True Tales of Aurora Illinois
Mysterious Murders, Presidential Visits and Blues Legends in the City of Lights
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Chronicles of Historic Brooklyn
Part of the American Chronicles series
Brooklyn has always been a place of diversity and distinction. These qualities are everywhere across the borough, from its people to its events, landmarks, and more. In Chronicles of historic Brooklyn, Borough Historian John Manbeck has collected the stories that reveal the history and spirit of this ever-growing metropolis. From stories of murderous pirates who once besieged Sheepshead Bay to tales of the still-beloved Brooklyn Dodgers who played at Ebbets Field, Manbeck traces the long and colorful history. Explore the forgotten neighborhoods, iconic parks, vanishing waterfront and other attractions that show how and why Brooklyn has endured.
Civil War Maryland
Stories from the Old Line State
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
The Making of St. Petersberg
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Historic Tales of Utah
Part of the American Chronicles series
From the rugged beauty and refined splendor of this vast state emerges a remarkable volume of personal recollections, narrative histories and astonishing stories. Explore the fortitude and cultural diversity behind the development of Utah through "Big Bill" Haywood, vilified by the New York Times as "the most feared figure in America." Experience compelling accounts of women bruised on the front lines of suffrage battles, enthralling stories of Chinese "paper sons and daughters" and heroic endeavors of Northern Ute firefighters. Celebrate downtown's "Wall Street of the West," the off-road cyclist known as the "Bedouin of the Desert" and Utah's love affair with sweets. Culled from her popular Salt Lake Tribune "Living History" column, award-winning author Eileen Hallet Stone uncovers captivating tales of ordinary people and their extraordinary contributions that shaped Utah history.
Remembering Galesburg
Part of the American Chronicles series
Galesburg, Illinois, has made quite a name for itself since the first settlers arrived in 1836. It has witnessed the comings and goings of fifteen United States presidents, listened to Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, seen the birth of an elephant and served as home of the man who brought the dandelion to America. Lifetime resident and city historian Tom Wilson captures the true spirit of the town through this charming collection of articles from his column, "Tracking History." Nuances and details, from the excitement of the Lincoln-Douglas debates to the frustrations of stalemate college basketball, make Remembering Galesburg a sparkling depiction of this town's personality.
Our Savannah
From Ardsley Park to Twickenham and Beyond
Part of the American Chronicles series
Many colorful threads make up the fabric of the more than one hundred neighborhoods in and around beautiful Savannah, Georgia. And hardly anyone can weave stories about those areas more poignantly than longtime journalist and native Savannahian Polly Powers Stramm. A University of Georgia graduate, Polly has been writing about the city's residents for three decades and has selected a handful of her favorite newspaper columns for this book. Also included are never-before-published interviews with local residents who recount memorable childhood experiences in areas such as Ardsley Park, Twickenham, Fellwood Homes, Gordonston, and dozens of other neighborhoods. This unforgettable journey through Savannah takes readers to mom and pop stores of days gone by, to old movie theatres on Broughton Street, to the beaches on Tybee Island and nearly every stop in between. This truly is heartwarming local history at its best.
Voices of Black South Carolina
Legends & Legacy
Part of the American Chronicles series
Did you know that eighty-eight years before Rosa Parks's historic protest, a courageous black woman in Charleston kept her seat on a segregated streetcar? What about Robert Smalls, who steered a Confederate warship into Union waters, freeing himself and some of his family, and later served in the South Carolina state legislature? In this inspiring collection, historian Damon L. Fordham relates story after story of notable black South Carolinians, many of whose contributions to the state's history have not been brought to light until now. From the letters of black soldiers during the Civil War to the impassioned pleas by students of "Munro's School" for their right to an education, these are the voices of protest and dissent, the voices of hope and encouragement and the voices of progress.
