All Non-Digital Titles

Join author and historian James C. Clark as he chronicles the history of the Sunshine State in this concise and captivating history.

In 1513, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon first set foot on Florida's east coast. The land he discovered was a geographic anomaly so distinctive that astronaut Neil Armstrong said Florida was the first shape on earth he recognized on his return from a visit to the moon 456 years later. This unique state witnessed momentous events from the 1959 arrival of the first Cuban exiles under Fidel Castro to the 1981 launch of the Columbia, the first space shuttle.

Florida cuisine: twelve thousand years in the making, discover the the state's unusual and distinctive food influences and dishes.

From the very first prickly pears harvested by Paleo-Indians more than twelve thousand years ago to the Seminole tribe's staple dish of sofkee, Florida's culinary history is as diverse as its geography. Influences as diverse as French, Creole, Spanish, Cuban, Greek, Mexican, Caribbean, and more season Florida's eclectic flavors. Learn how Florida orange juice changed the look of the American breakfast table and discover the state's festival-worthy swamp cabbage. Through syllabubs, perloos, frog legs and Tupelo honey, author Joy Sheffield Harris serves up a delectable helping of five hundred years of Florida cuisine--all with a side of key lime pie, of course.

The culinary history of Myrtle Beach reflects a unique merging of Native American, European, African and Caribbean cuisines.

Learn the techniques used by enslaved Africans created vast wealth for rice plantation owners; what George Washington likely ate when visiting South Carolina in 1791; how the turpentine industry gave rise to a sticky sweet potato cooking method; and why locals eagerly anticipate one special time of year when boiled peanuts are at their best. Author Becky Billingsley, a longtime Myrtle Beach-area restaurant journalist, digs deep into historic records and serves up both tantalizing personal interviews and dishes on the best local restaurants, where many delicious farm-to-table heritage foods can still be enjoyed.

A Guide to Historic Alexandria explores Alexandria, Virginia’s remarkable story—one intertwined with the story of America.

From lands once traveled by Indigenous peoples to the surveying of its streets by a young George Washington, Alexandria has long been shaped by the Potomac River’s pull. As the nation grew, its proximity to the Federal City placed it at the center of political, economic, and social change from the American Revolution through the civil rights movement and beyond. Today, Alexandria’s neighborhoods reveal this history. From Gadsby’s Tavern Museum in Old Town to Ben Brenman Pond in the West End, each neighborhood has important landmarks, big and small. Incorporating the newest research with historic and modern photographs, this updated edition reveals Alexandria’s evolution across centuries and celebrates a city whose past continues to shape the character of the Commonwealth and the nation.

Enjoy three accessible walking tours and a bonus driving tour through places relevant to the rich and varied contributions of black Charlestonians.

Author Alphonso Brown, owner and operator of Gullah Tours, Inc., guides you through the history and lore. Visit Denmark Vesey's home, Catfish Row, the Old Slave Mart and the Market; learn about the sweetgrass basket makers, the Aiken-Rhett House slave quarters, black slave owners and blacksmith Philip Simmons. Brown's distinctive narration, combined with detailed maps and vibrant descriptions in native Gullah, make this a unique and enjoyable way to experience the Holy City.

Join author Alison Fortier for a walk through our United States Capital and its iconic locations. 

This tour of the nation’s capital goes beyond the traditional guidebook to offer a historical journey through the federal district. Visit the White House, the only executive home in the world regularly open to the public. Travel to President Lincoln’s Cottage and see where he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. Look around lesser-known sites, such as the grave of Pierre L’Enfant, the city’s Botanical Gardens, the Old Post Office and a host of historical homes throughout the capital. From George Washington’s Mount Vernon to the Kennedy Center, trek through each era of Washington, D.C., for a tour of America’s most beloved sites. Join author and Washington insider Alison Fortier as she curates a revised and updated expedition to our shining city on a hill.

Author and local hunting connoisseur Bob Plott takes readers on a quest back through time for a glimpse into the minds and the rifles of the region's most intrepid hunters.

The age-old struggle of man versus beast has ensued within the rugged terrain of the Great Smoky Mountains since humans first encountered the region centuries ago. From the primitive weaponry and prevailing tactics of the Cherokee to the audacious rifle-toting ridge runners, and even a gruesome gang of cannibalistic rogues, these stories are truly a gripping tribute to mountain life and the adventure of the game.

Join National Park ranger, author and historian Scott Einberger as he traces the human, natural and urban history of Rock Creek Park, the largest park in the nation's capital.

