The History Press brings a new way of thinking to history publishing: seeking out history and heritage titles that are written by excellent historians capable of making their area of expertise understandable to a wide audience. We hope to play a part in the revival of interest in local and regional history and to form an integral part of a healthy history community.
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Catalogue—Florida Titles

The History Press publishes high-quality history and heritage titles with a strong regional base. Our books help to revive and preserve the past in various regions throughout the United States, and we strive to make these histories accessible and available to a wide audience.

 

33154: The Story of Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek Village & Surfside
Seth H. Bramson

 33154 is the zip code shared by four of the most beautiful, progressive and affluent communities in America. Their story, told by south Florida’s foremost historian, Seth Bramson, is the first and only history of the sun-filled enclaves of Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek Village and Surfside.

978-1-59629-385-4
128 pp.
$21.99
Over 120 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
February 2008
A Guide to Historic Gainesville
Steve Rajtar

 Since its humble beginnings as a cattle and citrus town in the 1850s, Gainesville has grown into a first-rate Florida city. Join local historian Steve Rajtar for this journey through the historic structures, neighborhoods and districts that make Gainesville and “Gator Nation” a unique place to live, visit and learn.

978-1-59629-217-8
192 pp.
$19.99
Over 100 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
April 2007
A Guide to Historic Hollywood: A Tour through Place and Time
Joan Mickelson

 Divided into two parts, A Guide to Historic Hollywood by local historian Joan Mickelson provides a history of Hollywood’s formative years as well as a guide through the historic streets of this beautiful Florida city.

978-1-59629-049-5
256 pp.
$22.99
Over 125 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2005
A Guide to Historic Lakeland, Florida
Steve Rajtar

 What is Lakeland? It’s the Munn Park Historic District and the shores of Lake Hollingsworth. It’s the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright buildings of Florida Southern College and the older brick-and-stucco neighborhoods. In A Guide to Historic Lakeland, Steve Rajtar surveys the history, important events and favorite corners of this lovely Florida community.

978-1-59629-271-0
192 pp.
$19.99
Over 50 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2007
A Guide to Historic Orlando
Steve Rajtar

 Orlando today, with its dozens of massive theme parks and other tourist draws, belies the city’s robust history. This outstanding new book—by local historian and guide Steve Rajtar—leads readers through Orlando’s past and through its present-day neighborhoods and districts with a useful street-by-street guide. There’s no better way to experience the vibrant heritage of Orlando.

978-1-59629-198-0
192 pp.
$19.99
Over 100 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2006
A Guide to Historic St. Augustine, Florida
Steve Rajtar
Kelly Goodman
 Let Steve Rajtar and Kelly Goodman conduct you through the history-rich streets of this delightful north Florida community in their comprehensive Guide to Historic St. Augustine, Florida.

978-1-59629-336-6
192 pp.
$19.99
Over 100 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2007
A Guide to Historic Tampa
Steve Rajtar

 Founded on the edge of a vast swamp, the humble garrison town of Tampa languished for years. Following the Civil War, a succession of industries— phosphate mining, commercial fishing and especially cigar manufacturing—created changes that forever altered the sleepy military outpost. Local historian Steve Rajtar escorts readers through beautiful old Tampa in this illustrated guide.

978-1-59629-253-6
192 pp.
$19.99
Over 90 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
August 2007
A History of Boca Raton
Sally J. Ling

 Boca Raton’s renowned Atlantic-coast beauty is matched only by its long, captivating history. From pirates burying doubloons in sand dunes to the farms and land booms that sparked dramatic growth, this is the story of Boca Raton.

978-1-59629-135-5
160 pp.
$21.99
Over 50 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
March 2007
A History of Florida Forts: Florida's Lonely Outposts
Alejandro M. de Quesada

 Featuring the history of Florida’s forts from the colonial period, Seminole Wars, Civil War and twentieth century, this fascinating book—by military historian and Florida author Alejandro M. de Quesada—offers a thorough exploration of the fortifications and strongholds that have played a crucial role in shaping Florida’s past.