Remembering Bangor
The Queen City Before the Great Fire
Part of the American Chronicles series
On April 30, 1911, a fire ignited in Frank Green's hay shed that changed the city of Bangor forever. From the ashes of the Great Fire, the logging and mill town emerged as a modernized metropolis. In this collection of retrospective articles, Wayne E. Reilly takes a look at the town of Bangor in the years before the fire, when illegal barrooms and brothels were as rampant as the outbreaks of typhoid and smallpox. He explores Bangor in its boomtown days, when ice harvesting and logging were thriving industries, steamboats ferried passengers between cities and a lively theatre scene drew audiences to see the "little Broadway in the Great North Woods." One look through this vibrant window into the past will leave you with your nose pressed to the glass, nostalgic for the olden days of Maine's Queen City.
Pembroke Chronicles
Part of the American Chronicles series
In its earliest days, Pembroke offered abundant fishing and lush forests for its Native American inhabitants. Starting in the 1640s, European colonists began turning the town from a farming community into a successful hub for shipbuilding. Pembroke's long history is colored by remarkable stories. Atop the old Pembroke Public Library rests a bee sculpture designed by Pembroke artist Richard Edlund, representing the spelling bees held each spring at the library since 1875. The Pembroke Monument Association first met in 1879 to discuss the purchase of a Civil War soldiers' monument for the town, yet it was nearly a decade before the monument was erected. In this collection of articles from her "Pembroke's Past" column, Karen Cross Proctor captures the spirit of the community.
New York Historic Tales of Bethlehem
Part of the American Chronicles series
Bethlehem's bucolic countryside and bustling suburbs reflect the town's rich history. Uncover the stories that shaped the town from its Dutch settlement to today. Nathaniel Adams, along with his wife, Rhogenia, opened a stagecoach inn and became the first postmaster in what is now Delmar. The opening of the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad broadened travel and freight transportation. The LaGrange family farmed the same land for over two centuries and exemplified the region's deep agricultural roots. Suburbs flourished in the region following World War II. Drawing from her articles that first appeared in Our Towne Bethlehem, town historian Susan E. Leath celebrates the enduring community spirit of Bethlehem with this fascinating collection of essays.
Remembering Norristown
Stories from the Banks of the Schuylkill River
Part of the American Chronicles series
Olympians, soldiers and abolitionists have all hailed from the bustling shores of Norristown, Pennsylvania. Beginning as a modest seventeenth-century settlement along the "hidden river," it became an industrial boomtown and attracted waves of immigrants to its forges, railways and mills. Local journalist Stan Huskey brings together lively vignettes and fascinating firsthand accounts to introduce such characters as Union general Winfield S. Hancock, hero of Gettysburg, and baseball greats Tommy Lasorda and Mike Piazza. From tales of calamitous train wrecks to the bygone era of streetcars, Huskey brings readers back to the glow of the hometown lights.
Remembering Jacksonville
By the Wayside
Part of the American Chronicles series
As longtime residents and newcomers alike can agree, Jacksonville holds within its city limits wonderful places to grow, play and contemplate the beauty of north Florida. This entertaining collection of Dorothy Fletcher's "By the Wayside" columns will help you remember what it was like to see the world and Jacksonville with a sense of wonder and enthusiasm. From Marineland to the Soul Searchers to Peterson's 5 & 10, Remembering Jacksonville captures this coastal community's glory days, including fond recollections from local citizens who responded to the original columns.
Historic Tales Of Colonial Rhode Island
Aquidneck Island and the Founding of the Ocean State
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Westside Chronicles
Historic Stories of West Los Angeles
Part of the American Chronicles series
Los Angeles sprawled westward toward the sand and sea of Santa Monica Bay throughout the twentieth century as land-grant ranchos gave way to capitalists and promoters. Developers subdivided the coastal land into neighborhoods and communities: Santa Monica, Brentwood, Bel-Air, Westwood, Venice, Ocean Park, Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Marina del Rey. These became places known to the nation at large for movie stars, moguls and business tycoons; for Will Rogers, Henry Huntington and UCLA; and for estate homes, amusement piers and surfing beaches. Join Jan Loomis, a former West L.A. magazine publisher and historian, as she tells the stories behind how it all came to be West Los Angeles.
