The History Press [new releases]

The foundation of America's greatest long-distance hiking trail.

The Skyline Trail began as a network of footpaths created by Oregon's indigenous tribes. Early fur traders and explorers followed in their steps, seeking safe routes over the unmapped Cascades. Judge John Breckenridge Waldo later spent decades exploring the mountain trail between Mount Hood and Crater Lake and led the campaign for the area's preservation. During the 1920s, the Forest Service briefly considered turning the path into a scenic highway and sent one of its first recreational specialists, Frederick Cleator, to blaze a prospective route through the mountains before scrapping the idea.

Join author Glenn Voelz as he recounts the fascinating history of Oregon’s Skyline Trail.

The battle to preserve a natural wonder.

Towering and majestic, the redwood forests of California's North Coast once drew not visitors, but fortune-seeking timber companies. By 1917, the region had been logged for nearly 70 years and concerns arose that the rapidly disappearing redwoods could be lost. Damage wrought by logging and road construction caught the attention of Madison Grant, John Campbell Merriam, and Henry Fairfield Osborn and the Save the Redwoods League was born. Together with the State of California and the U.S. Federal Government, the League's efforts led to the protection of the remaining old growth redwoods, creating state and national parks to preserve them for future generations.

Author Susan J.P. O'Hara recounts the story of the fight to save the world's tallest trees.

Step into the historic grandeur of a Texas icon - The Tremont House.

The storied history of the Tremont House began when Texas was still an independent Republic. Since then a series of hotels bearing that illustrious name have operated as a hub of Galveston high society. Buffalo Bill, Stephen Crane, Clara Barton walked the corridors of The Tremont House, along with presidents, millionaires, actors and countless other celebrities. Having witnessed the Gilded Age, the Jazz Era and every decade in between, the hotel was reborn in the 1980s to continue its legacy of hospitality and luxury. Join author Kathleen Maca as she explores the captivating secrets and remarkable heritage of the Tremont House.

Author Alan Brown shines the light on some of worst characters in Mississippi history .

On July 27, 1903, spurred into action by inmate Richard 'Red' Gordon, thirteen men attacked their jailers and made a run for freedom.

Folsom Prison had only been open for 20 years and was already one of the toughest and most brutal prisons in the country. It had one major flaw--no walls. A statewide manhunt ensued, following a deadly trail of attacks, kidnappings, and murder. Among the escapees were Joseph Theron and Frank Case, both sentenced to life in prison for robbery, and Joseph Murphy, burglar and poet. Sightings were reported from San Franciso to Reno and in the end, five of the prisoners were never found.

Join author Josh Morgan as he recounts the violence and heroism of Folsom Prison's biggest breakout.

In the South, mystery comes heaped with added richness. And in this collection of comfort food for the curious mind, author Alan Brown guides readers into the most delightful medley of mystery the South has on offer. Witches in Tennessee. The devil's hoof prints in North Carolina. Voodoo in New Orleans. In this South, meat rains from the sky in Bath, Kentucky. A professor's thigh makes the case for spontaneous combustion in Nashville. UFO-induced radiation sickness befalls Hufman, Texas. From bluesman Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil in Arkansas to the oak tree that defends the innocence of a man executed in Mobile, sometimes the inexplicable is truly the most satisfying.

Explore the dark side of the South…

The South boasts a rich storytelling tradition--and a rich history of criminal behavior. From Texas to the Virginias, each place has different stories to tell. Several involve writers of the first order: Harper Lee researched true crime in Alabama and Zora Neale Hurston reported on a landmark murder trial in Florida. A serial killer leaves Louisiana to travel the country, a lonely-hearts swindler visits Texas, Arkansas witnesses a surprising spate of unrelated strychnine poisonings, a West Virginia murder is revealed in a dream, and a one-armed conjure-man commits murder-for-hire in North Carolina. Forensic science expands the crimefighters' toolkit in this tour of some of the South's true crime cases.

Crime writer Cathy Pickens brings a novelist's eye to the sinister South and its defining--and quirky--crime stories.