Washington, D. C. 's Rock Creek Park stands as a wild and wonderful natural gem among a burgeoning metropolis. But while local residents flock to its trails and roads on weekends to hike, jog and bicycle, they are largely unaware of its diverse history. The park's grounds were the site of the bloody Civil War Battle of Fort Stevens, and presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson exercised and picnicked in the park the same way many visitors do today. From the cabin of eccentric poet Joaquin Miller to the oldest house in Washington today, the many stories and legends surrounding the park are sure to entertain and inform.

Put on your life vest and head out for this exciting, entertaining history of Florida’s most-fascinating smugglers!

Think you're a smuggler?   With that box of Cuban cigars or those unclaimed duty-free souvenirs from last summer's trip to Paris? Untaxed and untraced commerce-call it contraband-is a trillion-dollar-per-year global business. New technologies to discover and curb smuggling are met by equally well-equipped perpetrators, determined to stay below the radar.

With its long coastline, hundreds of remote landing strips and airports clogged with sun-seeking tourists, Florida is a superhighway of smuggling. It is easy to move illegal goods like weapons, drugs, slaves, exotic birds and flowers; all while avoiding the best efforts of U.S. and international customs authorities.

Who does this smuggling? Well one Florida governor and the wife of another, for starters. Hardscrabble commercial fishermen, Spanish explorers, Mafia mobsters, crew chiefs for fruit pickers, respected attorneys, just about everybody in Florida is a smuggler.

Smuggling touches every major episode in Florida's history; it's discovery and settlement, the Seminole Wars , and the Civil War  were shaped by smugglers. The state's repeated land booms-including today's-are heavily influenced by smuggler profits. Today's business economy is warped by the manipulation of smugglers laundering their profits.

Stan Zimmerman means neither to vilify nor glorify these entrepreneurs. Nor does he intend to leave any stoned unturned or suitcase unopened. With stories of drug runners and prostitute pushers alongside the exploits and follies of Florida's elite, we are able to see why throughout its long history, Florida has always been a true smuggler's paradise.

Explore the rich history and architectural beauty of historic downtown New Port Richey, Florida, with this engaging walking tour guide from local historian Gary Vitacco-Robles, author of New Port Richey’s Hacienda Hotel.

As the city celebrates its centennial and experiences a cultural renaissance, this book serves as the perfect companion to the Tides of Time public art installation, offering locals and tourists a deeper look into the city’s fascinating past.

With lush illustrations, archival photographs from the West Pasco Historical Society, and compelling stories of the early settlers, silent film stars, literary legends, and sports heroes who once strolled these very streets, this guidebook brings the Cotee River’s most historic neighborhood to life.

Whether you’re a lifelong resident or visiting Florida’s Gulf Coast for the first time, this book reveals the hidden gems, preserved buildings, and long-lost landmarks that shaped New Port Richey’s unique identity.

Perfect for heritage tourism, history buffs, and curious explorers, this beautifully crafted tour invites you to step into the past—one block at a time.

The breathtaking Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, has captured the fascination of people everywhere for over 100 years.

Created in the 1890s by George Washington Vanderbilt, a member of one of America's wealthiest families, the estate combined a 250-room French Renaissance-style chateau with 125,000 acres of gardens, forests, and working farms. Biltmore House served as Vanderbilt's primary residence for almost 20 years. After Mr. Vanderbilt's death in 1914, life at Biltmore continued for his wife Edith and daughter Cornelia. In 1930, Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil and her husband, Hon. John Francis Amherst Cecil, opened Biltmore House - the largest private home in the United States - to the public, firmly establishing the Asheville area as a major tourist destination.

Explore the history of our nation's capital through this history of its bridges.

In the late 1700s, the first bridges, now completely gone, connected the new Federal City to the outside world. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, more and bigger crossings arose to support industry, allow the expansion of suburbs, commemorate cultural and civic leaders, and enhance the aesthetics of the District’s waterfronts and parks. Although the city abandoned civic-minded, commemorative, and monumental constructions for utilitarian highway monoliths in the mid-twentieth century, a recent renaissance has seen a welcome shift to walkability and beauty instead of brute utility.

Using the city’s bridges as an index of the times, author and D.C. native Bob Dover tracks the growth, decay, and rebirth of the District from the 1750s to today.