Panama City Beach
Tales from the World's Most Beautiful Beaches
Part of the American Chronicles series
In a collection of nostalgic and lighthearted vignettes, local author Jeannie Weller Cooper recounts the history of Panama City Beach, the barrier islands and beach for old Panama City. First inhabited by Native Americans in the years before the Spanish arrived in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Panama City Beach has always proved a good hideout for fugitives, from Native Americans fleeing from European invaders to runaway slaves, Civil War soldiers, outlaws and rumrunners. In 1929, the first Hathaway Bridge was completed; connecting Greater Panama City to the beach, but the lagoon and the beach remained a sleepy curiosity until the bombing of Pearl Harbor mobilized the United States to war. Now Panama City Beach is home to thousands of residents, as well as being a renowned tourist destination.
Remembering Norwood
Win Everett's Tales of Tyot
Part of the American Chronicles series
For the first time ever, journalist Win Everett's frank and enduring works are collected in a book about the history and character of Norwood, Massachusetts. Long ago, when Norwood was only virgin forests and streams, the Neponset Indian tribe christened the region "Tyot" - a place of waters. The name lingered on the tongues of residents long after their home was renamed and the advent of railroads opened up the region once enclosed by rivers and lakes. As rugged farmhouses dotted the plains and Puritan spires rose above the trees, the sleepy Tyot blossomed into the bustling community of Norwood. Decades later, journalist Win Everett preserved Norwood's colorful history in his column "Tales of Tyot." With stories of haunted taverns and superstitious soldiers, influenza and the industrial age, Everett profiles the fascinating people who left their marks on the pages of Norwood history. Available for the first time in a single volume, these articles bring three centuries of history to life through the artful voice of Norwood's beloved storyteller.
Stories from Perth Amboy
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Stories from Highlands, New Jersey
A Sea of Memories
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
True Richmond Stories
Historic Tales from Virginia's Capital
Part of the American Chronicles series
Richmond, Virginia's beautiful capital on the James River, has seen more than its fair share of history. Although it is probably best known as the site of one of the first English settlements in America and its role as the Confederate capitol in the Civil War, the city's past has much more to offer. Since 1992, Harry Kollatz Jr. has been recording the lesser-known heritage of Virginia's Holy City in his "Richmond Flashbacks" column in Richmond magazine. From the inauguration of the world's first practical electric trolley system an early Civil Rights activists, to a psychic horse and a wild ride on a sturgeon, he has covered it all. Compiled for the first time in this volume, this selection of articles is sure to delight all who love Richmond by shedding light on the rest of its story.
The Columbus Chronicles
Tales From East Mississippi
Part of the American Chronicles series
After its founding in 1821, Columbus endured the hardships of early settlement and the tumult of the Civil War to enjoy years of prosperity while also weathering some hard times. Through it all, the city developed into the beloved homeplace residents are proud of today. Rufus Ward has been a diligent steward of the region's history, and his popular "Ask Rufus" column stands as proof. This new collection presents some of his best historical tales. Taken together, these stories cover the breadth of the city's history and capture the essence of the region's heritage. What Native American tribes once called east Mississippi home? What are the oldest surviving houses in Columbus? What Columbus family provided Eudora Welty with her favorite mint julep recipe? Ask Rufus.
Historic Tales of Windham
Part of the American Chronicles series
The natural beauty and fertile lands of Windham drew first the Pawtucket Indians and then Scotch-Irish settlers. The town's rich history is full of intriguing stories, including Wallace Fessenden's unscrupulous baseball umpiring, the return of a native son after his burial at sea in Indonesia and the poetic life of the Rustic Bard, Robert Dinsmoor. Tourism boomed as early as the 1850s, when visitors flocked to the waterside temptations of Canobie Lake and later Cobbett's Pond, where eccentric millionaire Edward Searles built his famous castle. Local historian Derek Saffie weaves together a collection of historic stories from the settlement's roots as Nutfield to the town of Windham.
