Name: Ghosts of Bell County, Texas
Brand: Chet Southworth
SKU: 9781467139779
Price: 21.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Ghosts of Bell County, Texas

9781467139779

$21.99

Centuries of violent history have laced Bell County with a potent compound of haunted activity. Spectral conquistadors stand guard over the Treasure of the Golden Bull, hidden in Salado caverns by the Coronado expedition. Countless frontier skirmishes, bank robberies and stage holdups echo along thoroughfares from Stillhouse Hollow to the Maxdale Bridge. Author Chet Southworth lies in wait for the Killeen Watchman, the Fort Hood Phantoms, the Wedermeyer Wraiths and other Bell County spirits.

Ghosts of Galveston

9781467119658

$21.99

One of the oldest cities in Texas, Galveston has witnessed more than its share of tragedies. Devastating hurricanes, yellow fever epidemics, fires, a major Civil War battle and more cast a dark shroud on the city's legacy. Ghostly tales creep throughout the history of famous tourist attractions and historical homes. The altruistic spirit of a schoolteacher who heroically pulled victims from the floodwaters during the great hurricane of 1900 roams the Strand. The ghosts of Civil War soldiers march up and down the stairs at night and pace in front of the antebellum Rogers Building. The spirit of an unlucky man decapitated by an oncoming train haunts the railroad museum, moving objects and crying in the night. Kathleen Shanahan Maca explores these and other haunted tales from the Oleander City.

Ghosts of Houston's Market Square Park

9781467141307

$21.99

Visitors to Market Square Park can pause on their stroll through the downtown centerpiece for a palpable experience of its past. Houston's first four city halls laid their foundations here, and relics of the square's heritage remain embedded in the sidewalks of the park. Chalk up a chance sneeze on Milam Street to the final ghostly gasp of dust from Robert Boyce's sawpits. Step from Congress Street into La Carafe, Houston's oldest commercial building, for the kind of atmosphere that even deceased bartenders are reluctant to leave. From the phantom tailors above Treebeard's to the forgotten mysteries of the town's founding, Sandra Lord and Debe Branning resurrect the history humming through the four blocks surrounding Market Square Park.

Cover image for Ghosts of Houston's Market Square Park, isbn: 9781467141307

Ghosts of the Rio Grande Valley

9781467119924

$21.99

Tradition meets tragedy in the chilling local lore of the Rio Grande Valley. Hidden in the dense brush and around oxbow lakes wait sinister secrets, unnerving vestiges of the past and wraiths of those claimed by the winding river. The spirit of a murdered student in Brownsville paces the locker room where she met her end. Tortured souls of patients lost in the Harlingen Insane Asylum refuse to be forgotten. Guests at the LaBorde Hotel in Rio Grande City report visions of the Red Lady, who was spurned by the soldier she loved and driven to suicide. Author David Bowles explores these and more of the most harrowing ghost stories from Fort Brown to Fort Ringgold and all the haunted hotels, chapels and ruins in between.

Gillespie County

9780738596495

$24.99

The Society for the Protection of German Immigrants was formed in Germany in 1842 by a group of German noblemen with both philanthropic and commercial goals for a settlement in Texas. Over 5,200 German immigrants arrived on the Texas coast between October 1845 and April 1846. Lack of adequate funding and planning, as well as the continued war between Texas and Mexico, left many immigrants stranded at Indianola without sufficient food, water, shelter, or transportation inland. Hundreds perished on the Texas coast, on the journey inland, and in cholera epidemics. Traveling by wagon, cart, and on foot, leaving behind much of what they had brought from their homeland, thousands made their way toward the land that was to be their new home. Through the courage, tenacity, and diligence of the German pioneers who survived, "Friedrichsburg" was founded. Today, Fredericksburg, the county seat, continues in the cooperative spirit of these determined German pioneers, honoring their traditions, heritage, and culture.

