American Chronicles
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Speaking of Atlantic City
by Janet Robinson Bodoff
5
(1)
For over one hundred years people have been coming to Atlantic City to swim in the ocean, walk on the boardwalk, and get away from their day-to-day lives...
Return to the halcyon days of the sand and sun as local writers and long-time locals present stories from Atlantic City's heartwarming past.
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Stories from Montana's Enduring Frontier
by John Clayton
4
(2)
At the turn of the twentieth century, Montana started emerging from its rugged past. Permanent towns and cities, powered by mining, tourism, and trade, replaced ramshackle outposts. Yet Montana's frontier endured, both in remote pockets and in the wider cultural imagination. The frontier thus played a continuing role in Montanans' lives, often in fascinating ways. Author John Clayton has written extensively on these shifts in Montana history, chronicling the breadth of the frontier's legacy with this diverse collection of stories. Explore the remnants of Montana's frontier through stories of the Little Bighorn Battlefield, the Beartooth Highway, and the lost mining camp of Swift Current--and through legendary characters such as Charlie Russell, Haydie Yates, and "Liver-eating" Johnston.
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Historic Tales From the Texas Republic
by Jeffery Robenalt
3
(1)
Though the Republic of Texas existed as a sovereign nation for just nine years, the legacy lives on in the names that distinguish the landscape of the Lone Star State. Austin, Houston, Travis, Lamar, Seguin, Burnet, Bowie, Zavala, Crockett--these historical giants, often at odds, fought through their differences to achieve freedom from Mexico and Santa Anna, establishing a republic fit to be the twenty-eighth state to join the Union. In nineteen historical tales, Jeffery Robenalt chronicles the fight to define and defend the Republic of Texas, from revolutionary beginnings to annexation.
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Tustin
by Juanita Lovret
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In an era when the heart of Tustin was the intersection of Main and D, folks flocked to town to get supplies and swap stories. Some of these stories featured Tustin notables like C.E. Utt, who tried his hand at every local crop; Sam Tustin, whose Buick touring car became the town fire truck; Big John Stanton, who formed the one-man police department; and Dr. William B. Wall, who found inspiration for his orange crate label in a rooster painting from Grover Cleveland. Drawing from her Tustin News column "Remember When," third-generation Tustin resident Juanita Lovret recalls the small-town ranching roots of Tustin as It Once Was.
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Stories from Highlands, New Jersey
by John P. King
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The Historic Highlands are known as "where the Jersey Shore begins," and in its long life, its residents and visitors have contributed to a rich, vibrant past. In this book, local historian John King compiles over 80 stories authored by more than 40 Highlands residents who have experienced life there and embrace its heritage. Some of their tales deal with aspects intrinsic to the Highlands, such as clamming and vacationing summer tourists. Some are thrilling accounts from the days of Prohibition, when rum-runners used the shores as ports for illicit booze. From everyday life, to World War II, to sailing and famous residents, discover the history of the Highlands.
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Stories from Perth Amboy
by Katherine Massopust
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Since its establishment in 1683, Perth Amboy has been a progressive and welcoming community. Residents have consistently made a stand for equality--in the 1920s, riots at a local KKK meeting ousted the Klan for good, and the nation's first African American vote was cast here by Thomas Mundy Peterson. Another Perth Amboy first was Dr. Solomon Andrews's flight over the town in 1863. Since 1853, the Eagleswood School has hosted lectures from figures like Henry David Thoreau. In 1968, the Perth Amboy basketball team swept the state championship. These and Perth Amboy's other fascinating stories and characters are chronicled by local author Katherine Massopust.
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Knoxville
by Jack Neely
2.3
(3)
Discover the vibrant history of Knoxville, Tennessee, in this series of articles from Jack Neely's acclaimed "Secret History" column in Knoxville's Metro Pulse. Neely delves into the shadows of centuries past and weaves a path of local history with unmistakable wit and precision. Learn about the people who made Knoxville the "obscure prismatic city" through their genius, bravery or even impiety--natives like Adolph Ochs, whose fear of the old Presbyterian cemetery kick-started his ascent to the editor's desk at the New York Times; Clarence Brown, the University of Tennessee graduate turned Hollywood icon; and Knoxville's own Mark Twain. Learn about race riots, labor riots and good old-fashioned drunken riots, and discover why Knoxville is Tennessee's forgotten music city.