Meredith Chronicles
Passing Time on Lake Winnipesaukee
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Silver Lake Bohemia
A History
Part of the American Chronicles series
Since the early 1900s, Silver Lake has been a magnet for iconoclastic writers, architects and political activists. Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed the Hollyhock House for socialist and oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, drew a wave of visionary modernists to the area. Local civil rights advocate Loren Miller spearheaded the fight against housing discrimination. Silver Lake's Black Cat bar and Harry Hay's Mattachine Society were central to the early gay rights movement. Literary artists Anäis Nin and James Leo Herlihy made the neighborhood their home, as did other notables like first lady of baseball Effa Manley and "Hobo Millionaire" James Eads How. Michael Locke and Vincent Brook chronicle these and other people and places that helped make Silver Lake the bohemian epicenter of Los Angeles.
Growing Up in San Francisco
More Boomer Memories from Playland to Candlestick Park
Part of the American Chronicles series
Newcomers and visitors can still enjoy iconic San Francisco with activities like riding a cable car or taking in the view from Twin Peaks. But San Franciscans cherish memories of a place quite different. They reminisce about seafood dinners at A. Sabella's on Fisherman's Wharf, the enormous Christmas tree in Union Square's City of Paris department store and taking a handful of dimes to Playland-at-the-Beach for arcade games and cotton candy. In his second volume of these unforgettable stories, local author and historian Frank Dunnigan vividly recalls the many details that made life special in the City by the Bay for generations.
Remembering Northeast Philadelphia
Part of the American Chronicles series
The towns of Northeast Philadelphia boast a rich and vibrant history, but so many stories have been pushed into the background over time. In this collection of historical columns, first published in the Northeast Times, Dr. Harry C. Silcox brings their narratives back into the spotlight. From the beginning, all major roads in the region went to Frankford, the site of the nation's first psychiatric hospital and the popular Unity Street open-air market. The town of Holmesburg offered shelter to the veterans of the stage in Edwin Forrest's Home for Aged Actors. Years before the civil rights movement, Greenbelt Knoll became Philadelphia's first planned racially integrated housing development. Even the nation's first solar energy-powered machine was developed in Northeast Philly. From tales of alligator wrestling to groundbreaking feats of aviation, Silcox weaves a fascinating tapestry of everyday American life.
Remembering Youngstown
Tales from the Mahoning Valley
Part of the American Chronicles series
The blows of hammers and the humming of mills once echoed throughout the Mahoning Valley. Steel reigned supreme, and immigrants from every corner of Europe came to forge new lives and an enduring community. When the sounds of industry were silenced, Youngstown remained a strong and vibrant community. Editor Mark C. Peyko and the writers of the Metro Monthly create a portrait of their city through a beautifully rendered collection of vignettes. With stories of inventors, movie moguls, local cuisine and sports heroes, Peyko and company not only chronicle the history of Youngstown, but also capture the essence of their home.
Arlington County Chronicles
Part of the American Chronicles series
Modern-day Arlington County is a center for government institutions and a critical part of the Washington, D.C. community. But the identity of the area goes far beyond the influence of the nation's capital. During the War of 1812, the original copy of the Declaration of Independence was hidden from the British in a local area gristmill. Arlington was the only county in Virginia to vote against secession, despite being home to Robert E. Lee. In the 1950s, a young Jim Morrison was raised partly in Arlington. The county even boasts an infamous $1 million bus stop. In this collection of his most funny and fascinating columns, local author, historian, journalist and "Our Man in Arlington" Charlie Clark regales with stories of politics, personalities and everything in between.