Charleston Like It's Never Been Seenb/>

Hand-colored, vivid details bring these historic photographs to life like never before. Witness the beginnings of the sweetgrass basket tradition. See the bleak devastation on Meeting Street after the Civil War. Note intense contrast in blues and grays of prisoners captured at the Battle of Bull Run. Explore the Battery as it looked in the 1800s. And dazzle in the bright fashions of flappers at the dawn of “the Charleston” dance craze. Author Mark Jones and artist Lewis Hayes bring a new vision to Holy City history.

Columbia, South Carolina, sits in a perfect position--each of the numerous treasures of the Palmetto State is less than a day's drive from the capital.

Near Charleston, 137 miles from Columbia, you can enjoy more than seventeen thousand square feet of shade from the iconic Angel Oak. In Blackville, 49 miles from Columbia, you can visit a natural spring that has been deeded to God since 1944. A 53-mile trip to Edgefield will put you in the heart of Peach Country, where you can see many of the peach orchards that make South Carolina one of the nation's leading producers of the sweet fruit. Join author and day-tripper Tom Poland as he maps the beautiful treasures of South Carolina.

A look at the statues, monuments, and buildings of the classically designed capital city—from the National Mall to Colonial Alexandria.

Classical design formed our nation’s capital. The soaring Washington Monument, the columns of the Lincoln Memorial and the spectacular dome of the Capitol Building speak to the founders’ comprehensive vision of our federal city.

Learn about the L’Enfant and McMillan plans for Washington, D.C., and how those designs are reflected in two hundred years of monuments, museums and representative government. View the statues of our Founding Fathers with the eye of a sculptor and gain insight into the criticism and controversies of modern additions to Washington’s monumental structure.

Author Michael Curtis guides this tour of the heart of the District of Columbia.

This ultimate guide to the most notable historic sites in and around Washington is perfect for transit-oriented tourists and residents alike.

Explore every museum, monument, mural and more - each within walking distance of a Metro station. The Metro system covers more than 115 miles with ninety-one stations, allowing millions each year to easily access some of the area’s most beautiful, celebrated locations. Don’t miss President Lincoln’s Cottage in Petworth or the Friendship Archway in D.C.’s Chinatown. Learn the history of Wolf Trap and the story behind the Big Chair in Anacostia. Author Michelle Goldchain is your guide to the capital’s famous sites and best hidden attractions.

Never before seen photographs depict the interesting history of Delaware Horse Racing.

Although Delaware is a small state, it has a rich history of horse-related activities, one of them being horse racing. From the early 1900s, horses have been used for various reasons, including farm work, means of transportation, pasture ornament, pleasure riding, and the popular sport of horse racing. Delaware Horse Racing takes the reader back decades to the good old days of popular tracks, such as Brandywine Raceway, Georgetown Raceway, Delaware Park Raceway, Dover Downs Raceway, and Harrington Raceway, where Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds raced hard and fast on half-mile and five-eighths-mile dirt tracks. Gathered from the collections of horsemen and horsewomen, previously unpublished historical photographs show legendary owners, trainers, drivers, and racehorses.

See the Real Central Florida   

Central Florida is more than theme parks and condos. Beneath the surface lies a rich and surprising past. River pirates once ruled its inland waterways. Spanish forts and Confederate hideouts marked its wild frontier.Tarpon Springs became home to the largest Greek-American community in the U.S. French pirates sailed through Pinellas County’s bays and barrier islands. During Prohibition, the Harris Chain of Lakes tied the region to Caribbean rum-runners and Gatsby-style parties.Along the Treasure Coast, lighthouse keepers risked their lives to guide sailors past deadly shoals.

Native Floridian Jennifer Husmann brings these forgotten stories to life with vivid detail and deep research. Perfect for readers who love Florida history, hidden places, and real stories from the past. Take a journey through Central Florida like you’ve never seen it before—authentic, adventurous, and full of untold tales.

As the most significant eighteenth-century estate assembled in the British American colonies still in existence, Drayton Hall is an icon of American history, design and preservation.

Its story is told through archaeological artifacts, architectural research and documentary investigations, with a focus on the inhabitants and their connections to the wider Atlantic world. A multitude of scholars contributed to our understanding of Drayton Hall as the first complete example of Palladian architecture in North America, its placement at the intersection of the European Enlightenment and America's slave society and as a family home where extraordinary events became landmark historic moments. Today, Drayton Hall is valued as the most authentic pre-Revolutionary southern plantation that helps examine the creation of American identity.

This fascinating collection of myths, legends and folktales celebrates the diversity of characters and cultures across the Sunshine State.

Florida boasts mysterious tales that stretch back more than twelve thousand years. In Florida Lore, storyteller Caren Schnur Neile shares a treasure trove of colorful, curious tales that capture her home state’s history, mystery, and unique personality.

