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Learn the story behind how the town of Oxford, Mississippi, and The University of Mississippi came to be.

Oxford and Lafayette County were formed from the Pontotoc Treaty and the Chickasaw Cession of 1832 and the revised agreement in 1834. This treaty with the Chickasaws ceded land that formed 12 counties in North Mississippi. On June 22, 1836, three land speculators, John Martin, John Chisom, and John Craig, donated 50 acres to the Board of Police for the formation of the city of Oxford. The name Oxford was proposed by a nephew of John Craig, Thomas D. Isom, who worked for him in his trading post, in hopes that the state legislature would place the new state university there. Oxford was chartered by the State of Mississippi on May 11, 1837. The University of Mississippi opened its doors in 1848.

This pictorial history of Lake Okeechobee illustrates the people, places, and events that have shaped the area's cultural and natural history.

From the Calusa Indians to the travelers who used boats for transport in the early 1900s and up to the prosperous farms and cattle ranches of today, the Everglades has evolved into a mecca for fishing, birding, and hiking. The smell of orange blossoms entices the settler to an untamed land where bears, deer, and snakes still inhabit the wilderness and where alligator hunting and fishing are still popular sports. Lake Okeechobee is 110 miles around from Pahokee to Canal Point, Okeechobee, Lakeport, Moore Haven, Clewiston, South Bay, and Belle Glade. To cross Florida from the Atlantic to the Gulf, a boat starts in Stuart and ends at Port Mayaca, crossing Lake Okeechobee to the Moore Haven lock and out the Caloosahatchee River past Lake Hicpochee and west to Fort Myers. Around Lake Okeechobee presents images from the Clewiston Museum, Lawrence E. Will Museum, state archives, and private collections, painting a history of the boom and bust, the boaters and farmers, and the cattlemen and ranchers who have settled and raised their families here.

Join author James Vickers as he brings the rich and illustrious history to life through the lens of vintage images.

From humble beginnings as a rustic settlement formed around a chapel on a hill--New Hope Chapel Hill--in the mid-eighteenth century, Chapel Hill has attained international recognition as one of the foremost centers of education in the United States. Despite the fact that their town is flourishing, Chapel Hillians still think of it as a village, and it is the combination of a small Southern town and a concentration of creative, progressive people that makes Chapel Hill special. Although Chapel Hill is known for its ability to move with the times, it is also aware of the importance of the past and the need to preserve local history.

Let the good times roll down in New Orleans! Read the secrets and origins of the beloved Mardi Gras.

New Orleans practically owns Mardi Gras, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who would deny it. The wild celebration brings thousands of tourists to Louisiana each year, but none of it would be possible without the carnival krewes. The backbone of this Big Easy tradition, different krewes put on extravagant paries and celebrations to commemorate the beginning of the Lenten season. Historic krewes such as Comus, Rex, and Zulu date back generations and have become part of New Orleans' greater history, but today, what was once an exclusive position has widened their reach and new krewes are inaugurated regularly to enrich the flavor of Louisiana's cultural melting pot. Through careful and detailed research of over three hundred sources, author and New Orleans native Rosary O'Neill explores this storied institution, its antebellum roots, and its effects in the twenty-first century.

From a lonely carosel ride to a southern vacation destination, the story of Libertyland is as surprising as its legendy roller coasters and as delightful as its memorable characters.

Nestled in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, the Libertyland theme park debuted on America's bicentennial: July 4, 1976. The quaint park celebrated America's history, heritage, and culture. Not only was it home to Elvis Presley's favorite roller coaster, Libertyland also offered guests rides on the historic Grand Carousel, exciting shows, gift shops selling handcrafted souvenirs, delicious food, and much more. The park's themed areas—Colonial Land, Frontier Land, and Turn-of-the-Century Land—paid tribute to some of the country's most historically significant eras. From its opening in 1976 until its closure in late 2005, Libertyland was a first roller coaster ride, a first date, a family reunion, a summer job, or simply a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the real world.

From 'Haute Creole' entrées to hearty red beans and rice, Roy F. Guste's recipes make Creole cooking elegant and effortless. Within these 100 recipes lies the key to the true flavor of Louisiana's Creole food: simplicity of process and fresh ingredients.

Introducing the best of Louisiana cookery from restaurateur and French-trained chef Roy F. Guste, Jr. In The 100 Greatest New Orleans Creole Recipes, Guste presents a selection of choice recipes ranging from “Haute Creole” entrées like daube glacée to hearty red beans and rice. For generations, these dishes have graced the tables of famous dining establishments and family kitchen tables alike, proving that they have universal appeal and popularity.

