The Picture the Past series looks at the many kinds of communities in America's past. Each book describes what made each community different and what children and adults did each day. Life in a Whaling Town In this book, discover how people lived in whaling towns in the 1800s. Learn about the soldiers who hunted whales and about the everyday things made from these large animals. Visit the homes, shops, and schools in whaling towns. Understand why the whaling business ended. Then use a recipe to make a popular treat from the time-plum duff!