Spooky Season Reads

Charleston Like It's Never Been Seen

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.

The beautiful mountains of south-central West Virginia can be simultaneously challenging and rewarding to travelers. Pre-Columbian First Nations people traversed the Allegheny Mountain Range for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. The natural mountain barrier stood as a formidable challenge to the newcomers. Union and Confederate forces traversed West Virginia, but artillery trails and oxen paths were ill-suited for trucks and automobiles. During World War II, Allied forces witnessed the significance of Germany's autobahn in terms of troop movement. Still, planning for a US interstate highway system evolved slowly. In 1947, leaders in the West Virginia State Legislature approved funds to build a turnpike from Wheeling to Princeton. Cost concerns prompted legislative leaders to modify the plan and select a route from Charleston to Princeton. The southern part of the two-lane version of the turnpike opened to nationwide acclaim in 1955. The unrivaled beauty of the 88-mile superhighway; the incredible travel time savings and attractions, including Tamarack--a marketplace for West Virginia artists and artisans; and a conference center have transformed the West Virginia Turnpike into an attractive destination excellent for visiting travelers as well as West Virginians.

Abe Lincoln did not split rails in Tampa, and George Washington's cherry tree might not have been cut in Miami-Dade, but in Key West, the famous Harry S. Truman sign--"The Buck Stops Here"--still resides on the former president's Florida White House desk. A few hours north is the Kennedy bunker, complete with the presidential seal painted on the concrete floor just in case the Soviets started a nuclear war while Kennedy was vacationing in Palm Beach. Florida may not have a presidential homestead, but it contains the Disney resort where an embattled Richard Nixon exclaimed "I am not a crook" and the fishing hole where Chester A. Arthur discovered that he would not live to see a second term. It is the place where presidents have come to escape and let down their guards. For generations, the Sunshine State has turned commanders in chief into relaxed tourists, allowing them to juggle the formal functions of the office while reconnecting with their private lives. Illustrated with rare and candid photographs, Presidential Vacations in Florida is a book for any lover of the American presidency.

A part of Belt's City Anthology Series, a unique take on Charm City through the eyes of those who live there every day.To many outsiders, Baltimore--sometimes derisively called Mobtown or Bodymore--is a city famous for its poverty and violence, twin ills that have been compounded by decades of racial segregation and the loss of manufacturing jobs. But that portrait has only given us a skewed view of a truly unique and diverse American city, the place that produced Babe Ruth, Elijah Cummings, Nancy Pelosi, Edgar Allan Poe, John Waters, and Thurgood Marshall, and a city that's completely its own. In the over thirty-five essays, poems, and short stories collected here, the authors take an unfiltered look at the ins and outs of Baltimore's past and present. You'll hear about the first time an umbrella appeared in the Inner Harbor, nineteenth-century grave robbers, and the city's history with redlining and blockbusting. But you'll also get a deeper sense of what life is like in Baltimore today, including stories about urban gardening in Bolton Hill, the slow demise of local journalism, what life was like in the city during COVID, and the legacy of Freddie Gray. As Ron Kipling Williams writes in his essay about the city's magnetic appeal, Baltimore has always been a city worth fighting for, and running through all these essays is the story of Baltimore's resilience. From Pigtown to Pimlico, this anthology captures the sights, sounds, and feel of this city that so many people have come to discover is truly a lovely place, a fighting place, a charmer. Edited by Gary M. Almeter and Rafael Alvarez, this anthology offers an unfiltered look at Baltimore that will appeal to anyone looking for a portrait of an American city that's far more nuanced than the stories that are generally told about it.

Tybee Island has fought hard to survive wars, earthquakes, hurricanes, the Great Depression, and even Prohibition, and while Tybee fights hard, Tybee plays hard. Tybee has a unique story as one of the top tourist destinations of the early 20th century. From the early days, when people could only reach Tybee by train, to the upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, souvenir postcards tell the story of Tybee's unique and diverse history.

Oxford, Maryland, is an exceptionally well-preserved waterfront community on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Although Oxford has weathered wars, economic booms and busts, and shifting demographics since its colonial origins in the mid-17th century, many of its most distinguishing features--both natural and man-made--have survived. By the end of the 19th century, when photography was widespread in America, Oxford was growing from a sleepy backwater village into a bustling working-class town. Most residents made a living by harvesting and selling oysters and crabs or by working in the trades that supported that thriving industry. Schools, churches, and civic organizations expanded as families moved in. The year-round population, barely 300 in the 1870s, was over 1200 by 1910. That all changed by the end of World War II, as overfishing and marine diseases decimated the native oysters and shuttered local seafood businesses. Gradually, tourists and retirees discovered "quaint" Oxford. Recreational sailors replaced working watermen, and the seafood packing houses made way for waterfront restaurants. Today, Oxford remains undeniably picturesque, and just beneath the surface lies a deep and rich history.

