All Titles

Discover the wicked and sordid history of Asheville, North Carolina in this volume by author and Asheville native Marla Hardee Milling.

Asheville is a wonderfully strange city, but it has a few shadows in its past. Teenager Helen Clevenger was brutally murdered at the luxurious Battery Park Hotel in 1936. William Dudley Pelley called himself ""America's Hitler"" and founded his Silver Legion in Asheville. He stirred up enough anti war propaganda to go to prison. A desperado named Will Harris came into town on a cold night in November 1906 and left a trail of dead bodies and panic among Asheville citizens. Mayor Gallatin Roberts killed himself in the wake of collapsing banks. Asheville native Marla Hardee Milling delves into wicked stories of murder, sedition, corruption, arson and disease.

A unique blend of visionaries, risk takers and creative souls lends energy to Asheville's historic streets. Author Marla Milling traces the people and places that make her hometown a truly unique city.

Today, bohemian street performers, funky shops, exquisite art galleries, restaurants and craft breweries blend in among some of the most revered vintage architecture in the country. Discover quirky figures like a "nun" named Sister Bad Habit, who entertains passengers on the LaZoom bus; the "Man in White" living statue; and Asheville's Village Witch. Be inspired by innovative dreamers such as Julian Price, who invested millions in the once-desolate downtown Asheville, giving money to an eclectic mix of restaurateurs and shop owners.

Beloved storyteller and chronicler of Henderson County heritage Louise Howe Bailey (1915, 2009) lives on through her edifying anecdotes.

This new collection of Bailey's ruminations maintains her work of preserving earlier Henderson County history with its abundant assortment of characters, landmarks and natural wonders. Discover why Hendersonville was called the ""dancingest"" town in America and how a troop of young rapscallions rubbed a bar of Octagon soap on the railroad tracks so trains couldn't climb from Melrose to Saluda. Bring your pickaxe up to the top of Glassy Mountain to unearth the buried treasure hidden during the Civil War, and experience the hummingbirds, katydids, Carolina wrens and bullfrogs of the North Carolina countryside as you meander through Bailey's magnetic prose.

Remembering Alamance County is a collection of historical stories that takes readers on a delightful journey through the years to meet a variety of interesting people and revisit some of the fascinating events that have helped to shape the story of this beloved county in the Tar Heel State.

As history has progressed, so has Alamance County, and its citizens have witnessed scores of changes. Time has seen the county evolve from a quaint railroad community into a major textile center, with horse-drawn buggies giving way to streetcars, which all but disappeared with the advent of automobiles. Readers of this collection can turn back the clock and visit C.F. "Pete" Neese, the first child born in Burlington; Dr. Floyd Scott, who helped to bring the modern world to his country practice; Tom Zachary, who threw the pitch that put Babe Ruth in the record books and presidential candidate Lyndon B. Johnson, who rolled through Alamance County on the campaign trail.

Some of the stories reflect major events in not only in the county's history, but in the nation's history as well. And tucked between the big names and big to-dos are some little-known tales that have contributed to make Alamance County the place it is today. Remembering Alamance County is a fond look at the history of a unique section of the North Carolina piedmont, sure to please old-timers and newcomers alike.

Following tracks, messing with bees, chasing butterflies, stalking deer, tickling trout and picking up pawpaws--and hitchhikers. This lively collection by celebrated storyteller Doug Elliott will delight readers with its blend of natural history and heartfelt, hilarious takes on life. Whether tracking skunks, philosophizing over dung beetles or reading divine script on the back of a trout, Elliott brings a sense of wonder and humor to every story. His broad scientific and cultural knowledge of the Appalachians and beyond is a treasure. Dive deeply into the richness of the natural world, climb high into the tree of life and return--with amazing tales, humorous insights and deep spiritual truths.

Whatever your acquaintance with Western North Carolina, you will discover within these pages a trove of regional treasures. Newcomers, longtime residents, natives and visitors alike will delight in the many highlights of this alluring corner of the Great Smoky Mountains, in one of our country's most breathtaking, celebrated areas. With a warm, insightful style, Ruscin takes you on a journey to the early nineteenth century, when the city of Hendersonville and the village of Flat Rock were beginning to blossom in their roles as beloved North Carolina destinations. Meet the founding fathers and their descendants. Explore historic homes and churches. Discover the fascinating details of Henderson County's stately courthouse and Hendersonville's train depot, and tour a farmstead in the heart of the county. Then, return to the present with stunning photography and revel in all that the region offers today--from Hendersonville and Flat Rock to nearby mountain villages like Saluda, Brevard an

The History & Guide series is designed for the leisurely traveler who wants to explore the streets and neighborhoods of America's favorite towns.

