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Roanoke, VIrginia is a town with a hidden haunted history and many unique and chilling tales are revealed here.

Roanoke, in the heart of southwestern Virginia, is one of the most haunted cities in the commonwealth. The Star City is brimming with eerie and unexplainable stories, such as the legendary Woman in Black, who appeared several times in 1902 but only to married men on their way home at night. There are also macabre stories in many of Roanoke's famous landmarks, such as the majestic Grandin Theatre, where a homeless family is said to have lived and the cries of their deceased children can still be heard. Travel beyond the realm of reality with author L.B. Taylor Jr. as he traces the history of Roanoke's most unique and chilling tales.

Lancaster, Ohio, with a population of around 35,000, sits snuggled among the rolling hills at the base of a sandstone bluff that the Wyandot Indians called ""Standing Stone.""

Just east of the Hock-Hocking River in Fairfield County and a few miles southeast of Columbus, Lancaster was founded on November 10, 1800, by Col. Ebenezer Zane (1747-1811). The city's rich history is celebrated today in one of the most significant historic districts in the Midwest, known as Square 13. The city offers a walking tour of the area, originally designed in 1800. In a 24-block area, 89 buildings have been designated on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Sherman House Museum is listed as a National Historical Landmark.

Explore the grizzly tale of Charleston's most infamous serial killers from the beginning of their reign of horror till their eventual incarceration and execution.

In 1819, a young man outwitted death at the hands of John and Lavinia Fisher and sparked the hunt for Charleston's most notorious serial killers. Former homicide investigator Bruce Orr follows the story of the Fishers, from the initial police raid on their Six Mile Inn with its reportedly grisly cellar to the murderous couple's incarceration and execution at the squalid Old City Jail. Yet there still may be more sinister deeds left unpunished, an overzealous sheriff, corrupt officials and documents only recently discovered all suggest that there is more to the tale. Orr uncovers the mysteries and debunks the myths behind the infamous legend of the nation's first convicted female serial killer.

Hundreds of pirates traversed the waters of the Atlantic during America's colonial period, but few had a more adventurous tale than Stede Bonnet.

Originally a wealthy plantation owner from Barbados, Bonnet abandoned his wife and children in 1717 to set sail on the pirate ship Revenge. He soon fell into company with Blackbeard in the Bahamas and headed for America. In May 1718, they arrived in Charleston and held the entire city hostage in a daring siege. Bonnet was eventually captured in North Carolina and transported back to Charleston, where he was brought to justice and executed on December 10, 1718. Join local pirate tour guide Captain Christopher Byrd Downey as he recounts the swashbuckling life of the most infamous pirate to ever darken the Holy City's waters.

Ghost stories from Circus City have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of Baraboo comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit the Old Baraboo Inn to catch a glimpse of the spirits who checked in but never checked out. Or take a drive down the infamous Highway 12, but keep your eye out for the road’s very own spectral hitchhiker. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Haunted Mobile is a chilling collection of ghostly tales from this Alabama city.

What unknown spirits lurk among the living in the Azalea City? Mobile native Elizabeth Parker brings together the spookiest of her Mobile Ghosts: Alabama's Haunted Port City and Mobile Ghosts II: The Waterline to create an updated version guaranteed to send shivers down the spine. How do priceless heirlooms at the Mobile Carnival Museum mysteriously disappear and then reappear just in the nick of time? Who still protects Oakleigh from intruders, years after the Yankee occupation? Who is the little girl who keeps watch over the city from her attic window? Complete with an eerie new story, Haunted Mobile: Apparitions of the Azalea City is a chilling read that no ghost enthusiast should miss.

In 200 rare historical photos, Rhode Island's Mill Villages fascinating  history comes to life.

Some 200 rare and historic photographs are coupled with detailed and informative captions that immerse the reader in the daily lives and environments of these communities. In the years surrounding the Civil War, European immigrants and textile workers came to Rhode Island to work in the state's mills. Soon, villages and neighborhoods formed around these mills, creating unique and closely knit communities in which the wealthy families who owned and operated the mills lived side by side with those who labored for them. The photographs presented here offer a glimpse at the development of these familial communities that are such an integral part in the history of both Rhode Island and the United States.

The opulent facades of the City by the Sea concealed the scintillating scandals, eccentric characters and unsolved mysteries of its wealthiest families.