Chef Guste has simplified the steps of some his grander recipes, testing each one using only four saucepans, a skillet, and the bare minimum of utensils. The key to producing authentic Creole food, as he emphasizes, is the simplicity of the process and the freshness of ingredients. Follow these recipes and you can create the true flavor of Louisiana.

Accompanying these recipes are beautiful period illustrations, as well as reminiscences and anecdotes of the recipes’ origins that only a few other true Louisianians would know. With gumbos, bisques, blackened dishes, appetizers, drinks, and desserts, this book makes Creole dining elegant and effortless.

After the Civil War, Black landownership in Fairfax County increased by leaps and bounds.

By the 1870s, retired Union officers were purchasing land that they sold to African Americans like Joshua Ball, Joshua Pearson, Robert Bradley and John Coates. Merrifield, the Pines and Williamstown soon emerged as vibrant communities founded by born-free Blacks, the formerly enslaved and their descendants. These African Americans quickly established farms to provide for their families and engaged in truck farming to stimulate trade. They formed charitable organizations and a church. Unfortunately, from the 1960s through the 1980s, these towns disappeared due to eminent domain practices, modern progress and gentrification. Historian Marion Ransell Dobbins unearths the legacy of these vanished communities.

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.

Cajun chef Jude Theriot has compiled what he considers the core recipes of Cajun cuisine. From boiled crawfish, crabmeat au gratin, and shrimp gumbo to chicken �touff�e, Chef Theriot has distilled the essence of Cajun cooking with his signature easy-to-follow, hearty recipes.

Author Christopher A. Kennedy shares the story of the Voice of the Bulldogs. Dave Nitz was the voice of Louisiana Tech University sports for half a century, his distinctive voice emanating from Tech fans’ radios. A West Virginia native, Nitz dreamed of broadcasting in the big leagues. Little did he know that his Hall of Fame broadcasting career would take him to Ruston, Louisiana. Along the way, Nitz worked with country music icon Tom T. Hall in West Virginia and covered William & Mary University football under Lou Holtz. At Tech, Nitz gave voice to the basketball greatness of Karl “The Mailman” Malone and the national champion Lady Techsters. He called gridiron action from Maxie Lambright through unforgettable upsets of Alabama and Michigan State. Author Christopher A. Kennedy shares the story of the Voice of the Bulldogs. As Nitz would say, “You gotta love it!”

Opryland USA attracted millions of visitors each year and gave many celebrities their first taste of show business. As the Home of American Music, Opryland USA still lives on in the hearts and minds of those who visited this show that made country music famous.

By the late 1960s, the Ryman Auditorium - the fifth home of the Grand Ole Opry - was a deteriorating firetrap in a seedy part of Nashville, yet it still attracted thousands of people each weekend to the show that made country music famous. In an effort to develop an attraction that could sustain a larger Opry all week long, Opryland was born. Opryland USA operated from May 27, 1972, until December 31, 1997, attracting millions of visitors each year and giving many celebrities their first taste of show business. The park consisted of nine areas, dozens of rides, and Broadway-caliber shows featuring live bands and orchestras. As the Home of American Music, Opryland USA still lives on in the hearts and minds of those who visited its wooded trails, lazy streams, exciting attractions, and toe-tapping performances.

“Cold Case” Clay Bryant unravels a 20-year old cold-case murder. After a daring escape from certain death in a North Vietnamese prison, followed by years in a refugee camp in Thailand, Savang Phovixay and his family sought safety and a better life in the United States. That dream was shattered when their daughter Vieng disappeared in October 1987. In spite of substantial leads, she remained missing until 1989 when her skeletonized remains were found bound to a tree in rural West Georgia. The crime remained an unsolved tragedy for nearly two decades until Bryant took on the case in search of justice for Vieng and her family. 

Discover ghostly history from Arlington to Occoquan, Leesburg to Lorton



Across the river from Washington, D.C. lies one of the most haunted areas in the country. From Arlington National Cemetery to countless battlefields, old towns, historic houses and memorials, all contain spooky stories that are longing to be told. The screams of a young girl taken too soon vibrate through the woods, to be heard by unsuspecting drivers. A bitter soldier keeps watch over a battlefield more than a century old. An angry wife guards her former home, preserving her husband’s legacy long after her own passing.

