TBT Columnist's Bradenton History Pictorial Now Available

BRADENTON – If you've ever been to a bookstore, chances are you've seen Arcadia Publishing's easily recognizable Images of America series. The independent publisher has produced thousands of photographic histories for towns all across the United States, using local authors and historians. For its newest entry, Bradenton, Arcadia once again tapped our own Merab Favorite to narrate and assemble a pictorial of our local town.

Fresh off her successful debut in the Palmetto edition of the series, the fifth-generation Manatee County native has once again captured our local history and folklore in a way sure to be appreciated by both longtime residents entranced by the nostalgia and recent transplants eager to learn more about their new hometown.

Favorite, whose weekly Sunday Favorites column is among the most widely-read features here at The Bradenton Times, has developed a reputation as one of the best young historic journalists in Florida, and was an obvious pick for the follow up to Palmetto.

The 30-year-old writer grew up on Snead Island and was raised with a deep appreciation for the history of the area. She began working for The Bradenton Times first as an intern while studying journalism at USF, back in 2010.

For Bradenton, Favorite had some unique challenges. There are already local titles in the series focused on "Manatee County" and "Sarasota and Bradenton." Since Arcadia doesn't reuse photos, Merab had to dig deep to find an adequate arrays of historic images. But as usual, she succeeded in capturing our local area in a way that only someone with her unique love and appreciation for it could. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images dating back to the early 1800's.

From the Second Seminole War to tales of the competing villages of Manatee and Braidentown, the collection is rich in history and visual records. Bradenton ($21.99 Arcadia Publishing) is available at local retailers, online bookstores, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com and by calling (888) 313-2665.