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West Texas Tales
by Mike Cox
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Historian Mike Cox has been writing about Texas history for four decades, sharing tales that have been overlooked or forgotten through the years. Travel to El Paso during the "Big Blow" of 1895, brave the frontier with Elizabeth Russell Baker, and stare down the infamous killer known as Old Three Toe. From frontier stories and ghost towns to famous folks and accounts of everyday life, this collection of West Texas Tales has it all.
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Remembering Lee County
by Prudy Taylor Board
3
(1)
In this charming retrospective, Lee County native Prudy Taylor Board writes with love, respect, and wry humor as she reveals the true history of Lee County, its communities and some of its most intriguing and prominent pioneers. For example: In 1884, Fort Myers comprised 139 acres at the original site of the town that was platted into a working community. But the burgeoning town that had grown to include about 50 families did not have a newspaper. So when the opportunity to "kidnap" an editor and his press presented itself, Henry L. Roan, captain of the schooner Lily White, wasted no time. Although a paradise for tourists today, Sanibel was originally noted for its prolific agriculture. By 1896, farmers were shipping a thousand crates of tomatoes a week during their growing season. A few years later, crops included eggplant, beets, squash, green peppers, cucumbers and beans. Unfortunately, the torrential tides of salt water accompanying a disastrous hurricane in 1921 destroyed the groves and arid farms that marked the finish to Sanibel's agricultural prominence. With these delightful historical vignettes, Board presents an interesting and fascinating history of the three cities that presently make up Lee County, Florida. Locals, visitors and newcomers alike are sure to enjoy Board's witty and causal style, and will view the area with a renewed appreciation for its rich past.
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True Tales of Aurora Illinois
by Matt Hanley
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Check in on visits from Orville Wright, Casey Stengel, John Dillinger and JFK. Learn about the Aurora man who hired Abe Lincoln to defend his business and the police chief who solved the nation's most gruesome crime. Discover what happened to the man who recorded a landmark blues song in Aurora's tallest tower and how a boy born in the city's poorest neighborhood went on to play for the Chicago Bears in Matt Hanley's fascinating collection of stories from the City of Lights.
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Historic Tales of La Jolla
by Patricia Daly-Lipe
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The first settlers to arrive here in 1869 purchased 160 acres for two dollars and change. La Jolla attracted artists, architects, writers and scientists over the years, contributing to today's prized reputation as a valuable world-class destination. Their stories shaped the fascinating history of this seaside village. Pirates and smugglers hid out in Sunny Jim's Cave. Ellen Browning Scripps, the Godmother of La Jolla, founded institutions and recreation areas for not only La Jollans but also the rest of the world, including the famous Children's Pool and Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Theodor Geisel derived inspiration for his art from La Jolla's landscapes and people. Native La Jollan Patricia Daly-Lipe recalls the stories of these and many other people and places that have molded the village of La Jolla into a natural and cultural wonder.
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Meredith Chronicles
by Daniel Heyduk
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Ancient beginnings only hinted at the great things to come in the story of Meredith. The earliest residents hunted mammoth and caribou and created the first birch-bark canoe to traverse Lake Winnipesaukee and the network of waterways. Centuries later, Meredith's Dudley Leavitt wrote Leavitt's Farmers Almanack for more than fifty years. The local woods were the solitary home of Joseph Plumer, who was perhaps New Hampshire's most financially successful hermit. Motorcycles, cars and horses once raced on the winter ice of Lake Winnipesaukee. Together, these stories weave the distinctive fabric of Meredith history. Dan Heyduk's town history goes beyond documents and dates, illustrating the unique character of a multifaceted community.
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Historic Tales of the Llano Estacado
by Various Authors
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The distinctive high mesa straddling West Texas and Eastern New Mexico creates a vista that is equal parts sprawling lore and big blue sky. From Lubbock, the area's informal capital, to the farthest reaches of the staked plains known as the Llano Estacado, the land and its inhabitants trace a tradition of tenacity through numberless cycles of dust storms and drought. In 1887, a bison hunter observed antelope, sand crane and coyote alike crowding together to drink from the same wet-weather lake. A similarly odd assortment of characters shared and shaped the region's heritage, although neighborliness has occasionally been strained by incidents like the 1903 Fence Cutting War. David Murrah and Paul Carlson have collected some three dozen vignettes that stretch across the uncharted terrain of the tableland's past.
