American Resource Center
Video collection: Scenic America / Travel
212
California Dreams: Wilderness Man
28:49 minutes, produced in 1981
Portrait of environmentalist John Muir. Born in Scotland, Muir explored and studied California, Nevada, Utah, the Northwest, and Alaska. He was the first to demonstrate that the origin of the Yosemite Valley was by glacial erosion. After getting the Yosemite established as a national park by Congress, his observations on the waste of national forest resources led to the passage of a number of conservation laws. Narrator Eddie Albert traces his activities as the first president of the Sierra Club, the well-known environmental organization.
214
Pyromania: 4th of July in Washington, D.C.
22:08 minutes, produced in 1996
This lively program takes viewers from a fireworks factory in China to the grounds of the Washington monument, the site of the annual Independence Day fireworks display. The video features the fireworks by Pyro Shows of Lafollette, Tennessee.
218
Colorado Winter
29 minutes, produced in 1984
A tour of Vail, Aspen, and other winter resorts in Colorado. Ice skating, sledding, and other winter sports are featured, but the emphasis is on skiing. The program also shows scenic vistas in Southern Colorado, including ancient Indian ruins.
223-8 Portrait of America: Hawaii
224
California Drive
230
New Orleans - The Big Easy
30 minutes, produced in 1986
A profile of New Orleans, one of the largest cities in the South and one of the most picturesque and interesting cities in the U.S. New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz and the home of the most famous carnival celebration in the U.S., the Mardi Gras. With its cosmopolitan community and rich cultural history, New Orleans is a favorite destination of visitors year round.
231
San Francisco - The Golden Gate
28 minutes, produced in 1986
Stories covered in this captivating and unusual portrait of San Francisco include: the great earthquake of 1906, the famous hills and the scenic cable cars, Chinatown, visit to a sourdough bread bakery, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz Island, the story of the building of the Golden Gate Bridge, a visit to Giradelli chocolate factory, a tour of author Dashiel Hammett's San Francisco, and other stories.
237
Series: Pride of Place - Building the American Dream
6 parts, 58 minutes each, produced in 1987
A series on American architecture hosted by Richard A. Stern.
237-1 The Search for a Usable Past
This program, the first in a series on American architectural development, tells the story of how Americans have built a nation. Discusses American classic architecture as Jefferson's Monticello and how it influences present day architectural projects.
237-2 Dream Houses
Generations of Americans have seen their free-standing houses as family temples. Men and women of great vision poured their energies into building dream houses that are complex self-portraits. This program is a visit to some of these magnificent houses - William Hearst's San Simeon, Fenway Court, Wright's Hollyhock House, Saarinen's Cranbrook House, Henry Davis Sleeper's Beauport, and Eisenman's House 6.
237-4 Resorts - Paradise Reclaimed
237-5 The Places Within
The interior spaces of some American buildings are examined including examples from business, government, museums, and shopping malls.
237-6 Proud Towers
Examples of great American skyscrapers current and past are shown.
237-7 The Garden and the Grid
This program addresses the various solutions to the problem of creating green spaces and parks in urban areas. Urban renewal, landscaped highways and public parks, Rockefeller Center, and Colonial Williamsburg are discussed.
239
Mississippi River: On Course
28 minutes, produced in 1990
Through a sweeping tour of the Mississippi River, from its source in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, we learn about the characteristics of an alluvial river and what man has done to manage the river.
240
Series: Scenic America
9 parts, 21 - 61 minutes each, produced in 1989-1992
240-1 Canyon Voices
21:43 minutes, produced in 1992
Today's Navajo Indians who live and farm in Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona, tell of the preservation of their ancient culture, relating their spiritual and ceremonial ties to the canyon. The camera moves along sheer red cliffs revealing pictographs on canyon walls as thought-filled story is told. Shown performing many traditional activities, the Navajos share their music and way of life with the viewer.
240-2 Vermont
60:17 minutes, produced in 1991
Discover the beauty of Vermont, one of America's prettiest rural states. The video features visits to Lake Champlain, America's sixth Great Lake; trout fishing on a Vermont river; a balloon ride; a day at the quaint country fair; and an old time banjo contest.
240-3 The Maine Coast
53:18 minutes, produced in 1992
Come along on a tour to the Maine Coast, one of America's most beautiful and romantic regions. This program brings you the images, stories, and people that make this area memorable.
