New Books Publishing Today!
Today marks the release of several compelling local history titles that offer fresh perspectives on our communities' rich pasts. From the nostalgic tales of iconic establishments to the untold stories of everyday heroes, these books delve into the events and individuals that have shaped our neighborhoods. Whether you're a history enthusiast or simply curious about your local heritage, these new releases promise to enlighten and inspire.
Travel back in time on more than thirty thoughtfully curated hiking routes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, chosen for their rich natural and human history as well as their beauty.
Ascend to the state’s highest point, surrounded by ancient forests and historical controversies. Explore the ruins of homesteads and isolated cemeteries of former settlers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and honor the legacy of the Cherokees and their connection to the land. Encounter sweeping vistas at one of the four routes that lead to lookout towers and marvel at thundering waterfalls featured in major films such as The Last of the Mohicans and The Hunger Games.
Local author and experienced hiker Nancy East includes helpful maps and comprehensive information about each route, ensuring adventures that are both safe and enjoyable.
Plainville Connecticut: A History
A Town Like No Other
Once called the “wicked city of the Plain,” Plainville grew from underestimated beginnings to become a robust manufacturing center by the twentieth century. It is one of the United States’ earliest railroad junctions and was once a major port along the Farmington Canal. The town was home to unique characters and creations, including ornate carriages, a “Flying Governor” and the beginnings of ESPN. Discover the forgotten railroad feud that led to Plainville’s incorporation in 1869 and nearly united it as a single town with Forestville. Meet the people who have called this town home, including inventors, bootleggers and the Blue Devils. Remember lost town landmarks like Trask School, Appell Drug and Plainville Stadium.
Join local historian Todd Jones as he explores the rich history of this Connecticut town.
The South Carolina Militia in the Revolutionary War
Those who Saved South Carolina
In May 1780, Charlestown surrendered to the British army, and an ominous, dark cloud descended over the spirit of independence in South Carolina. More than five thousand Patriots of the Continental army and militias conceded their arms and declared an oath as true and faithful subjects to His Majesty, the king of Great Britain, or otherwise faced prison or exile. That left the volunteers of the state’s militia as the best line of defense for the state. More than two hundred skirmishes and battles in the state provide testament to the passion and dedication with which South Carolinians defended their state. Brian Eleazer details the behind-the-scenes story of how South Carolina survived.
The Carolinian Murder at Nags Head: The Janet Siclari Story
The Saga of a Brutal Murder
Janet Siclari, a beautiful 35-year-old visitor to the Outer Banks, was found raped and fatally stabbed on the early morning of August 28, 1993, behind the iconic Carolinian hotel at Nags Head. After a long and intriguing probe, two investigators ultimately charged a suspect, thanks to advances in DNA testing. Defense attorneys, trying to save that defendant’s life, argued another suspect could have killed Janet. In this moving narrative, based on exclusive interviews with case insiders, investigative author John Railey reveals for the first time all the twists and turns that led to the killer’s conviction.
The Bowery is New York City’s oldest street. Stretching 1.25 miles from Chatham Square to Cooper Square, it was a Native American footpath, Dutch wagon road, and the triumphal march route as Washington’s troops expelled the British. The city’s first entertainment district, it has seminal ties to tap dance, vaudeville, Yiddish theater, Houdini, modern tattooing, and American song. It was the working-class main street for sailors, shopgirls, sporting men, gangs, gays, and immigrant Irish, Italians, Chinese, Jews, and Germans. It saw America’s first free Black homesteads, first streetcars, first baseball club, and first free university. It boasts New York City’s oldest brick townhouse, oldest hotel, and first community garden. It witnessed labor marches, riots, and Lincoln’s famous antislavery speech at Cooper Union. Though it became a notorious skid row, during the second half of the 20th century its artists’ community and music venues helped foster Abstract Expressionism, Beat literature, improvisational jazz, and punk rock.
The images in this book come from dozens of libraries, archives, museums, photographers, and collections from all over. David Mulkins is a retired history and cinema studies teacher, president of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors, and editor/contributing writer for the book Windows on the Bowery: 400 Years on NYC’s Oldest Street.
Finneytown, a dynamic first-ring suburb of Cincinnati, continues to display the optimism and civic spirit that transformed this community during the post–World War II economic and population boom.
A tiny rural settlement for 140 years, Finneytown’s population from 1946 to 1970 quadrupled as young people filled its new residential subdivisions, schools, businesses, and churches. Finneytown celebrates this “creation story.” Seemingly overnight, farms and open fields gave way to streets carved out for cookie-cutter houses as well as stately, custom-built homes, including Mid-Century Modern designs prized today as architectural timepieces. This wide variety of housing drove Finneytown’s economic diversity, while enthusiastic support of its public and private schools defined the small community’s values. Some Finneytown residents throughout its history, such as television writer Rod Serling and illustrator Charley Harper, are known worldwide. Even a potato chip popular across the globe was named after a Finneytown street—Pringle Drive.