-- General overview of the picturesque county located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

-- Walking and driving tours through Henderson County s most fascinating historic areas, including Hendersonville, Flat Rock and Fletcher.

-- Images and illustrations of the most important sites, from churches and historic houses to cemeteries and inns.

-- Timeline of key events capturing the historic spirit and heritage of Henderson County.

Written by accomplished historian and author Alexia Jones Helsley and her father, Dr. George Alexander Jones, founder of Henderson County Genealogical and Historical Society and director of Henderson County History.

Nags Head boasts a plethora of natural wonders. From an ecologically unique maritime forest to breathtaking coastal dunes, the dynamics of the area corroborate the sentiment Thomas Nixon expressed in his 1964 classic. Indeed, as early as the 1830s, merchants and planters from the Albemarle region of North Carolina and Southside Virginia brought their families to Nags Head via boat to exchange the oppressive inland summer heat for cool ocean breezes. In this striking photographic collection, Downing illustrates why this scenic spot on the Outer Banks has been beloved for generations by sun-seekers, sightseers and surfers alike.

Can you call yourself a self-respecting North Carolinian if you don't know that Babe Ruth hit his first home run in the Tar Heel State? That Annie Oakley gave shooting lessons in Pinehurst? That renowned Siamese twins Chang and Eng lived in Surry County? Or that unrepenting bootleggers hid out in Rutherford County?

Father-daughter team K. Randell and Caitlin D. Jones think not, and to cure your curiosity, to supply you with clever quips at cocktail parties or to convince your teachers that you really have studied, they have gathered a wonderful collection of stories originally written by lauded North Carolina historian Dr. H.G. Jones for his long-standing "In Light of History" series.

This revised and updated edition contains ten additional accounts of Tar Heel history, accompanied by archival images from the lifetime collection of Dr. Jones and a map highlighting each story's geographic interest area.

Discover the delicious history of eateries in Chapel Hill, both a college town and a dining destination.

Once upon a time the city, synonymous with the University of North Carolina, offered little more than simple cafes to diners. In recent years it has developed a diverse restaurant culture and today is home to some of the country's most creative chefs. From legendary student hangouts to one of the South's most famed barbecue joints to the birthplace of shrimp and grits, these stories are an integral part of the culture of this vibrant spot.

Local authors Chris Holaday and Patrick Cullom profile long-time establishments that helped shape the dining scene in Chapel Hill and the neighboring towns of Carrboro and Hillsborough.

In 1837 Sarah Frew Davidson began keeping a private journal recording the events of her daily life. Years later, her collection provides an intimate glimpse into antebellum life in North Carolina. Sarah, as mistress of one of North Carolina's largest plantations--The Grove--offers the reader a nineteenth-century perspective on slavery, education and the impact of religion on the lives of Southern women. Begun in the wake of the religious revival that swept the South in the mid-nineteenth century, this journal serves as a candid perspective into life in the changing "village" of Charlotte, capturing the effects of the newly constructed U.S. Mint and the Carolina gold mining rush on this small community. Editors Dyer, McConnell and Williams, along with a team of Rosedale historians, meticulously transcribed the original hand-written journal to be presented here in its entirety. Also included in this edition are supplementary historical annotations, maps and biographical details that provide a comprehensive background for the events and people mentioned in the journal. The day-to-day events of Sarah's life reveal much about the realities of plantation life as well as an understanding of the complexities of religion and slavery in the antebellum period.

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.

Pender County, North Carolina possesses a rich history dating from its establishment in 1875 to the present day, including its vital role in the jet propulsion emperimentation era. The current population of 41,000 works in a variety of areas, including farming, small businesses, industry and tourism, and each of these residents has a story to tell. David Frederickson, a corespondent for the Wilmington Star-News compiles compelling, character-driven historical accounts... with quality images and primary source material for reference. Pender County: A History in the Voices of the People is a must read for anyone interested in learning the fascinating story of the place they call home.

John Hairr crafts a captivating study of the Tarheel State's rivers. The Cape Fear, the New, the Pee Dee: these are the streams that course through North Carolina's history, and Hairr navigates them all, while also exploring lesser-known waters. The only natural history to trace all of the state's rivers in a single volume, this is a must-read.

Run into the history of the Bull City!

There is much history in the Bull City, and some of it can be found within these pages. How Bull Durham smoking tobacco put Durham, North Carolina, on the map. How a plastic cow and an oversized flag cut the city council down to size. How it felt to travel back in time at the Duke Homestead. How sportsman Al Mann and "Mom" Ruby Planck left indelible marks on their hometown. Journalist and local historian Jim Wise shows you that while Durham's stories are its own, readers may find the people, places and truths in them resonate with hometowns everywhere.