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The epic saga of Big Basin began in the late 1800s, when the surrounding communities saw their once inexhaustible redwood forests vanishing. Expanding railways demanded timber as they crisscrossed the nation, but the more redwoods that fell to the woodman's axe, the greater the effects on the local climate. California's groundbreaking environmen...

While now known as America's summer playground, Newport was at one time the nation's fifth-largest seaport, containing a diverse population that is reflected in its burial sites. Of special significance is the largest marked site for eighteenth-century African Americans in the country, as well as the oldest surviving colonial Jewish burial site. Notable burials include those for William Ellery, who signed the Declaration of Independence, and Richard Morris Hunt, the eminent nineteenth-century architect. It is also home to John Stevens, a noted gravestone carver who led six generations of his family to create exquisite stones throughout the city. Those same traditions are carried on today by the Benson family, America's premier stone carvers. Join local author and tour guide Lewis Keen as he explores the fascinating history behind the city's early burial grounds.

The Revenue Cutter Service, which later merged with the U.S. Life-Saving Service to form the Coast Guard, patrolled South Texas as early as 1846. In 1852, the first lighthouse was built in Point Isabel, followed by the first lifesaving station in 1881. Salute the heroes who responded to the devastating hurricane of 1919 and stand watch with Chief Pablo Valent, the first Hispanic American to command a rescue station. From Commander Charles R. Wilson's oral history of World War II boot camp to the legacy of station keeper Wallace L. Reed, the longest-serving officer in charge, Dr. Jackie Kyger preserves the heritage of the men and women whose unofficial motto was Law and Order, on the Border.

During the first forty-five years of the city's existence, slavery dominated the cultural and economic life of Memphis. The lives of enslaved people reveal the brutality, and their perseverance contributed greatly to the city's growth. Henry Davidson played a crucial role in the development of the city's first Methodist church and worship services for slaves. Mary Herndon was purchased by Nathan Bedford Forrest and sold to Louis Fortner, for whom she was put to work in the field, where she chopped cotton, plowed it and did everything any other slave done. Thomas Bland secretly learned to read and write from a skilled slave and later used that knowledge to escape to Canada. Author G. Wayne Dowdy uncovers the forgotten people who built Memphis and the American South.

Cleveland was one of the largest cities in America when Playhouse Square opened as a testament to the city's splendor. In 1921, Loew's State, Loew's Ohio, the Hanna Theatre and the Allen opened their doors, and Keith's Palace Theater, then the world's finest theater, greeted patrons in 1922. For fifty years, these theaters prospered before falling on hard times. Three even faced demolition. But through visionary planning, hard work and civic pride, these magnificent show palaces survived and thrive today, and Playhouse Square Center is once again the largest theater center outside of New York's Lincoln Center. Playhouse Square volunteer Redcoat and tour guide Michael R. Routa celebrates the people who made and saved theater in Cleveland.

Cape Horn conjures up images of wind-whipped waters and desperate mariners in frozen rigging. Long recognized as a maritime touchstone for sailors, it marks the spot where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet in one writhing mass. Doubling Cape Horn became the ultimate test, earning a prominent place in Maine maritime history. At the end of South America, it shares longitude 67 west exactly with Cutler, Maine, a direct north-south line of seven thousand miles. Maine Cape Horners were recognized by a golden earring. If they did not survive this most difficult journey in the world, the earring covered the costs of their funeral, should the body ever be found. Maritime historian Charles H. Lagerbom traveled to the end of the world to help research this exciting story of bold Mainers and their exhilarating and oftentimes deadly dance with danger.

Archaeologists have been investigating the ruins of Poverty Point for decades, piecing together a fascinating picture of a 3,500-year-old hunter-gatherer way of life. But Poverty Point is more than an archaeological treasure-trove. It's also an eerie locus for southeastern native lore. Cold breezes on warm nights stir up spirit foxes and singing locusts. Otherworldly messages find their conduit in the drumming of trees and hooting of owls. Archaeologist and author Jon Gibson unearths the strange narratives that are as much a part of Poverty Point as the artifacts and earthworks themselves.

"George Pullman's legacy lies in the town that bears his name. As one of the first thoroughly planned model industrial communities, it was designed to give the comforts of a permanent home to the employees who built America's most elegant form of overnight railroad travel. But the town was more than just a residential wing of sleeper car manufacturing; its 1894 railroad strike led to the national Labor Day holiday. In the early twentieth century, the Pullman Company became the country's largest employer of African Americans, who then formed the nation's first successful Black labor union."--

The unification of Italy in 1861 launched a new European nation promising to fulfill the dreams of Italians, yet millions of poor peasants still found themselves in economic desperation. By 1872, an army of speculators had invaded the countryside, hawking steamship tickets and promising fabulous riches in America. Thousands of immigrants fled to the New World, only to be abandoned upon arrival and forced to find work in hard labor. New York placed victims of deception at the State Emigrant Refuge on Ward's Island as the secretary of state and the Italian prime minister sought to intervene. Through steel-eyed determination, many surmounted their status and became leaders in business and culture. Authors Joe Tucciarone and Ben Lariccia follow the early stages of mass Italian immigration and the fraudulent circumstances that brought them to New York Harbor.

