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Fleeing political upheavals in England for settlement in the New World, Quakers rose to unprecedented economic and political power in the Pennsylvania colony. However, the failure of the Quaker-dominated government to provide for defense in the wars from the 1730s into the 1760s was the beginning of their downfall. By the Revolution, their fortunes had waned, and they were brutally suppressed by their political foes. Seventeen influential Friends and three others were exiled to Virginia without so much as a hearing, and Quaker farms and businesses were subject to depredations. Labeled dissenters by Loyalist and Patriot alike, they stood their ground, alone and isolated.

The thirty-three writers in this collection grapple with the vastness of the lakes—and the vastness of experience living alongside them. Gabriel Bump explores how his relationship with Lake Michigan changed after losing a friend. For another writer, the water provided the freedom to explore a romance that would have been too complicated on land. Come dive for shipwrecks, harvest manoomin, and visit the disappearing ice caves. Witness the chickadees, smelt, and cattails, but also zebra mussels, factory runoff, and algae. Each writer’s relationship with the lakes is personal and unique, but that relationship to the water is also one shared by so many of us.

Since the hanging of Robert Douglass in 1825, the county has been the center of a series of murders that resulted in controversial outcomes. Seaman Simons, part of an alleged love triangle, cheated his death sentence after killing his rival. “The Wayland Murderess” Mary Hess inexplicably shot her neighbor and brother within minutes of each other. David Dunn became the only person from the county to die in Auburn Prison’s electric chair, and Hugh Bray’s delusions about a young man breaking up his landlord’s home climaxed in a fatal scene.

As populations thrived, so did crime and disorder. Tempers flared. Romance bloomed and faded. Political and social lines were drawn and crossed. Sensational accounts of robbery, assault, and murder grabbed the headlines. Criminals were hunted by an overworked and undertrained police force. When, and if, they were caught, alleged offenders were tried not only by the judicial system but also by the press and public opinion.

Perryville, located nine miles west of Danville, was established in 1817 and known for the largest battle during the Civil War in the state of Kentucky. Junction City was originally founded as Goresburg in 1858 but was renamed Junction City when the Cincinnati Southern Railroad reached the town and the tracks intersected with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Parksville had a major railroad depot for the county from 1866 until 1970. The railroads brought prosperity to Boyle County, along with hemp and tobacco. 

Southwest Washington was famous for its old-growth trees and rich timber resources during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The logging railroad marks the era between logs being dragged out with horses or oxen and the introduction of truck and road transport. These railroads provided logging companies with greater opportunity to reach inland areas and access larger timber resources. Logging companies such as Ostrander, B.F. Brock, Doty Lumber and Shingle, and Polson Logging Company required railroads to transport harvested timber to mills or to rivers, where logs would float to mills downstream. Railroads carried the labor, equipment, and camp materials to work locations. Though most of these logging businesses are gone, many roads and place names are attributed to these companies. Over time, the farmed tree and logging truck took over. Today, stacks of these smaller farmed trees are seen near the Western Washington ports of Longview and Kalama, replacing the giant trees of the past. Images of America: Logging Railroads of Southwest Washington is filled with images of the timber harvesting past and the golden age of railroad logging.

There's never been a better time to dive into the incredible stories of the past and we are making it easier than ever to do just that. These new releases are already generating buzz among history enthusiasts, and we expect them to fly off the shelves, so don't wait too long! Head over to our website to explore our full catalogue, and grab your copies before they're gone. Your next favorite read is just a click away.