Delve into the lives of the proud Wakulla Pocahontas and the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge. Meet local lawbreakers like John Ashley, as well as transplants like Ma Barker and Al Capone. Stalk stumpy gators or Hogzilla as they prowl Florida's swamps and suburbs. Discover the quintessential Cracker cowboy and the Barefoot Mailman, plus the origin of names like Boca Raton and Orlando.

Beaches & Bootlegging: The true stories of Prohibition Era Florida

Prohibition is recognized as one of the most unpopular laws in US history. It was so unpopular at the time that some Floridians weren’t all too keen on obeying it. Learn how it was instigated by small town Protestants who believed that newer immigrants living in big cities were immoral because of their emphatic use of alcohol. Prohibition bred corruption, defiance of the law, and hypocrisy as illegal bootlegging, moonshining and rum running replaced legitimate taxpaying industries. Florida actually voted state-wide Prohibition into law before the dreaded 18th amendment and was the only state to elect a governor from the Prohibition Party. Florida’s Bill McCoy “The Real McCoy” founded Rum Row and became an international celebrity as he made a mockery of the U.S. Coast Guard’s inability to squelch his innovative rum running operations. Al Capone, the infamous gangster, vacationed in Florida while his henchmen perpetrated the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Many virtually unknown stories of tragic killings in Florida during Prohibition are also recounted as author Randy Jaye guides readers through Florida’s Prohibition Era.

Discover the weird sites and peculiar stories that lurk in the shadows of the Sunshine State in this guide for fans of all things freaky.

Millions of people flock to Florida for its beaches and tourist attractions. Most never learn about the strange locations just off the beaten path. In Freaky Florida, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz share tales of Florida's myths, monsters, massacres and legends—and the hidden history behind them.

In the beautiful Florida Caverns, a second Rip Van Winkle was woken from one hundred years of sleep. The Green Swamp is home to murders, monsters and mysteries galore. A shining castle made of recycled material, built by an artist like no other, gleams within a Florida swamp. A spectral horse heralds tragedy and caused a notorious scandal in a central Florida city. Discover these and other stranger-than-fiction tales in Freaky Florida.

Located in the rural northeastern part of North Carolina, Somerset was cumulatively home to more than 800 enslaved blacks and four generations of a planter family.

When the institution of slavery ended in 1865, Somerset Place was the third largest plantation in North Carolina. During the 80 years that Somerset was an active plantation, hundreds of acres were farmed for rice, corn, oats, wheat, peas, beans, and flax. Today, Somerset Place is preserved as a state historic site offering a realistic view of what it was like for the slaves and freemen who once lived and worked on the plantation, once one of the Upper South's most prosperous enterprises.

George Washington was first and foremost a Virginian. Born in the state's Tidewater region, he was reared near Fredericksburg and took up residence at Mount Vernon along the Potomac River.

As a young surveyor, he worked in Virginia's backcountry. He began his military career as a Virginia militia officer on the colony's frontier. The majority of his widespread landholdings were in his native state, and his entrepreneurial endeavors ranged from the swamplands of the Southeast to the upper Potomac River Valley. Historian John Maass explores the numerous sites all over the Commonwealth associated with Washington and demonstrates their lasting importance.

Tour Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia, from Monticello to the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond, with a guide that “mixes historical background with how-tos” (Daily Press).

Few prominent Americans are as associated with a place as Thomas Jefferson is with Virginia. The heart of “Jefferson Country” is his house and plantation at Monticello, but Jefferson traveled the breadth of his home state, from his time at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg to the new state capital at Richmond and his retreat and plantation at Poplar Forest, near Lynchburg.

While spending time in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Jefferson was inspired to write his only book, Notes on the State of Virginia. Historian Laura Macaluso illustrates Jefferson’s life story, and his many endeavors as a scholar and statesman, in this guide to the state he held dear.

Author Laura A. Macaluso details Jefferson’s place not just as the third president of the United States. She shares what you need to know to tour the rich sites associated with Jefferson in a newly-released book, “A Guide to Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia. Bristol Courier

Coastal South Carolina was among the first places in the New World to be settled. Among the plantations in the Charleston District, part of which was to become Berkeley County, were four overlapping the area that was later to be established as the city of Hanahan. Following the Civil War, as the plantations were broken up into many small farms and the city of Charleston expanded, a search began for a nearby, new source of fresh water to replace water from contaminated wells. That search led to Goose Creek, where, in 1903, a dam was built and a pumping station established, named Hanahan for the chairman of the Charleston Water Commission. Military installations and housing, thriving businesses, and schools began to meet the needs of the developing community. Hanahan would grow over the years and incorporate into a city in 1973, known for its beautiful landscape and community culture. Today, Hanahan is the heart of the Lowcountry in location and, most importantly, in spirit. Despite its growth, it maintains the original small-town feel, drawing and keeping people into this community that they love.