Gilmer

9780738571249

$24.99

Carved out of the virgin East Texas forest in the early days of Texas statehood, Gilmer has a diverse and rich history, evolving from a center of cotton production to a town enjoying a lumbering boom at the dawn of the 20th century. Many associate the city with its well-known fall festival-the East Texas Yamboree-celebrated annually during the third weekend of October. Created to publicize the production of sweet potatoes in the sandy soils of the county, the Yamboree has adapted to changing times as it continues into its eighth decade. Proud of their traditions, the people of Gilmer and the surrounding Upshur County face the challenges of the 21st century with confidence in what they have accomplished.

Glen Rose, Texas

9780738519425

$24.99

Charles Barnard, a Connecticut entrepreneur, settled in the Brazos Valley in 1849, running an Indian Trading Post. He built a gristmill in 1860 near the confluence of the Brazos and Paluxy Rivers, around which the town of Glen Rose sprang up. Captured here in over 200 vintage photographs and postcards is the history of this quintessential little Texas town, from its origins as a mill town, to the bedroom community of Fort Worth that it has become today. In its earliest days, settlers flocked to the region from the war-torn South during the Civil War. By the 1900s, both Somervell County and Glen Rose established fame as a tourist resort, offering springs and artesian waters to heal the body and spirit. Naturopathic and magnetic healers built sanitariums, while locals built tourist parks to entertain the crowds that came for rest and relaxation. Showcased here are images of the Hill postcard collection, which relay the intriguing story of Glen Rose as a recreation mecca, the Moonshine Capital of Texas during Prohibition, the discovery of the infamous dinosaur tracks, and its development as it enters the 21st century.

Goliad

9780738578736

$24.99

The battle cry shouted at the Battle of San Jacinto--"Remember Goliad!"--cemented Goliad's place in its importance to the Texas Revolution. In fact, every schoolchild learns about the significance of this special town in Texas history courses. Goliad is also famous for originating the Texas cattle industry, due in large part to the thousands of cattle raised at nearby missions. After the Texas Revolution, Goliad became a prosperous Texas ranching town, with the businesses, services, and social organizations appropriate to such a community. Since that time, the town has harkened back to its Spanish colonial and Texas Revolutionary past, to ranching, and to that original late-19th, early-20th century town, continually reinforcing and celebrating those periods. Much remains from those earlier eras, which makes Goliad one of the most visited and loved towns in Texas.

Goodfellow Air Force Base

9781467104340

$23.99

Goodfellow Air Force Base is one of the oldest installations in the US Air Force. It was the first of scores of flying training fields established across Texas and Oklahoma during World War II. What qualified San Angelo as the site for the first of the new fields did not, for the most part, distinguish it much from its neighbors. The clear skies and flat, forgiving terrain so desirable in the training of pilots were regional qualities. But San Angelo also had Bob Carr, a former military aviator who spearheaded a local effort to provide land, an important railroad spur, and key utility connections if the new pilot school were built nearby. Over the next eight decades, nurtured by a special relationship between city and base, Goodfellow has distinguished itself by training more than 400,000 pilots, intelligence operators, and firefighters for all the armed forces of the United States.

Granbury and Hood County

9781467161169

$24.99

Granbury and Hood County's history is both an American pioneer saga and a 20th-century rags to riches story. In the 17th century, Spanish explorers and the Comanche were vying to control the land carved across Texas by the mighty Brazos River. By the mid-19th century, white settlers came, led by visionaries like fiery preacher "Fighting" Joe Robinson in Acton, lawyer and legislator Abel Landers, the Nutt brothers, and Quaker-raised farmer Amon Bond in Granbury as well as education-minded Campbellite Pleasant Thorp in Thorp Spring and the Sears family in Lipan. Soon small settlements dotted the area. Once the Civil War passed and Hood County was formed in 1866, Granbury and the towns across the county became thriving centers of commerce fed by nearby farms and ranches. The 20th century brought hard times, but the creation of Lake Granbury in 1969 opened a new era of possibilities. Newcomers joined founders' descendants to create a multifaceted renewal inspired by echoes of the past.

Cover image for Granbury and Hood County, isbn: 9781467161169

Granbury, Texas

9781467156677

$24.99

Explore Granbury's celebrated history.

