Images of America: Oneonta

Oneonta has an appropriate nickname: "City of the Hills." It is found in the rolling, scenic northern Catskill mountains, very close to the origin of the Susquehanna River Valley. The natural formation of other streams and pathways that lead to Oneonta has made it a central location for commerce in the region-from Native Americans who lived and traded here to today's modern shopping districts. A railroad dynasty has come and gone from Oneonta, but two colleges, health care, and tourism have evolved to make the area an outstanding place to live and work. Oneonta shows the early settler years, the evolution of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad, the arrival and growth of two colleges, and the development of a retail and service hub, which has seen many changes since World War II. With its superb images, the book highlights the city's truly unique architecture, some of which remains intact, while other parts were taken away during the years of urban renewal. Oneonta recalls the pleasant quality of life that still pervades the city's parks and restaurants, the arts and sports and other leisure activities.

Author Mark Simonson grew up in Oneonta but, like many others of his age, left to seek a career beyond its comfortable borders. After more than twenty years away, he noticed many changes when he returned to live here in the late 1990s. As Oneonta city historian and freelance columnist for the Oneonta Daily Star, Simonson has assembled a pictorial history that covers the old and the new Oneonta, showcasing many valuable local historical resources.