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..

Master storyteller Sherman Carmichael ventures into the Tar Heel State to deliver strange and mysterious tales along the coast. Read about shipwrecks such as that of the SS Liberator, which still sits at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Diamond Shoals, and legendary storms like the 1911 Water Spouts, which were described as tornadoes spinning wildly atop the ocean. Find out why the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is said to be haunted by a large black cat. Learn about the origins of Boo Hag, a fiendish creature that sucks the life out of her victims as they sleep at night—a tale that originates from the rich Gullah culture of the Carolinas. Join Carmichael as he contemplates these stories and more from the mysterious side of North Carolina's beloved coastal counties.

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.

Every portion of Central Georgia is thoroughly haunted. Tobe, the ghost of Orna Villa in Oxford, had an appetite for biscuits. Angry spirits near Augusta drove a family from a beautiful old home. Paranormal entities in a home cobbled together from three old houses created a tapestry of supernatural events. People still seek advice from a fortuneteller dead half a century, and a long-deceased girl hitches a ride home on the same night each year. Author Jim Miles presents a ghost story from each of the fifty-one counties in this historic region.

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.

What did Lake Norman look like before it became a major tourist attraction for Mooresville? This volume of historical postcards features buildings, businesses, and sites that are no longer around, with topics ranging from early life in the town to advertisements for early hotels, trains, World War I and World War II, churches and schools, and the importance of the lake to the community. Images for this volume come from the Mooresville Postcard Collection, part of the Local History and Archives. Author Henry A. Poore is a lifelong Mooresville resident whose roots trace back to Mooresville and Iredell County since the 1700s. He has collected and researched postcards that were printed in Mooresville and worked to create the archives at the town's library. He has served as curator, archivist, and town historian and is the chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission for Mooresville and a founding member of the Mooresville Museum.

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.

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 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. Join Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz as they share tales of Florida's myths, monsters, massacres and legends and the hidden history behind them.

Chilling tales from north Georgia, where even the outhouses are haunted!

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

Cape Hatteras National Seashore was authorized by Congress on August 17, 1937, and established on January 12, 1953. As the nation's first national seashore, it encompasses 30,000 acres and crosses three islands, Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke, for approximately 70 miles. Nearby Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, located within the authorized seashore boundary, is 5,880 acres. Over the centuries, the seashore has witnessed major historic events, including the landing of the first English explorers, the death of Blackbeard the pirate, Civil War battles, German U-boat attacks, hundreds of shipwrecks, and devastating hurricanes. Descended from horses brought over by Spanish explorers, the Ocracoke ponies still roam the landscape. This National Park Service unit also includes the majestic Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras, and Ocracoke Lighthouses. The seashore is a haven for wildlife and recreational beachgoers. Cape Hatteras National Seashore showcases the rich natural and cultural heritage of America's first national seashore.

People have called the land near the Ocmulgee River in present-day central Georgia home for a long time, perhaps as many as 17,000 years, and each successive group has left its mark on the landscape. Mississippian-era people erected the towering Great Temple Mound and other large earthworks around 1,000 years ago. In the late 17th century, Ocmulgee flourished as a center of trade between the Creek Indians and their English neighbors. In the 19th century, railroads did irreparable damage to the site in the name of progress and profit, slicing through it twice. Preservation efforts bore fruit in the 1930s, when Ocmulgee National Monument was created. Since then, people from all over the world have visited Ocmulgee. They come for many reasons, but they invariably leave with a reverence for the place and the people who built it hundreds of years ago and those who have maintained it in recent decades.

Shiver with these eerie stories of the Sunshine State after dark.

Surrounded by golden beaches, sparkling Atlantic waters, and palm trees as far as the eye can sea, Florida can give the appearance of a tropical paradise, but the Sunshine State is home to numerous eerie legends and mysterious creatures. From reports of an elusive Skunk Ape skulking around the Everglades, to an uncanny doll said to be cursed with a life of its own sits inside a glass case in the Florida Keys to welcome any tourists brave enough to come near, and even the tale of a man in South Florida who constructed his own castle by ways still unknown. Join Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz as they uncover the history behind the state's creepies stories and unusual locations.