Granbury owes much of its present charm to its vibrant heritage, from the elegant limestone facades that ring the historic town square to its treasury of Victorian homes. And it owes much of its resilience to the rougher portions of its past, dating back to a frontier era filled with saloons and land disputes. Sitting on one of its sunny restaurant patios, it's hard to image figures like Jesse James or John Wilkes Booth flitting through Granbury's lore, but the town has stared down its fair share of mysterious tragedy and stubborn prejudice. Join Author David K. Barnett in navigating the landmarks and legacies of a town flooded with history.

Cover image for Granbury, Texas, isbn: 9781467156677

Grapevine

9780738584638

$24.99

The town of Grapevine was formed when a small group of pioneers settled together on the Grape Vine Prairie in the 1840s and 1850s. The first settlers came for the promise of land ownership and a better life, and the Grape Vine Springs and rich soil yielded good harvests and subsequent prosperity. When the Cotton Belt Railroad arrived in 1888, it helped establish the town as a permanent agricultural trade center servicing the entire region. The Civil War and World Wars I and II interrupted the town's normal activities, but the citizens rallied in support of their state and country. Two major construction projects in the 1950s and 1960s transformed the future of Grapevine: the Grapevine Dam and Reservoir and the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. In the 1970s, local historians realized the wealth within the city's past, and leaders took steps to protect and preserve it so that today people from all over the world come to see this quaint little prairie town.

Greenville

9780738579108

$24.99

Located on the rolling Blackland Prairies of Northeast Texas, Greenville was founded in January 1847 as the county seat of Hunt County. Through the years, it became not only the seat of local and county government, but the economic, social, and cultural center of much of the area. With the arrival of the railroads in 1880, Greenville became a market center for cotton, livestock, and other agricultural products, and a vast assortment of goods were available to discerning shoppers. Paved roads, a professional theater, baseball, football, and the North Texas Fair brought visitors to Greenville from the surrounding areas. Merchants, bankers, and entrepreneurs worked diligently to create a community of modern conveniences, beautiful homes, churches, and schools. One of the first municipally owned power plants opened in Greenville in the late 19th century. Though they do keep up with the times, Greenville residents continue to honor their town's remarkable history.

Gristmills of Central Texas

9781467125963

$24.99

Gristmills were once commonplace in Texas. There was hardly a river, a creek, or a stream without one. The purpose of the gristmill was to grind wheat into flour and corn into meal. Prior to the water-powered gristmill, grinding was a tedious, time-consuming task that was usually performed by hand using some type of mortar and pestle. When a gristmill began operating in an area, settlers from near and far traveled to the mill to have their grain ground. The gathering of these settlers and farmers at the mill was the beginning of many settlements that grew into the Texas towns of today. Many of these picturesque settings have become major tourist destinations.

Gunfights & Sites in Texas Ranger History

9781626199712

$24.99

Since colonizer Stephen F. Austin proposed hiring ten rangers "for the common defense" in 1823, the Texas Rangers have protected the Lone Star State from its enemies with dedication and fortitude. All across Texas are places where Rangers made history. From the Alamo to nearly forgotten graves and battle sites, important landmarks in the story of these legendary lawmen lie in every corner of the state. Historian and author Mike Cox reveals history hiding in plain sight and true tall tales of the world-famous Texas Rangers.

Gunfights & Sites in Texas Ranger History

Gunpowder on Their Skirts

9781455624355

$10.95

Did you know that a woman named Kady Brownell was the color bearer for 5th Rhode Island infantry? She braved enemy fire at Bull Run to hold her banner high!
Did you know that Dr. Mary Walker, a battlefield surgeon, was the first and only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor?
Yes, these women and many more marched alongside soldiers and were on the battlefields of the American Civil War. They were both respected and admired by their male comrades. Author Stephanie Ford's thorough research provides a compelling collection of stories showcasing remarkable women from both sides of the conflict.
Alongside the biographies of these amazing women are Ford's expressive and authentic drawings and a selection of period photographs and fascinating factoids. These details beautifully capture the stories of these brave women in this inspiring and informative middle reader.

