E. Ashley Rooney

Massachusetts has many haunted towns! Blending legend and history, step back in time to when the first "shot heard round the world" began the American Revolution. Read about the battle of North Bridge, where Americans first tasted victory, and home of the first American flag. Follow ghostly footsteps at Munroe Tavern and Colonial Inn where people feel an unknown presence in the mist. Meet the witch of Shawsheen who saved a sickly town from death. These ghostly voices can still be heard in the hours before the sun rises, as their restless spirits roam famous houses and taverns. Their stories will chill you.

Washington, D.C. is a city that commemorates the history of the United States; it is also quite haunted. Tour streets and visit memorials of those once dwelling or working in this political metropolis. Visit angry ghosts, Christopher and Rachel, at the Olde Stone House, their dreams foiled by death. Consider the legend of a demon cat at the Capitol Building and White House that may foretell disaster. Find lore surrounding Belle Boyd, a Confederate spy who still sings her patriotism at the Old Capitol Jail. Ghostly voices can still be heard in the hours before the sun rises over the Potomac. Spirits can still be seen in corridors of power. Listen; these stories will chill you.

Massachusett’s Harvard Square is one of the busiest and most exciting spots in New England. The heart of it is Harvard University with all its history, tradition, and ivy-covered, red brick walls. Over 250 vintage postcards display the growth of Harvard Square — from a sleepy village, where General George Washington took command of the colonial troops, to a contemporary city. Harvard Square, and the city of Cambridge by extension, still retains many historic buildings and churches and its student population with all its associated, diverse, cosmopolitan attractions.

History melts into the present in the lovely Berkshire Hills OF western Massachusetts, but it is an uncomfortable present. Could it be the whispers of nearly 200 men who died in the Hoosic Tunnel or the legend of the Hessian soldier who roams the hills because he has no need to be in the grave? Could it be folklore telling of a gentlman burgular whose decision not to rob became more important than who he robbed? And will you choose truth or fiction as you encounter the killer lion instincts of Victoria and Sappho, the animal show lions?

The Battle Road in Massachusetts is perhaps the most historic few miles in early American history. At Lexington, soon after Paul Revere and his cohorts roused the village from sleep, a trigger was pulled on the Lexington Common and that shot “was heard round the world.” The American War for Independence had begun. Eight dead Americans were left on the green as the British marched on to Concord and the battle at the bridge. These events and many others are retraced in this wonderful new book. Using antique postcards, the authors tell the Revolutionary War story and the rest of the history of the Lexington-Concord region. This was a center of intellectual and social activity in the 19th century and home to distinguished thinkers and writers, including Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott, and Hawthorne. Over the years millions of people have visited the region commemorating their visit with postcard images of the places and events they saw. Perserved in scrapbooks and memory boxes, they now offer a visual history of special place.

We all know how to set tables, but do we know how to make them beautiful? With this book, you can realize the magic of table decor. With over 300 color illustrations and many practical and inventive solutions, this book covers the table, from soup to nuts or gardens to dining rooms, and many places in between. This book acquaints you with the charm of table décor, whether it is traditional, romantic, modern, or simple. The decorators featured are both professional and gifted, from many diverse backgrounds, and working in dozens of styles. There are ideas for every occasion and taste. By keeping the focus on texture, color, simple containers, and lots of ordinary household items, you can turn a simple meal into something fabulous by varying the items you use together. Here you will find the inspiration to create table settings with style, using your own china and silverware. See how designers and decorators mix, experiment, and create table décor with modern accouterments or pair antiques with new, ornate, or simple.

Mountains, oceans, cliffs, rivers -- don't many of us want to live above the treetops? Aside from soaring views and dramatic vistas, these hillside homes designs offer practical and attractive solutions to the increasing demand for and scarcity of level land. Here are over 50 stunning hillside homes located across the United States, from Alaska to Cape Cod. Over 450 color photographs highlight unique design details of homes built on the edges of cliffs and peering through treetops. This insider's tour of cliffhanger living derives from 30 notable architects and designers who describe their work, its challenges, and rewards. The foreword, by Joseph Henry Wythe, describes his belief in the principles of organic architecture and architect Kathy Shaffer gives us her viewpoint on building a hillside house. You may find your dream house here or the inspiration to build a dream of your own.

A vacation home is a dream for many of us, responding to our need for recreation and respite, revitalization, and refuge. The ideal vacation home is one where we escape yearly, weekly, and, eventually, permanently. This book looks at planning a second home to eventually inhabit year-round; a home that will age nicely with you and your whole family's needs. Intelligently designed, the vacation home incorporates flexible, accessible, and user-friendly living space for everyone, well into the future. Over 500 beautiful photos will show you how others have adapted their vacation homes for gorgeous year 'round living and how you can, too. This is your guide to inspired retirement living, whether you plan to make the move soon or you have many weekends to retirement yet to come.

Small kitchens, particularly those in urban areas, present unique challenges for homeowners and designers alike. Here, in almost 300 gorgeous color images, you can tour some of the most spectacular small kitchens to be found. It will help you visualize solutions for your own kitchen, no matter what its size, whether you use it for cooking, dining, or entertaining. Experts offer advice on how the right choices of cabinetry, countertops, appliances, lighting, and storage can enhance the usefulness of even the most compact space.\nLearn how professional designers tackle the problems of a small urban kitchen: how they circumnavigate storage problems with ingenious space-saving arrangements, using every inch of space available, and then some. Explore how creative homeowners designed their own intimate kitchens to address special needs, in a basement condo, a suburban neighborhood, or even a small, rural cottage. A comprehensive resource section helps you find the award-winning architects and designers featured.\n This is an invaluable guide for professional kitchen designers and do-it-yourself homeowners everywhere.

Barns strike a sentimental chord among the populace, perhaps as reminder of our nation's agricultural heritage, most definitely as symbols of solid and imposing timber frame forms. While many of these architecturally significant buildings are succumbing to neglect and development, others are getting a new lease on life. This coffee-table book presents over thirty barn conversion projects by creative architects, developers, and homeowners who have capitalized on the flexible space offered by barns. Over 300 striking photographs provide fresh design ideas for the conversion of barns into residences and business spaces. You will see a Pennsylvania stone bank barn converted into a stunning residence, an abandoned dairy barn made livable complete with office space in the old silo, and a Victorian era barn which now links the old farmhouse to the new living space. In addition to stunning homes, you will see barns utilized for office space, retail, and even a non-denominational chapel. A wealth of wonderful ideas is offered for maintaining the historic integrity of these structures while providing for today's vastly different needs. This is a design treasure for architects, builders, contractors, and homeowners, to help them visualize the transformation of historic agricultural buildings into new and treasured landmarks.

Nearly 500 color photographs of over 350 garden ornaments: animals, maidens, children, miniature trains, urns, gates, pavilions, topiary, birdhouses, and more. Garden ornaments can breathe life into a garden, no matter its size. When art is placed in a garden, whether it's a statue, fountain, sundial, obelisk, or other piece of art, we're invited to explore and enjoy the experience. Abstract silhouettes, playful images, and forms in perfect balance bring discoveries with each new view. This book presents nearly 500 color photographs of over 350 garden ornaments: animals, maidens, children, miniature trains, urns, gates, pavilions, topiary, birdhouses, and many more. Experience an insider's tour of garden ornaments and learn from five notable artists as they describe their philosophies of art. Elizabeth Schumacher suggests how to select the perfect garden ornament and Hugh Collins, Jr. describes the magical journey you embark upon in integrating garden ornament, within your landscape. You may find a favorite garden ornament here, or find the inspiration to create a setting and display your own collection.