Author and paranormal researcher Alex Matsuo delves deep into ghostly lore to tell tales that haunt.

Author Larry Lawson guides readers on a journey from the present to the other side, where the paranormal and tropics collide. Indian River County is an idyllic vacation spot on Florida’s east coast, not far south of Cape Canaveral. Known as part of the state’s famed “Treasure Coast,” many are unaware of the deep and fascinating history this area played in the development of the Sunshine State. Also lost among its visitors and residents are the chilling stories of the hauntings that accompany this rich history. It is here that a man named Waldo still looks after his family and properties, six decades after his death. Or a retired preacher is seen digging up his hidden treasure, days after he died.

Author Robert Redd traces the pivotal moments of the fight for Civil Rights in Florida.

The rights of all people are the rock upon which our American society is grounded. The state of Florida has many important stories in the fight for equality for women, African Americans, the elderly, and the LGBTQ community. Revisit the heroic efforts of Mary McLeod Bethune, the integration of Major League Baseball, the tragic failure of the Equal Rights Amendment, the change in how hurricanes are named, Civil Rights violence in St. Augustine, and more. Florida has often made national headlines in regards to Civil Rights activities. There's ample progress to celebrate, but the struggle continues. As the third most populous state in the country, actions here have an impact nationwide .

These stories reflect the Creole way of life during the transitory post-Civil War period.

Hillsborough North Carolina is a small town with a huge footprint in American history!

The picturesque town of Hillsborough, once a treasured secret, has recently been rediscovered for its beauty, locale, and historical ties. Various buildings that date back to the late 1700s are still located in Hillsborough's downtown area, which itself is a designated National Historic District. Having maintained the community's rich heritage, residents reap the benefits of small town life in the vicinity of a booming metropolis.

English colonists founded Hillsborough in 1754 where the Great Indian Trading Pathcrossed the Eno River. By the late 1760s, the town was at the center of the Regulator Movement, which challenged the local Colonial government. When the colonies decided to break from England, a town resident named William Hooper signed the Declaration of Independence. During the war that ensued, the British army briefly occupied the town and fought skirmishes in the surrounding area. After the war, prominent citizens gathered in Hillsborough for the Constitutional Convention of 1788to determine the course of the new nation. Less than a century later, another armed conflict involved Hillsborough; leaders of the last great Confederate army camped in the town and discussed surrender in 1865. Their decision to lay down arms essentially ended the most tragic chapter in American history.

With the help of the town's historical preservation organizations, as well as several lifelong residents, author Chris Holaday has assembled this photographic journey, which includes many rare images, to celebrate nearly 250 years of Hillsborough history.

By the middle of the 20th century, Suffolk had seen many changes. Railroads gave way to highways, and grand old hotels were replaced with motels. Yet within these pages the old Suffolk endures, depicted in the views and paintings of a vivid collection of postcards.

Talladega: Pathways to the Past invites both longtime residents and newcomers alike to watch a Native American ballgame, experience an Indian battle, peer into Old South plantation life, step into a notorious saloon, behold a feast at a world-famous hotel, and thrill at the speed of race cars. The rambler views quaint nineteenth-century storefronts, sees the state's oldest courthouse still in use, strolls through the historic Silk Stocking District, discovers the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, greets youngsters at the Presbyterian Home for Children, tours one of the nation's oldest historically black colleges, and relaxes at Shocco Springs. Vintage photographs within these pages bring truly extraordinary people to life, including the "Father of Radio," the only Alabama nurse to give her life during World War I, a noted author of popular plantation tales, a world-renowned sculptor, the founder of one of the nation's largest tourist agencies, and the first Alabamian inducted in Statuary Hall in the National Capitol. Perhaps more importantly, this volume showcases everyday folks doing everyday things, thus preserving numerous slices of daily life in small-town Alabama.

Join author and Huntsville native T. Gary Wicks as he uncovers the beginnings and inventions that influenced air and space engineering in Alabama and America.

The air age in Huntsville began more than a century ago with Will Quick's design and construction of a flying machine, which he demonstrated in 1908 for patenting and manufacture. The space age began in Huntsville a half century later with the advent of Wernher Von Braun's Redstone Jupiter C rocket, which launched America's first satellite, Explorer 1, into orbit in 1958. A decade later, Huntsville was at the epicenter of the greatest technological achievement of the 20th century as the Saturn V rocket propelled humankind to the moon. Nowhere in the world is the century's rapid advance of air and space technology more apparent than in Huntsville. This unique evolution of flying machines and space vehicles unfolds in this pictorial documentary, including the dramatic growth of the research facilities and community infrastructure that produced these remarkable inventions.

