Auburn was founded in 1793 and started as an agricultural community that grew sweet corn and potatoes. The city transitioned into an industrial center with factories that produced rope, shoes, and harvesting machinery. Today, Auburn is a tourist destination in the heart of the Finger Lakes, boasting the historic homes of Harriet Tubman, William H. Seward, and John Foster Dulles. Joseph H. DiVietro is a lifelong Auburn and Cayuga County resident. A majority of the photographs are from the Cayuga Museum of History and Art. Comparing our present to our past is how we understand our history.

Arcadia's Past & Present series makes such local comparisons available. Books in this series offer a special view of American lite by placing historical images side by side with contemporary photographs.