Rick Kennedy is a retired media relations manager for General Electric and author of three books, Jelly Roll, Bix & Hoagy, Little Labels—Big Sound, and GE Aviation: 100 Years of Reimagining Flight. Mark Evans is a retired product development manager for Procter & Gamble, a product development consultant, and an accomplished photographer. Kennedy and Evans, along with their wives, Jane and Chris, respectively, are longtime and active Finneytown residents.
Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park
Lake Winnepesaukah has played an important role in the region’s history for centuries. The lake was constructed by the Indigenous peoples, who built a narrow earthen dam at the head of several hundred springs, creating the six-acre lake. It later became a gristmill used by area farmers for grinding corn into meal. During the Civil War, the lake was contended for and subsequently became the campground for the Union army. It later became a hunting reserve until it was bought by Carl and Minette Dixon in 1924. Their vision, combined with hard work and a sense of play—the same for three succeeding generations—brought the land and the lake to be a setting for the premier family-owned amusement park and water park it is today.
Arcadia Children's Books
Imprint: Pelican Publishing
Second edition
Hercules faces his biggest challenge yet—the Louisiana swamps!
Including battles with a twelve-clawed crawfish and the taming of a raging hurricane, this Cajun reimagining of the Hercules legend stirs together myth, culture, and Louisiana spice. Sent down to the hot and humid bayou from his kingdom in the clouds, Hercules must perform four daring labors to escape the immortal queen’s wrath. Luckily, Hercules has godlike strength, bravery, and his new bayou family to help him conquer every incredible feat! This pourquois tale is told in the style of a gentle Cajun storyteller and features vibrant and whimsical illustrations. Written by an award-winning children’s educator, this adventure will have you shouting “Aiyee!” from start to finish.
The Ghostly Tales of Oklahoma's Haunted Route 66
Ghost stories from Oklahoma's Haunted Route 66 have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!
Welcome to Oklahoma's spooky Route 66!
Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.
Did you know that a ghostly boy plays games with guests at the historic Coleman Theatre? Or that the body of Elmer McCurdy traveled up and down Route 66 for years as part of a creepy carnival attraction? Can you believe that in El Reno, screams of the dead still echo at Dead Man's Curve?
Pulled right from history, these spooky tales will change the way you see Oklahoma's Haunted Route 66 forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!
The Ghostly Tales of Nashua, New Hampshire
Ghost stories from Nashua, New Hampshire have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!
Welcome to spooky Nashua, New Hampshire!
Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.
Did you know that Nashua's historic Clocktower Place is buzzing with supernatural activity? Or that when the sun goes down in Mine Falls Park, ghostly miners wander the woods in search of hidden treasure? Can you believe that on autumn nights, when the moon shines bright, a mischievous spirit takes the shape of a raccoon?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Nashua forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!
Ghost stories from Atchison, Kansas have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!
Welcome to the spooky streets of Atchison, Kansas!
Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.
Did you know that Amelia Earhart's adventurous spirit still lives on at her childhood home? Or that Atchison's famously haunted "Sallie House" is named for a little girl who may have died there? Can you believe the whistle of a ghost train echoes at the Santa Fe Depot?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Atchison forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!
The Ghostly Tales of the Haunted North Carolina Coast
Ghost stories from North Carolina's Haunted Coast have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!
Welcome to the spooky shores of the North Carolina coast!
Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.
Did you know that ghost ships and their undead crews stalk the waters along North Carolina's coast? Or that a mysterious "Gray Man" appears on the windswept shores of Cape Hatteras just before deadly storms strike? Can you believe that the restless spirit of Blackbeard himself haunts the shadowy paths of Springer's Point . . . in search of his missing head?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the haunted North Carolina coast forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!
The Ghostly Tales of Grand Rapids
Ghost stories from Grand Rapids have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!
Welcome to the spooky streets of Grand Rapids, Michigan!
Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.
Did you know that the Grand Rapids Children's Museum is home to a friendly spirit? Or that a man in a derby hat haunts the old Coliseum? Can you believe the mysterious phone calls coming from the Michigan Bell Building . . . may be the work of ghosts?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Grand Rapids forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!
Whether you’re drawn to hidden histories, legendary landmarks, or the voices of those who shaped your hometown, these new releases offer a chance to connect more deeply with the places we call home. Supporting local history books not only preserves the past—it keeps the stories alive for future generations. Be sure to check out these titles, share them with fellow history lovers, and celebrate the richness of our shared heritage.