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The Making of St. Petersberg
by Will Michaels
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A wide-ranging history of this city on Florida's Gulf Coast, one of America's oldest, with numerous photos and maps included.
“The Making of St. Petersburg” captures the character of this bay city through its past, from the Spanish clash with indigenous peoples to the creation of the downtown waterfront parks and grand hotels. Take a journey with local historian, preservationist, and former museum executive Will Michaels as he chronicles St. Petersburg's storied history, including the world's first airline, the birth of Pinellas County, and the good old American pastime, Major League Baseball. From hurricanes to home run king Babe Ruth, the people and events covered in this work paint a rich portrait of a coastal Florida city and capture St. Petersburg's unique sense of place.
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Civil War Maryland
by Richard P. Cox
3.5
(2)
Compelling stories from a state on the border of the Mason-Dixon line that illustrate its unique role in the American Civil War.
By the time the American Civil War began, the agrarian, slave-owning South and the rapidly industrializing North had become almost two separate nations. As a border state with ties to both sides, Maryland and its people played a unique role in the war.
This series of essays on Maryland's involvement in the conflict and its aftermath highlights some of the personalities and events that make Maryland's Civil War stories unusual and compelling. Author Richard P. Cox draws on original sources and contributions from historians to relate the many ironies, curiosities, and legends that abound.
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Historic Tales of Old Dubuque
by John T. Pregler
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History That Shaped a Nation
The history of Dubuque is as important to the nation as it is Iowa. Look into the life of railroad-attorney Abraham Lincoln as he pays a visit to a prominent railroad engineer in Dubuque prior to becoming president. Follow congressional debate on whether U.S. Rep. William Vandever (R-IA) had the right to simultaneously hold a seat in Congress and a commission in the U.S. military during the Civil War. View some of the more popular Americans photographed by famed Dubuque photographer Samuel Root, including an image of Frederick Douglass captured while in Dubuque for one of three lectures the "Self-made Man" made in the Key City. Author and historian John T. Pregler sheds light on these rediscovered facets of American history and many others.
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Remembering Chapel Hill
by Valarie Schwartz
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Since the 1789 charter of the country�s first state university, Chapel Hill has attracted people from all over who found that the town was the perfect place to put down roots. In this collection, local newspaper columnist Valarie Schwartz celebrates many of Chapel Hill�s most notable residents, from the World War II veteran who came to law school after the war and ended up as president of the UNC system for thirty years to the couple from the Midwest who arrived in 1935 and spent their careers building the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. Featuring stories of struggle and success from all walks of life, Remembering Chapel Hill is a tribute to the twentieth-century citizens who made the city what it is today: �a Southern slice of heaven.�
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Grand Times in Grand Rapids
by Gordon G. Beld
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Join longtime journalist Gordon Beld on a historical tour of the Furniture City. Gleaned from the best of Beld's work for Grand Rapids Magazine, this collection weaves together intriguing vignettes highlighting the unique character of the Grand Rapids people and their community. Get a glimpse into the lives of famous leaders Gerald Ford and Arthur Vandenberg and marvel at Harry "Human Fly" Gardiner, who scaled the buildings of downtown Grand Rapids. Take a nostalgic trip down to Reed's Lake, where the streetcars will drop you off at Ramona Gardens to dance the night away. Find the grand in Grand Rapids just don't get lost in Saddlebag Swamp on the way.
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Palm Beach Past
by Eliot Kleinberg
4
(1)
Known for its year-round warmth, beautiful beaches and famous residents, Palm Beach County is one of the most well-known areas along Florida's Atlantic coast. And although many people know the county as a winter destination for the likes of starlets and snowbirds, few know that German U-boats sank sixteen ships off the coast in 1942. Nor do they know that eleven "barefoot mailmen" originally took on the mail service between Palm Beach and Miami. In Palm Beach Past: The Best of "Post Time," author and local journalist Eliot Kleinberg has compiled a collection of historical vignettes - which originally appeared in the Palm Beach Post - about the intriguing people and events in the county's history. Kleinberg reveals little-known facts about the development of the region's prestigious neighborhoods and parks, while introducing readers to some of the most captivating and eccentric characters. For readers who want to understand the Palm Beach County of today or those who enjoy local history and just want a "good read," Palm Beach Past is a must.
