All Titles

From timber to preservation and tourism, this is the story of this unique Western North Carolina County.

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Transylvania County is proud of its beautiful natural setting. Clear waters cascade from lofty heights in a county with over 200 waterfalls. Lush and rare vegetation hosts bountiful wildlife. Established in 1861 from Henderson and Jackson Counties, Transylvania County preserves almost half of its acreage in national and state forests. Since the county's inception, tourism has been a steady source of revenue. When the railroad arrived in 1895, it paved the way for the timber business and provided the first means of outside employment to local families. Tanning and extract companies followed. Today, Transylvania County continues to be a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Journey into the Ashe County of yesteryear, a time dominated by horse and buggies, dirt roads, and early farms.

The mountain region of North Carolina possesses an uncommon grace and beauty, a landscape full of breathtaking peaks, lush forests, and winding rivers and creeks. Within this picturesque scenery, pioneering spirits settled in Ashe County and established communities in an environment both enchanting and perilous. Officially formed in 1799, Ashe County stands as one of the High Country's oldest and most intriguing areas. In this volume, containing over 200 black-and-white images, readers will journey into the Ashe County of yesteryear, a time dominated by horse and buggies, dirt roads, and early farms. Starting in the 1870s and stretching into the twentieth century, this stunning visual history allows today's reader to meet the resilient and rugged families that carved towns and communities into this mountainscape, to ride the Virginia Creeper railroad as it carries lumber and other goods to waiting markets, and to stroll along the banks of the historic New River, now recognized as a national Heritage River.

New Bern was a valuable port city during the Civil War and the Confederates made many attempts to reclaim it.

On March 14, 1862, Federal forces under the command of General Ambrose Burnside overwhelmed Confederate forces in the Battle of New Bern, capturing the town and its important seaport. From that time on, Confederates planned to retake the city. D.H. Hill and James J. Pettigrew made the first attempt but failed miserably. General George Pickett tried in February 1864. He nearly succeeded but called the attack off on the edge of victory. The Confederates made another charge in May led by General Robert Hoke. They had the city surrounded with superior forces when Lee called Hoke back to Richmond and ended the expedition. Author Jim White details the chaotic history of New Bern in the Civil War.

Perched near the eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Waynesville is an attractive destination with stunning vistas, cool mountain air, and small-town charm.

For centuries, the Cherokee lived and hunted in what is now western North Carolina, and after the Revolutionary War, white settlers moved into the area from all directions to farm and build a new life on the frontier. By the end of the 18th century, families had established a small community known as Mount Prospect. In 1810, the town was renamed Waynesville after the Revolutionary War general ""Mad"" Anthony Wayne. With the coming of the railroad in the 1880s, Waynesville blossomed as a summer retreat for guests who came to stay at numerous boarding houses and hotels. By the early 1900s, Waynesville's neighboring town, Hazelwood, became a hotbed of industrial growth with lumber mills and assorted factories producing furniture, leather goods, and rubber products, and the town would eventually merge with Waynesville in 1995.

Washington, North Carolina is a city marked by its rich industrial heritage the beauty of the Pamlico River, and the fertile farmlands of Beaufort County.

Washington, the county seat and original namesake of President Washington, grew during the 1800s to become one of the prominent shipping ports for lumber and a variety of agricultural produce. With the arrival of the railroads and the following economic hard times of Depression -era America, Washington's character changed dramatically, forcing many of the local mills and businesses to close. However, today, the city is experiencing a remarkable resurgence of business and opportunity and has again become a significant contributor in the economy of the state.

Washington, North Carolina, consisting of over 200 stunning black-and-white photographs and postcards, allows readers a unique opportunity to explore their hometown as never before. As if stepping back in time, readers will experience the Washington of yesteryear, when the masts of commercial ships, like slender church steeples, dominated the waterfront, when the piercing whistles of trains entering and leaving the many lumber mills punctuated the city's daily activities, and when the sounds of horse-drawn wagons and early automobiles echoed throughout Main and Market Streets.

This book also captures scenes of daily life: farmers laboring in the field and also meeting at Brooks Store to swap stories, gossip, and advice; people gathered on Main Street enjoying colorful parades; and children swimming at Whichard's Beach Campground and Marina in nearby Chocowinity.

With this unprecedented pictorial history, author John Hairr chronicles the story of Harnett County, beginning with the earliest days of settlement till the mid-twentieth century.

Maps and charts show the growth of the county and various industries, while photographs illustrate various communities, people, and events that changed the region. Within these pages, over 200 vintage photographs are proudly presented. Many of these images have never before been published. All of the towns and communities throughout Harnett--Erwin, Lillington, Johnsonville, Kipling, Duncan, Dunn, Olivia, Coats, Angier, Chalybeate Springs, and Bunnlevel--are represented within the work, as are several striking rural scenes. Readers visit old-time iron mines, tobacco farms, and denim manufacturers. Other views show the making of moonshine, naval stores, railroads and aviation, churches that no longer stand, and a host of people who have shaped the history of Harnett.

The milestones of Asheville's long history are well known to locals, but so many interesting stories are all but forgotten.

Thankfully, the staff and volunteers of the North Carolina Room at Pack Memorial Library have unearthed the best of those hidden tales. Meet daredevil aviatrix Uva Shipman and Tempie Avery, who went from slavery to respected nurse and citizen. Learn the poignant tale behind the sad death of former mayor Gallatin Roberts and uncover the parts of old Asheville lost to the wrecking ball. These and many more historic episodes come to life in this collection compiled by North Carolina Room librarian Zoe Rhine.

Discover the ruins of the colonial port town of Brunswick and the large earthworks of the Civil War's Fort Anderson in this collection of historic photographs.

Established in 1952, Brunswick was once the major port in colonial North Carolina and was partially burned by British troops twice during the American Revolution. During the American Civil War, Fort Anderson was constructed atop some of the ruins of the town and served as part of the Cape Fear River defenses below Wilmington. Today, visitors to the site can see the archaeological ruins of the foundations of the colonial buildings that once stood as a port town, along with the shell of St. Philip's Anglican Church. The site still conducts archaeological excavations each spring. Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson State Historic Site is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites in the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Jim McKee has been an interpreter at Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson Historic Site for over 10 years. His research has greatly added to the academic and archaeological knowledge of this fascinating historic site.

Discover the history of the New Farmers of America in this collection of historic photographs.

African Americans have contributed greatly to the history of American agriculture. One of its most compelling stories is the New Farmers of America (NFA), which was a national organization of Black farm boys studying vocational agriculture in the public schools throughout 18 states in the eastern and southern United States from 1927 to 1965. The organization was started at the suggestion of Dr. H.O. Sargent, federal agent for agricultural education for Blacks, who felt the time was ripe for an organization of Black agricultural students. Operating within the auspices of the "Separate but Equal Doctrine," the NFA started at Virginia State University in May 1927 with a few chapters and members and concluded in 1965 with more than 1,000 chapters and more than 58,000 active members, merging with the Future Farmers of America (FFA) as a result of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Antoine J. Alston, PhD, serves as professor and associate dean for academic studies within the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University. Dexter B. Wakefield, PhD, serves as professor and associate dean for academic programs within the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences at Alcorn State University. Netta S. Cox, MSEd, MLS, serves as associate professor and head of Serials, Government Documents, and Agricultural Liaison for F.D. Bluford Library at North Carolina A&T State University, the source of the majority of historic photographs in the book.