From West Palm Beach's beginnings as service town to Palm Beach, Standard Oil tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler's resort village, the city has evolved into a trendy art, cultural, and shopping mecca. Palm Beach County's largest city serves as county seat and center of business, government, and commerce. Taming America's last frontier saw the industriousness of pioneers and settlers such as Marion Gruber, the Potter brothers, George Lainhart, and Max Greenberg guide the "Cottage City" of yesteryear to today's gleaming metropolis. Meet many of West Palm Beach's pioneers, civic leaders, educators, business leaders, and entrepreneurs. Learn about the heroes, celebrities, philanthropists, and even the villains who have contributed to the mosaic of West Palm Beach.

Whether it was homesteaders and dragoons or cowboys and Indians, they all clashed in the "Wild East" of early Fort Pierce. A natural inlet through the barrier island into the Indian River Lagoon created the perfect location for two Seminole War forts: Pierce and Capron. After the Civil War, the Reuben Carlton family moved their cattle to the area's free range. Today, Alto "Bud" Adams Jr. runs the famous Adams Ranch from its Fort Pierce headquarters. Some time after the Carltons, Elizabeth and C.T. McCarty arrived, she to teach and he to plant pineapples and citrus. Growers like the Bernard Egan family continue to produce prize Indian River fruit. Generations of Summerlin fishermen made their living from the sea. The watered paradise still lures sport fishermen such as Terry Howard, ecotour operators like Lisa's Kayaks, and charter captains like Captain Mark. African Americans farmed, labored, and enriched the cultural environment, culminating in the success of artists such as Alfred Hair. In Legendary Locals of Fort Pierce, the town's diversity is illuminated through vignettes of its legends. Among these are Edwin Binney, the creator of Crayola crayons, and Edwin Link, the inventor of the Link flight simulator.

Guided by a visionary widow named Julia Tuttle, the city of Miami truly came into being in 1896 and has not stopped growing. Halfway through the last century, the apparent domination of land, population, and business by whites and--for decades--repressed African Americans became tested and balanced by the victims of the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Beyond that, hundreds of thousands of others from Spanish-speaking lands came to create what truly is an international metropolis. The chapters of Miami's existence are delineated by those legendary locals who came earliest; those who were the pioneers; those who established businesses that endured; those who were the builders and visionaries; those who served in politics; those who came from other places; those who created, built, and extended educational and arts opportunities; and those who embraced the placid environment and natural beauty of the "Magic City."

From the first settlers, the Lewis family in the 1790s, to the New River Settlement led by William Cooley in the 1830s, to the arrival of Frank Stranahan in 1893, Fort Lauderdale is an "old" young town. Named for the Second Seminole War fort commanded by Major Lauderdale, the town incorporated in 1911. The land boom of the 1910s-1920s brought an influx of people including publicist Commodore Brook, architect Francis Abreu, developer Charles Rodes, and businessmen Moe and Mack Katz. Following the economic downturn after the 1926 hurricane, the postwar boom transformed the sleepy town into the tropical paradise and tourist destination that it is today. Hotelier Bob Gill, developer James Hunt, "Crazy Gregg" Newell, and entrepreneur Wayne Huizenga led that charge. Legendary Locals of Fort Lauderdale also tells the story of groundbreaking civil servants such as Easter Lily Gates and Andrew DeGraffenreidt, civil rights activists Eula Johnson and Dean Trantalis, educators Mae McMillan and Sister Marie Schramko, and sports stars Katherine Rawls, Chris Evert, and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Since the 1850s, Lake Forest, located 30 miles north of Chicago on Lake Michigan, has been a distinctive suburb. It has been a retreat from the diseases, public accessibility, rougher elements, soot, stockyard smells, and general density of bustling city life. For at least five generations, it has been the retreat for Chicago's leading New England-descended families, such as the Farwells, Swifts, and Armours. And for over 150 years, Lake Forest has been the home for a community of educators, merchants, artisans, designers, and a wide variety of estate specialists, the latter from pre-Civil War escaped slaves and Scots and Irish immigrants to today's notable garden and interior artists. Legendary Locals of Lake Forest draws on rare archival images from local and Chicago public and private sources.