Remembering Crawford County
Pennsylvania's Last Frontier
Part of the American Chronicles series
When George Washington ventured into northwestern Pennsylvania in 1753 to confront the French, he discovered an untouched land of extensive, rich meadows - Pennsylvania's last frontier. Thirty-five years later, the first group of settlers moved into the territory, where they encountered western tribes of Native Americans and vicious battles over land claims. As the wake of the Industrial Revolution swept away any vestiges of the frontier, Crawford County became an island of capitalism at the edge of the wilderness. In Remembering Crawford County, historian Robert D. Ilisevich has collected the best of his historical essays to look at the happenings that helped advance a community and how they influenced national events.
Remembering Old Jamestown
A Look Back at the Other South
Part of the American Chronicles series
Founded by Quakers in the late eighteenth century, Jamestown, North Carolina, has a rich heritage that distinguishes it from many neighboring Southern communities. From General Cornwallis in the waning years of the American Revolution to the flight of Jefferson Davis from the Confederate capital at Richmond with Union forces at his heels, history has not passed Jamestown by. The town has seen gold mines and gunsmiths, a forgotten school and a cotton mill from 1865 that's still spinning. Join local historian Mary A. Browning as she relates these short tales from the town's colorful past, drawn from her column in the Greensboro News & Record.
Remembering Camden
Stories from an Old Maine Harbor
Part of the American Chronicles series
Tracing the town's history from its early days as a thriving shipbuilding center to its present status as a well-loved tourist destination, author and lifelong Camden resident Barbara F. Dyer offers a series of poignant and entertaining recollections of bygone days in old Camden and nearby Rockport. From Prohibition and the 1935 Waterfront Fire to Maine's notorious "Great Imposter," Dyer weaves a richly nostalgic record of Camden life prior to the tourism boom. Read Remembering Camden to discover the quirks, charms and forgotten lore of a storied coastal Maine community.
South Carolina Remembering Dillon County
Part of the American Chronicles series
Since he began writing articles for the Dillon Herald in 2003, Carley Wiggins has been telling the stories of Dillon County folks who made a difference but never made the headlines, such as James K. Braboy, the first Native American named Teacher of the Year in South Carolina, or Robert McRae, the area's last taxi driver. Come along with Wiggins as he investigates the ruins of a long-forgotten resort on Reedy Creek and tromps off into the woods in search of the mysterious Bingham Light. Whether or not you remember Dillon's short-lived semipro football team or ate at Hatch's Lunch, Remembering Dillon County is full of true stories from the Pee Dee region that will inspire and entertain you.
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Eclectic Histories for the Curious Reader
Part of the American Chronicles series
Ted Kamieniak collected these fifteen superb articles to amaze and fascinate all who feel "history" is simply a well-worn path. Each selection delivers fresh perspective and intriguing events connected to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Fastidiously investigated and painstakingly written, this eclectic compilation presents little-visited neighborhoods of historical inquiry. Meet Fredericksburg's first cop on the beat; discover the persistence of hoodoo and conjuration in black plantation society; delve into the account of State Senator Benjamin Pitts and Fredericksburg's first drive-in movie theater--and so much more! Whether your interests lie in social history, vernacular architecture, historic technology or folkways, you will find this book an entertaining and profitable read.
Tiverton and Little Compton, Rhode Island
Historic Tales of the Outer Plantations
Part of the American Chronicles series
Tiverton and Little Compton sit perched off the mainland of Rhode Island, where they have carved out a unique culture and history for centuries. The sketches contained in this book provide an in-depth look at the region, tracing its evolution through architecture, like the Nathaniel Briggs House, believed to be the oldest in the region; through industry, detailing the establishment of the Old Colony and Newport Railroad; and through some of the region's famous people and events. Learn how General William Barton captured British general Prescott in 1777 and how Captain Benjamin Church became a heroic Indian fighter, defeating King Philip. Author Richard V. Simpson traces the inextricably linked history of these two towns.
