Showcasing the most beautiful villages and towns of California, this collection of Wheelers stunning photography and Tappers perceptive commentaries evokes not just historic houses but also streetscapes, parks, and physical surroundings.

From pueblos to Victorian storefronts to ski resorts: a vision of the Southwest that evokes both America’s frontier heritage and the expansive vistas of its future. When you think of the American Southwest, it isn’t the towns that initially come to mind. Rather, it’s the incredible landscape: carved-out chasms, towering red rocks, and dramatic desert expanses. But you shouldn’t miss the beautiful old towns—the clusters of adobe houses around Spanish-style plazas and the rows of Victorian miners’ cottages that still cling to precipitous hillsides. Many of these communities started as remote outposts, then flourished in a burst of riches, only to fade again. Today the Southwest is a region of energetic growth and multicultural vitality, and its quaint towns are enjoying renewed attention as their rich history, striking settings, and distinctive architecture attract Americans touring their homeland’s picturesque byways as well as visitors from around the world. Nik Wheeler’s stunning photography and Joan Tapper’s perceptive commentaries celebrate the beauty and heritage of thirty special communities in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and western Colorado. They range from tiny villages of a few hundred people to towns of as much as 40,000, but most are the kind of place where a chance conversation still opens doors: Bisbee, Spring City, Truchas, Tubac, Tombstone, Cimarron, Silverton, Ouray, Winnemucca, Moab, Sedona, and so many more.

A tour in words and photographs of the picturesque small towns of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia— their architectural treasures, charming inns, quaint main streets, and magnificent scenery. What is the allure of the Pacific Northwest? Centuries ago it was the gifts of nature that brought the explorers, fur traders, and pioneers. Today Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia still draw visitors to the sparkling coves and waterways, pristine mountains, and broad beaches— and they charm them with artful towns and spirited communities. The Most Beautiful Villages and Towns of the Pacific Northwest wends its way from nineteenth-century seaports like Port Townsend, Washington, to twenty-first-century ski resorts such as Whistler, British Columbia; from coastal getaways like Cannon Beach, Oregon, to Old West-style main streets in Joseph at the eastern border of that state. And it brings to life the stories of those who made epic journeys across the continent, trudging along the Oregon Trail or building the Canadian Pacific Railway in pursuit of the good life in this corner of North America. Along with tales of specific towns there are photo essays—on the picturesque lighthouses that protected shipping from the dangers of the Graveyard of the Pacific; on the gorgeous gardens that capitalize on the Northwestern climate; and on wine country, where new and acclaimed vineyards go hand in hand with an emphasis on lifestyle..

Discover the quaint shops, down-home cooking, and relaxed lifestyles of America's historic country burgs and villages. These unique guides encourage readers to explore the quiet streets and unravel the secrets of a dozen or more fascinating rural communities.

Review: "Study of the Mexican population of Upper California especially around San Juan Capistrano. Addresses culture, economics, and social life"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 58.