Join author Catherine Campanella as she recounts the history of one of the country's largest city parks located in New Orleans, Louisiana.

City Park's 1,300 acres cradle the largest collection of mature live oaks in the nation. Established in 1854, it is one of the country's largest urban parks (457 acres larger than New York's City's Central Park and two years older) and contains the highest earthen elevation in New Orleans. City Park has welcomed as many as 11 million visitors per year who walk among 50 species of trees, including bald cypress, southern magnolia, and pine, and the thousands of ancient southern live oaks. At one mile wide and three miles long, the park's 11 miles of lagoons (the largest in the shape of Lake Pontchartrain) are stocked with a variety of fish. Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Arts and Crafts, Mission, and modern architecture complete City Park. It is a precious and beloved jewel.

Long before Glenn Miller made the world-famous ""Chattanooga Choo Choo"" an American icon, Chattanooga was already a bustling railroad community.

By the beginning of the 20th century, passenger trains overwhelmed Chattanooga's two railroad depots and a larger station was needed. The solution was Terminal Station, which rivaled most Southern depots in size, expense, and aesthetic beauty. Providing transportation to cities throughout the country, the terminal made its mark as the gateway for rail from the agricultural south to the industrial north. Following its closure, the terminal was reopened as a renowned hotel and entertainment complex in 1973, becoming one of Chattanooga's many exciting attractions. Images of Rail: Chattanooga's Terminal Station follows the history of this depot in both stories and photographs.

Pine Island is tucked between the mainland of southwest Florida and Sanibel and Captiva islands, only 17 miles long and accessible by a single drawbridge.

The community of Pine Island is a rare and lingering remnant of old Florida, with many praising it as the new Key West. The island's shores are home to mangroves teaming with fish instead of crowded beaches, making it a major destination for sport fishing enthusiasts and providing a livelihood for the independent commercial fishing families of the island. Strolling the lazy street to Bokeelia's famous fishing pier, or exploring an active Calusa Indian archeological site in Pineland, the crowds and tourist-related glitz common to most of Florida's islands are nowhere to be found, leaving visitors to discover Pine Island's unspoiled beauty at their own pace.

From the Siege of Petersburg to the struggle for civil rights, the history of Petersburg's African American community is detailed in this volume.

The city of Petersburg has distinguished itself as a special place for African American history. African Americans in Petersburg have overcome racial and political obstacles placed in their paths. The city was the site of one of the largest free black populations in the South leading up to the Civil War, and more black soldiers participated in the Siege of Petersburg than in any other Civil War engagement. The city is the location of First Baptist Church, the nation's oldest black church; has produced trailblazers in political life, including Virginia's first black mayor; and is the site of the famous Halifax Triangle, a thriving black business district. This diverse and poignant collection of photographs reveals a heritage rich in entrepreneurial spirit, devotion to church life, and unshakable courage in the struggle for civil rights.

Anchored around the county seat of Jasper with a population of less than 500, Newton County is a nature lover's dream.

The majority of the county is composed of the Ozark National Forest and the scenic corridor of the Buffalo National River, the nation's first national river. Spring weekends find the area filled with vehicles bearing canoes and kayaks traveling to float the incomparable Buffalo River and, as year-round backpackers head out for scores of trails through the most striking wilderness in the eastern half of the nation. Amidst the scenery, long before the backpackers and vacationing families, Newton County was home to self-sufficient pioneers who began arriving in the early 1800s to build log cabins and farms to support their families—a spirit that remains today.

Even beyond Atlanta, this amazing, Moorish-style icon is known by most not by its legal name, the Fox Theatre, but as the Fabulous Fox.

Constructed in the late 1920s as a temple for the Yaarab Shrine, the imposing yellow-brick building was designed to out Baghdad Baghdad in its elaborate Middle Eastern appearance. But the onion-domed exterior with its faux prayer towers is nothing compared to the elaborate interior. Movie mogul William Fox leased the auditorium from the Shriners in 1929, transforming it into a movie palace like no other. The theater became a place of spectacular premieres and world-class performances until changing times threatened its very existence in the 1970s. The campaign to Save the Fox proved more dramatic than some of the performances that graced Fox's own stage. Today, the Fabulous Fox is one of Atlanta's best-known and most cherished landmarks.