Newport, Rhode Island, is renowned for its stunning cliff-side vistas and the luxurious summer homes of the Gilded Age elite. Learn how Cornelius Vanderbilt III was cut out of the family's fortune for his unapproved marriage to Grace Wilson and how John F. Kennedy's marriage to a Newport debutante helped to secure his presidency. Travel to the White Horse Tavern, where a vengeful specter still waits for his supposed murderer to return to the scene, and discover the mysterious voyage of the Sea Bird and its missing crew. Historian Larry Stanford searches the dark corners of Newport's past to expose these scandalous tales and more.

Once part of Newark, Nutley has grown from a weekend getaway for tired New Yorkers and a permanent home for artists and writers into a charming small city.

Though only three square miles in area, Nutley boasts over 125 acres of park land, as well as the beautiful Third River which runs through the town. In Nutley, town historian and author John Demmer presents a fascinating look at the changes the town as undergone, as well as the life of its residents through the years. Demmer also illustrates Nutley's earliest commercial industry, the brownstone quarry, as well as the textile and banker's safety paper industry.

Go inside Madisonville, a Cincinnati neighborhood that boasts a long and colorful history.

Madisonville was founded in 1809 as Madison, Ohio, in honor of James Madison, who had recently been inaugurated as the fourth president of the United States. The first permanent settlers, the Joseph Ward family, built three log cabins in 1797 along a Native American trail near the area that is now Whetsel Avenue, Erie Avenue and Red Bank Road. The famous archeological excavations of the Madisonville Site by Dr. Charles Metz and his crew discovered artifacts that are housed in museums across the world. State and federal legislators, as well as secretaries of commerce and defense, grew up in Madisonville. The city is home to public, private, and parochial schools, plus over 25 churches. Incorporation into the city of Cincinnati in 1911 brought about numerous renovations of the business district, and a renaissance is currently underway.

LaGuardia Airport, named for the mayor of New York in the mid 1930s is one of America's busiest airports and has undergone great change throughout the years.

Constructed closer to Manhattan than the commercially unsuccessful Floyd Bennett Field, LaGuardia Airport was conceived in the mid-1930s as New York City mayor Fiorello LaGuardia realized the need for a great airport for one of the world's great cities. Originally known as New York Municipal Airport, the popular airport soon had its name changed to recognize LaGuardia's enormous contribution to the project. At the time of its opening in 1939, it was the largest and most advanced commercial airport in the world with terminals considered art deco masterpieces. Although a very large airport for the era in which it was built, by the late 1940s it was the world's busiest airport and clearly too small for the increasing amount of air traffic. Through the years its runways were lengthened and facilities were improved to handle larger and faster aircraft. Still one of America's busiest airports, LaGuardia has witnessed the steady progress of American commercial aviation, from flying boats to jetliners.

Join local author Harry Gratwick as he uncovers stories of adventure and bravery from the forts of Maine.

Whether dotting the coastline, guarding the banks of the Kennebec or defending the Canadian border, Maine's many forts have sheltered its towns and people since the seventeenth century. Both Fort Kent and Fort Fairfield were built after the War of 1812 during the Aroostook War, when hostilities raged between Mainers and British Canadians over the region's rich timber stands. Portland Harbor's Fort Preble became embroiled in the Civil War when a Confederate raider tried—and failed—to steal a ship from its waters. In the twentieth century, Maine's preservationists protected many of these citadels, including Fort Knox in Penobscot Bay, the largest and most elaborate of all Maine's forts.

Sometimes the coolest places are right outside your front door. Learning about San Francisco’s interesting and unique culture has never been so super fun!

Did you know that San Francisco was one of the most popular places to secure a fortune during the Gold Rush? Or that you can still visit Alcatraz, the country’s most secure Federal prison, to this day? From the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, to the Mexican-American War, Super Cities!: San Francisco covers it all, and is sure to engage any reader with fun facts about the history, culture, and people who make this city great. Stroll along Pier 39, explore Chinatown, and try delicious chocolate at Ghirardelli Square, all right here. Take a peek inside to learn more about the impressive, unusual, super history of San Francisco!

Boasting over 15 million tourists visiting every year, this Florida city is one of America's oldest and one of its most popular.

The Making of St. Petersburg captures the character of this bay city through its past, from the Spanish clash with indigenous peoples to the creation of the downtown waterfront parks and grand hotels. Take a journey with local historian Will Michaels as he chronicles St. Petersburg's storied history, including the world's first airline, the birth of Pinellas County and the good old American pastime, Major League Baseball. The people and events in this work paint a beautiful portrait of a coastal Florida city and reveal St. Petersburg's sense of place.

