The History Press

The ancient hills of Western North Carolina have cradled a culture that encompasses Cherokee heritage, pioneer legacies and urban visions.

For those who visit and those who make the region their home, there is something captivating about the mountains of Western North Carolina. We meet Lillian Exum Clement, the first female legislator in the South; and Nina Simone, the African American singing prodigy from Tryon. We get to view controversial elements of the Civil War in Western North Carolina from multiple points of view and draw our own conclusions. We comprehend the variety of people who have created the region as it exists now—alive with traditions, contradictions and promise.

Instead of merely reciting historical fact, and with a warm, accessible style, Asheville Citizen Times writer Rob Neufeld helps readers understand the history of the mountains by allowing us to walk in the shoes of the Native Americans, farmers, soldiers and others who preceded us. More than an enlightening read, this book illuminates the progression of frontier life that we have come to know as Western North Carolina history. By linking the lives and experiences of the land's various inhabitants, Neufeld captures the spirit of Appalachia within this volume.

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.

A historic guide to Washington, D.C.’s neighborhoods, featuring photographs, maps, and beautiful drawings.

- Get off the National Mall and enjoy nine walking and driving tours of Washington, D.C.’s historic neighborhood

- Discover the hidden history of the nation’s capital with tales of political intrigue, scandal, romance and tragedy.

- Experience the overlooked architectural and cultural treasures in such neighborhoods as Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan and Mount Vernon Square.

Owner of A Tour de Force Guided Tours, D.C. historian Jeanne Fogle leads her readers through the hidden sites and history of Washington, D.C.’s neighborhoods. Charming sketches by Edward Fogle and vintage photographs accompany each tour, casting a new light on the city. Visitors and local alike will be surprised and delighted by the discoveries that can be made beyond the monuments.

A delightful collection delivering the curious history of a Connecticut town bursting with character.

Welcome to Rowayton, a vibrant community nestled on the shores of Long Island Sound and encompassed by the city of Norwalk, Connecticut. Great steamships once delivered thousands of visitors daily to Roton Point to enjoy one of the premier amusement parks on the eastern seaboard. Roton Point was also home to the nation's oldest continuously operated multi-hull racing club and was the birthplace of the winged sail design for C-class catamarans. In this collection of vignettes, rumrunners, a missing two-hundred-foot steamship, a national scandal and the notorious Long Island Express hurricane of 1938 that almost destroyed Roton Point all introduce readers to a grand time in New England history.

Experience the historic superflood that decimated the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys and the resilience displayed by the people of Memphis.

The greatest flood in United States history struck the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys in January 1937. Perhaps no single flood in the United States had caused as much damage, displayed as much brutal natural force and displaced as many people. Not even the calamitous flood of 1927, which has eclipsed the '37 flood in terms of historical coverage was as massive. Author and Memphis local Patrick O'Daniel illustrates how this national natural disaster affected Memphis, in particular, and how the politicians of the day, from national figures like FDR to local political bosses like Ed Crump, handled unprecedented infrastructural challenges. Yet beyond politics and policy, O'Daniel tells the story of this historic disaster through the eyes of everyday Memphians, their struggles, care for thousands of desperate refugees and the measures they took to save their city from this devastating flood.

Learn and discover how African-Americans have held a prominent place in the history of Chattanooga dating back to the 16th century.

Did you know that Chattanooga is the hometown of the first African-American appointed to lead counsel on a Supreme Court case? The home of the nation's oldest student, who learned to read at age 116? The home of the African-American blacksmith who put shackles on the Andrew's Raiders after the Great Locomotive Chase? The site of one of the first integrated police departments in the South? Author Rita Lorraine Hubbard chronicles the ways African-Americans have shaped Chattanooga, and presents inspirational achievements that have gone largely unheralded over the years - and so much more!

A fascinating history of Virginia wines, documenting the wine industry's very foundation in this state.

Go beyond the bottle and step inside the minds, and vines, of Virginia's burgeoning wine industry in this groundbreaking volume. Join grape grower and industry insider Walker Elliott Rowe as he guides you through some of the top vineyards and wineries in the Old Dominion. Rowe explores the minds of pioneering winemakers and vineyard owners, stitches together an account of the wine industry's foundation in Virginia, from Jamestown to Jefferson to Barboursville, and uncovers the fascinating missing chapter in Virginia wine history. As the Philip Carter Winery motto explains, Before there was Jefferson, there was Carter.  Rowe goes behind the scenes to interview migrant workers who toil daily in the vineyards, makes the rounds in Richmond with an industry lobbyist and talks shop with winemakers on the science and techniques that have helped put the Virginia wine industry on the map. Also included are twenty-four stunning color photographs from professional photographer Jonathan Timmes and a foreword by noted wine journalist Richard Leahy.

Discover the paranormal secrets behind this bustling Los Angeles port.