When the bustle of a city slows, towns dissolve into abandoned buildings or return to woods and crumble into the North Georgia clay. In 1832, Auraria was one of the sites of the original American gold rush.

The remains of numerous towns dot the landscape - pockets of life that were lost to fire or drowned by the water of civic works projects. Cassville was a booming educational and cultural epicenter until 1864. Allatoona found its identity as a railroad town. Author and professor Lisa M. Russell unearths the forgotten towns of North Georgia.

Remembering Mississippi's Confederates is a collection of never-before-seen images which document the history of these soldiers.

The Confederate States of America engaged in a battle for national survival that lasted four long and incredibly bloody years. The conflict went on for so long because thousands of rebels were willing to lay down their lives and defend their homes to the last man and last cartridge. Many of these soldiers were Mississippians--approximately 78,000 citizens of the Magnolia State can be documented as having served in the Civil War. Of this number, over 27,500 died either of disease or in combat. Remembering Mississippi's Confederates is a photographic tribute to the men who fought so gallantly for their state. Many of the images in this volume have never been published and come from the proud descendants of the soldiers themselves; others were acquired from collections spread across the United States.

Durham is a progressive New South city, one in which both the white and black populations have economically and culturally prospered over the past
century.

Durham's Hayti opens a door into the community's past that will allow you to walk down
familiar streets into a time that may seem distant, but is not that far removed, and to experience the full life of Hayti, from its churches and schools to its businesses and recreational pursuits.

The coast of South Carolina was a hotspot for the Civil War since its beginning. Some of the stories have not been told until now.

In Defending South Carolina's Coast: The Civil War from Georgetown to Little River, area native Rick Simmons relates the often overlooked stories of the upper South Carolina coast during the Civil War. As a base of operations for more than three thousand troops early in the war and the site of more than a dozen forts, almost every inch of the coast was affected by and hotly contested during the Civil War. From the skirmishes at Fort Randall in Little River and the repeated Union naval bombardments of Murrells Inlet to the unrealized potential of the massive fortifications at Battery White and the sinking of the USS Harvest Moon in Winyah Bay, the region's colorful Civil War history is unfolded here at last.

130 years after its opening, the once small agricultural college has become Virginia's largest university- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

When Charles Minor opened the doors of his new land-grant institution in late 1872, there were only 29 students, 3 faculty members, and a single building in the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. From the humble beginning of donated livestock, seeds, machinery, and books, the university now known as Virginia Tech has emerged as a leading research university that is consistently ranked among the nation's best colleges. In addition to housing some of the top engineering and business schools, the university also has a tremendous athletic program that continually produces many of the nation's top ranked athletes. The Campus History Series: Virginia Tech illustrates the university's evolution through over 200 archival photographs, including rare and fun bites of campus history, such as the old cadet rat parades, the first ring dance, the Highty-Tighties, the Huckleberry, and even the evolution of the school's mascot, the Hokie Bird.

Prior to its incorporation in 1855, Tampa Town--as it was then known--was a desolate place to live, and disease and isolation kept many from settling in the area.

But as the century progressed, a new and exciting mode of transportation began to open up America's remaining frontiers, including the untamed Gulf Coast of Florida. When the railroad came to Tampa, thousands of adventure-seekers, tourists, and new residents came with it, all ready to soak up the balmy breezes and tropical pleasures of the city of Tampa.Tampa began to resemble a modern industrialized city by the turn of the century, due mainly to the grand vision and plans of one man. Henry B. Plant encouraged Tampa's growth by bringing the railroad to town and constructing the elaborate Tampa Bay Hotel, and he, along with other entrepreneurs, brought an economic boom to the region with new industries, such as cigars and citrus, and the promotion of tourism.

Beautiful Mobile, Alabama, on the Gulf of Mexico, has a colorful history dating back to its founding in 1702. View its rich past in photographs throughout time.

Few photographers have captured the essence of Mobile to the extent of master photographer William Ernest Wilson. Wilson's photography vividly depicts Mobile life at the turn of the 20th century: from nationally elected officials such as Theodore Roosevelt to local Mardi Gras royalty; from entrepreneur Gordon Smith of Smith's Bakery to Africa Town founder Cudjoe Lewis; from a stately cathedral to country churches; from thriving banks and theaters to lumber yards and banana docks, the people and places of Mobile are revealed through Wilson's camera as a kaleidoscope of life in a bustling seaport. Artistic shading and Wilson's innate ability to see beyond the lens give his photographs an air of the contemporary while reflecting a bygone era of simplicity. These images simultaneously reveal the height of Victorian photographic art and daily life in one of the South's first major cities. Covering the period from 1894 to 1905, the collection features personalities, street scenes, and architectural treasures of the past. Preserved on their original dry glass negatives, a significant portion of Wilson's Mobile photographs are collected and printed here in a single edition for the first time.