Nestled in the heart of North Carolina's share of the Smoky Mountains, Asheville is one of the South's most haunted cities.

The picturesque landscape of this charming mountain destination belies what is in truth a violent, ghoulish past. Asheville has seen its share of horror, ranging from the suicide of the city's financial manager during the throws of the Depression, to hosting a tuberculosis sanitarium, to a night of murderous rampage in 1902. With wit and style, authors Ken Traylor and Delas House use their years of experience as the owners and lead guides for the ‘Haunted Ghost Tour of Asheville to steer readers on a journey through the city's eeriest sites, from Riverside Cemetery to the Battery Park Hotel. Drawing on an unmatched repertoire of spectral lore, Traylor and House present a variety of ghastly accounts that are both thrilling and chilling. Traylor's personal experience as a guide and interpreter of local ghostlore adds a unique twist to this collection of macabre stories. Through years of research, he has amassed an intriguing collection of the area's haunted tales, and with Asheville Ghosts and Legends he seeks to share the gruesome details of Asheville's wicked past.

Cincinnati Television provides an informative entertaining look at Cincinnati's broadcast history through the images and stories of its participants.

Cincinnati has a distinguished television history. Beginning before WLW-T signed on the air in February 1948, its experimental station W8XCT broadcast from the 46th floor of the Carew Tower. WKRC-TV and WCPO-TV signed on in 1949, WCET in 1954, and WXIX-TV in 1968. Since then, television has become part of the family.

Uncle Al, Skipper Ryle, Batty Hattie from Cincinnati, the Cool Ghoul, Peter Grant, Al Schottelkotte, Nick Clooney, Ruth Lyons, Paul Baby, Bob Braun, and Jerry Springer visited Cincinnati living rooms on television. Remember Midwestern Hayride, TV Dance Party, PM Magazine, Juvenile Court, Young People's Specials, Lilias, Dotty Mack, Bob Shreve, Mr. Hop, Bean's Clubhouse, The Last Prom, and Ira Joe? They are part of the collective Cincinnati history, part of the Cincinnati culture, and part of the Cincinnati family.

Jim Friedman is a Cincinnati native and resident wordsmith who has created television shows since 1979. He has won 56 regional Emmy Awards for writing, directing, and producing television shows for WCPO-TV, WKRC-TV, WLWT, WXIX, and WCET. He created The Celebrate Series, The Dooley Show, Everyday Freedom Heroes, and the Dreambuilder movies. In Cincinnati Television, he shares memories from in front of the camera, behind the scenes, and all over town.

Martha Cole Whaley recounts her 100 years of witnessing the evolution of Gatlinburg, TN.

Today, Gatlinburg is an idyllic mountain resort. But the Sugarlands Valley in the 1910s couldn't have been more different. Martha Cole Whaley began her life on the outskirts of the city and has witnessed firsthand the joy and struggle of more than one hundred years in the area. Her rich experiences include what it was like to eat onion tops for an after-school snack, bathe in a washtub behind the stove and see a zipper for the first time on the boots of the mailman. Join author Marie Maddox as she captures an amazing century of Martha's life in Gatlinburg through stories, interviews and even a few of her favorite recipes from now and then.

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.

Lexington has dozens of well-restored landmarks, but unfortunately so many more are lost forever.

The famous Phoenix Hotel, a longtime stop for weary travelers and politicians alike, has risen from its own ashes numerous times over the past centuries. The works of renowned architect John McMurtry were once numerous around town, but some of the finest examples are gone. The Centrepointe block has been made and unmade so many times that its original tenants are unknown to natives now. Join local blogger, attorney and preservationist Peter Brackney as he explores the intriguing back stories of these hidden Bluegrass treasures.

This book includes such highlights as the Grand Opera House, once graced by entertainers and cultural icons like Charlie Chaplin, Sarah Bernhardt and Mark Twain; the infamous brothels protested by reformer Carrie Nation, wielding her hatchet and sharp tongue; and the Columbia Gardens, built by copper king William Clark as a respite from the smoke and toil of the mines and later destroyed by fire. Through the stories of these structures, lost to the march of time and urban renewal, historian Richard Gibson recalls the boom and bust of Butte, once a mining metropolis and now part of the largest National Historic Landmark District.