978-1-59629-104-1
224 pp.
$24.99
Over 180 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
August 2006
A History of Smuggling in Florida: Rumrunners and Cocaine Cowboys
Stan Zimmerman

 With its long coastline, hundreds of remote landing strips and airports clogged with sun-seeking tourists, Florida is a superhighway of smuggling. The Sunshine State has a centuries-old history of smuggling, and the shocking variety of contraband—from guns and cocaine to orchids and jaguar teeth—is rivaled only by the long list of perpetrators.

978-1-59629-199-7
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 40 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
October 2006
Boulevard of Dreams: A Pictoral History of El Portal, Biscayne Park, Miami Shores, and North Miami
Seth Bramson

 Known as the Boulevard of Dreams, the intriguing communities from 87th Street, just north of Miami, to 151st Street, are bound together by history and the grand street of Biscayne Boulevard. Through insightful and nostalgic photography, Seth Bramson leads a tour of the Biscayne Country neighborhoods.

978-1-59629-274-1
160 pp.
$21.99
Over 190 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
July 2007
Cedar Key, Florida: A History
Kevin McCarthy

 Rich in small-town atmosphere and old Florida history, Cedar Key is a quiet island community nestled among many tiny keys on the Gulf Coast. As a refuge for birds and wildlife, Florida’s oldest port and home to artists and writers, the island has long been admired for its tranquility and natural beauty.

978-1-59629-310-6
160 pp.
$21.99
Over 100 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
August 2007
Central Florida's Most Notorious Gangsters: Alva Hunt & Hugh Gant
Samuel Parish

 The reign of Alva Hunt and Hugh Gant was one of terror for Florida and many Southern states. Their story reflects an intriguing period in Florida's own history- the Depression era and the desperate days when Southern gangsters were armed, notorious and deadly.

978-1-59629-414-1
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
January 2008
Florida Outhouses: An Ode to the Shack in the Back
Kevin McCarthy

 The advent of indoor plumbing spelled the end of outhouses, and through the decades these unique structures have become more and more rare. Featuring a collection of photographs that highlight outhouses across the state of Florida, as well as zany outhouse facts and trivia, this book preserves the fond memory of "the shack in the back."

978-1-59629-283-3
96 pp.
$9.99
Over 50 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
June 2007
Florida's First Big League Baseball Players: A Narrative History
Wes Singletary

 Although Florida has recently produced some of the best professional baseball players, like Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Tino Martinez, only twenty-six Florida boys made it the majors before 1950. This book, by baseball historian Wes Singletary, is a narrative journey into the early days of baseball in the Sunshine State.

978-1-59629-116-4
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 60 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
April 2006
From Sandbar to Sophistication: The Story of Sunny Isles Beach
Seth H. Bramson

 Sunny Isles Beach is a picturesque seaside haven, midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. This collection of vintage and modern images commemorates the beauty and uniqueness of the past in Sunny Isles Beach and honors the city’s founders, developers and citizens.

978-1-59629-201-7
192 pp.
$21.99
Over 200 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
February 2007
Fromajadas and Indigo: The Minorcan Colony in Florida
Kenneth H. Beeson Jr.

 This treatise, written by a direct descendant of the original Minorcan colonists, is considered the first serious study of the colonists and their fascinating role in the long history of St. Augustine.

978-1-59629-113-3
96 pp.
$17.99
Eleven Line Drawing Illustrations

Publication Date:
March 2006
Ghost Stories of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas County: Tales from a Haunted Peninsula
Deborah Frethem

 With wit and style, the “Queen of Haunts,” Deborah Frethem, calls upon years of experience as the general manager and guide of Tampa Bay Ghost Tours to present legends of sinister deeds and whispers of the past from Florida’s “haunted peninsula.”

978-1-59629-307-6
96 pp.
$17.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2007
Gulf Coast Chronicles: Remembering Sarasota's Past
Jeff LaHurd

 This book is a warm and vibrant stroll through the often forgotten and innocent days of Sarasota, Florida's past, by longtime resident Jeff LaHurd. It is ideal for anyone looking to revisit Sarasota’s “golden days” and the personalities and events that shaped the area.

978-1-59629-029-7
144 pp.
$21.99
Over 60 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
June 2005
Gulfport: A Definitive History
Lynne Brown

 This first installment of an in-depth study about this enchanting and beautiful city on the Bay guides the reader through Gulfport's voluminous and diverse history.