Once the third-largest port on the Gulf of Mexico, Apalachicola's diverse and colorful past remains visible today.

This delightful little fishing village has a warm and friendly atmosphere, making it even more appropriate that Apalachicola's name is a Native American word meaning ""friendly people."" When Apalachicola was established in 1831, its major industry was cotton export, and the city soon became an important port on the Gulf of Mexico. When the railroads expanded throughout the United States, Franklin County developed several large lumber mills to harvest and process wood from the surrounding cypress forests. These lumber magnates built many of the magnificent historic homes that still line Apalachicola's streets today. With more than 900 historic homes and buildings in the National Register Historic District, visitors are invited to stroll along the picturesque, tree-lined streets where Victorian homes display the charm of years gone by.

Join Tulane University Archivist Ann E. Smith Case as she recounts the history of this illustrious university using vintage images.

Tulane University was founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young doctors who saw the need for trained physicians in the city of New Orleans. In 1847, it evolved into the public University of Louisiana, also offering law, liberal arts, and science coursework; it became a private institution in 1884 after Paul Tulane's donation. The addition of Newcomb College, the nation's first coordinate women's college, completed the university's basic structure in 1886. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck, forcing Tulane to close for a semester. It emerged from the floodwaters restructured and renewed into the progressive university focused on public service that it is today. The photographs in this book take readers through the collegiate experience of former Tulane and Newcomb students to illustrate the meaning of the Tulane motto, ""Non sibi sed suis""--""Not for one's self, but for one's own.""

Journey into the Ashe County of yesteryear, a time dominated by horse and buggies, dirt roads, and early farms.

The mountain region of North Carolina possesses an uncommon grace and beauty, a landscape full of breathtaking peaks, lush forests, and winding rivers and creeks. Within this picturesque scenery, pioneering spirits settled in Ashe County and established communities in an environment both enchanting and perilous. Officially formed in 1799, Ashe County stands as one of the High Country's oldest and most intriguing areas. In this volume, containing over 200 black-and-white images, readers will journey into the Ashe County of yesteryear, a time dominated by horse and buggies, dirt roads, and early farms. Starting in the 1870s and stretching into the twentieth century, this stunning visual history allows today's reader to meet the resilient and rugged families that carved towns and communities into this mountainscape, to ride the Virginia Creeper railroad as it carries lumber and other goods to waiting markets, and to stroll along the banks of the historic New River, now recognized as a national Heritage River.

Perched near the eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Waynesville is an attractive destination with stunning vistas, cool mountain air, and small-town charm.

For centuries, the Cherokee lived and hunted in what is now western North Carolina, and after the Revolutionary War, white settlers moved into the area from all directions to farm and build a new life on the frontier. By the end of the 18th century, families had established a small community known as Mount Prospect. In 1810, the town was renamed Waynesville after the Revolutionary War general ""Mad"" Anthony Wayne. With the coming of the railroad in the 1880s, Waynesville blossomed as a summer retreat for guests who came to stay at numerous boarding houses and hotels. By the early 1900s, Waynesville's neighboring town, Hazelwood, became a hotbed of industrial growth with lumber mills and assorted factories producing furniture, leather goods, and rubber products, and the town would eventually merge with Waynesville in 1995.

John Allen Tucker, PhD, and Arthur Carlson as they uncover the past of East Carolina University in this unique history.

East Carolina University was founded by the State of North Carolina in 1907 as a teacher training school meant to provide professionally trained faculty for schools in the eastern part of the state. Within two decades, the school matured into a teacher's college. Although coeducational from the start, the vast majority of the student body early on was female. Following World War II and the gender transformation of higher education resulting from successive GI Bills, East Carolina emerged with increasing balance as the male student body grew to match the female population on campus. In subsequent decades, East Carolina continued to expand academically, emerging as a research university with a medical school and a dental school. Today, ECU is a leading producer of K-12 teachers in the Southeast as well as a leader nationwide in training practitioners of family medicine. The impressive development of East Carolina has flowed from its embodiment of the school's ethic of service to the local community and, in the broadest context, the best interests of humanity.