Still a relief from everyday life, theme parks are popular now. Rediscover the thrills of the past from the lost amusement parks of New York City.

Coney Island is an iconic symbol of turn-of-the-century New York, but many other amusement parks thrilled the residents of the five boroughs. Strategically placed at the end of trolley lines, railways, public beaches and waterways, these playgrounds for rich and poor alike first appeared in 1767. From humble beginnings, they developed into huge sites like Fort George, Manhattan's massive amusement complex. Each park was influenced by the culture and eclectic tastes of its owners and patrons--from the wooden coasters at Staten Island's Midland Beach to beer gardens on Queens' North Beach and fireworks blasting from the Bronx's Starlight Park. However, as real estate became more valuable, these parks disappeared. Rediscover the thrills of the past from the lost amusement parks of New York City.

Ghost stories from the Ohio State Reformatory have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of the OSR comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit the reformatory and risk being punched by a long-dead prisoner. Or listen for the ghostly voices of former guards and convicts echoing through the halls. Perhaps you’ll encounter the spirit of a neighbor who still patrols the road outside the prison! Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Join author David Healey as he keeps an eye to the red horizon and chronicles the most remarkable storms to churn the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

Even before John Smith's crew weathered its first squall, the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries had been ravaged by every type of storm imaginable. A 1769 hurricane altered the course of history, demolishing the shipping channels of Charlestown and making Baltimore the dominant port. A once-in-five-hundred-years storm, Tropical Storm Agnes, left more than seventy people dead and devastated the ecology of the bay. Before the blizzards of 2009 and 2010, the snowfall record was held by the combination of the Great Eastern Blizzard of 1899, which blew the water out of the bay, and the Great White Hurricane, which stranded the oyster fleet of Baltimore in feet of ice.

The Battle of Perryville, fought on October 8, 1862, was the largest and most significant Civil War battle fought in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The Battle of Perryvillelaid waste to more than just soldiers and their supplies. The commonwealth's largest combat engagement also took an immense toll on the community of Perryville, and citizens in surrounding towns.

After Confederates achieved a tactical victory, they were nonetheless forced to leave the area. With more than 7,500 casualties, the remaining Union soldiers were unprepared for the enormous tasks of burying the dead, caring for the wounded, and rebuilding infrastructure. Instead, this arduous duty fell to the brave and battered locals.

Former executive director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, author Stuart Sanders presents the first in depth look into how the resilient residents dealt with the chaos of this bloody battle and how they rebuilt their town from the rubble leftover.

In this unique look at historic crimes of the Piedmont, Frances Casstevens offers readers a glimpse into the criminal mind and the consequences of criminal actions. No matter what piques your interest - be it Civil War stories or young love torn apart by tragedy - Casstevens provides sure-fire ammunition to keep the pages turning. Discover the true-life tales of the outlaw Jesse Dobbins, or of Daisy Hunt, a pregnant twenty-year-old who watches helplessly as her beloved bleeds to death in the snow. Read the story of the infamous Charles Lawson, a man who did the unthinkable - kill himself, his wife and his six children on Christmas Day, 1929. These are but a few examples of the featured tragedies that have shocked the North Carolina Piedmont in the last 150 years.

Frances Casstevens, historian, genealogist, and former professor at Wake Forest University, delivers facts in a spellbinding manner. Death in North Carolina's Piedmont: Tales of Murder, Suicide and Causes Unknown meticulously presents the details of each case and leaves it to you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions.

The River City. Marietta, in Ohio was one of the earliest premanent settlements in the US and as the ""new frontier, building steamboats and home to riverboats, has a long and vibrant history.

Marietta, known as the ""River City,"" was the first permanent settlement of the Northwest Territory. In 1788, General Rufus Putnam and 48 pioneers founded this organized settlement at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, eventually leading it to become a major riverboat community with many steamboat-building yards. Marietta was a main thoroughfare for people migrating to the new frontier, including those seeking freedom on the Underground Railroad route. Marietta's accessibility from the rivers and both rail and road has made Marietta the hub of business, industry, education, and recreation in Southeastern Ohio for centuries. Today's downtown business and residential areas still reflect its long and rich history.

Anything but Boring

The town of Boring has seen more than its fair share of interesting events since its founding in 1903. From secretly hiring an up-and-coming boxer to fight the town bully to the time firecrackers were blamed for burning down half the town, memorable moments abound. Discover the story of the wild man who lived in the woods and the attempts of Prohibition-era moonshiners to evade the law. Uncover the true identity of the Wild West Gang, and the real story of a runaway train loaded with potatoes.

