New Book Explores River Towns of Union County Through Photographs

July 6, 2011 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Union County River Towns from local author Jeannette Lasansky. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by.

High ridges and lush valleys teeming with natural resources abutted Union County's river towns of Allenwood, White Deer, New Columbia, West Milton, and Winfield. Creeks emptying into the Susquehanna River connected gristmills and communities like Spring Garden to their river neighbors. Narrow-gauge railroad lines brought excursions from White Deer to Tea Springs and men and lumber to operations run by lumber barons.

The Reading Railroad ran beside the Susquehanna, but other lines crossed it, establishing West Milton as a railroad hub. Central Oak Heights and Devitt's Camp perched above West Milton, Allenwood, and Spring Garden, while groves and islands at the river's edge were dotted with rustic camps. In the mid-20th century, a new Route 15 altered most of these towns' streetscapes as World War II took the town of Alvira and area farmlands by eminent domain for explosives production. Through vintage photographs, Union County River Towns chronicles the rich history and evolution of this former frontier land.

Highlights of Union County River Towns:
•   The book is a team effort with residents of the Allenwood, White Deer, New Columbia, West Milton, and Winfield communities.
•   The book draws upon the Union County Historical Society’s photo and postcard archives, which is the largest in the county.
•   The proceeds from the sale of the book will be used by the Union County Historical Society in areas of school and public education.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.

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With more than 6,000 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.