978-1-59629-018-1
256 pp.
$26.99
70 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2004
Haunted Daytona Beach
Dusty Smith

 In Haunted Daytona Beach, author and paranormal investigator Dusty Smith conducts a tour through the most haunted locales, including Pinewood Cemetery, Riverfront Park, Jackie Robinson Stadium and the notorious Boot Hill Saloon. Discover the macabre tales and grisly deeds behind “The World’s Most Famous Beach.” Read on, if you dare…

978-1-59629-341-0
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 40 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
October 2007
Haunted Fort Lauderdale
John Marc Carr

 Today the forts are gone, the battles have ended and the railroad only provides freight service, but the ghosts remain. Author John Marc Carr, founder of Fort Lauderdale Ghost Tours, leads readers along the historical New River Intracoastal Waterway, visiting several of the city's most significant landmarks.

978-1-59629-421-9
128 pp.
$17.99
Over 35 Black & White Photographs

Publication Date:
May 2008
Historic Frenchtown: Heart and Heritage in Tallahassee
Julianne Hare

 As Tallahassee’s most vibrant African American community, Frenchtown has been the site of great change through the centuries. This compelling account reaches back to the days of the Spanish conquistadors and focuses on the rich heritage of Frenchtown’s African American population, which has driven its past and continues to shape its future.

978-1-59629-149-2
128 pp.
$18.99
Over 50 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2006
Lake Hollingsworth: Reflections and Studies on a Florida Landmark
Edited by John Haldeman and Bernard Quetchenbach

 This collection of works by individuals associated with Florida Southern College—faculty, staff, students and alumni—offers a compelling look at this dynamic lake. Thought provoking and informative, Lake Hollingsworth: Reflections and Studies reveals the many ways in which the surrounding communities have explored, depended upon, and embraced the lake throughout the decades.

978-1-59629-064-8
224 pp.
$29.99
Over 200 Black and White and 50 Color Photographs

Publication Date:
October 2005
Legends and Tales, Volume II: Remembering St. Augustine
Karen Harvey

 This follow up to Legends and Tales continues to uncover the multilayered history of St. Augustine, Florida. These historic vignettes, told in Harvey's warm style, are sure to delight and entertain residents and visitors alike.

978-1-59629-070-9
96 pp.
$17.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
February 2006
Legends and Tales: Anecdotal Histories of St. Augustine, Florida
Karen Harvey

 Legends and Tales: Anecdotal Histories of St. Augustine, Florida is a collection of oral histories and local color by St. Augustine resident Karen Harvey. Karen takes the reader on a stroll through the local history of this amazing city that allows the memories of its citizens to come to life.

978-1-59629-060-0
96 pp.
$19.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
July 2005
Melbourne Beach: Memoirs from Coastal Florida
Frank J. Thomas

 Join longtime Melbourne Beach resident Frank Thomas for this witty, poignant account of the seaside town’s past. This collection features the unforgettable tales of Melbourne Beach’s most memorable citizens and reveals a number of colorful episodes-from the town’s first stop sign to the Great Cat Hunt of 1930-in its long history.

978-1-59629-174-4
96 pp.
$17.99
Over 10 Line Drawings

Publication Date:
November 2006
Miami's Criminal Past: Uncovered
Sergio Bustos
Luisa Yanez
 This fascinating history of dramatic true-life crimes includes tales of vigilante justice, family tragedies, politically motivated homicides, cross-country killers and celebrity murder. Edgy and compulsively readable, each chapter presents the dark acts that have marred Florida's most alluring metropolis.

978-1-59629-388-5
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2007
Palm Beach Past: The Best of
Eliot Kleinberg

 Through a fascinating collection of historical essays, Eliot Kleinberg reveals a trove of little-known facts about some of Palm Beach's most captivating, eccentric residents and prestigious neighborhoods and parks.

978-1-59629-115-7
128 pp.
$18.99
Over 100 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
May 2006
Pompano Beach: A History
Frank J. Cavaioli

 A history of Pompano's fascinating journey from a rural community with no paved roads to a favorite vacation destination-renowned for white sands, blue skies and year-round summer. Fascinating facts and residents' own accounts trace the story of the hardworking men and women who transformed Pompano from a wild farming community into a flourishing city on Florida's coast.