Join author Bruce Haney as he explores the peculiar side of this exciting town.

Devour this delectable, surprising history of one of America's most beloved confectioners with first-hand accounts and stories.

In 1898, Switzerland's Nestlé Company was searching for a location to build its first milk processing plant in the United States. Upstate New York's bountiful dairy farms sealed the deal for a factory in Fulton. Soon another Swiss company requested space at the factory to produce a confection that had taken Europe by storm: the milk chocolate bar. Over the next century, factory technicians invented classic treats including the Nestlé Crunch Bar, Toll House Morsels and Nestlé Quik. With 1,500 workers churning out 1 million pounds of candy per day, Fulton became known as the city that smelled like chocolate. Author Jim Farfaglia recounts the delectable history of Nestlé in Fulton.

A collection of rare and vintage images documents the fascinating history of Westerly and its many stages of development over time.

These images take us on a journey into the past. We see pictures of local buildings and businesses, many of which no longer exist but are still warmly remembered by native citizens, and we also see the many stages of development, including street widening and drainage, which have revolutionized life for local people over the decades. Other photographs show how much transport in particular has changed, as we see the great sailing vessels of the early nineteenth century and early modes of transport such as horses and carriages and open trolleys. From livery stables in the 1800s we are transported to the era of the automobile with pictures of Hoxsie Plymouth Dodge in the early 1900s and early autos from the 1920s and 1930s. There are images of the famous local Smith quarries, showing granite employees at work and the oxen-drawn carts used at that time. Taken over many decades, the photographs collected here bring home just how much the town has changed over the years. We experience bad times as well as good as we witness the many fires which have so drastically changed the landscape of Westerly and also the harsh years of the 1930s when the area was devastated by the Great Depression. Most important of all, we encounter the local people of Westerly, at work and at play over the decades, including school groups, sports teams, fraternities, and individual portraits of the men, women, and children who have created Westerly's history. Combining fascinating old photographs and concise, yet informative, text, this compelling visual history will delight young and old, resident and visitor alike.

Long before it became a premier residential community and a social, cultural, and commercial center, Birmingham was a pioneer village in search of an identity.

Birmingham, Michigan was born when the first three European settlers, John West Hunter, Elijah Willits, and John Hamilton, established taverns within shouting distance of one another on a trail used by Native Americans and trappers. The isolated outpost was soon a fledgling village with a railroad, mill, and foundry. '

Early leaders had high hopes that Birmingham would one day become an industrial center to rival its namesake in England. But the Industrial Revolution largely bypassed Birmingham, instead landing on four wheels at nearby Detroit and Pontiac. By the 1920s, the quiet and cozy village of church bells, ice-cream socials, and tidy storefronts was well on its way to becoming one of the most desirable communities in the country.

Craig Jolly draws on the extensive resources of the Birmingham Historical Museum to tell the fascinating story of Birmingham's transformation from a pioneer settlement to an extremely appealing 21st-century town that symbolizes, for many, the fruition of the American dream

This book chronicles the history of the HMS Gaspee, a sloop in the British Royal Navy that was sent to patrol the waters of Narragansett Bay in 1772.

The Gaspee cracked down on smugglers and enforced British customs regulation, particularly the Stamp Act. The ship and her captain, William Duddington, were quickly hated by colonists for their campaign of brutality, harassment, and arbitrary enforcement. When the Gaspee ran around in shallow waters, while in pursuit of a colonist merchant ship, they took immediate action. The colonists, led by John Brown and other local notables, burned Gaspee and wounded her captain. This act of revolt preceded the Boston Tea Party by 18 months.

Crime and Punishment

In the fall of 1920, two couples pulled into a campsite just off the famous Yellowstone Trail. A few weeks later, one couple drove away, while the other simply vanished. The identities and fate of the couple left behind didn’t hit newsstands until three years later. In one of the most sensational murder cases ever played out in a Montana court, Seth Orrin Danner put up a fight for his life and lost. The state executed Seth on July 18, 1924, at the Gallatin County Jail, but did he commit the crimes?

Historian Kelly Hartman follows the trail of the Danner family from Kansas to Montana and details the trial of the century, trying to decipher what truly happened in Central Park on that grisly day.

Join author Lewis Bowling as he recounts the history of the Duke University Men's Basketball program through the lens of over 200 vintage images.

