Port Washington is a picturesque community on the shores of Lake Michigan, just a short drive north of Milwaukee. It celebrates its 175th birthday in September 2010. This book is a vivid description of the city's history, from the Native Americans who lived on these shores when the voyageurs first arrived, through the birth of a thriving and industrious community of immigrants who settled here after leaving Germany and Luxembourg. The pages touch on the early years of industry, focusing on the maritime heritage of Port Washington, and give the reader a wonderful photographic tour of what Port Washington was like over 100 years ago. Some of these photographs have never before been published and some of the buildings no longer exist, which makes this book a treasure trove of historic images to be enjoyed by many generations.
Port Washington is located 17 miles east of Manhattan on Long Island's North Shore. Immigration, technology, economic changes, and geographical forces shaped Port Washington over the years. Once known as the "shellfish garden" of New York City, it is known for its bounteous bays, yachting and boatbuilding, celebrity residents, and pioneering aviation activities. Its burgeoning aviation industry was led by the Guggenheims and Charles Lindbergh in the 1930s, and the literary and musical giants who lived here included John Philip Sousa, William Rose Benet, and Sinclair Lewis. During the war years in the 1940s, Grumman and the United States Navy set up crucial operations in Port Washington. An era of suburbanization and development soon followed, reflecting the prosperity of the 1950s and 1960s.
“Sara Dahmen's beautifully photographed book is the most useful resource on copper cookware I've come across. An accomplished coppersmith, Sara not only shows us how copper cookware is made, but how to cook with it (along with a myriad of recipes), and care for it, too. The mysteries and mystique of cast-iron and clay cookware are explored in depth as well. Copper, Iron, and Clay is an indispensable cookware reference that every cook should have in their library. I learned so much from it . . . and you will too!” —David Lebovitz, author of My Paris Kitchen and Drinking French A gorgeous, full-color illustrated love letter to our most revered cookware—copper pots, cast-iron skillets, and classic stoneware—and the artistry and workmanship behind them, written by an expert craftsperson, perhaps the only woman coppersmith in America. Today, most people are concerned about eating seasonal, organic, and local food. But we don’t think about how the choices we make about our pots, pans, and bowls can also enhance our meals and our lives. Sara Dahmen believes understanding the origins of the cookware we use to make our food is just as essential. Copper, Iron, and Clay, is a beautiful photographic history of our cooking tools and their fundamental uses in the modern kitchen, accompanied by recipes that showcase the best features of various cooking materials. Interested in history and traditional pioneer kitchens, early cooking methods, and original metals used in pots during the early years of America, Sara became obsessed with the crafts of copper- and tin-smithing for kitchenware—specialty trades that are nearly extinct in the United States today. She embarked on a journey to locate artisans nationwide familiar with the old ways who could teach and inspire her. She began making her own cookware not only to connect with the artisanal traditions of our nation’s past, but to adopt the pioneer kitchen to cook and eat healthier today. Why cook fantastic, healthful food in a cheap pan coated with toxic chemicals and inorganic elements? she asks. If you buy one high-quality item made from natural materials, it can serve your family for generations. Richly illustrated with dozens of stunning color photographs, Copper, Iron, and Clay showcases each material, exploring its fascinating history, fundamental science—including which elements work best for various cooking methods—and its practical uses today. It also features fascinating interviews with industry insiders, including cookware artisans, chefs, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers from around the world. In addition, Sara provides recipes from her own kitchen and some of her famous chef friends, as well as a few historical favorites—all which are optimized for particular kinds of cookware.
The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is the oldest railroad in the country still operating under its original name. It is the busiest railroad in North America, with 90 million annual riders on 735 trains covering 11 different branches. The Port Washington Branch carries 14 million riders annually and is the third-busiest branch on the LIRR, behind the Port Jefferson Branch (19 million riders) and the Babylon Branch (18 million riders). Port Washington Branch trains converge with the main line just east of Woodside Station. The branch has been electrified since 1913 and is double-track to a point just east of Great Neck Station. The highest bridge on the railroad is the Manhasset Viaduct, which goes over Manhasset Bay. The branch has serviced the 1939 New York World's Fair and the 1964 New York World's Fair as well as the stadium of the New York Mets baseball team. The Whitestone Branch, which was abandoned in 1932, diverted from the Port Washington Branch at a point a bit east of the current Mets-Willets Point station.