Home to one of the busiest ports in the country, San Pedro plays host to visitors from all walks of life—and death. Locals swap supernatural stories of shipwrecked ghosts, lost lighthouse keepers, suicidal lovers, and more.

The spirit of a native Gabrieleno man wanders the grounds of the Wayfarers Chapel. The phantom smell of a Civil War officer’s cigar smoke wafts through the halls of the Drum Barracks. A dedicated employee of the historic Warner Brothers Theatre still fixes jammed film reels and tests equipment in the projection room.

In this spine-chilling account, historian and paranormal investigator Brian Clune delves into the history and mysteries of these spooky seaside haunts.

The lives of the distinguished citizens and memories of the Connecticut Gold Coast town are chronicled here.

The historic community of Greenwich is nestled along Connecticut's famed Gold Coast. The shores and waves of Long Island Sound draw people to its unique seaside, which also maintains a peaceful residents only beach. As a coastal community the opportunities for businesses were plentiful, from the exporting of oysters to the Palmer Engine Company who supplied engines for every lifeboat during WWII. This pristine waterfront is home to historic Tod's Point and has a plethora of elite Yacht Clubs dotting the shoreline. Author Karen Jewell chronicles the lives of distinguished citizens and the memories of yesteryear in her latest coastal narrative detailing the Greenwich waterfront.

The History of Weiss Lake was filled with debate. Read how the past of this area was reshaped and the area matured.

Until the late 1950s, the major body of water for residents of northeast Alabama was the Coosa River, which wove prominently through the rural landscape of the region. When Alabama Power Company decided to dam the river in order to build a thirty-thousand-acre reservoir, locals were divided about whether to welcome the hydroelectricity and potential prosperity or resist losing their land and proud agrarian heritage. Three years and millions of cubic yards of earth later, Weiss Lake emerged to alter Cherokee County history permanently. Post editor and county native Scott Wright presents a captivating collection of personal recollections and historical vignettes to illustrate the magnitude of the lake's influence in shaping the future of the area--and damming its past.

Discover some of Southwest Pennsylvania's most harrowing ghost tales.

The ghostly woman of Summit Cut Bridge, a black hound that guards the Gates of Hell and the whispering dead entombed beneath the Black Crossthese are the spirits of southwestern Pennsylvania. Join local author Thomas White as he recounts such chilling stories as that of Revolutionary War witch Moll Derry and the phantom bride of White Rocks and the hair-raising tale of the angry specter of a steel millworker burned alive in a ladle of molten iron. Ascend the secret stairs of the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh and wander the dim stretch of Shades of Death Road in Washington County to encounter the otherworldly denizens of the Keystone State.

America's Playground has seen many changes over the years. From architectural to botanical, Lost Miami Beach covers these changes and the development of the current preservation strategy.

Miami Beach has been America's Playground for a century. Still one of the world's most popular resorts, its 1930s Art Deco architecture placed this picturesque city on the National Register of Historic Places. Yet a whole generation of earlier buildings was erased from the landscape and mostly forgotten: the house of refuge for shipwrecked sailors, the oceanfront mansions of Millionaires' Row, entrepreneur Carl Fisher's five grand hotels, the Community Theatre, the Miami Beach Garden and more. Join historian Carolyn Klepser as she rediscovers through words and pictures the lost treasures of Miami Beach and recounts the changes that sparked a renowned preservation movement.

Henderson County is known for its country inns, houses of worship and picturesque landscapes.

Behind all the beautiful scenery is a colorful history that runs deeper than any creek or holler. Revel in the family and farming heritage of Edneyville, Clear Creek, Green River Township, Hoopers Creek and Fruitland. Relive the resort era when the region boomed as a tourist destination. Learn how the wee population center of Goodluck came by its name, and inhale the sweet fragrance of apple blossoms that bloom every springtime. Drawing from interviews, documents and a gallery of both contemporary and time-honored photography, author and researcher Terry Ruscin renders his adopted Henderson County in vivid detail.

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.

Some of Birmingham Alabama’s history has been lost. This book takes a look at this lost history and brings it back to life.

Birmingham has many notable historic landmarks today, but so many more are all but forgotten. The Bangor Cave Casino was once a world-renowned speakeasy. The Thomas Jefferson Hotel featured a zeppelin mooring station, drawing lots of attention from tourists. Other significant sites from the past, such as Hillman Hospital and the buildings on the Heaviest Corner on Earth, are unknown even to natives now. Local author Beverly Crider presents an intriguing and educational tour through these and more hidden treasures.

Through firsthand accounts, interviews with survivors and a gripping collection of vintage photographs, author Michael Skidgell attempts to make sense of one of Hartford's worst tragedies.