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True Tales, Legends & Lore of the Pecos River
by James Collett
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Make a crossing of the storied Pecos River. The arid Pecos River Country of Texas is rich with stories, the crooked path of its alkaline waters defining the lives of any who dared venture here. Native peoples, Spanish explorers, soldiers, travelers, cattlemen, wildcatters, and just plain folks, passed by, struggled, sojourned, and perished. From the oldest book in North America to the great rock of the Jumano, their traces remain in the ruins, the records and the earth itself. Native West Texan James Collett catalogues architectural masterpieces, lonely gravestones, fanciful cowboy tales and other bits of history caught in the currents of a legendary river.
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Hill Country Hindsights
by Michael Barr
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Encounter fascinating characters and forgotten stories from the Texas Hill Country's past, before the crowds and amenities made life complicated. Settled by German immigrants in the 1840s, Fredericksburg's corner of the Texas Hill Country bustles with the trendy energy of an international tourist destination. But there was a time not long ago when the quiet community remained off the beaten path, even if it continued to draw in luminaries like O. Henry, Buck Taylor and Bob Hope. A working knowledge of Town Creek German wasn't necessary, but it sure came in handy. From the White Elephant Saloon to the 87 Drive-In, Michael Barr tours the bygone byways of the Hill Country, showcasing the heritage that predates the overbooked wine tours and vacation rentals.
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Tales of the Russian River
by John C. Schubert
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The Russian River has drawn tourists to its colossal redwoods, picturesque seashore and idyllic resorts for more than a century. This collection of John C. Schubert's "Stumptown Stories" columns relates the history of this California river valley through in-depth research and firsthand stories. Ride the first train to chug across the Hacienda Bridge and wave farewell to the town's last train in 1935. Swing around in the many dance halls to the big bands of the 1930s, '40s and '50s. Let the entertaining stories behind once stately, now hidden, landmarks carry you into Stumptown's past. Reconnect over coffee at Pat's Cafe and discover the rich history that formed the Russian River's communities.
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Squirrel Hill
by Helen Wilson
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Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood began on the frontier of western Pennsylvania 250 years ago and developed into a vibrant urban community. Early settler John Turner, half brother of renegade Simon Girty, survived capture by Native Americans and experienced firsthand the change from dangerous wilderness to established farming community. Wealthy landowners Henry Clay Frick and Mary Schenley bestowed Squirrel Hill its grand public parks. Hyman Little, Herman Kamin and countless others moved to the hill and made it Pittsburgh's premier Jewish community, with a tightknit cluster of synagogues, temples and a thriving business district. The Squirrel Hill Historical Society and editor Helen Wilson explore the fascinating history of one of Pittsburgh's historic neighborhoods.
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Maritime Annapolis
by Rosemary F. Williams
5
(3)
With fortunes that have ebbed and flowed with the tides, Annapolis has graced the banks of the Severn River and the Chesapeake Bay since the seventeenth century. Generations have worked the docks, sailed its waters and hunted for Chesapeake Gold--oysters--even as the city became home to a proud military tradition in the United States Naval Academy. Local author Rosemary F. Williams presents a vivid image of Annapolis with tales of violent skirmishes between the dashing Captain Waddell and crews of outlaw oyster poachers, the crabbing rage of the twentieth century, feisty shipwright Benjamin Sallier and the city's Golden Age of Sailing. Williams's fluid prose and stunning vintage images chronicle the maritime history of this capital city and reveal its residents' deep connection to the ever-shifting waters.
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Historic Tales from Park County
by Laura Van Dusen
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The geographic center of Colorado, Park County has long served as a recreational area for Denver and Colorado Springs residents looking to get away. The scene has not always been so idyllic. Marshal Cook was shot while investigating a loud party in Como in 1894, and rumors spread by the Michigan Creek School Board sent Benjamin Ratcliff on a killing spree in 1895. But the county's hardscrabble heritage includes triumphs as well as tragedies. In 1873, county seat Fairplay lost every business on Front Street to a horrific fire. But by 1878, they had rebuilt it all. It still stands today, a true testament to the strength of this old mining town. Journalist Laura Van Dusen shares these stories, outlining the many trials and successes of Park County's earliest settlers.