Timber mills, coal mines and a carnival.

In the late 1800s, Lake Whatcom emerged as both the key to the growth of Bellingham, Washington, and a thriving weekend playground. From steamboats plying the lake, transporting both goods and passengers, anglers seeking what was touted as the "finest trout fishing in the world," the lake became central in the daily lives of local residents. Rail and trolley lines constructed along the shoreline supported the timber and coal mining industries and a popular amusement park drew crowds of adventure seekers.

Join author H. Leon Greene as he explores the development of Lake Whatcom and how it shaped life in the region today.

A magnificent landscape of rugged peaks, impenetrable rainforest and wild coastlines, Washington's Olympic Peninsula makes a perfect setting for the unexpected.

Dive into the stories of pioneers who created wealth and celebrity out of threadbare beginnings and immigrants who found fleeting success in Port Townsend. Discover the unsavory methods of land-grabber Daniel Pullen, who became indirectly responsible for the creation of the Quileute Reservation, and the rumrunning escapades of Claude Alexander Conlin, magician and con man.

Author Carol Turner shares tales of daring and desperation amid the remote towns and beautiful scenery of the Olympic Peninsula.

The untold story of the Bolsa Chica Gun Club, one of Southern California's most important power centers.

Before the rise of Huntington Beach, the Bolsa Chica Gun Club stood as a captivating testament to power and ambition. Influential figures like Jared Sidney Torrance and Henry Huntington were members of this exclusive haven where businessmen, politicians, and even stars of early Hollywood gathered to relax and socialize. Once rapid development and the discovery of oil began encroaching on the club lands, it slowly faded into memory, but its influence remains.

Join author Chris Epting as he explores the remarkable and sometimes controversial events that unfolded on the club's hallowed grounds.

Navigate the often-overlooked history of the resolute defense of the Texas coast during the Civil War.

With volumes written on the Civil War, little attention has been given to the defense of the Texas coast. Most military-aged Texans had been dispatched across the Mississippi, but those left behind resolutely weathered naval bombardments and repulsed invasion attempts. It was only at the end of the conflict that Federal troops were able to make their way into South Texas, as the Confederacy prepared its last stand at Caney Creek and the Brazos River. From famous battles to obscure skirmishes, William Nelson Fox provides an account of the Lone Star State's defensive strategies during the Civil War.

Jefferson's Legacy of Freedom for the Old Dominion

Prior to his death Thomas Jefferson left behind specific instructions for the obelisk monument that was to mark his grave. He requested the following epitaph: Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia. These contributions were in his words the "testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered." It is curious that with all his contributions he chose to note his authorship of a minor state law. Jefferson crafted this statute, not in Philadelphia or one of the other busy cities of the day, but while staying in a small Virginia town on the Rappahannock River named Fredericksburg.

Local historian Michael Aubrecht tells the tale of the creation of this remarkable document and the impact it continues to have.

"The greatest natural disaster of all time"

That's how observers at the time viewed Agnes. When the storm arrived in Virginia in June of 1972 it largely spared coastal areas. With modest wind speeds, Agnes no longer registered as a hurricane as it crossed the Old Dominion. Yet its prodigious rainfall combined with saturated ground and topography to create massive floodwaters. Its impact on communities large and small was immense. Learn of the struggles of those affected, the efforts of responders, and the larger role Agnes played in the national discussion of disasters and their aftermath.

Local historian Dr. Earnie Porta describes the complex history of hurricanes and details the devastating path of Agnes through Virginia.

Discover crimes that made headlines across northern Virginia in the 1950s and 60s.

As the suburbs of Washington, D.C. expanded in the mid-twentieth century, growth inevitably led to increasing crime, and grisly murders began to shock local communities. Learn the story of the killer and his victim who are buried only a few yards apart. The truth behind the tale of the murderous toddler and the sad story of the death of an agent at National Airport belie the picture perfect image of those decades. Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and Prince William witnessed atrocities that grabbed headlines in their day but have since faded from collective memory. Local author Zachary Ford uses detailed research drawn from contemporary accounts to bring these stories to life.