978-1-59629-280-2
160 pp.
$19.99
Over 90 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
December 2007
Preserving Paradise: The Architectural Heritage and History of the Florida Keys
George Walter Born

 Key West’s history can be deciphered through the architecture of its buildings—each façade and portico offers another subtle detail in the island-city’s larger story. This book, by author and executive director of the Historic Florida Keys Foundation George Born, reveals the nuances of Key West’s architecture and illuminates many aspects of its storied past.

978-1-59629-152-2
160 pp.
$19.99
Over 40 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
September 2006
Quintessential Sarasota: Stories and Pictures from the 1920s to the 1950s
Jeff LaHurd

 Filled with striking images as well as sentimental remembrances of the wonder years in Sarasota, Florida's colorful past, this book is a treasure trove of golden memories.

978-1-59629-023-5
128 pp.
$18.99
80 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
November 2004
Remembering Fort Myers: The City of Palms
Prudy Taylor Board

 Known for its palm-lined boulevards and famous residents, Fort Myers is a quintessential Florida city. Through a collection of historical essays, Prudy Taylor Board provides a journey through the city's prestigious neighborhoods and presents the stories of some of the most famous characters in Fort Myers history.

978-1-59629-101-0
128 pp.
$18.99
Over 40 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
May 2006
Remembering Lee County: Where Winter Spends the Summer
Prudy Taylor Board

 In this charming retrospective, Lee County native Prudy Taylor Board writes with warmth and wry humor as she reveals the true history of Lee County, its communities and some of its most intriguing and prominent pioneers. Locals, visitors and newcomers alike are sure to enjoy Board’s witty and causal style.

978-1-59629-102-7
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 20 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
December 2006
Remembering Orlando: Tales from Elvis to Disney
Joy Wallace Dickinson

 In this charming collection, Orlando writer Joy Wallace Dickinson gives readers a peek at a variety of little-known Orlando stories. From the visits of Elvis Presley and Jack Kerouac to the famous dedication of the Lake Eola fountain to the wild speculation of a “mystery” company’s plans for the city, Dickinson offers a nostalgic look at the twentieth-century history of “the City Beautiful.”

978-1-59629-172-0
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
October 2006
Remembering Plant City: Stories from the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World
Gilbert Gott

 The resounding spirit of Plant City—or Strawberry Town, to those who know and love it—and its rich history shine through in this vibrant illustrated history. A striking collection of archival images reveals the residents and communities that have helped to make Plant City a model for small-town America.

978-1-59629-243-7
192 pp.
$21.99
Over 120 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
March 2007
Remembering St. Petersburg, Florida: Sunshine City Stories
Scott Taylor Hartzell

 In this unique collection of historical vignettes, Scott Taylor Hartzell provides a captivating account of St. Petersburg’s history. Hartzell explores a number of important events in the Sunshine City’s past and highlights the contributions of a bevy of extraordinary individuals whose efforts and exploits shaped the city’s development.

978-1-59629-120-1
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 60 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
July 2006
Remembering St. Petersburg, Florida: Volume 2, More Sunshine City Stories
Scott Taylor Hartzell

 This second volume of compelling historical vignettes furthers Scott Taylor Hartzell’s effort to tell St. Petersburg, Florida’s fascinating story. Hartzell examines the impact of a variety of St. Petersburg’s most influential characters, including Helen Derse Roberts, Margaret Acheson Stuart, Glen Dill, Dick Bothwell, Walter P. Fuller and dozens more.

978-1-59629-122-5
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
September 2006
Run the Rum In: South Florida During Prohibition
Sally J. Ling

 Discover the tricks of the trade and learn about “the Real McCoy.” In this history of Prohibition in South Florida, author Sally J. Ling explores the impact of bootleggers and moonshiners on Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties and presents tales of rumrunning and lawbreaking as told through personal and written accounts.

978-1-59629-249-9
160 pp.
$19.99
Over 60 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
September 2007
Sarasota: A History
Jeff LaHurd

 The beautiful city of Sarasota, Florida is renowned for its award-winning beaches, connection to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and abundance of striking architecture. A jewel on the Gulf Coast, Sarasota also possesses a tremendous amount of history. No one knows the city’s past better than author Jeff LaHurd, and he shares it with readers in this definitive, entertaining volume.