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American Lake Vignettes
by Nancy Covert
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Lake City and Tillicum began as two communities separated by American Lake. Although they later joined with other surrounding neighborhoods to become part of the City of Lakewood, American Lake remains the treasured focal point of the region. The largest of twelve lakes in the Lakes District, American Lake was once envisioned by Tacoma developers as an ideal resort location. But their grandiose dreams came to a crashing halt with the Panic of 1893. Author Nancy Covert explores the little-known history of American Lake, weaving together stories from lifelong residents. Their tales recall a simpler time, when money earned from paper routes paid for seaplane flight lessons and dancing at the Lakeside Country Club was a favorite pastime. Join Covert for a vivid look back at life on American Lake.
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Mountain Passages
by George Ellison
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"I'm continually intrigued by the manner in which the natural and human histories of any given region overlap and eventually commingle. That process is ongoing, of course, anywhere one chooses to reside, but in no place I've experienced or read about is there a richer context than here in these mountains." This intriguing collection of intertwined essays results from writer George Ellison's thirty-year fascination with Western North Carolina and its Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Gathered into three broad sections - Natural History, Cherokees, and Mountaineers - these insightful essays provide a wealth of historic detail and offer a window onto the rich cultural heritage of this stunning and oft-misunderstood part of the country. Through a diverse cast of characters including early explorers and European plant hunters, a Cherokee shaman or two, weather sharps, a hermit, a moonshiner, several writers of note, ornithologists and naturalists, we hear stories in a distinctly Appalachian tone and gain an understanding of mountain life and lore. We develop a new language fit for mountain life, speaking of balds, knobs, gaps, seeps, springheads and shoals, and begin to understand the roots of the names Crooked Arm, Deeplow Gap and the Boogerman Trail. We see the world through the eyes of the ancient Cherokees, for whom the Nantahala Gorge, for example, was a "chasm of horrors" associated with the "uktena," a mythic serpent from the dreaded Under World.
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Unforgettable Galveston Characters
by Jan Johnson
4
(1)
From financiers of the Texas Revolution to contestants in the Pageant of Pulchritude, the shores of Galveston enticed and cultivated a host of memorable men and women. Bishops and bookies, concert pianists and cotton tycoons--all left an indelible print on their remarkable home. Magnolia Willis Sealy and the members of the Women's Health Protective Association reshaped the ravages of the Great Storm into the glories of the Oleander City. The benevolent activism of Norris Wright Cuney transformed the social landscape, while actress Charlotte Walker and painter Boyer Gonzales Sr. extended the island's cultural reach abroad. Jan Johnson keeps company with Galveston's most fascinating characters.
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Historic Bay Area Visionaries
by Robin Chapman
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For centuries, California's environment has nurtured remarkable people. Ohlone Lope Inigo found a way to protect his family in troubled times on the shores of San Francisco Bay. Pioneer Juana Briones made a fortune from her rancho yet took the time to care for those in need. Innovator Thomas Foon Chew discovered a climate for success, in spite of the obstacles. Around the region that became Silicon Valley, filmmaker Charlie Chaplin found inspiration, poet Robert Louis Stevenson uncovered adventure and Sarah Winchester built a house that would intrigue people long after she was gone. Author Robin Chapman shares fascinating tales of those who exemplify the enterprising spirit of the Golden State.
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Crestline Chronicles
by Rhea-Frances Tetley
4
(1)
Situated in the beautiful San Bernardino Range, Crestline is the gateway community to the famous mountain resorts of Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake. Historically, the area was known for timber-cutting, hunting and fishing, fruit and nut harvesting and, later on, skiing and other winter sports. The first visitors to the area were Native Americans escaping the Mojave Desert summers; followed in the 1850s by Mormon lumberjacks who built San Bernardino Town at the base of the mountains; and then successors who bought the sawmills and settled into mountain living. In these stories of Crestline's formative times, historian Rhea-Frances Tetley recalls some of the more intrepid and colorful characters to have trekked through the western San Bernardinos.
