Since the 1850s, the soothing countryside hamlets of Sonoma County have beckoned settlers of every stripe-farmers, homesteaders, businesspeople, and commuters. Sebastopol has always been among the county's loveliest towns, retaining its small-town feel even as its population has steadily grown. This book of vintage photography presents Sebastopol's journey through time, the early Mexican land grants and initial settlements, Luther Burbank's far-ranging botanical experiments, and the rich farming industry that made this town one of California's premier agricultural zones, producing grapes, hops, cherries, and dairy products. In these pages readers will experience Sebastopol's turn-of-the-century days at the Apple Fair, with its astonishing fruit sculptures. The first days of railroads are illustrated with images of the Petaluma & Santa Rosa Railway, an electric train system that took passengers to and from Sebastopol Depot. The architecture of the region and the stories of local businesses and institutions are all shown here, along with Sebastopol's early religious institutions, schools, sawmills, factories, and even its small airport in the 1920s. Together with views of the town's sporting teams, natural history, outlying communities, and important citizens, these photographs tell a unique story of a unique place that transcends the generations.

"Sebastopol" also published under the title "Sevastopol Sketches" by Leo Tolstoy is a collection of three short stories meant to recount the author's time during the Siege of Sevastopol in Crimea. Harrowing and atmospheric, these stories are equal parts beautiful and devastating. Tolstoy is one of the most influential writers in history, though this may be one of his more obscure works, it still holds the grit and eloquence that he is known for.

The Gravenstein apple has been etched into the identity of Sebastopol, California, which is one of the few places on earth to have extensively grown this elusive apple. The Gravenstein is an early apple whose only failing is perishability, but it is celebrated for its superior flavor. Yet Luther Burbank attempted to improve on the Gravenstein, producing the Winterstein and the Bonita for home gardeners. During the last 127 years, the Gravenstein has added millions of dollars to the local economy. It has provided a reason for celebrations, from the 1910 Apple Show to today's Apple Blossom Festival and Gravenstein Apple Fair. This is the Gravenstein's story, from its European roots to small-town homage, and the part this special apple has played in one community--and the reason the current decline in apple acreage is mourned.

The #1 international bestseller about love, war and betrayal from the author of The Alchemist's Daughter In 1854, adventurous Rosa Barr travels to the Crimean battlefield with Florence Nightingale's nursing corps. For Mariella Lingwood, Rosa's cousin, the war is contained within the letters she receives from her fiancé, Henry, a celebrated surgeon who also has volunteered to work in the shadow of the guns. When Henry falls ill, Mariella impulsively takes an epic journey to the ravaged landscape of the Crimea and the tragic city of Sebastopol. What she finds there, as her world beings to crumble, is that she has much to learn about secrecy, faithfulness, and love...