Thursday, October 1, 2026
A new book chronicling Long Beach's rich and colorful past is about to hit area bookstores this month.
Written by local authors Roberta Fiore, Carole Shahda Geraci and Dave Roochvarg for the Long Beach Historical and Preservation Society, the book, aptly titled "Long Beach," is published by Arcadia Publishing and slated for an Aug. 9 release. The book is part of the Images of America series, which celebrates the history of communities across the country.
Highlights of the book include vintage photographs from private collections and the Historical and Preservation Society, spanning from the city's inception in 1906 when Sen. William H. Reynolds purchased what was once an abandoned barrier island and vowed to turn it into a city. The book illustrates Long Beach's transition over 100 years from a vacation spot known as America's "Healthiest City" to a thriving city.
The authors said that the book reflects the diversity of the city's architecture, culture, religion and unique neighborhoods, and includes images of residents and bungalows in the West End, water-lined homes of the canals and the various stages of the 2.1 mile boardwalk.
The Long Beach Historical and Preservation Society was founded in 1980 by Fiore, the city's official historian and lifetime trustee of the society. Geraci is an educator, community activist and president of the historical society, and society trustee Roochvarg is a bookseller and avid collector of Long Beach historical ephemera.
The authors will be on hand during a book launch and signing event on Wednesday, August 11 from 7 p.m. to
9 p.m. at the Long Beach Historical Museum, 226
West Penn Street. -A.R.