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The Way We Were in San Diego
by Richard W. Crawford
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San Diego, known for its perfect weather, naval ties and landmarks like the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park, has a history as incredible as its stunning shoreline. In this collection of articles from his San Diego Union-Tribune column "The Way We Were," Richard W. Crawford recounts stories from the city's early history that once splashed across the headlines. Read about Ruth Alexander's aviation feats, the water pipeline carved from Humboldt County redwoods, the jailbreak of a man facing ten years in San Quentin for cow theft, a visit from escape artist Harry Houdini and the Purity League's closure of the Stingaree red-light district. These stories highlight San Diego's progress from a humble frontier port to the stylish city it is today.
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Washington County Chronicles
by Harriet Branton
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Abolitionists, rebels and innovators have all tracked across the pages of Washington County history. Their stories and more were chronicled by beloved local historian Harriet Branton, who introduced readers of the "Washington Observer-Reporter "to the history hidden in plain sight. In the earliest tales, European settlers clashed with the Shawanese and Delaware Indians, and fiery local lawyer" "David Bradford led the Whiskey Rebellion. With the coming of the Civil War, the people of southwestern Pennsylvania overwhelmingly united to the cause of the Union--the LeMoynes of Washington and the McKeevers of West Middletown shepherded slaves to freedom, and Washington and Jefferson College sent its alumni to the key battles of the war. Join Branton as she journeys from the rough-and-tumble frontier days of Washington County to the twentieth century ushered in by coal, oil and iron rail.
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St. Louis Trailblazer Erma Bergmann
by Mrs. Patricia Treacy
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Breaking Glass Ceilings in St. Louis Erma Mary Bergmann was a generation ahead of her time. She was born in a cold-water flat over a shoe store on South Broadway in St. Louis's Soulard area. Restrained by the Great Depression and the minority status of women in the 1930s and '40s, she hoped someday to climb out of poverty. When she was recruited to play baseball with the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, her life changed. She pitched a no-hitter in 1947. She parlayed her natural athletic ability into two successful careers, baseball and policing. She spent twenty-five years as a policewoman, serving on the dangerous Decoy Squad. Author Patricia Treacy details the history of a pioneering woman.
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Lake Oswego Vignettes
by Marylou Colver
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With tales of a mayor who knew the town�s cows by name and a singing pig drunk on moonshine, Marylou Colver captures the quirky anecdotes of Lake Oswego�s past. In the twentieth century, visionary real estate developers touted Oregon�s Lake Oswego as an ideal place to �live where you play,� a reputation the city maintains today. But this playful paradise is a far cry from the small town developed by iron company entrepreneurs in the nineteenth century. Colver, founder of the Lake Oswego Preservation Society, chronicles the transition from gritty to pretty by recounting the people and events that shaped Lake Oswego. From bathing suit bans to a robot circus, enjoy the legacy of unusual facts, some recently discovered, that inspired Lake Oswego Vignettes.
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Historic Tales of Colonial Rhode Island
by Richard V. Simpson
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Roger Williams purchased the fertile Aquidneck Island from the Narragansett tribe in 1637. It was here that Anne Hutchinson, along with William Coddington and other colonists who had been banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, found shelter from persecution. The intrepid dissenters of Rhode Island Colony saw their community flourish with the founding of Portsmouth and Newport townships. The Battle of Rhode Island was the only clash between American colonials and the British on Rhode Island soil during the Revolutionary War. From the mercantile success of the Atlantic triangle trade routes to the establishment of the United States Navy, noted historian Richard V. Simpson brings these and other stories from the Ocean State to life. Join Simpson as he explores the landmarks and architecture of the period to discover the remnants of Rhode Island's colonial past.
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Cleveland in the Gilded Age
by Dan Ruminski
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Cleveland storyteller Dan Ruminski discovered that the 6 acres under his home were originally part of a 1,400-acre grand estate known as the Circle W Farm created by Walter White, founding brother of the White Motor Company. Drawn in by the fascinating history, Ruminski's investigation soon embraced the full legacy of Cleveland's industrial history and the indomitable characters who created the city's Gilded Age. John D. Rockefeller, Samuel Mather and more giants of industry built Cleveland's Millionaires' Row. Come peek inside the once-grand mansions these millionaires called home and hear the delightful stories that bring the past to life. Join Ruminski and Alan Dutka on a return to this section of Euclid Avenue, which wasn't merely the most stunning show of wealth in Cleveland but also in the entire country.
