Wicked

The Wicked American history book series introduces the wicked, notorious history of our towns, states, and local communities. Meet the Red Light women of Death Valley, discover the bloody mining disputes of Coeur D’Alene, and gamble your way through Kentucky’s Sin City. From scandalous Newport, Rhode Island to the misdeeds in Jurupa Valley, this wicked history series covers the most salacious and sordid in stories, coast to coast! [View all Wicked Series books]
8 products
Wicked Herkimer County
Wicked Herkimer County
Wicked Northern New York
Wicked Northern New York
Wicked Syracuse
Wicked Syracuse
Wicked Ulster County
Wicked Ulster County
Wicked Niagara:
Wicked Niagara:
Wicked Mohawk Valley
Wicked Mohawk Valley
Wicked Adirondacks
Wicked Adirondacks
Wicked Albany
Wicked Albany

Wicked Herkimer County

9781467148795

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From Little Falls to Frankfort, Herkimer County is no stranger to the seamier side of life. The drowning murder of Grace Brown at Big Moose Lake and the ensuing trial of Chester Gillette was the inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's famous novel An American Tragedy. Medical students from the Fairfield Medical College attempted to rob local graves for cadavers, drawing the ire of local residents, who formed a mob to meet them. Outlaw thieves faced off against New York City detectives in a gun battle at Camp Utica in Old Forge. Hotheaded shootings and Prohibition raids were rampant at the liquor-soaked lumberjack camp of Beaver River Station in Webb. Editors Caryl Hopson and Susan R. Perkins have assembled a collection of narratives that offer a glimpse into the seedy underbelly of Herkimer County's wicked past.
Wicked Herkimer County

Wicked Northern New York

9781609493059

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The friendly, relaxed atmosphere of the North Country belies a dark and sordid history: a time when it seemed that every city had its red-light district and every hamlet its brothel. Revisit an enigmatic period fraught with pistol duels and "tramp camps;" hermits on the run, "wild man" sightings and horse thieves. Local author Cheri Farnsworth has carefully researched and compiled the region's most wicked stories here, like the Potsdam man who literally scared his wife to death, the woman who was won in a game of cards, and the little girl who was taken by gypsies, sold for fifty cents, and then traded for a half a dozen chickens.
Wicked Northern New York

Wicked Syracuse

9781609497521

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Gangsters, train robbery, forgery and prostitution--these misdeeds are more often associated with New York City or the Wild West, but make no mistake, Syracuse, New York, has housed its fair share of vice and sinners. A riot prompted politicians to make Syracuse a city in the first place. A man who billed himself as "Dillinger the Second" once walked 'Cuse's streets, and a notorious gangster boasted of his desire to retire in Salt City. At the end of the nineteenth century, neither law enforcement nor fervent clergy could stop rampant illicit gambling. Local author Neil MacMillan tours the city of Syracuse, unearthing tales of its most infamous residents and their dastardly deeds--from strange murders to bounty jumpers to vandals.
Wicked Syracuse

Wicked Ulster County

9781609497163

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Uncover Ulster County's hidden history of unsavory characters and stories of its wicked past.

Situated in the scenic Hudson Valley, Ulster County is a lovely location to make a home and raise a family, but it wasn't always so pleasant. Unsavory characters and immoral events have sullied its name. In the 1870s, the Shawangunk Mountains inspired fear rather than awe, as groups like the Lyman Freer and Shawangunk gangs robbed and terrorized locals, descending from the protection of the wooded peaks. Kingston was torched, arson blazed in Kerhonkson and even the Mohonk Mountain House was threatened by flames. In 1909, the Ashokan Slasher's bloody crimes and sensational trial captured headlines across the country. Discover these and other salacious stories buried in Ulster County's history.

Wicked Ulster County

Wicked Niagara:

9781609492274

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Born of glaciers and turbulent waters, wars and struggles of native peoples, Niagara was powered by the dreams of men and women seeking refuge in a new land. Yet for all its rare beauty and rugged pioneering spirit, the Niagara region has sometimes drifted into shadows, affording its seedier citizens the cover they needed to do their dastardly deeds. A plot to invade Canada, a Mafia stronghold, madness, murder and savagery all lie hidden in the region's past. From the blood-soaked grounds of battle, local storyteller Lorna MacDonald Czarnota brings Wicked Niagara and grim tales of the region's early struggles into the light.
Wicked Niagara:

Wicked Mohawk Valley

9781609493905

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Would a decorated lawman risk his career for garden fresh vegetables? What crime family terrorized chickens in two counties? What dastardly murder happened on Potato Hill Road? And why would anyone dare guzzle the "creeping death"? Be prepared to have these questions answered, and discover a dossier of some of the most notorious and unbelievable criminal cases in the history of the Mohawk Valley. From bootlegging to brothels to racketeering, local author Dennis Webster has collected the most thrilling stories of deception and mayhem within the Mohawk Valley.
Wicked Mohawk Valley

Wicked Adirondacks

9781609497170

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While the Adirondack Mountains are New York's most beautiful region, they have also been plagued by insidious crimes and the nasty escapades of notorious lawbreakers. In 1935, public enemy number one, Dutch Schultz, went on trial and was acquitted in an Adirondack courtroom. Crooks have tried creative methods to sidestep forestry laws that protect the flora of the state park. Members of the infamous Windfall Gang, led by Charles Wadsworth, terrorized towns and hid out in the high mountains until their dramatic 1899 capture. In the 1970s, the Adirondack Serial Killer, Robert Francis Garrow, petrified campers in the hills. Join local author Dennis Webster as he explores the wicked deeds and sinister characters hidden among the Adirondacks' peaks.
Wicked Adirondacks

Wicked Albany

9781596294936

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Albany, New York, experienced massive upheaval when the Volstead Act of 1919 established Prohibition. Crime already proliferated in the capital of the Empire State, with rival political machines stooping to corruption and the mob with their heavy-handed powers of persuasion. As it did nationwide, Prohibition in Albany served merely to force alcohol-related commerce underground and lawlessness and violence to the forefront of city activity.
Wicked Albany