Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains by Dave Hurst (The History Press)

Beyond the Appalachian Range lies an enclave known as the Allegheny Mountains, home to a cultural melting pot – from the Scots Irish majority and the Eastern Europeans who settled amid the hills, to the Native American legacy and the African-American Underground Railroad experience. Discover the depth of this unified heritage as author Dave Hurst reveals the regional slang, historic landmarks like the Connellsville Mines, and the notorious historical moments like the 1889 Johnstown Flood that have created a powerful bond between this place and its people.

The Architectural Jewels of Rochester by Michael Behrendt (The History Press)

Rochester’s Chief City Planner Michael Behrendt uncovers the legacy and logic behind New England architectural trends using photographs of local buildings, like the Federal grandeur of Haven House and the remarkable home on Academy Street in which the decor of every room is inspired by a different international city. Discover the customs of sparse Puritan times, when embellishments were solely allowed around the front door leading to elaborate entries as an indicator of wealth, and trace the jumble of mix-and-match architectural fads of the Industrial Revolution. With a glossary of terms and visual examples ranging from an Italiante home on Knight Street to Tudors on Rochester Road, The Architectural Jewels of Rochester uses modern-day evidence to present the evolution of style, and reveals the hidden history of the roof over your head.

Hudson by Dianne Chubb and Lynne Ober (The History Press)

Tucked in the Merrimack Valley, Hudson is full of surprises. This Granite State community has a history of remarkable characters and events, from the young Piscataqua woman who ignited King Philip’s War, to a successful kitten rescue during the Great Ice Flood of 1936. Authors Diane Chubb and Lynne Ober chronicle the patrons who shaped Hudson’s legacy, like Dr. Alfred Hill and his wife Virginia, namesakes for the many Alvirne buildings. Hudson also gained fame for Benson’s Farm, a treasured zoo featuring lions, gorillas, camels, and more. Amid such engaging elements of the town’s past, Chubb and Ober also record its darker moments, like the 1925 murder some consider New Hampshire’s most gruesome, and the contemporary education decisions that risked polarizing the community. Hudson: Historically Speaking reveals this suburb’s complex history of commerce, controversy and culture.

Weymouth by Ted Clarke (The History Press)

Weymouth has more to its story than the running of the alewives. Since its incorporation under Thomas Weston, a merchant-adventurer by trade, Weymouth has been defined by its lively residents, including celebrated first lady Abigail Adams and inventor’s assistant Thomas Watson. Many entrepreneurs stand among the ranks of this town’s personalities, from the pioneer of shoe manufacturing, James Tirrell, to E. S. Hunt, successful producer of items like Dragon Wheel fireworks and fashionable ladies’ fans. Local historian Ted Clarke delivers Weymouth’s most unusual stories, like tales of the town’s famous cobblers, veritable walking gossip-mills sought out for their skills as well as their scoops, and the Wide Awakes, a nineteenth-century youth anti-slavery group demarcated by their white accessories. Weymouth provides the most unforgettable and unexpected vignettes from this South Shore town’s legacy.