Adirondack Roots
Stories of Hiking, History and Women
Part of the American Chronicles series
The Adirondack Mountains captivate inhabitants, fostering deep roots and rich memories. In this diverse collection, local author Sandra Weber celebrates this enduring bond with the region and explores its roots and routes--such as women's feats, the naming of mountain peaks and the fight to save forests and tiny alpine plants. From Heart Lake and Caribou Pass to Mount Marcy and Lake Tear, ride an Olympic bobsled run, unearth the destruction of a devastating fire and discover the healing powers of the mountains. Retrace the paths of Theodore Roosevelt, Martha Reben, Edwin Ketchledge, Grace Hudowalski and many others who have lived in and loved the Adirondacks. Unearth hikers' tales, nature's secrets and local legends in this collection of Weber's finest reflections on Adirondack historical adventures.
by Anthony Mitchell Sammarco
Part of the American Chronicles series
Nestled between the Neponset River and the Blue Hills Reservation is the postcard-perfect New England town of Milton, Massachusetts. Founded in 1640, its gentle riverbanks were soon transformed by some of the first mills in the colonies, and later an industrial boom drew tides of immigrants from across the seas. Local author and noted historian Anthony Sammarco brings together a fascinating collection of his best columns from the Milton Times to chronicle the remarkable history of Milton. With stories of extraordinary residents such as the physician and artist Dr. William Rimmer and tales of local innovations such as the Granite Railway, Sammarco charts the evolution of this prominent town.
North Carolina Historic Tales Of Cashiers
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Knoxville
This Obscure Prismatic City
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Remembering Smithfield
Sketches of Apple Valley
Part of the American Chronicles series
The legend of John Noforce- whose puzzling death may have been the result of a Native American Romeo and Juliet saga- 1676's bloody Nipsachuck massacre and the scandalous downfall of the poor farm and asylum are a few of the tales that linger among historic Smithfield's fields and forests. Once home to 'Apple King' Thomas K. Winsor and Arthur C. Gould, frustrated inventor of Rhode Island's first and only aircraft rest stop, this storied town has known both triumph and tragedy. Local author Jim Ignasher's expertly woven collection of vignettes speaks to the ever-enduring spirit of Smithfield's people. From illegal ice cream peddlers to a mysterious traveler killed by his own pet rattlesnake, the roots of this vibrant community extend far beyond its celebrated apple orchards
Remembering The Kennebunks
Part of the American Chronicles series
The Kennebunks--the phrase evokes peace, ocean breezes and small-town pride. In this captivating collection of vignettes, Kennebunk town historian Kathleen Ostrander reveals another side of the area's allure: its rich and varied past. From an account of the amateur astronomer whose name now graces the Bates College Observatory to the origins of Kennebunk's encyclopedic Walker Diaries, Ostrander offers a tour of the area's historical highlights. She notes the mysterious creature once said to live in the Kennebunk River, treasures hidden in fireplaces and under floorboards and the scandalous murder trial of 1866, during which the wife of deceased doctor, drunk, and temperance supporter Charles Swett was imprisoned on the testimony of her own daughter. Through quirky tales and serious sketches, Ostrander offers an affectionate portrait of the Kennebunks sure to charm and inform.
Historic Tales From Palos Verdes And The South Bay
Part of the American Chronicles series
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.
Galveston Chronicles
The Queen City of the Gulf
Part of the American Chronicles series
Named for Bernardo de Galvez and established in 1839, Galveston measures just over two hundred square miles. In early Texas history, however, it was actually the largest city in the Lone Star State, as well as a hugely important port that would become a strategic target during the Civil War. The Oleander City survived the depredations of war and flourished, a resilience it would also display in the wake of the devastating hurricane of 1900. From early cannibals and pirates to the woman suffrage movement and Nazi POWs, Galveston's amazing story continues to evolve today. Join thirteen of Texas's most noted scholars and historians as they share this remarkable island history.
