The Personality of American Cities

This book has been in preparation for nearly four years. In that time the author has been in each of the cities that he has set forth to describe herein. With the exception of Charleston, New Orleans and the three cities of the North Pacific, he has been in each city two or three or even four or five times.

The task that he has essayed--placing in a single chapter even something of the flavor and personality of a typical American town--has not been an easy one, but he hopes that he has given it a measure of fidelity and accuracy if nothing more. Of course, he does not believe that he has included within these covers all of the American cities of distinctive personality. Such a list would include necessarily such clear-cut New England towns as Portland, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford and New Haven; it would give heed to the solid Dutch manors of Albany; the wonderful development of Detroit, builded into a great city by the development of the motor car; the distinctive features of Milwaukee; the southern charm of Indianapolis and Cincinnati and Louisville; the breezy western atmosphere of Omaha and of Kansas City. And in Canada, Winnipeg, already proclaiming herself as the "Chicago of the Dominion," Vancouver and Victoria demand attention. The author regrets that the lack of personal acquaintance with the charms of some of these cities, as well as the pressure of space, serves to prevent their being included within the pages of his book. It is quite possible, however, that some or all of them may be included within subsequent editions.

The author bespeaks his thanks to the magazine editors who were gracious enough to permit him to include portions of his articles from their pages. He wishes particularly to thank for their generous assistance in the preparation of this book, R. C. Ellsworth, and Cromwell Childe of New York; C. Armand Miller, D.D., of Philadelphia; Nat Olds, formerly of Rochester; Edwin Baxter of Cleveland; and Victor Ross of Toronto. Without their aid it is conceivable that the book would not have come into its being. And having aided it, they must be content to be known as its foster fathers.

E. H.

Brooklyn, New York, September, 1913.

CONTENTS

PAGE

1. OUR ANCIENT HUB 1

2. AMERICA'S NEW YORK 17

3. ACROSS THE EAST RIVER 61

4. WILLIAM PENN'S TOWN 76

5. THE MONUMENTAL CITY 95

6. THE AMERICAN MECCA 108

7. THE CITY OF THE SEVEN HILLS 127

8. WHERE ROMANCE AND COURTESY DO NOT FORGET 135

9. ROCHESTER--AND HER NEIGHBORS 153

10. STEEL'S GREAT CAPITAL 171

11. THE SIXTH CITY 185

12. CHICAGO--AND THE CHICAGOANS 198

13. THE TWIN CITIES 212

14. THE GATEWAY OF THE SOUTHWEST 225

15. THE OLD FRENCH LADY BY THE RIVERBANK 236

16. THE CITY OF THE LITTLE SQUARES 256

17. THE AMERICAN PARIS 266