Guy Town by Gaslight:

9781626194458

$21.99

Crime and vice plagued Austin after the Civil War, and Guy Town was a red-light hub with a most curious legacy. Today's pleasure-seeking visitors to the Warehouse District walk on top of Guy Town--the chic neighborhood of today is built on the most decadent and deadly area of the city's past. With the old county courthouse at its core, the district rose from the Colorado River up to Fifth Street and spanned from Congress Avenue to Shoal Creek, infesting Austin's eclectic First Ward neighborhood. Guy Town was a haven for notorious madams, prostitutes, druggies and drunkards lost to history, as well as names still remembered--Ben Thompson, O. Henry and Johnny Ringo roamed its streets looking for a good time. From murderers to con men, crooked cops and more, meet the cast of characters that gave Guy Town its reputation in author Richard Zelade's lurid account of the Capital City's historic underbelly.

Hallettsville

9780738596365

$24.99

Hallettsville, known as the "City of Hospitality," has been the county seat of Lavaca County since 1852. The city is situated on the east bank of the Lavaca River. Margaret Hallet gave the land for the townsite, and her influence helped secure Hallettsville as the permanent county seat. By means of a charter, the city of Hallettsville was incorporated in 1879. Scenes from the popular musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton, feature the scenic Hallettsville courthouse square. Annual city events include the Kolache Festival, Fiddler's Frolic, and the Festival of Lights. The Texas Championship Domino Hall of Fame also calls Hallettsville home.

Harvey Houses of Texas

9781626195240

$21.99

On the eve of the twentieth century, small-town Texas was still wild country lacking in the commodities and cultural centers of larger cities. This changed, however, with the arrival of the Santa Fe rail line, followed quickly by the Harvey House. Established in Kansas by English immigrant Fred Harvey, Harvey Houses could be found throughout the Southwest and adjoined local depots in sixteen Texas towns. Found in every corner of the state, Harvey Houses were not just restaurants and hotels for weary, hungry travelers but were also bustling social centers and often the only commercial outlet for the communities that developed around them. Author Rosa Walston Latimer tells the history of hospitality the "Fred Harvey way" in turn-of-the-century Texas, woven from personal stories of the famous "Harvey Girls" and other employees of Texas Harvey Houses.

Haskell County

9780738578873

$24.99

Though the story of the land runs far back in time, Haskell County was first platted on the map of Texas on February 1, 1858. Its name honors Texas revolutionary soldier Charles Ready Haskell, who was martyred at Goliad. Cradled by two forks of the Brazos River, the county's open prairies were a favorite American Indian hunting ground. Stories of Spanish treasure buried along the river still linger. Gold seekers following Capt. Randolph Marcy's 1849 expeditionary trail camped on what came to be called California Creek, and Col. Ranald Mackenzie's trail through southern Haskell County was a key supply route for cavalry engaged in the Red River War. By the late 1870s, cattle replaced herds of buffalo, and ranching became the cornerstone of the economy. As news of this promising country traveled east, settlers arrived and established farms. In the words of historian R. E. Sherrill, "There was something about this country fresh from the hand of the Creator . . . a kind of drawing power that was irresistible." Today, as a modern agricultural region, Haskell County continues to capture the heart of its people.

Haunted Austin

9781609490409

$19.99

A killer lurks in the dark streets, victimizing servant girls throughout 1885, and Austin becomes the first American city to claim a serial killer. The spirits of convicts wander amidst the manicured grounds of the Texas State Capitol while inside a public servant assassinated in 1903 still haunts the corridors. These are just a few of the strange and frightening tales of Haunted Austin. Within these pages lies evidence that the frontier bravado legendary in so many Texas men and women lives on long after death. Author Jeanine Plumer explores the sinister history of the city and attempts to answer the question: why do so many ghosts linger in Austin?

Haunted Dallas

9781609492014

$21.99

Tales of the strange and supernatural echo through the halls and city streets of the Big D. At the Renaissance-inspired Majestic Theater, it is rumored that the curtains are lowered by ghostly hands, and it is said that there is a sadness that lingers at the Sixth Floor Museum in the room where Oswald aimed at JFK. Travel downtown to the grand Adolphus Hotel, where guests from the turn of the century still dance to the strains of a phantom waltz, but beware of the stretch of road along White Rock Lake where a mysterious force kills the engines of unwary motorists. Join local author Rita Cook as she journeys into the darkest corners of the Texas heartland with this chilling collection of stories.

