THE LIGHT-HOUSES OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1874. by Charles Nordhoff & Gustav Kobbe.
Showing lighthouses and keepers on all U.S. coasts--Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf, and Great Lakes, with three extra articles by Gustav Kobbe: "Life in a Lighthouse", and if that isn't lonely enough there comes "Life on the South Shoals Lightship". Last is "Heroism in the Lighthouse Service".
Here are four articles on that romantic historic aspect of the maritime industry--the lighthouse. The first is a history and survey of lighthouses to 1874, giving a look at the federal service that operated them and how the lighthouses were run as well as their importance to shipping when when a light was main--sometimes the only--navigational aid. Then there are insights into keepers' lives in one of the most exposed lighthouses ever built (Minot's Ledge outside Boston Harbor). Portrayed, too is the role played by offshore lights on anchored ships. And recalled, too, are dramas and devotion to fellow man and duty that must never be forgotten. First published at the pre-1900 time when lighthouses held greatest importance: Lighthouses remain intriguing for their function and dramatic vertical architecture, and are now historic, recalling dramas of the past. Many of the lighthouses described are in national and state park areas and are maintained as historic sites, with museums and visitor centers open to the public. In many you can still climb to the top for a view keepers once saw. A visit to one of these  is all the more meaningful with the insights gained from this collection of articles. 75 period engravings. 64 pages. See sample pages, illustrations.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-086-X. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-086-7. Order #: VIST0086 paper $6.95.

SIGNALS OF THE SEA AND HEROES OF THE SURF: the epic story of America's light-houses and life-savers, written at their heyday. by Arthur Hewitt and John R. Spears.
Two of the most romantic traditions of the sea are here combined to form the content of this book--light-houses and life-savers. Stories of the work of the keepers and savers span the range from daytime monotony, and even loneliness, between storms, to the thrill of daring sea rescues in raging winter surf. Through all, dedication of the men involved shines as brightly as the lights they tended and as steadily as their massive surfboats while heading through the breakers to sea. Reprinted from The Outlook for 1903 and 1904. Good reading for anyone intending to visit the many lighthouses and life-saving stations maintained as historic sites on all U.S. coasts. Period engravings. 24 pages. See sample pages, illustrations.
Inventory = in stock. ISBN-10: 0-89646-088-6. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-088-1. Order #: VIST0088 paper $4.95.

RANCH LIFE IN THE FAR WEST (SD). by Theodore Roosevelt.
After being president, Roosevelt stated "I would not have been president had it not been for my experience in North Dakota" And so here are his experiences, as he wrote about them, of cattle, ranching, sheriff's work, hunting game, and frontier types. Tales of round-ups, breaking broncos, and arresting thieves are included, as well as the harshness of the winters on his Elkhorn Ranch, much of which is now in the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park. Foreword is by park naturalist Gerard T. Altoff. Reprinted from 1888 and 1893. Illustrated primarily with engravings done by Frederic Remington for the original publication. 96 large-format pages. See sample pages
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-034-7. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-034-8. Order #: VIST0034 paper $9.95.

THE UNITED STATES LIFE-SAVING SERVICE--1880: predecessor to today's Coast Guard by J. H. Merryman.
Story of chain of life-saving stations that once lined all U.S. coasts--Atlantic, Gulf, Great Lakes, Pacific--with rescue dramas, apparatus and technique used by heroic federal surfmen. The U.S. Life-saving Service was at its heyday when this material was written in 1880. Shipping was a busy industry among the seaport cities, yet navigation was often unsure, and storms poorly predicted. Wrecks were all too common; ships in peril were even run toward shore to founder them where they would be closer to possible rescue. A chain of life-saving stations on all four U.S. coasts was therefore established to save lives. Accounts of heroism at these lonely outposts remain amazing--and chilling. Our author was chief inspector of the board examining these station's crews. He tells of the organization of the Service, the desperate need for the life saving function, of rescues, and of rescue methods and apparatus. Today many of these stations are maintained as historic reminders of past deeds, and several are in parks and/or include museums. Some provide demonstrations of how rescues were made in the surf and by lifeboats. Read this book and visit one or several of the stations on any coast for an appreciation of the life-saving service heritage. 79 period illustrations. 64 pages. See sample pages, illustrations.
Inventory = in stock in quantity. ISBN-10: 0-89646-071-1. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-071-3. Order #: VIST0071 paper$6.95.

VANDERBILT MANSION NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE (NY). by Charles W. Snell.
National Park Service Historical Handbook Series No 32. Story of Vanderbilt family and mansion with details of building and grounds plus history of how wealth was obtained through shipping and railroads. Site is at Hyde Park, New York along the Hudson River. The mansion and its rooms and furnishings are described as well as outbuildings including the elegant coach house and the grounds, plus the yacht. Includes tips on visiting the site. Historical photographs and map, 52 pages.
Inventory = 3. ISBN: 024-005-00956-6. 1961. Order #: USGB2453 paper$4.95.

List of National Park System areas in New York:
African Burial Ground National Monument
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
Castle Clinton National Monument
Chesapeake Bay
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Federal Hall National Memorial
Fire Island National Seashore
Fort Stanwix National Monument
Gateway National Recreation Area
General Grant National Memorial
Governors Island National Monument
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
National Parks of New York Harbor
Niagara Falls National Heritage Area
North Country National Scenic Trail
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site
Saratoga National Historical Park
Statue of Liberty National Monument
Stonewall National Monument
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Thomas Cole National Historic Site
Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
Women's Rights National Historical Park