240-4 Newport and the Rhode Island Coast
58:06 minutes, produced in 1992
Experience the magic of Newport and Rhode Island and find out why Newport became the queen of American resorts. Visit the gilded halls of Newport mansions, the hidden Salt Marshes and lonely lighthouses of the Rhode Island coast, and view the famous J-class yacht races.
240-5 Cape Cod and the Islands
55:57 minutes, produced in 1989
Come visit New England's ultimate beach along with the charming people and towns of Old Cape Cod. This video tour highlights the coastal landscapes and quaint villages that draw tourists from around the world. A visit to the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket is also included.
240-6 Portrait of Boston
61:49 minutes, produced in 1992
Excitement beauty and history of Boston are featured in this video tour. The program highlights the Boston National Historical Park, the famous Quincy Market, the quiet streets of old Beacon Hill, and a visit to the USS Constitution (Old Ironside).
240-7 A Visit to the White House
33:07 minutes, produced in 1994
This documentary celebrates the 200th anniversary of the White House. It offers a more private view of one of the world's most famous and esthetically pleasing residences, with an introduction by Hillary Rodham Clinton and a closing message from President Clinton. The program is also an architectural, historical, political, and social essay.
240-8 Niagara Falls
29:35 minutes, produced in 1985
Originally a sacred place for the Iroquois Indians, Niagara Falls in the 19th century became a metaphor for romance and danger. Yet today, the wilderness spectacle of the Falls has been harnessed by one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world and hemmed in by unregulated urban development.
240-9 Lighthouses of New England
28:46 minutes, produced in 1988
This nostalgic tour includes Coney Island, New York (with its last civilian-operated lighthouse) and the Rockbound coast of Maine. The documentary celebrates a lifestyle gone, but fondly remembered.
241
Series: Holiday USA
13 parts, 24 minutes each, produced in 1994
The travel series Holiday USA includes 13 half-hour episodes on popular holiday destinations.
241-1 Holiday USA 1
Corpus Christi / U.S. National Parks -Yellowstone /Yosemite / San Francisco naval tours - WWII submarine USS Pampinito / USA motor coach.
241-2 Holiday USA 2
Illinois - Lincoln Heritage Trail / New Jersey - Atlantic City / Wyoming in winter / Fly-casting and leafing in Maine.
241-3 Holiday USA 3
Michigan - Mackinac Island / Southern Oregon, Oregon Shakespeare festival / NY City - Broadway Beyond / Missouri - Branson, the new country music capital.
241-4 Holiday USA 4
Alabama South Carolina - Black heritage tours / Los Angeles star-gazing / Connecticut / Ski vail - Beaver Creek.
241-5 Holiday USA 5
Florida - West Palm Beach / Alaska - Ancestral Aleut and Russian traditions / Southern California's unusual museums / New Mexico - Christmas in Taos.
241-6 Holiday USA 6
Old West "ghost towns" / South Carolina - Charleston / Hawaii's "Big Island" adventures / Elvis getaways.
241-7 Holiday USA 7
Arkansas - Hot Springs / New York State - Adirondacks State Park / Washington, D.C. / Washington - Seattle.
241-8 Holiday USA 8
Gambling getaways / Small towns of Texas / Restaurants that include star gazing along with good food / Florida's Space coast.
241-9 Holiday USA 9
Wyoming adventures / Florida - Universal Studios / New Orleans - Mardi Gras / Maryland - Baltimore.
241-11 Holiday USA 11
South Carolina's outer banks / Low-cost getaways / California's North Coast / Utah's Lake Powell.
241-12 Holiday USA 12
Small towns of Indiana / Florida - Fairy-tale wedding at Disney World / Texas - San Antonio / California - First European settlement in San Diego.
241-13 Holiday USA 13
Lewis Clark river cruise along the Columbia River / Great kids' vacations / Florida Keys resorts.
242
Series: The American Traveler
12 - 15 minutes each, produced in 1988
Visit some of the most popular tourist destinations in the U.S. without having to pack your bags.