The Duke University men's basketball program is certainly one such tradition, and Lewis Bowling has assembled more than two hundred brilliant photographs spanning the entire history of the program to show it. Enjoy a front-row view as this distinctive collection recounts Blue Devil glory, from the first teams of Trinity College through Eddie Cameron's masterful guidance and, of course, the unrivaled success under the watch of Coach K. Featuring forewords from the legendary Voice of the Blue Devils Bob Harris and former head coach Bucky Waters, Cameron Crazies far and wide will hail this celebration of Duke's greatest moments and some of basketball's most legendary coaches and players.

Chronicling Indians and aviators, stock cars and sand traps, Florida's First Coast is a delightful collection of vintage images and local lore, sure to enchant newcomers and residents alike.

p>A well-loved local, retired U. S. Navy Captain Jack Pate decided to tell others the story of the First Coast Beaches after falling in love with the area himself. Using the extensive collections of the Beaches Area Historical Society, Captain Jack introduces the history of the people who settled the Beaches area and their love-hate relationship with the two bodies of water that define it: the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean.

Author R. Scott Williams details the spectacular exploits of a true adventurer.

Richard Halliburton ran away from his hometown in Memphis at the age of nineteen to lead an extraordinary and dramatic life of adventure. Against the backdrop of the Golden Age, the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, Halliburton's exploits around the globe made him an internationally known celebrity and the most famous travel writer of his time. From climbing Mount Olympus in Greece to swimming the Panama Canal and literally flying all the way to Timbuktu, Halliburton experienced and wrote about adventures that others never even believed possible. His youthful spirit and bohemian lifestyle won the hearts of millions.

Ghost stories from Fredericksburg have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

Welcome to spooky Fredericksburg, Virginia!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that every seven years, a spectral woman in white walks the grounds of Chatham Manor? Or that at the Rising Sun Tavern, a rowdy spirit has been spooking people for centuries? Can you believe the ghost of Mary Washington still tends her beloved garden, waiting for her son George to visit?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Fredericksburg forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

Since opening its doors in September 1965, Rock Valley College has been a cornerstone of education and community for northern Illinois. From its formation following a district-wide referendum in October 1964, the college embraced national and regional movements, demonstrating that Rock Valley College’s story is one of progress and transformation.

During the 1970s, the college expanded educational, employment, and athletic opportunities for women, and in the 1980s, it confronted the region’s Rust Belt decline through investments in advanced technical and health care fields. This legacy continued in the 21st century when Rock Valley College formed partnerships with Northern Illinois University and OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center. The college’s dedication to high-quality liberal arts and science education has empowered students to transfer to four-year universities, while its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment reflects the growing diversity of the community. Rock Valley College’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. Its alumni—over 33,000 degree and certificate holders—serve as a testament to the college's lasting impact.

Daniel Blumlo, PhD, is a history professor at Rock Valley College, where he has taught since 2010. This book draws upon images and documents from the Rock Valley College Archives and the Starlight Theater Archives to chronicle the college’s dynamic journey.

Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez is a Nuevomexicana with roots in northwestern New Mexico and has family connections in Concho. Angela Perea Murphy grew up in Concho and resides across the street from her childhood home. They are both proud to share more than 150 photographs showcasing Concho life from the early 1910s though the 1970s, provided by private collections and now archived as part of the Voces Oral History Center at the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection as well as photographs from photographer Russell Lee that can be found at the Library of Congress.

Settled in 1861 by Manuel Antonio “M.A.” Candelaria, the town of Concho, or Old Concho, is situated in northeastern Arizona in what is now Apache County. Many New Mexican Hispano Catholic families migrated to Concho from the central and western New Mexico Territory, establishing a sheepherding community that continued into the early 20th century. The valley had a natural spring that enabled orchards, farms, and ranches to thrive. The town saw the establishment of important businesses in Concho, including the first bank in Apache County. One of the most beloved buildings, the San Rafael Catholic Church, was established in 1925 and is still standing today. Many of the founding families—Ortega, Padilla, Sandoval, Martínez, Romero, García, Durán, Candelaria, Baca, Saiz, Chávez, Archuleta, and others—were part of this lively village community and are proud to carry on its legacy. Though Concho is now classified as a ghost town, the photographs and stories contained in this book share a different narrative. 

