The Rivers of America Series started in 1937 with the publication of Kennebec: Cradle of Americans by Robert P. Tristram Coffin, and ended in 1974 with the publication of The American: River of El Dorado by Margaret Sanborn.
If the average American is less informed about his country than any other national, knows and cares less about its past and about its present in all sections but the one where he resides, it is because books prepared for his instruction were not written by artists.
The art editors were Ruth E. Anderson, Faith Ball, Benjamin Feder, Philip Fiorello and Lawrence S.
[2] The sixty-five books included in the series represent a wide cross section of writers and illustrators.
The series' editors sought out poets, novelists, historians, and illustrators to produce a product that would be a literary sketch rather than a historical tome.
The series includes the first book illustrated by Andrew Wyeth, The Brandywine; Marjory Stoneman Douglas' The Everglades: River of Grass which successfully focused public attention on the plight of the Everglades; Paul Horgan's Great River: The Rio Grande in America History, considered the definitive study of the early Southwest; and poet Edgar Lee Masters' The Sangamon.
The series represents one of the finest long-term efforts by a publisher to blend the talents of both writers and artists to present a tribute to the rivers that played such a vital role in the development of America.
A testament to the editors' outstanding work is the fact that many of these volumes continue to be reprinted and the original editions are now considered highly collectible.
On April 9 and 10, 1997, a group of Rivers of America authors and illustrators were brought together by the Library of Congress to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the series.
The Library of Congress published an Information Bulletin highlighting the celebration on June 7, 1997.
These editions used a lesser quality of paper and a smaller font size to meet wartime restrictions.
Distributed by the Special Services Division, A.S.F., for the Army, and by the Bureau of Naval Personnel for the Navy.
Published by Editions for the Armed Services, Inc., a non-profit organization established by the Council on Books in Wartime" (Note: This example is from the cover of the St Lawrence) Several books in the series were revised and/or expanded either in the work itself, or in the illustrations.
The Kennebec: Cradle of the Americans, Robert P. Tristram Coffin, 1937; illustrated by Maitland de Gogorza 2.
The Suwannee: Strange Green Land, Cecile Hulse Matschat, 1938; illustrated by Alexander Key 4.
The Sacramento: River of Gold, Julian Dana, 1939; illustrated by J. O'Hara Cosgrave, II 8.
The Kaw: Heart of a Nation, Floyd Benjamin Streeter, 1941; illustrated by Isabel Bate and Harold Black 13.
The Winooski: Heartway of Vermont, Ralph Nading Hill, 1949; illustrated by George Daly 39.
The Niagara, Donald Braider, 1972; illustrations credited to Buffalo History Museum and the New York Power Authority 62.
The Hillsborough: River of the Golden Ibis, Gloria Jahoda, 1973; illustrated by Ben F. Stahl, Jr. 64.
The American: River of El Dorado, Margaret Sanborn, 1974; illustrated by Jerry Helmrich ---.