242-1 Grand Canyon, Arizona
242-2 Seattle, Washington
242-3 Las Vegas, Nevada
242-4 New Orleans, Louisiana
242-5 New Mexico
242-6 San Francisco, California
242-7 Chicago, Illinois
242-8 Los Angeles, California
243
Series: Hawaii Beach Break
2 parts, 47:27 minutes and 22:19 minutes, produced in 1995
These programs profile people and beaches on the islands of Oahu and Molokai.
243-1 Hawaii Beach Break I
47:27 minutes
Solo outrigger canoe races; the preservation and restoration of ancient fish ponds; and the impact of tourism on a well known snorkeling beach.
243-2 Hawaii Beach Break II
22:19 minutes
Profile of Avi Kiraty, an artist and designer; a visit with the U.S. Coast Guard on a search and rescue training mission; and a look at a surfing school.
244
Hawaii: Come For the Beauty - Stay for the People
15 minutes, produced in 1996
This documentary gives an overview of the physical and cultural history of Hawaii.
245
New York City, Working Woman TV Show Series
30 minutes, produced in 1996
This program takes viewers on a tour of New York, from the latest Broadway hits to the very best views of the city.
246
A Program about Unusual Buildings & Other Roadside Stuff
60 minutes, produced in 2004, DVD format
In this bright and sometimes zany documentary, we celebrate buildings from the beguiling Big Duck on Long Island to the tantalizing Tail O' The Pup in West Hollywood. We stop at the Shoe House in York, PA, climb inside the old Frates Milk Bottle at Tali's Place in New Bedford, MA, and sleep in a tepee at the Wigwam Village in Cave City, KY. These and many more places have the amazing ability to boost business and reflect an All-American sort of pride in the big, the unusual and the attention-grabbing wonderful.
247
The Living Edens
3 parts, 60 minutes each, produced in 1997-2001, DVD format
247-1 The Living Edens: Big Sur, California’s Wild Coast
Daybreak of California's Big Sur coast reveals a frenzy of shearwaters feasting on anchovies near beds of giant kelp where sea otters prepare a lunchtime meal of abalones. Afternoon fog bathes Big Sur's ancient redwood forests where sparkling creeks cascade musically toward the coast through dreamy carpets of lupine. Here, acorn woodpeckers comically toil and California condors and peregrine falcons wheel in the sky above. Elephant seals come here to breed, but for a few unlucky pups, there is no escape from the violence of a fierce winter storm. Sunset and moonrise open a door into an alien underwater world, and a new dawn inspires a sense that the world around us is alive and thriving in a Living Eden called Big Sur.
247-2 The Living Edens: Denali, Alaska’s Great Wilderness
The Indians called the frozen peak of this great Alaskan mountain range Denali, or "the high one." Most know it as Mount McKinley. This preserved wilderness comes to life with the thaw of spring and wildlife abounds during the brief summer, only to succumb to the grip of the long winter. Watch as five-week old grizzly cubs play, a moose gives birth to her calf, and a wood frog survives the deep freeze of winter. Breathtaking shots of dazzling northern lights over vast and lush wilderness make this an unforgettable Eden.
247-3 The Living Edens: Yellowstone, America’s Sacred Wilderness
"Exciting things are always happening in Yellowstone" and one of the world's leading authorities on the Park should know. Paul Schullery, acclaimed author and naturalist, has been watching wildlife in Yellowstone for thirty years. He is our guide through this extraordinary Eden where wolves and grizzly bears chase elk, and mountain lions play in the sunshine. Dramas occur in every season, for Yellowstone isn't just the world's first National Park - it is living proof of our relationship with nature.
248
Wild River: The Colorado
60 minutes, produced in 2006, DVD format
Wild River: The Colorado follows the Colorado River from its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park through Utah's Westwater Canyon, the national parks of Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion, the fragile beauty and rapids of Cataract Canyon and Grand Canyon, and into Mexico's Gulf of California. Set to classical music by some of the world's greatest composers, narrated by actor Joseph Campanella, and produced and directed by John Howe.
249
A Flea Market Documentary
60 minutes, produced in 2001, DVD format
Flea markets across America are extraordinary gathering spots. From the Rose Bowl in California to the Eastern Market in Washington, DC, these amazing places attract unusual people and fascinating merchandise. And this lively documentary takes you to a few of the best, from the giant First Monday Trade Days in Texas to the parking-lot-sized Fremont Market in Seattle.