Bethania
The Village by the Black Walnut Botton
Part of the American Chronicles series
Founded in 1759, Bethania was the first planned Moravian settlement in North Carolina, situated favorably on the Great Wagon Road of the colonial era. Bethania's narrative weaves together 250 years of history and memory, with voices from the town's white and black heritage speaking through autobiographical accounts, diaries, letters, oral histories, photographs, and archival research. Join local resident Beverly Hamel as she tells the story of proud pilgrim people who journeyed into an unknown wilderness and built a community that would remain intact through the volatile periods of the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, slavery and the years leading to the Civil War, the Reconstruction era, and into the twentieth century. The story of Bethania is a celebration of an enduring spirit that will never die.
Wisconsin Chronicles Of Whitefish Bay
Part of the American Chronicles series
Wander through a history of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, told largely through the letters and recollections of early residents of the village. Current residents can get a sense of what it was like to live in their community during its formative years, as it was becoming the sort of place where literally every house has a story. In addition to giving a voice to familiar landmarks and beloved local characters, the story of Whitefish Bay also provides prime seating for the drama of Wisconsin at large during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Join editor Thomas Fehring as he fishes out the fascinating history of this remarkable coastal town..
Frontier Days In Crescenta Valley
Portraits of Life in the Foothills
Part of the American Chronicles series
Modern Crescenta Valley practically defines the notion of quiet suburbia with its lovely homes and tree-lined streets. Yet the communities that lie north of Los Angeles between the Verdugo and San Gabriel Mountains once formed a vast, isolated, treeless, windstorm-swept dell. The settlers who stayed in this valley found day-to-day subsistence challenging. They farmed, hunted, tried bee ranching, gathered greasewood, cultivated vineyards and dodged rattlesnakes. As settlement in the area continued to develop, such refinements as literature and photography flourished. Join author Jo Anne Sadler as she brings the Valley's frontier days to life, recounting such quirks as a visit from a "rainmaker" and the reasons behind the construction of the gaudy local landmark the Gould Castle.
Remembering Monroeville
From Frontier to Boomtown
Part of the American Chronicles series
Before rail and steam encroached on the pastoral communities of Monroeville, Pennsylvania, generations of farmers and miners traversed its green earth and burbling creeks. The dawn of the automobile brought unprecedented development, and the sleepy hamlets soon stirred to become the hub of the suburbs. Zandy Dudiak chronicles this fascinating evolution through tales of hardscrabble frontier living, the coming of the railroad and post-World War II prosperity. Dudiak reintroduces characters such as the tenacious tavern keeper Widow Miers and Harold Brown, who trained a generation of aviators on the airfields of Monroeville. Stories of lost amusement parks, the faded stars of the Holiday House and the glory days of the Ice Palace recall a Monroeville from days gone by
Remembering Cheltenham Township
Part of the American Chronicles series
From its founding in 1687 by Quaker settlers searching for religious freedom, Cheltenham Township has been a hub for social history and change. On the edge of Philadelphia, the township was a rallying point for fiery abolitionists such as Lucretia Mott, the sight of the first African American Civil War camp and a retreat for Gilded Age tycoons. Local historian Donald Scott Sr. has compiled a series of vignettes to chronicle the history of a small but influential township from its earliest days and into the twentieth century. With tales of a locally born ice cream empire, the early life of Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and an exploration of striking neighborhood architecture, Scott pays homage to this remarkable community.
Huntington Beach Chronicles
The Heart of Surf City
Part of the American Chronicles series
Amid the tourist bustle in the biggest beach city in Orange County, hometown personalities and their stories are Chris Epting's business. As a widely published author and columnist for the "Huntington Beach Independent," Epting has covered the famous and not-so-famous, the local people, places and events of Surf City's beachscapes and street scenes with a reporter's curiosity, a historian's exactitude and an ambassador's pride. "Huntington Beach Chronicles" offers a diverse collection of stories about the everyday people and extraordinary events that have woven together a community with a charm and character unlike any other.