International hotelier, Worth Avenue Association Historian and Palm Beach aficionado Rick Rose releases the 2nd edition of his best-selling guide: Palm Beach: The Essential Guide to America’s Legendary Resort Town. The full-color illustrated guide to Palm Beach, published by Pineapple Press, an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield, is a rich and beautifully curated collection of destinations, must-sees, and restaurant and shopping recommendations in what has become known as “American’s First Resort Destination.” Leading 2,000 visitors a year on public and private tours of Worth Avenue and Palm Beach Island and hosting thousands of guests a year at his boutique inn and vacation homes, Rose was inspired to write a local guide to help visitors make the most of their visit to Palm Beach. The first edition was released in 2017 and quickly became the most widely distributed curated guide to The Palm Beaches. The completely revised and updated 2nd edition of Palm Beach: The Essential Guide to America’s Legendary Resort Town features a foreword from celebrated designer and author Steven Stolman, as well as new content, such as a scenic walking tour, information about private clubs, birding tips and new local attractions. The book offers insights on island-appropriate attire, tips on self-guided tours, recommended regional road trips, horse show 101, and so much more, providing a complete overview of everything Palm Beach. The guide is the ultimate resource for those who know the city intimately, wish to visit, or just have an appreciation for the cultural destination that is Palm Beach. Throughout the community, Rose’s expertise is wildly hailed. “This guide highlights all of those special places in Palm Beach for visitors and residents alike”, said Danielle Hickox Moore, Mayor of Palm Beach. “Rick Rose’s Palm Beach – The Essential Guide has become truly essential for anyone visiting or relocating to the Palm Beaches. His attention to historical facts and their influence on who we are today is outstanding” – Jorge Pesquera, President & CEO of Discover the Palm Beach.

The real-life adventures of Addison and Wilson Mizner, the subjects of the Stephen Sondheim musical Gold! Alva Johnston's joint biography of Addison and Wilson Mizner is a delightful portrait of two of the early twentieth century's most clever and infamous rascals. Born in the 1870s in California, the brothers quickly rose to prominence during the various booms of the 1920s. Addison, the elder, was a self-made architect and real-estate dealer who designed many of the fantastic homes of the fantastically rich in Palm Beach. He could "age" a house and its furnishings to any period his client desired--and would pay for. Wilson's adventures were even more daring and varied, and his quick wit was legendary. In addition to getting rich on the Alaskan gold rush, he had careers as a singer, playwright, prizefight promoter, con man, real-estate salesman, and shady hotel owner. Perhaps his most famous quip was one he delivered on being told that President Coolidge had died: "How do they know?"

Las Olas Boulevard, elegant tree-lined heart of the great city of Fort Lauderdale, has more stories than most. From humble beginnings as a trading post on the fringe of Florida's wild Everglades to a teeming modern destination boulevard close to a world-class cruise port Las Olas has seen it all. Stories are still being told, and memories constantly made. Read about the past, then make your own trip to Las Olas to create your own history.

Settled along 47 miles of beautiful Atlantic coastline, Palm Beach County has long been a mecca for sport fishing enthusiasts. Graced with a mild climate and bounded with waters nourished by the warm Gulf Stream current, Palm Beachs coastal waters host a rich reserve of marine life. Featured in this captivating retrospective is a history of the sport fishing industry and tales of legendary captains, devoted weekend anglers, and wealthy sportsmen. Bringing to life the sailfish tournaments, fish fries, beauty pageants, and parades of a bygone era, this work is a tribute to the hardworking men and women who built this seaside settlement into a haven for sport fishermen. Follow the evolution of fine fishing boats and learn about the advancements in marine conservation while enjoying the natural beauty of this tropical oasis. Showcased within the book are over 200 vintage images collected from the local librarys historical archive, as well as rare photographs from over 30 local sources, including the West Palm Beach Fishing Club.