Almost 7,000 fans eagerly packed into the Ringling Brothers big top on July 6, 1944. With a single careless act, an afternoon at the Greatest Show on Earth quickly became one of terror and tragedy as the paraffin-coated circus tent caught fire. Panicked crowds rushed for the few exits, but in minutes, the tent collapsed on those still struggling to escape below. A total of 168 lives were lost, many of them children, with many more injured and forever scarred by the events. Hartford and the surrounding communities reeled in the aftermath as investigators searched for the source of the fire and the responsible parties.

John DeFerrari investigates the bygone institutions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with an engaging collection of new vignettes and reader favorites from his blog The Streets of Washington.

Washington seems the eternal and unchanging Federal City with its grand avenues and stately monuments. Yet the city that locals once knew - lavish window displays at Woodies, supper at the grand Raleigh Hotel and a Friday night game at Griffith Stadium - is gone. From the raucous age of burlesque at the Gayety Theater and the once bustling Center Market to the mystery of Suter's Tavern and the disappearance of the Key mansion in Georgetown, DeFerrari recalls the lost Washington, D.C., of yesteryear.

Author Christopher Pagliuco reveals the all-but-forgotten stories of these Connecticut heroes.

When Puritans Edward Whalley and William Goffe joined the parliamentary army against King Charles I in the English civil wars, they seized an opportunity to overthrow a tyrant. Yet when his son, Charles II, regained the throne, Whalley and Goffe were forced to flee to the New England colonies aboard the ship Prudent Mary--never to see their families or England again. Even with the help of New England's Puritan elite, including Reverend John Davenport, they struggled to stay ahead of the authorities in Boston, New Haven, and the outpost of Hadley, Massachusetts. Though forced to live out the rest of their lives fugitives, these former major generals survived frontier adventures in seventeenth-century New England, and became embedded in early United States history.

Jacksonville during the '50s and '60s was a wonderful and energetic place for the children who called it home

The northeast corner of the Sunshine State was the perfect and picturesque backdrop for some of America's timeless traditions. Mothers belonged to garden clubs and fathers played the golf links, while the children who grew up in Jacksonville frolicked on the warm beaches and fed peanuts to Miss Chic, the first elephant at the Jacksonville Zoo. They strapped on skates and held hands as they circled the rink of the famous Skateland, wandered down the stacks at Haydon Burns Library and crossed the many bridges that traversed Jacksonville's waterways. Join Dorothy Fletcher, former columnist for the Florida Times-Union, as she recounts the memories and adventures of the people who grew up Jacksonville.

With this collection of the best of his columns from the Baltimore Jewish Times, Gilbert Sandler crafts a brilliant portrait of Jewish Baltimore.

Baltimore is the cultural hub of Maryland's Jewish community, and for three decades, local legend Gilbert Sandler has chronicled its stories. With this collection of the best of his columns from the Baltimore Jewish Times, Sandler crafts a brilliant portrait of Jewish Baltimore. Join Sandler as he evokes memories of the corner drugstore, rides at Carlin's Park and freshly fried coddies. From these warmly familiar scenes of neighborhood life, Sandler moves to stories of the community banding together during the Great Depression and the extraordinary courage of rabbis and their congregations during the civil rights protests of the 1960s. Recall the halcyon days and share the joys and sorrows of Charm City's Jewish community.

Moored near shifting shoals and treacherous reefs, lightships remained on station during all weather conditions and played a vital role in keeping America's waterways safe for navigation. From 1820 to 1985, light vessels warned of treacherous seas and pointed the way to safe harbors. In Lightships, author Wayne Kirklin chronicles the eighty-five ships that protected the mid-Atlantic coast and the heyday of these special craft. From New York Harbor to the southernmost edge of North Carolina's notorious Cape Fear, Kirklin details the unsung role this fleet played in keeping America's merchant marines safe. Read Lightships to discover a forgotten but vital element of American maritime history.

For Italian immigrants and their descendants, moving from the city to Long Island was more than a change of address.

Even though the move wasn't far geographically, the societal move was large—it signaled that the family had achieved the American Dream, and in turn, elements of Italian values and culture are visible all over the island. Italians helped to build Long Island, whether as laborers or as contractors, such as the Castagnas. They brought their culinary traditions and opened markets, such as the still family-owned Iavarone Brothers Foods and restaurants, including New Hyde Park's Umberto's. Italians' industrialism helped them thrive in fields as diverse as medicine, politics, theater, and winemaking (including the nationally recognized Banfi label). Join author Salvatore J. LaGumina to discover the remarkable contributions and vibrant culture of Italians and Italian-Americans on Long Island.

Colorful tales of the MS Gulf Coast from specters to sodas and from buccaneers and pioneers.