From antebellum mansions to historic restaurants, old mills, and even an outhouse, North Georgia is home to more than its fair share of ghosts. In Haunted North Georgia, author Jim Miles reveals the most terrifying ghost stories from each county in the region.

Reverend Robert William Bigham of Coweta County received a supernatural visit from his wife after her untimely death. The night watchman at an Elberton cotton mill became acquainted with three haunting visitors in his four decades at the mill. Hikers on Lookout Mountain were surprised to discover a mysterious house eerily decorated with magical symbols and bones. Miles reveals these and other supernatural tales from across North Georgia.

Gear up for a frightful journey into the mysterious Ocala National Forest.

Central Florida is known as the happiest place on Earth. But an hour’s drive from the amusement parks lies a forest swirling with mystery. For generations, locals have whispered about a dark energy coming from the Ocala National Forest and drifting into nearby towns. Supernatural beasts and apparitions. Ghost lights galore. From cults to monsters to the spirts of those who ventured in yet never reemerged, the woods have long been a source of rumor and tragedy. The vengeful Coyote Woman who dispatches those with evil natures. The soldier of Fort King who vanishes when addressed. The spectral monk of Astor, on the hunt for his killer. Author and folklorist Christopher Balzano takes readers among the trees and beyond to offer a glimpse into the true stories, urban legends and haunted folklore whispered among the residents of these deep woods..

Beyond the sunny shores and emerald waters of Panama City, restless spirits lurk.

The ghosts that haunt this lovely city are reminders of Florida’s past: the battles, murders, and destructive acts of nature that took the lives of countless men and women. Staff at the City Center for the Arts can still hear the footsteps of inmates pacing the cells of the Old County Jail that once occupied the grounds, and a phantom known as Virginia still frequents the elevators of the historic Bay County Courthouse. Not all spirits bring doom and gloom, however—one local family learned how to befriend the resident ghost of their new home that was fond of whistling at night. Using extensive research and interviews, author Beverly Nield details the ghastly history of haunted Panama City.

Author Sharon Pajka guides readers a spine-tingling journey through the Old Dominion’s haunted cemeteries. An eerie din provides the soundtrack at Arlington Cemetery, while the gauzy visage of a lady in red flits among heroes’ gravestones. Civil War soldiers meet in perpetual conflict at Mount Hebron Cemetery, and Thomas Jefferson’s restive spirit makes itself known at Monticello. From the ghost that haunted Hollywood Cemetery for months after the Capitol disaster in 1870 to multiple presidential tombs throughout the state where visitors routinely catch a chill, souls find eternal rest to be a fleeting notion in Virginia. Join author Sharon Pajka on a spine-tingling journey of haunted cemeteries throughout the Old Dominion.

For over two centuries, Arlington County has been a steadfast center for government institutions and a vibrant part of the Washington, D.C., community.

Many notable figures made their home in the area, like Supreme Court chief justice Warren Burger, General George Blood 'n' Guts Patton and a beauty queen who almost married crooner Dean Martin. The drama of Virginia's first school integration unfolded in Arlington beginning in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, two motorcycle gangs clashed in public at a suburban shopping center. Local author, historian and Our Man in Arlington Charlie Clark uncovers the vivid, and hidden, history of a capital community.

The milestones of Asheville’s long history are well known to locals, but so many interesting stories are all but forgotten.

Thankfully, the staff and volunteers of the North Carolina Room at Pack Memorial Library have unearthed the best of those hidden tales. Meet daredevil aviatrix Uva Shipman and Tempie Avery, who went from slavery to respected nurse and citizen. Learn the poignant tale behind the sad death of former mayor Gallatin Roberts and uncover the parts of old Asheville lost to the wrecking ball. These and many more historic episodes come to life in this collection compiled by North Carolina Room librarian Zoe Rhine.

Florida's swamps and sands hide a rich history and strange stories abound. Whether you live in the state or just have a fascination with its unique background these are stories to surprise and fascinate.