978-1-59629-119-5
224 pp.
$24.99
Over 120 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
October 2006
Sarasota: A Sentimental Journey in Vintage Images
Jeff LaHurd

 This entertaining read is a cornucopia of historic images and commentary that will take the reader to the carefree days of Sarasota's exhilarating past.

978-1-59629-024-2
128 pp.
$19.99
180 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
- 2004
Small Town, Big Secrets: Inside the Boca Raton Army Air Field during World War II
Sally J. Ling

 Engrossing and thoroughly researched, this poignant history is at once a story of sacrifice and service by America’s young servicemen, and a testament to the effort of a small community during World War II.

978-1-59629-006-8
224 pp.
$24.99
Over 160 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
September 2005
Sport Lauderdale: Big Names and Big Games
Cynthia A. Thuma

 Through the generations, Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, Florida, have been a sports hotbed. From serious sluggers to hard-charging halfbacks, the area has produced superstars in a wide variety of sports. This fun, accessible book offers a look into the area’s sporting history, from youth leagues to the pros.

978-1-59629-145-4
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 30 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
April 2007
Spring Training in Clearwater: Fencebusters and Fastballs from the Philadelphia Phillies and Clearwater Threshers
Alex de Quesada
Foreword by Larry "The Baron" Shenk
 Clearwater has long been the winter home of the Philadelphia Phillies. The city’s Grapefruit League history and the Phillies legacy hang in the air like a Steve Carlton curveball. Baseball fans and history buffs will revel in this nostalgic look at the history of America’s game in Clearwater.

978-1-59629-214-7
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 70 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
February 2007
Spring Training in Sarasota, 1924-1960: New York Giants and Boston Red Sox
Jeff LaHurd

 Spring Training in Sarasota offers an enjoyable and informative look at America’s game during a treasured time in Sarasota’s past. With a relaxed, accessible style, LaHurd revisits the joys and challenges Sarasota faced while playing host to these professional teams and the larger-than-life personalities that filled the teams’ rosters.

978-1-59629-072-3
96 pp.
$18.99
Over 40 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
February 2006
St. Petersburg's Historic 22nd Street South
Jon Wilson and Rosalie Peck

 This intriguing narrative explores the history of St. Petersburg's most vibrant African American district. Powerfully rendered and filled with personal stories and memories from 22nd Street South, this work serves as a tribute to a community’s pride and perseverance.

978-1-59629-083-9
128 pp.
$16.99
Over 40 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
February 2006
St. Petersburg's Historic African American Neighborhoods
Jon Wilson
Rosalie Peck
 In this companion volume to St. Petersburg's Historic 22nd Street South, Rosalie Peck and Jon Wilson share stories of people who built these thriving communities, and offer a rich narrative of hardships overcome, leaders who emerged and the perseverance of pioneers who kept the faith that a better day would arrive.

978-1-59629-279-6
128 pp.
$19.99
Over 45 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
January 2008
St. Petersburg, Florida: A Visual History
A. Wynelle Deese

 Known for its pleasant climate and inviting gulf coast waters, St. Petersburg, Florida, has always attracted sun-seekers in search of their own piece of paradise. St. Petersburg’s beauty—both natural and man-made—is presented in this collection of vintage postcards that allows readers to relive the early innocence of Florida’s Sunshine City.

978-1-59629-095-2
160 pp.
$21.99
Over 170 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
June 2006
The Curtiss-Bright Cities: Hialeah, Miami Springs & Opa Locka
Seth H. Bramson

 Glenn Curtiss, one of aviation’s greatest pioneers, played an equally important role with his business partner James H. Bright in founding three famous south Florida cities: Hialeah, Miami Springs and Opa Locka. Told here for the first time, this captivating story is one of daring entrepreneurship in the midst of the south Florida land boom of the early 1920s.

978-1-59629-386-1
160 pp.
$21.99
Over 120 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
February 2008
The Early History of Clay County: A Wilderness that Could be Tamed
Kevin Hooper

 An engaging book that traces the history of Clay County, Florida, by incorporating scores of primary sources with information taken from archaeological excavations. Hooper covers periods from pre-European settlement through both Spanish and British control, to the eve of the Civil War.

978-1-59629-063-1
224 pp.
$24.99
Over 60 Black and White Photographs

Publication Date:
June 2006