Babylon by the Sea focuses on a seaside community that, once rich in salt marshes, attracted many of the area’s first settlers. Originally called Sumpawam, it was purchased from Native Americans in 1670. The township was formed from South Huntington and named Babylon in 1802 by Mrs. Conklin, a staunch advocate of the Bible. Babylon includes the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville, and the hamlets of North and West Babylon, Copaigue, Deer Park, Farmingdale, and Wyandanch. This vibrant community evolved from a humble beginning of farming, fishing, and whaling into an attractive resort community. The area was unknown until the nearby barrier beach, Fire Island, gained prominence as a summer resort. The South Shore line of the Long Island Railroad gave the seaside locality impetus when the train reached Babylon in 1867. Hotels and boardinghouses sprang up around town and beside the sea. Among the pleasure seekers were many wealthy New Yorkers who came in quest of the invigorating air and relaxation outside the city. The trip from New York took just over an hour; a trolley would meet the visitors and transport them to the Great South Bay. For many years, the South Shore Railroad was the only electrified train, and Babylon became the point of convergence for travelers bent on speed. The village also witnessed the birth of radio and wireless communication when Marconi contacted ships at sea from Babylon.

Babylon By The Sea (New York)

Anne Frances Pulling

Arcadia Pub

Altoona is a city built by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Cities usually grow to maturity and then sprout suburbs. With Altoona, it was the opposite. The suburban towns are older than the city and form a larger community. In 1849, Altoona was farmland, a little hamlet in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. The site was chosen by the railroad for locomotive repair shops. Situated at the eastern base of the Allegheny Mountains, Altoona was destined to become the largest railroad yard in the world. The complex occupied 217 acres and included two huge roundhouses. Centered around the railroad, the city and its population grew. In this historic city were various shops that provided employment to early settlers and the old furnaces of the ironmasters. Also here were the Logan House hotel, where a meeting of governors saved the Union, and Cricket Field, where great athletes from across the country competed. Over the years Altoona has been visited by not only presidents and statesmen but also celebrities of stage and opera. It is home to the world-famous Horseshoe Curve and to Lakemont Park, which has the world’s oldest roller coaster.

Altoona (PA) (Images of America)

Arts & Photography

Photography & Video

Arcadia Publishing

Punxsutawney, a close-knit borough in western Pennsylvania, was bustling with trade and commerce when it gained worldwide prominence as the “weather capital of the world.” Adopting an old-world custom brought here by German settlers, the community staged its first groundhog pageant on February 2, 1887, and in years thereafter nurtured and defended the legend until it took root. Around Punxsutawney includes much more than the story of Groundhog Day. It shows Punxsutawney emerging as the trade center for the numerous coal mining settlements that developed around it. Pictured are the ironworks that sprang up early in the twentieth century and the woolen, silk, and hoop mills that followed, the brickworks, the breweries, and the host of hotels―all of which transformed this small valley town into the largest industrial center in Jefferson County. Also depicted are the coal communities, such as Walston and its 700 coke ovens―the largest string of such ovens in the world―that lit up the sky with their nightly glow; the Pantall Hotel, with its authentic Victorian bar where the diamond trade is said to have flourished; and the Public Square, one of eight original squares laid out by the founders.

Around Punxutawney (PA) (Images of America)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Anne Frances Pulling. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Anne Frances Pulling

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Anne Frances Pulling. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Babylon By The Sea (New York)

Altoona (PA) (Images of America)

Around Punxutawney (PA) (Images of America)