Florida has a history as diverse as its residents. And much of that is still hidden. Since the arrival of the Spanish in 1513, the state has played host to strange stories. A heartbroken senator entered a mental institution over unrequited love for an heiress. Thousands of British pilots trained in flight schools across the state. And the true, and darker, story of Pocahontas is linked with the first barbecue. Author and historian James C. Clark unearths a history hidden beneath swamps and sand for years.

Although best known as the winter home of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, Fort Myers has one of the most engaging and extraordinary histories of any city in Florida.

The spawn of a hurricane, Fort Myers began as a U.S. Army post during Florida's Seminole Wars. During the Civil War, it became a battleground between Confederates and Yankees for cattle and, after the war, a gun-slinging cowboy town. New York cartoonist Walt McDougall blew into the area on a fishing trip, and his glowing description lured down other wealthy Yankee sportsmen who helped turn this isolated frontier town into a modern tourist destination. Historian and author Cynthia Williams explores the hidden stories behind the growth of this beautiful city.

Proudly laying claim to the title of the first town in the first state, Lewes, Delaware, has a history brimming with little-known tales of gentleman pirates, desperate acts of cannibalism and a failed British bombardment in the War of 1812.

Another attempted invasion occurred in 1853, when raucous New England fishermen intent on having a good time were repelled by residents armed with clubs and an old cannon. In 1926, the Cape Henlopen Lighthouse toppled onto the beach. With the light extinguished, bootleggers had an easier time plying their trade. On January 5, 1932, a captured rumrunner was accidentally set ablaze when an oil slick caught fire on the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal. Author Michael Morgan explores stories of impromptu presidential dips, charismatic preachers, German POW camps and other lost tales from the history of Lewes.

Quincy Whitney's compilation of stories makes for a colorful narrative of some of New Hampshire's most notable newsmakers and remarkable historic events.

The resourcefulness of Granite Staters in their efforts to innovate and improvise is the reason for this incredible and intriguing cast of true stories about New Hampshire people living what they love and loving what they do. Hidden in the cracks and crevices of the Granite State are the stories of pioneers who pursued their passions, creating legacies along the way. There is the tale of the mountain man who became an innkeeper; the Bird Man who took his passion to the White House; the gentleman who ascended the highest peak in the Northeast in a steam-powered locomobile; the story of one skier's dramatic win at the 1939 American Inferno Mount Washington race; the Shaker Meetinghouse, built in just one day, in complete silence; and the gallant efforts to save the Old Man of the Mountain.

Join authors Brenna and T.C. Michaels as they explore Savannah’s long, wide and very often hidden history.

Savannah has repeatedly stood on the edge of ruin, brought to its knees by bloody battles, mysterious pestilence, fire, unforgiving weather and the drums of war. Men and women whose names echo in history once walked its streets. Countless other faces are seemingly forgotten, names that history held in looser grip - like Mary Musgrove, the colonial translator and entrepreneur, or Dr. Samuel Nunes, shipwrecked by chance on Savannah’s coastal shores just in time to curb a deadly epidemic and save Savannah’s first settlers. And then there’s John Geary, the larger-than-life Union general who beat Sherman’s march south to the sea.

“Seldom-told tales of the ‘lively and unusual cast of historic figures’ who helped shape the Florida Keys from the 1820s through the 1960s.”—Keys News

The Florida Keys have witnessed all kinds of historical events, from the dramatic and the outrageous to the tragic and the comic. In the nineteenth century, uncompromising individuals fought duels and plotted political upsets. During the Civil War, a company of “Key West Avengers” escaped their Union-occupied city to join the Confederacy by sailing through the Bahamas. In the early twentieth century, black Bahamians founded a town of their own, while railway engineers went up against the U.S. Navy in a bid to complete the Overseas Railroad. When Prohibition came to the Keys, one defiant woman established a rum-running empire that dominated South Florida. 

Join Laura Albritton and Jerry Wilkinson as they delve into tales of treasure hunters, developers, exotic dancers, determined preservationists and more, from the colorful history of these islands.

The history of North Carolina's Outer Banks is as ancient and mesmerizing as its beaches. Much has been documented, but many stories were lost--until now.

Join local author and historian Sarah Downing as she reveals a past of the Outer Banks eroded by time and tides. Revel in the nostalgic days of the Carolina Beach Pavilion, stand in the shadows of windmills that once lined the coast and learn how native islanders honor those aviation giants, the Wright brothers. Downing's vignettes adventure through windswept dunes, dive deep in search of the lost ironclad the Monitor and lament the decline of the diamondback terrapin. Break out the beach chair and let your mind soak in the salty bygone days of these famed coastal extremities.