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Historic Tales From Palos Verdes And The South Bay
by Bruce Megowan
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Palos Verdes and the South Bay's dramatic beauty is mirrored by a dramatic history. Feuding over claims to the Rancho San Pedro continued for seventy-three years. The Vanderlip family's forty-year development of the Palos Verdes Peninsula resulted in one of California's wealthiest and most well-kept enclaves of coastal cities. Marineland of the Pacific on the Peninsula's end was one of the West Coast's more popular tourism draws before its controversial closing. But that's only the beginning. In this exciting compilation of articles, authors Bruce and Maureen Megowan reveal some of the intriguing secrets and little-known facts nestled within the hills, valleys and nearby cities of this beautiful area. Discover some of the fascinating stories about the development of the South Bay and Palos Verdes Peninsula.
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Volusia County's West Side
by Ronald W. Williamson
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This collection of popular "Sense of Place" columns by Daytona Beach News-Journal award-winning writer Ronald Williamson chronicles the sleepy streams, poignant passages and timeless traditions of the hilly western side of Volusia County--a place quite different from the hustle and bustle of the Daytona Beach area. Majestic St. Johns River steamboats replace speeding racecars, and subdued séances at an old spiritualist camp replace brash biker bashes and spring break revelry. From slavery and segregation to Madame Clarissa Zaraza and mayhaw jelly from swampy creeks, these stories are a moving account from a master storyteller.
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Woburn
by Marie Coady
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Although it is only thirteen square miles in size, Woburn boasts a vast history, replete with curious episodes and colourful characters. The town was home to three women accused of witchcraft in the infamous Salem witch trials, and it was the choice camping ground of gypsy queen Marcia Mock in 1917. Discover the nefarious "yeggmen" who prowled the streets at the beginning of the twentieth century and the seven women known as the "Robins," whose friendship inspired a chain letter that has survived for more than fifty years. Woburn: Hidden Tales of a Tannery Town explores the mysteries of Woburn's landscape, including the deadly Horn Pond, whose waters swallowed more than fifty victims and were long believed to contain vengeful demons. Columnist Marie Coady reveals Woburn's best-kept secrets with the vibrancy and wit of a true town sleuth.
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Long Branch in the Golden Age
by Sharon Hazard
5
(2)
Elite Americans came to Long Branch to stroll along the shore, dance in the hotel ballrooms, gamble a fortune at the casinos, build magnificent mansions and socialize with the day's most powerful players in entertainment, industry and politics. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, summers at the shore meant Long Branch, New Jersey, for seven presidents and innumerable other American celebrities. From rags-to-riches industrialists to Broadway babies, and from heirs and heiresses to world-famous poets and artists, this seaside town was the ticket to summertime rest and relaxation. Sharon Hazard's enjoyable history details the comings and goings of those who visited and those who lived in Long Branch, New Jersey, serving up the glamour of the leisurely life alongside the daily struggles of those who made such carefree pleasure possible.
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Remembering Fairfield, Connecticut
by Rita Papazian
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Sprinkled with flowering dogwoods and elegant estates, Fairfield has long symbolized Connecticut's elite Gold Coast. But there is far more to this leafy suburban enclave than stately homes and inviting forests. Founded in 1639 by Roger Ludlow, Fairfield's New England roots run deep. British soldiers torched the village in 1779, and for a time, the community teetered on the brink of extinction. But the settlers rebuilt with a vengeance, helping to establish a new foundation for what has become a truly dynamic town. From its founding to the present day, Fairfield has enjoyed a rich and diverse history. Let author Rita Papazian guide you through it all in Remembering Fairfield.
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Remembering the Way it Was, Volume Two
by Fran Heyward Marscher
4
(1)
From cooking 'coon and 'possum to recalling the heyday of Melrose Plantation, these are the heartwarming stories of Hilton Head, Bluffton and Daufuskie before, as the Gullahs might say, "it all change up." In this second volume of personal memories collected by Hilton Head journalist Fran Heyward Marscher, area old-timers tell of the adventures, the industry and the heart of the Lowcountry itself. Before the golf courses and resorts, the residents of Beaufort and Jasper Counties often scraped to make a living, but they left behind stories of enduring devotion and perseverance. Keeping lighthouses on the coast, developing a method for catching crabs with only sticks and hunting quail in Hilton Head are only a few of the tales preserved by local old-timers from the early days of the twentieth century to the times of economic transition after World War II. In ice cream and butter beans, picking oysters and exploring the beach, these memories of the Lowcountry will last for generations.
