History

The free black community of Hinsonville sent its sons to serve the Union when called on. Author Dr. Cheryl Renée Gooch reveals the compelling stories of these brave men and their other Hinsonville comrades.

As members of the Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts Volunteers, brothers Wesley, William and George Jay survived the bloody battle at Fort Wagner, South Carolina, memorialized in the film Glory. George W. Duffy and Stephen J. Ringgold were part of the only black regiment to lead President Lincoln's funeral procession in Washington. William B. Fitzgerald, Abraham Stout, Samuel H. Blake and Isaac A. Hollingsworth fought with troops who cornered Robert E. Lee's army, forcing surrender at Appomattox Court House.

Local Luminaries, Famous Passersby & Everyone in Between

Since its founding in the early 1800s, Kalamazoo has welcomed a variety of notable characters who have shaped the community’s legacy in their own special way. Some, like Orville Gibson and Derek Jeter, are nationally recognized, while others, such as Sue Hubbell or Donald Bonevich, may be lesser known. Abraham Lincoln and Flora Temple briefly passed through town, and Mary Jackson and Gwen Frostic were among those who came here to attend college. Others, like Darwin and Opal Brown (aka Santa and Mrs. Claus) or Gene Rhodes (aka Gene the Pumpkin Man), were lifetime residents.

From founding fathers to early innovators, groundbreakers to entrepreneurs, artists to authors and athletes to entertainers, author Dianna Higgs Stampfler celebrates fifty figures in Kalamazoo-area history.

Father Jean Pierre, a missionary priest from Brittany, France, answered a call to serve in sparsely populated Shreveport, where he chose to remain when a yellow fever epidemic struck in 1873. From a perspective told largely through his own words, Father Pierre provides the reader a glimpse of his “fearful steps strengthened by hope.” His unique insights extend even to the secular history, framing the development of Shreveport and the surrounding region in the middle of the nineteenth century. Gradually emerging as someone widely respected and admired for his intellect and ability, Father Pierre’s story culminated in a heroic choice to sacrifice his life in the service of strangers when the epidemic ravaged the city. A trio of authors celebrates the life of this Shreveport martyr.

Lamar advertises itself as the city "where legends begin," and the city of four thousand lives up to that slogan. It was the place where frontier lawman Wyatt Earp first wore a star and where President Harry S Truman was born. When Truman successfully brought World War II to an end, the submarine fleets in the Atlantic and Pacific were commanded by Lamar High School graduates. Lamar's legends, however, are not limited to those who found fame after they left the city. Lamar was home to the longest-serving mayor in Missouri history, a legendary newspaperman, a football team that captured seven straight state championships and an infamous killer whose life was ended by a lynch mob. Author Randy Turner details these stories and much more.

Breweries in the state of Kansas are opening at a fast pace, in communities from Council Grove to Olathe. As the industry grows, the opportunities for craft beer fans to enjoy the communities and beer abound. Check out Ryan Triggs and Nick Feightner at Tall Trellis Brew Co. where you can enjoy a pint while sitting next to hop bines. Visit Fields & Ivy Brewery, the only brewery in the state with an active grain silo. Author Michael Travis traveled for a year and visited every brewery, capturing the heartbeat and story behind the owners and head brewers who make the magic happen.

Explore the delightful history of Rochester

Best known for the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, Rochester's rich history holds so much more beyond medical excellence. But why was the world's greatest medical center built virtually in the middle of a corn field in the first place? What happened to the Native Americans in the area? Were there ever bears in Bear Creek? Why are there so many geese at Silver Lake, and how did the Zumbro River get its name? What do the extinction of the dinosaurs and the passenger pigeon have to do with Rochester?

Retired Mayo Clinic doctor and Rochester native Paul Scanlon answers these questions and more in this collection of historic tales from Med City.

Present-day Fishers, Indiana, is one of the safest places to live in the U.S., but this respectable city has a rough and rowdy past.

Starting off as a small railroad community, Fishers attracted its fair share of drifters, and the whiskey flowed like water. It may have been small, but the lawless town made national headlines on more than one occasion. A two-day bar brawl led to one death and dozens of injuries and required the Sheriff to restore order. A sensational trial exposed mass grave robberies and led to legislative changes. James Redwine became the town's first homicide victim over a Christmas turkey shootout. Author Robert Bowling explores the history of this once small town and the misdeeds that thrust it into the national spotlight.

Scots helped found Lake Forest, and hundreds of native-born Scots settled there.

The Scottish influence is evident in town names along Chicago’s North Shore like Glencoe, Bannockburn, Milburn, and Dundee.The Keith family theater chain became RKO Studios with Scots-born J.J.Murdock as president.James Simpson was CEO of Marshall Field and Company and oversaw the building of the Merchandise Mart.After Simpson, a series of Scots ran Fields: John McKinlay, James McKinsey, and Hughston McBain.Scots partnered to form Carson Pirie & Scott.They also founded Douglas and Stuart Oats, which became Quaker Oats.Hugh Robertson was president of the Zenith Corporation, and the Armour family operated one of the largest meatpacking companies in the world.Only slightly smaller was Wilson Meats, which later spun off Wilson Sporting Goods.This book tells the story of these Scots and many others.

Jail breaks, kidnappings, and a cult leader.

Tacoma, the city where the rails meet the sails, has always been a place of innovation and rule-breakers. When the railroad came in the 19th century, business boomed, and so did smuggling, bootlegging, and prostitution. Men such as Peter Sandberg walked the line between criminal and respectable. Police in the growing town had their hands full not just with human criminals, but stray cows, ducks, and the occasional bear. Rumor has it that in the 1920s, gangsters Lucky Luciano and Frank Nitti were sent to cool their heels in the port city and may have been behind a smoke bomb attack on a movie theater.

Join author Karla Stover as she delves into the wild and colorful past of the City of Destiny.

Columnist Marie Coady reveals Woburn's best-kept secrets with the vibrancy and wit of a true town sleuth.

Although it is only thirteen square miles in size, Woburn boasts a vast history, replete with curious episodes and colourful characters. The town was home to three women accused of witchcraft in the infamous Salem witch trials, and it was the choice camping ground of gypsy queen Marcia Mock in 1917. Discover the nefarious yeggmen who prowled the streets at the beginning of the twentieth century and the seven women known as the Robins, whose friendship inspired a chain letter that has survived for more than fifty years. Woburn: Hidden Tales of a Tannery Town explores the mysteries of Woburn's landscape, including the deadly Horn Pond, whose waters swallowed more than fifty victims and were long believedto contain vengeful demons.