Tales from North Carolina’s high country. The Toe River winds its way past the peaks of Mount Mitchell and into the valley that bears its name. Mineral mines go back to the earliest days of Yancey County and encouraged some of the first settlers to come to the region. Mitchell County’s Bakersville experienced violent unrest, with a riot and a lynching, in 1892—but did it actually happen? The section of the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs through Avery County was left incomplete for years because of a property dispute with the owner of Grandfather Mountain. Take a journey along forgotten rail lines, through abandoned communities and past sites whose histories have shaped this valley’s story just as the river has shaped its landscape. /North Carolina historian and author Michael C. Hardy explores the hidden historical gems of the region.

Using rarely seen images to illustrate the most interesting features of the city, this book showcases the events that molded Petersburg's history.

Petersburg is one of Virginia’s oldest cities. The story begins with a frontier boundary that also allowed trade with the Native Americans. Located on the banks of the Appomattox River, Petersburg’s deepwater harbor was a depot for all supplies going south. In 1830, the first train tracks leading into North Carolina were located here.

Petersburg became the largest transportation hub in the state. Best known for its contribution to the tobacco industry, by the 20th century it was also a leader in numerous other businesses, some so big they were featured at the 1939 World’s Fair. Today, it is a city that has its own special reputation and works extremely hard to maintain it. A history lovers’ gem, there are 12 districts and 44 properties on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.

While today, foodies flock to the flavors of Logan Circle and the H Street corridor, Washington's first true restaurants opened around 1830.

Waves of immigrants introduced a global mix of ingredients to the capital's eager palates by opening eateries like the venerable China Doll Gourmet and Cleveland Park's Roma Restaurant. By the twentieth century, the array of dishes to tempt hungry residents was astounding. Diners could have tea at Garfinckel's Greenbrier or lunch at local favorites such as Little Tavern Diner or Ben's Chili Bowl. For an elegant evening, fine restaurants like Rive Gauche and the Monocle satisfied the most sophisticated gastronome. With careful research and choice recipes, Streets of Washington blogger John DeFerrari chronicles the culinary and social history of the capital through its restaurants, tasting his way from the lavish Gilded Age dining halls of the Willard Hotel to the Hot Shoppe's triple-decker Mighty Mo.

History is nurtured and treasured in the City of Alexandria and in neighboring South Fairfax County. A History Lover's Guide to Alexandria & South Fairfax County focuses on this special area along the Potomac River.

Travel through history from Old Town to Mason's Neck and witness the practice of preservation as it continues to evolve today. Alexandria cares for the places essential to understanding our shared past, from cobblestone streets to the always active waterfront. Visit the numerous museums and historic houses, many of which are iconic in American history, in Old Town. Learn the stories of Alexandria's African American community, from slavery to freedom. Discover neighborhoods like Del Ray and Seminary Hill. South of the city, travel the George Washington Memorial Parkway and walk in the footsteps of Washington himself.

Historian and preservationist Laura Macaluso draws connections between city and county, and between past and present.

Writer H.L. Mencken—the Sage of Baltimore—called her a “wicked seaport” but where “the old charm, in truth, still survives.”

Neither Southern nor Northern, Baltimore has charted her own course through the American Experience. The spires of the nation’s first cathedral rose into her sky, and the first blood of the Civil War fell on her streets. Here, enslaved Frederick Douglass toiled before fleeing to freedom and Billie Holiday learned to sing. Baltimore’s clippers plied the seven seas while her pioneering railroads opened the prairie West. The city that birthed The Star-Spangled Banner” also gave us Babe Ruth and the bottle cap. This guide navigates nearly 300 years of colorful history—from Johns Hopkins’ learned philanthropy to the raucous camp of John Waters, and from modest rowhouses to the marbled mansions of the Gilded Age.

Let local authors Brennen Jensen and Tom Chalkey introduce you to Mencken’s “ancient and solid” city.

Crack open these pages to learn that Virginia is truly for History Lovers.

Begun in the seventeenth century as a small settlement nestled along the Elizabeth River, Norfolk grew into a vibrant port city by the Revolutionary War. The city spread out from its earliest neighborhoods like the Freemason District into 19th century enclaves like Ghent on the Hague. 20th century Norfolk was marked by its development into a bustling Navy town. Journey through the vibrant past of this multifaceted locale, guided by expert authors from local museums, historical organizations, and city institutions. Walk the city’s most historic neighborhoods and learn the history of its beachside communities. End with suggestions of places to eat and play that evoke traces of Norfolk’s past.

