries, beauty pageants, and parades of a bygone era, this work is a tribute to the hardworking men and women who built this seaside settlement into a haven for sport fishermen. Follow the evolution of fine fishing boats and learn about the advancements in marine conservation while enjoying the natural beauty of this tropical oasis. Showcased within the book are over 200 vintage images collected from the local library's historical archive, as well as rare photographs from over 30 local sources, including the West Palm Beach Fishing Club.

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.

Like many Sun Belt cities, Fort Lauderdale has experienced phenomenal growth over the past several decades. Once a wilderness home for the Seminole Indians and a few hardy pioneers, the small community grew up around Frank StranahanA[aa[s successful trading post, a convenient stop for hunters, fishermen, and sightseers preparing to head into the Everglades. But much more was in store for this rugged outback camp. Surveying Fort LauderdaleA[aa[s fascinating history chronologically, this pictorial retrospective begins with the 1890s, a time when this part of the country was still part of AmericaA[aa[s frontier, isolated and wild. With the coming of the railroad and the twentieth century, an agricultural economy developed, and, soon, the Florida land boom would bring thousands of new settlers to the area. Fort LauderdaleA[aa[s glistening beaches and comfortable climate earned the city an early reputation as a tourist town and, eventually, as a Spring Break mecca.