The story of the Mississippi Golden Gulf Coast can't be told without a few tall tales--pirates, buried treasure, ghosts and colorful characters pepper its diverse past. From incredible stories of the pirate Jean Lafitte to iconic legends like Barq's Root Beer, travel from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi and every nook and cranny in between to discover the legends and lore of Mississippi's Golden Gulf Coast. Local historian Edmond Boudreaux explores this exciting history, recounting the fantastic tales that launch the reader into the past and create a truly captivating history.

In this comprehensive compilation of ghost stories and local legends, Shelley Wygant explores the history and horrors of a village that somehow lives on.

Beginning with its founding in 1772, Ellicott City endured an endless procession of tragic deaths. As a result, this eighteenth-century mill town is packed with restless spirits and unexplained supernatural occurrences. A mysterious artist haunts Castle Angelo and threatens to throw residents into the river below. Many of the temporary occupants of the former Easton and Sons Funeral Home seem to have remained, and the ghost of Annie Van Derlot still inhabits the ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute.

Unearth the history behind northern Ohio's best treasure tales, from sunken ships to misplaced spoils of war. Perfect for fans of historical mysteries and legends.

Encounter a cast of characters as rich as any secret hoard, such as the notorious gangster John Dillinger, who left a trail of robbed banks, dead bodies and buried loot across the northwest stretch of the state. Read about the disaster that befell the G.P. Griffith, the tragic massacre of a family for money and the Ohio counterfeiters who plagued the nation. But tread cautiously in your treasure hunt—Mad Anthony Wayne'sgold is said to be jealously guarded by a dark, ghostly figure.

Author Wendy Koile is a lifelong resident of Ohio. In 2012 she published her first book, Geneva on the Lake: A History of Ohio's First Summer Resort. When not writing or traveling, Koile teaches at Zane State College. Koile founded her own treasure hunting club, First Glass Gals.

Discover and celebrate the untapped history of Philadelphia beer.

The finely aged history of Philadelphia brewing has been fermenting since before the crack appeared in the Liberty Bell.

By the time thirsty immigrants made the city the birthplace of the American lager in the nineteenth century, Philadelphia was already on the leading edge of the country's brewing technology and production. Today, the City of Brotherly Love continues to foster that enterprising spirit of innovation with an enviable community of bold new brewers, beer aficionados and brewing festivals. Pennsylvania brewery historian Rich Wagner takes readers on a satisfying journey from the earliest ale brewers and the heyday of lager beer through the dismally dry years of Prohibition and into the current craft-brewing renaissance

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.

Discover the stories behind historic Columbus neighborhoods and their engaging landmarks.

The community centers that locals call home aren't just points of interest but places that have shaped history beyond their communities and even Ohio. This encyclopedia of Columbus neighborhoods gives voice to the rich heritage residing in the bell towers, parks and streetscapes of Franklinton, German Village, King-Lincoln, Olde Town East, Short North and the University District. Along with WOSU's award-winning Columbus Neighborhoods series, Tom Betti, Doreen Uhas Sauer and Ed Lentz curate the stories tracing the lines from your neighborhood to the Manhattan Project, the Underground Railroad, Abraham Lincoln and the Tuskegee Airmen.

With a ghostly twist on history, historian and award-winning author Ellen Baumler captures Montana’s cultural heritage and brings the state’s supernatural past to life.

Montana’s past embodies the rough, unforgiving and often vicious nature of the old Wild West. Unscrupulous gold camps and railroad expansion attracted the good, bad and ugly from all across the Union and as far as China. Many a soul shed blood under the Big Sky, leaving restless spirits to linger.

Discover the famous cowboy artist who refuses to leave his Missoula home. Exhume the truth behind Stormit Butte, investigate the mystery at Brush Lake and become enraptured with the firsthand account of a Browning rancher’s attempts at reconciliation with the ghost of a murdered Chinese rail laborer.

“Ellen Baumler explores hauntings across the state with the suspenseful voice of a campfire storyteller.” —Missoula Independent

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, hidden in the northeast region of Georgia, lies -literally and figuratively - one of the Peach State's most treasured areas. Dahlonega, Georgia is known primarily as the site of the first major United States gold rush. But now, as the gold dust has settled, we can look back on the town's complex history - a history more valuable than its famous abundance of precious metal.

Full of little-known insight, Dahlonega, Georgia: A Brief History will expose this quaint city not only as a vibrant home for its residents, but also as an energized destination for history buffs and art connoisseurs. You will learn about the glistening reflection of North Georgia Agricultural College's gold-gilded steeple, which thousands of students view daily as they attend the Leadership Institution and Military College of Georgia. In addition, you will discover Dahlonega's fascinating artistic history, from its involvement in six silent films to the 1993 re-opening of the Holly Theatre, one of the top entertainment venues in the state.

Dahlonega, Georgia: A Brief History is not to be confused with works focusing solely on the distant past. The most up-to-date account available, this book even includes details of the famous 2006 discovery of gold underneath an old Dahlonega hotel.