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Blue Ridge Chronicles
by Rex Bowman
4
(1)
Many of the highlanders in Virginia's western mountains live in small communities with names such as Stonebruise, Novelty, and Wangle Junction, and here their stories are chronicled by one of their own, Floyd County native and Pulitzer-nominated journalist Rex Bowman, roving reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Colorful characters abound, from folks in Independence who have a decades-old tradition of racing outhouses, to the brawlers in St. Paul who once gave the town a reputation for world-class wickedness, to the purveyors of Roanoke's Texas Tavern who have never in seventy years put ketchup on their hamburgers. Blue Ridge Chronicles is a delightful look at how the lively have lived in Southwest Virginia's backcountry.
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Bolton
by Hans DePold
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Scrape the city off your shoes as you enter the town of Bolton, where both historic and natural heritage are remarkably preserved. In this panoramic view of Bolton's past, DePold retraces the footprints of Mohegan natives, pays homage to the natural, glacier-carved cathedrals of Bolton Notch and calls up the ghosts of the town's bluecoat boys, lost in the Battle of Antietam. Follow the long strides of Reverend George Colton across the fields of Bolton Heritage Farm and catch the ringing echoes of famous sermons by Jonathan Edwards, Bolton's first pastor. From rugged bullpunchers and lumberjacks to the sweethearts' custom of "bundling," from Revolutionary taverns to George Washington's eggnog recipe, these historical sketches will leave you with a lingering nostalgia for the old days of rural New England.
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Memories from New Hampshire's Lakes and Mountains
by Dr. Bruce D. Heald, Ph. D.
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Since colonial times, when Yankee pioneers first planted villages and homesteads in New Hampshire s rugged hill country, the Granite State s rural settlers have cultivated a vibrant pastoral society. Bruce D. Heald offers a richly nostalgic recollection of the traditions, pastimes and storied names and locales that have helped New Hampshire s backwoodsmen carve out a unique identity. With stops to consider such classic northern New England activities as ice fishing, maple sugaring and blueberry picking, Memories from New Hampshire's Lakes and Mountains: Fence Building and Apple Cider takes the reader on a special journey through folk life during New Hampshire's olden days.
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Boston Miscellany
by William Marchione
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Before the dawn of the Industrial Revolution and the nineteenth century's cultural renaissance, a serious rebellion was brewing in the taverns of Boston. Look back to a time when riots raged through the streets of Boston, when Beacon Hill was a neighborhood of beggars and vagabonds, and papal effigies burned on the Boston Common. Meet William Blackstone, the first Bostonian, and John Singleton Copley, portrait artist of the elite. In this compilation by historian William Marchione, discover Boston as it once was--when customs officials were dragged through the sewers and drinking tea was a highly political act. Even the city's largest and most controversial funeral, held for the infamous Sacco and Vanzetti, ended in a street brawl with police. And yet, with the sprawl of the first American railroads, the dawning of the abolitionist movement and the cultural flourishing in art and architecture, Boston emerged as the nation's first cultural, economic, and political hub.
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Durham Tales
by Jim Wise
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There is much history in the Bull City, and some of it can be found within these pages. Journalist and local historian Jim Wise relates how Bull Durham smoking tobacco put Durham, North Carolina, on the map; how a plastic cow and an oversized flag cut the city council down to size; how it felt to travel back in time at the Duke Homestead; and how sportsman Al Mann and "Mom" Ruby Planck left indelible marks on their hometown. Durham's stories are its own, but in them readers may find people, places and truths that resonate with hometowns everywhere.
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North Carolina Historic Tales Of Cashiers
by Jane Gibson Nardy
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In this charming account, North Carolina historian Jane Gibson Nardy recounts a treasure-trove of true stories from her beloved Blue Ridge community. In addition to several generations of family memorabilia from her personal library, Nardy has also culled the area's public records--deeds, wills, marriage registers and even tombstones--all of which help to create a vivid picture of mountain life in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Some of the tales will amuse and some will sadden, but all will educate you about the wonderful heritage of Cashiers.
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