Haunted Denton

9781467151528

$21.99

Follow a trail of Denton ghost stories from nineteenth-century pioneers and outlaws to modern-day businessmen who don't intend to clock out. Locals report that John B. Denton still roams the grounds of the courthouse lawn and keeps watch over his namesake town square from an upper window. The 1949 Campus Theatre is said to be haunted by the playful spirit of J.P. Harrison, the first general manager of the building. Historic restaurants like Cartwright's Ranch House and Killer's Tacos pair the occasional full-body apparition with their delicious menus. From the specter showing up in a selfie at Dix Coney Island to a phantom threading its way through Rose's Costume shop, Teal Gray captures the haunted heritage of this fascinating Texas town.

Haunted Fort Worth

9781609491765

$21.99

In Fort Worth, the past and present exist side by side and spirits walk among the living. Stay the night at Miss Molly's Hotel; the oldest bed-and-breakfast in the city boasts frequent eerie occurrences and unexplained sightings. Nearby, Cattlemen's Fort Worth Steak House features a special like no other, just watch out for flying liquor! From Bonnie and Clyde's old "haunts" to the once notorious Hell's Half Acre, Fort Worth is filled with historic spots rumored to play host to lingering ghosts and specters.

Haunted Granbury

9781626193109

$21.99

Established after the Civil War, the small town of Granbury has had time to stock its streets and historic buildings with ghastly tales and haunting stories. Legend has it that the notorious John Wilkes Booth escaped to Granbury after assassinating President Lincoln and that his spirit now haunts the Opera House, living out his dastardly crime day after day. On Houston Street, passersby may encounter the little faceless girl who met her maker after falling from a window watching a traveling circus. In Granbury's old jailhouse, past inmates haunt their cells and leave messages for unwitting intruders. Author Brandy Herr delves into the devilish history of Granbury's most haunted locations and delivers a healthy dose of a frightening and mysterious past.

Haunted History of Old San Antonio

9781609499792

$19.99

As the saying goes, "dead men tell no tales." Or do they? From its humble beginnings as a Spanish settlement in 1691 to the bloody battle at the Alamo, San Antonio's history is rich in haunting tales. Discover Old San Antonio's most haunted places and uncover the history that lies waiting for those who dare to enter their doorways. Take a peek inside the Menger Hotel, the "Most Haunted Hotel in Texas," and just a block away, peer into the Emily Morgan Hotel, one of the city's first hospitals and where many men and women lost their lives. Explore the San Fernando Cathedral, where people are buried within the walls and visitors claim to see faces mysteriously appear. Uncover the legends behind Bexar County Jail. Join authors James and Lauren Swartz and decide for yourself what truly lurks behind the Alamo City's fabled past.

Haunted New Braunfels

9781609498924

$21.99

Visitors claim to hear the clinking of tinsmith tools and the ring of an unattended antique cash register at all hours at Kickin' K, which formerly housed Henne's Hardware and tinsmith shop. In Landa Park, passersby have reported hearing phantom footsteps follow behind them in the evening. Strange and spooky stories like these abound in New Braunfels. From the city's rough-and-tumble beginnings to its vibrant present, haunted tales can be found all over town. Author Erin O. Wallace delves into the ghost stories and histories of New Braunfels and tries to find the source of the paranormal phenomena.

Haunted North Central Texas

9781467151535

$21.99

Explore the haunted lore and inexplicable tragedies of North Central Texas. North Central Texas is home to some former residents who just won’t leave. Encounter spirits of affluent families lingering in their mansions and the specters of notorious outlaws still trapped in their jail cells. Uncover the mysterious demise of Garland’s Smiley family and the grisly secrets of a Grayson County slaughterhouse. Track down the stone angel who flaps her wings when no one is watching. Learn why the elevators at the Adolphus Hotel frighten guests and plumb the ghostly currents that flow through the town of Mineral Wells. Author Teresa Nordheim ventures into the past of a region with more unnerving shadows than a North Texas Thunderstorm.