Dr. Ann Webster Bunch delves into the enigmatic disappearance of William Morgan, a 19th-century figure whose threat to expose Masonic secrets led to his mysterious vanishing, igniting political turmoil and leaving a case that remains unresolved nearly 200 years later.

William Morgan was last seen in Batavia, New York, in September 1826, down on his luck and haunting the local pubs. An elusive local citizen, he had recently threatened to publish purported Masonic secrets. He was later arrested that same month in Canandaigua for petty theft and eventually transported and held in Fort Niagara. From there Morgan seems to have disappeared forever. The local Freemasons were accused of his demise. State Assemblyman and newspaper editor Thurlow Weed fanned the political flames to great effect. Yet Morgan was to return, this time in stone, atop a monument erected at Old Cemetery, Batavia, in 1882. Enigmatically, no body lies there. Thus, the case of Mr. Morgan technically remains that of a missing person almost two hundred years after his disappearance. Dr. Ann Webster Bunch takes an investigative science approach to this extremely cold case to demystify and highlight ways to resolve the fate of this highly polarizing historical figure.

Using materials from the vast university archives in the Edith Garland Dupré Library, Drs. Zachary G. Stein and Michael S. Martin trace the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's dynamic history.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) welcomed its first classes in 1901. Originally a vocational school, the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute, it has since grown in physical size from a small parcel of former farmland to a campus of more than 1,300 acres and a student population of a handful of students to over 19,000 enrollees. Under the leadership of six presidents across more than 120 years, UL Lafayette’s students and faculty have overcome devastating adversities and ushered in dynamic changes. They provided relief amid the Great Flood of 1927, built military training programs during World War II, and developed among the nation’s earliest computer science labs and classes. Dozens of Black students made history in 1954 by being the first cohort to desegregate a previously all-white public college in the Deep South. Today, as an R1 institution, UL Lafayette continues to expand its reach through pathbreaking research, technological and environmental innovation, and dedication to its region’s unique cultures and history. 

The Stories Behind the Albums

Carolina beach music—those often-soulful songs about the beach, parties, that special love, dancing or just relaxing in the sun—has long been a mainstay of culture in the Southeast. Yet until the late 1960s, you needed an impressive collection of 45s if you wanted to hear those songs in your home or at a party. But beginning with Atlantic Records’ Beach Beat in 1967, that music slowly became available on albums from Bell, Warner Bros., Ripete and other labels. Through interviews and firsthand accounts, author Rick Simmons examines the stories behind those classic albums, the people who created them and the artists and songs that contributed to the phenomenon known as Carolina beach music.

Some say it was the biggest theft in American history. Maybe it was.

The multimillion-dollar burglary at eccentric gambler LaVere Redfield’s Reno mansion was an endless comedy of errors. A target who hides from cameras and gets embarrassed for his dog. A failed songwriter “mastermind” who can’t keep her mouth shut. A safecracker who can’t pick a lock. And a convicted killer who allows his ill-gotten gains to be stolen while his pants are down. In almost every way, the 1952 Reno Heist is a study in how not to commit a crime, which is likely why the case lives on in infamy.

Historian Gavin Schmitt unfolds the notorious misadventures of bumbling crooks, shady casino owners and femme fatales.

Author Robert Redd dives into the stories you won’t find in any orange juice–dispensing Florida Welcome Center. Swaying palms, sandy beaches and the promise of a good life have beckoned generations to Florida. But the Sunshine State’s allure is appealing to the upstanding and vile in equal measure. A key member of the Abraham Lincoln assassination conspiracy moldered in Florida soil—the same goes for the failed assassin of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Henry Flagler pushed the Florida legislature to alter divorce law so he could extricate himself from one marriage and start anew with a woman nearly four decades his junior. The Ashley Gang left a trail of bank robberies, stolen cars and dead bodies across South Florida. And from bootleggers to land boom con men to especially aggressive insurance fraudsters, Floridians have a history of making money the dirty way.

When the French and Indian War ended in 1763, Salem longed for a time of tranquility.

However, that conflict left England deeply in debt and determined to reduce its obligations by taxing America. Salem’s citizens initially opposed parliamentary taxes because they believed that the English were profiting from them. As Britain levied new taxes and pressed local officials to collect them, divisions erupted in town. In 1774, Salem became the capital of Massachusetts. By then, its citizens were being taxed from abroad, governed by an English general and tried before judges and juries appointed by royal officials. Join historian Richard J. Morris as he explores how the struggle for independence changed the town of Salem.