For centuries, Virginians have told, retold and embellished wonderful stories of their history. Legends such as the wild Spanish ponies of Chincoteague, General Braddock's lost gold, the Mount Vernon Monster and the Richmond Vampire tug at the imagination. Revolutionary War heroes, Annandale's Bunny Man, the enslaved woman who became a Union spy in the White House of the Confederacy and many others left imprints on the Commonwealth of Virginia. Explore secret societies, hidden knowledge and the mysteries of the universe with author Chuck Mills.

It takes only a brief drive past the stately homes that line Preston Hollow's winding tree-lined streets to understand the neighborhood's appeal. But the remarkable arc of its history remains largely unknown, even to lifelong residents. Glimpse the rich farmland that stunned Ira DeLoache on his fortuitous 1922 flight over the countryside. Revisit the early days of the pre-annexation town, when citizens relied on septic tanks and a volunteer fire department. Stop by institutions like the Coffee Cup or the Northwest Hi-Way Drive-In Theatre and attend Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church's first service. From the architectural legacy of Charles Dilbeck to the destructive path left by the 2019 tornado, author Jack Walker Drake relates the heritage of a premier Dallas neighborhood.

The history of Lake Tahoe, nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, stretches far beyond its shores. Travel back in time on more than two dozen hikes, from short lakeside trails used by the Washoe People to all-day trips exploring the abandoned shelters left behind by early mapmakers. Visit the remains of one of California's most violent towns and the ruins of a lighthouse built in the early twentieth century when travel by boat was preferred over driving treacherous roads. Discover the legend of Hermit Isle and walk in the footsteps of the earliest pioneers. Join author and hiker Suzie Dundas as she dives deep into the history of Tahoe's scenic trails.

By the time he was hanged in 1903, Augustine Chacón had become the most notorious Mexican outlaw in the Arizona Territory. His alleged crimes had made him a virtual legend, but the facts show that Chacón wasn't the bloodthirsty fiend he was made out to be. Journalists of the era chased sensationalist stories, pandering to a readership that longed for excitement. Each retelling of Chacón's exploits added outlandish details, painting the escaped prisoner as a brutal gunman responsible for as many as fifty-two murders. In reality, Augustine Chacón may not even have killed the man he was hanged for shooting. Join author David Grassé as he uncovers the true story of Arizona's most enduring criminal legend.

Honeybees have been a part of Virginia's history since they arrived with the first European colonists. They were Jamestown's valuable addition and a Civil War soldier's sweet if painful temptation, and they served as homefront heroes when the world wars caused sugar shortages. In recent years, mead has seen a resurgence along with beekeeping and has claimed a place as a craft beverage in the Commonwealth. Join author Virginia Johnson to hunt escaped swarms flying wild in the forests, visit modern-day observation hives and follow the mead path across the Commonwealth for a taste of history.

Among the thousands who fought in the pivotal Battle of Antietam were scores of Ohioans. Sending eleven regiments and two batteries to the fight, the Buckeye State lost hundreds during the Maryland Campaign's first engagement, South Mountain, and hundreds more gave their last full measure of devotion at the Cornfield, the Bloody Lane and Burnside's Bridge. Many of these brave men are buried at the Antietam National Cemetery. Aged veterans who survived the ferocious contest returned to Antietam in the early 1900s to fight for and preserve the memory of their sacrifices all those years earlier. Join Kevin Pawlak and Dan Welch as they explore Ohio's role during those crucial hours on September 17, 1862.

A wonderful diversity of flavors has defined Northwest Indiana as a dining destination from its earliest days to the present. The pan-fried fish of Teibel's, open for almost a century, carries on the tradition of perch palaces like the now lost Phil Smidt's. Pierogis have been a staple at the Cavalier for decades. So great was the demand for frogs legs that the venerable Vogel's raised its own at a small lake nearby. The same dish has remained on the menu at the Town Club since opening in 1947. Serving Northwest Indiana-style, crisped-edge hamburgers, Miner-Dunn and Schoops both survived the onslaught of fast-food chains and continue on today. Local author Jane Simon Ammeson leads a tasty tour of historic Region restaurants.