Readers can take a step back in history to get a glimpse of life in the past in Athens through the new book in the Images of America series, Athens.
Published last month by Arcadia Publishing ' the nation's largest publisher of local and regional history ' Athens is a collection of vintage photographs depicting life in the Southeast Ohio town. Photos range from Athens' once bustling uptown to the Hocking River to people and places, and each includes a short story or snippet describing the picture.
The photographs range from the mid-to-late 19th century to about the mid-20th century. A quick flip through the book shows how Athens has changed over time. For instance, the Athens High School football stadium used to be located off Mill Street.
The most drastic changes can be seen in pictures of Court Street. Businesses such as Cline's Drug Store, Gallaher's Drugs and Pierce's Restaurant dotted the street throughout different eras. One view down Court Street shows a Texaco station where Broney's Alumni Grill now sits.
Author Richard Straw, an Athens native and graduate of Ohio University, compiled the information for this book with help from photos from the Athens County Historical Society and Museum. Straw previously authored the Images of America Blacksburg book while living in Blacksburg, Va. He always wanted to do one about Athens, he said, and began compiling the information in March for the book.
The Images of America series is a popular one, Straw said. He thinks the photographic links between the past and present make them appealing to the public.
What people really love about these books is the mixture of the familiar and the unfamiliar
he said. People like to see both the way a place has changed and the way it has stayed the same.
Anybody who's lived in Athens can look at the cover and notice that it's a picture of Court Street, he added. Books such as these allow readers to get a sense of the heritage and history of the community.
Arcadia Publishing's Images of America Athens is available now at retailers, including Little Professor Book Center, 65 S. Court St. Postcards of America Athens, a collection of 15 select photographs printed as postcards, also is available from Arcadia Publishing.
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Caitlin Price
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