See What's New!
Today is your lucky day! A new collection of local history books is hitting the shelves, ready to transport you back in time and uncover the hidden gems of your community.
Black Homeownership on Martha's Vineyard: A History
by Thomas Dresser and Richard Lewis Taylor
Martha's Vineyard has always been a unique island and vacation destination, made even more diverse with the arrival of Black homeowners in the 19 th century. Early landowners included the formerly enslaved Charles Shearer, who along with his wife Henrietta, founded Shearer Cottage. However, the fall of the first Black community on the island came in the 1890s when forty Black and Indigenous people were required to remove their cottages from the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association. Despite this painful blow, other families, including the Wests, Jones and Huberts bought island homes, challenging restrictive and racist covenants that encumbered the properties. They then passed their homes on to subsequent generations, leading to a legacy of Black homeownership that thrives to this day. Authors Thomas Dresser and Richard Taylor explore the challenges, triumphs and the sense of community that has endured.
New England Sea Glass: A Vibrant History
by Roxie J. Zwicker
The lure of beachcombing in New England has been around since Colonial times. From shipwrecks, relentless storms and spooky maritime mysteries, pieces of sea glass are tumbled treasures speaking to us about our past. Many frosty cobalt blue shards come from medicine bottles from the early 20th century and can be found on beaches surrounding Boston Harbor. The seaside town of Rockport, where Hannah and the Hatchet Gang launched a destructive raid on liquor, still holds brilliant fragments of the past. The treasures of Captain Kidd are rumored to be hidden somewhere in Jamestown, Rhode Island, while lost seaside amusement parks in Connecticut produced shimmering treasures now rolling in the tides. Roxie Zwicker reveals the secret clues hidden in the colorful glass, their origins, and the best places to discover them.
Aviation in the Adirondacks by Aurora Pfaff
Since 1912, when a young man named George Gray landed an open-cockpit biplane on a farmer's field, aviation has played an important role in communities located throughout the 6 million-acre Adirondack Park. Through a range of historic images and postcards, Aurora Pfaff tells the story of pilots who linked communities by air, transported goods and people, and the small towns and airfields that they called home. From the novelty of planes landing on skis and daredevil flying circuses to forest fire patrols, exploration of the vast backcountry, and toy deliveries by Santa, airplanes have opened the Adirondack wilderness and made remote communities more easily accessible for tourists and adventurers. Yet this golden age for aviation would not last, for as car travel became easier and more affordable in the mid- to late-20 th century, air travel in the Adirondacks would fade in importance and necessity. Aurora Pfaff is a writer and editor living and working in New York state's Adirondack Park. She has a master's degree in English from Harvard University, but as a child dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She finally took her first flying lesson in 2022. Images used in Aviation in the Adirondacks come from the Adirondack Experience: The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, Historic Saranac Lake, Keene Valley Library, Piseco Lake Historical Society, Saranac Lake Free Library Adirondack Research Room, Town of Webb Historical Association, individuals, and other organizations.
Pioneers of St Clair County, Michigan by Brenda L. Williams
The rich history of St. Clair County has been shaped by the colorful people of its past. From the Kerley Lot to the City Flats Hotel, the corner of Military and Water Street in Port Huron is forever etched with the spirit of diverse and passionate citizens like Daniel B. Harrington and James W. Sanborn. The bankruptcy of John Johnston & Co. shaped the fortunes of a local family. Local lumbermen influenced the lumber industry not just in the county but across Michigan. The Radical Republicans contributed to the rise and fall of Congressman Omar D. Conger, and the controversial John P. Sanborn played an outsized role in local politics. Author Brenda L. Williams leads a historical journey into the captivating lives of early local luminaries.
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Whether you are a lifelong resident or a newcomer to the area, these local history books offer a treasure trove of information waiting to be discovered. By exploring the pages of these books, you can uncover fascinating stories, learn about significant events, and gain a new perspective on the place you call home.
So, if you're eager to expand your knowledge and immerse yourself in the history of your local community, be sure to check out these new local history books publishing today. Who knows what hidden gems and untold stories you might uncover!