Tour the Old North State's famous--and not-so-famous--historic sites.

"First in Freedom," "First in Flight," and "First, Farthest and Last" are all honorifics that have been used to describe North Carolina's well-known history. Learn the truth behind each of these epithets and other tales from the sands of the Outer Banks to the bustling cities of the Piedmont and the western mountains. Tour the state's famous historic homes, gardens and cemeteries. Dive deep into its military conflicts, from the golden age of piracy to the Second World War.

"Join North Carolina's veteran historian, Michael C. Hardy, for an exploration of the many sites, monuments, museums, and public spaces that tell story of North Carolina's history.

Local author Kristin Thrower Stowe guides a series of expeditions through the River City's past.

Best known as the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond's history encompasses much more than the Civil War. Visit the state capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson and tour Shockoe Bottom, one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. Follow the route that enslaved people took from the ships to the auction block on the Richmond Slave Trail. Go back to Gilded Age Richmond at the Jefferson Hotel and learn the history of the statues that once lined the famed Monument Avenue. See less-visited sites like the Maggie Walker Home and the Black History Museum in the historically African American Jackson Ward neighborhood.

Since Europeans first settled along the banks of Back Creek in the 1740s, southwest Roanoke County's history has been as fluid as the creek itself. Local historian Nelson Harris details the eclectic history of the area.

The once dense forest with log cabins gave way to the sprawling suburbs of the present. The colonial-era Trader's Path that directed Scots-Irish homesteaders, the growth of the apple industry in Bent Mountain after the Civil War, a state highway built by convicts during the Depression and Cave Spring becoming a modern commercial center have shaped the region. The changing picture of daily life in Back Creek spanning two centuries emerges in stories of one-room schoolhouses, doctors on horseback, country stores, local baseball and NASCAR races at Starkey.

Taste the history of South Carolina’s Barbeque in this delectable history from the 1500s to the present day.

South Carolina has been home to good, old-fashioned barbeque for quite a long time. Hundreds of restaurants, stands and food trucks sell tons of the southern staple every day. But the history of Palmetto State barbeque goes deeper than many might believe—it predates the rest of America. Native Americans barbequed pork on makeshift grills as far back as the 1500s after the Spanish introduced the pig into the Americas. Since the early 1920s, South Carolinians have been perfecting the craft and producing some of the best-tastin' 'que in the country. Join author and president of the South Carolina Barbeque Association Lake E. High Jr. as he traces the delectable history from its pre-colonial roots to a thriving modern-day tradition that fuels an endless debate over where to find the best plate.

From a disregarded, forlorn island in the early 1900s to the world-famous resort and go-to place of today, Jews have played a prominent role in Miami Beach’s achievements and fame. Initially consigned to a tiny enclave on the southern tip of Miami Beach, the community’s Jewish population quickly expanded north, from South Beach to Golden Beach, and assumed a leadership position in nearly every phase of the city’s life by the late 1900s. At every step of Miami Beach’s rich history—from commerce, architecture, and banking to hospitality, real estate, and government—the Jewish community blossomed, enabling Jews to play singular roles in a drama that continues to unfold. 

Journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico through the pulsing heart of historic Key West that is Duval Street!

Duval Street in Key West, Florida, is one of the most legendary avenues in the United States. This iconic thoroughfare has seen everyone from Ulysses S. Grant to Ernest Hemingway. Collecting remarkable archival photographs, Images of America: Key West's Duval Street features famous buildings such as Key West's Oldest House, St. Paul's Church, the Southernmost House, the Strand Theater, the San Carlos Institute, and La Concha Hotel. Fabled bars and restaurants like Sloppy Joe's and the Bull & Whistle also don this iconic stretch. This book celebrates the irrepressible spirit and heritage of a much-beloved American destination.

Local legend says that Marquis Charles Cornwallis, Revolutionary War hero, rode into this area and declared, How fair are these hills and thus, Fairfield County was born.

Fairfield County is a unique blend of tradition, culture, and history. Freedom-seekers, farmers, and religious folks came from the northern trails, while many aristocrats and plantation owners traveled from the coast. These citizens bred a unique and proud folk ranging from sturdy military men who protected their land during the American Revolution and the Civil War to educators who started well-known educational institutions and produced prominent military men and politicians who forever changed the world. Fairfield County is also known for its culture and music. Many recognized beauty queens, artists, musicians, and sports figures hail from this midland region of South Carolina.