Haunted Old Town Spring

9781625859228

$21.99

Old Town Spring's historic streets may set the scene for a quaint shopping village, but they also serve as byways for one of the most haunted towns in Texas. A perfectionist past the end, Uncle Charlie still fusses around the historic Wunsche Brothers Café, the oldest commercial structure in the area. The spirit of a girl who died in a barn still plays with her group of friends in Doering Court, while a headless switchman runs after phantom trains trying to prevent a collision. Her path lit by unknown lights in the sky, author Cathy Nance leads the way through Old Town Spring's spookiest sites.

Haunted Plano, Texas

9781467140386

$21.99

Plano's old homes and businesses are rife with haunted history. Explore eerie urban legends like the Goat Man, the Clown Threat, and Ranch 111, where devil worshipers performed their rituals. The Evaporating Apparition spooked the staff at the Art Centre Theatre, while the grumpy spirit of an old rancher stalks the Masonic Lodge. Some specters are harmless, such as the Giggling Ghost, a little girl in the Cox Building with a penchant for peanut butter and pranks. Other figures own a more sinister reputation. The Witch Lady of Plano was feared by city youth and monitored by the FBI. Mary Jacobs examines the ghostly fallout of Plano's darkest moments, from the smallpox epidemic to the gruesome Muncey family murders.

Haunted Seguin

9781609498917

$21.99

Founded and built by the brave Texas Rangers who fought for the state's independence, Seguin is a picturesque town with a chilling history. The defensive wall around the city is said to also keep souls from leaving. Locals whisper tales of a headless soldier roaming the streets at night, searching for his remains. The town square, now a hub of activity and commerce, once hosted public hangings and beatings. Lake McQueeny is known for its beauty, but a lost spirit wails along the shores to warn would-be drowning victims. Discover these and other stories from the shadows of Seguin's past with author Erin O. Wallace.

Hearne

9780738585406

$24.99

H earne earned the title "the Crossroads of Texas" by virtue of two rail lines and two highways crisscrossing within its boundaries. A small town with an inordinate amount of heavy traffic, Hearne has always been a place where a lot of moving and shaking occurs. Indeed, "moving and shaking" characterized Hearne from its beginnings when namesake Christopher Columbus Hearne convinced the Houston & Texas Central Railroad to make a tiny, unincorporated village its terminus. Some years after, a visitor referred to Hearne as "19 saloons surrounding an artesian well." Ninety-year resident Bill Palmos described Hearne as a rough town of good-hearted people with a matching reputation. He added that when people traveled by rail, "Houston, Hempstead, and Hell" was the conductor's call. Even after saloons gave way to churches, schools, and service clubs, Hearne's reputation for roughness stuck.

Heath

9781467133494

$24.99

When John O. Heath first settled in the area now known as Heath in 1848, wild turkey and deer were as plentiful as the area's timber and rich, black soil. The fertile land and convenient location along the east fork of the Trinity River prompted several settlers to follow the Heath family's lead, and Heath experienced steady growth in the early 1900s, with several businesses and schools in operation. Life was hard in those days, with food and money hard to come by, but locals found sanctuary in social gatherings, endless games of 42, mink hunting in the winter, and baseball. Heath's economy was given a big lift when the lake adjacent to the community, known as Lake Ray Hubbard, was filled in 1969 after a seemingly endless rain. With the attraction of the lake and developments that stemmed from it, such as the Rush Creek Yacht Club, Heath now faces the challenge of maintaining steady growth while continuing to stick to its roots as a charming, tight-knit community with an open countryside atmosphere.

Hello, Texas!

9781938700453

$9.95

Welcome to Texas! Parent and child Armadillos tour the Lone Star State in best-selling author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock's Hello! board book series for children. In Hello, Texas! join the pair as they explore Big Bend National Park, spend the day at the State Fair of Texas, discover the Alamo and splash at the beach. Along the way they stop for some yummy barbecue, pretend to be astronauts at Space Center Houston, wave to prairie dogs, watch bats fly in Austin, and end their day floating on a river boat in San Antonio! For ages 0-3. Made in the USA.