Arcadia Bestsellers

Author Laura Cunningham expertly blends fright with history and presents the ghostly legends of haunted Memphis.

Much like its muddy riverbanks, the mid-South is flooded with tales of shadowy spirits lurking among us. Beyond the rhythm of the blues and tapping of blue suede shoes is a history steeped in horror. From the restless souls of Elmwood Cemetery to the voodoo vices of Beale Street, phantom hymns of the Orpheum Theatre and Civil War soldiers still looking for a fight, peer beyond the shadows of the city's most historic sites. Author and lifelong resident Laura Cunningham expertly blends fright with history and presents the ghostly legends from Beale to Bartlett, Germantown to Collierville, in this one-of-a-kind volume no resident or visitor should be without.

Located just a stone's throw from Charleston, Summerville has always attracted scores of people looking for shelter from the sweltering heat and mosquito clouds of the peninsula.

Some residents love the town so much that they never leave even after life. The exceptional service at Guerin's Pharmacy has led ghostly patrons to forever wander through the aisles though no amount of aspirin can cure death and their eerie presences spook customers and employees alike. From the ""praying soldier"" that terrorized the residents of the Quackenbush-List house to Monty, the ghost that rips pictures off the wall in Montreaux's Bar and Grill, these spirits have unfinished business in this bustling suburb, and veteran investigator and local author Bruce Orr recounts their tales in chilling detail.

It Didn't Play in Peoria explores the interesting history of this small Middle American town which is often looked over.

""Will it play in Peoria?"" was an old Vaudeville phrase meaning, ""Will it appeal to the average person?"" But it had greatness in its grasp, and more than once. The Illinois city has gained fame through the years, but more often as the butt of jokes or as an example of the typical Middle American town than through any recognition of its many accomplishments. Peoria boasts a string of close brushes with prosperity, any one of which could have made it a Chicago or a St. Louis. Charles Lindbergh, for example, first approached Peoria for backing for his historic flight, but the town's moneymen refused him and his Spirit of Peoria, perhaps losing a chance at the airline industry as well.

A local's guide to Missouri's entertainment boomtown. Carol A. Shaffer received an MIPA Merit Award in the 2000 Midwest Book Awards.

Ghost stories from the Long Beach Peninsula have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of Pacific County comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Learn about Oysterville Church and the wandering spirits who still call it home. Or discover the history of the Shelburne Hotel, but be careful or you’ll end up trapped for eternity, too. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Discover the rich history of housing cooperatives in Washington, D.C., part of the urban landscape for a hundred years.

Co-ops first arose in the city in the 1920s. Building slowed during the Great Depression, but their numbers expanded after World War II. Conversions also expanded during the postwar years and several local architects became well known for their co-op designs. The model thrived and has become a vital part of the city's fabric.

Local historian Steve McKevitt tells the stories of each existing District co-op, using both historic and modern images to detail their development and architecture.

Watch out crows, this scarecrow won't give up without a fight!

Every year, pesky crows throw a party in a scarecrow’s patch, gobbling up all the pumpkins in sight and leaving a horrid mess. Not this year! Jeb is determined to protect his pumpkins no matter the cost. Those crows are in for an unpleasant surprise!

Author and illustrator Jana Dillon conceived this as her first book. Originally published in 1992, the rollicking dialogue, glowing scenes of evening mischief, and a scarecrow family of unusual charm have all stood the test of time in this inventive tale full of the radiance and excitement of the Halloween season.

Join Author and guide Mindie Burgoyne as she takes a chilling journey through the haunted history and lore of Ocean City and Berlin.

A ghostly sea captain, an ill-fated lover and jazz musicians who go on playing long after their last songs--these are the spirits that make their presence known from Ocean City's Boardwalk to the picturesque town square of Berlin. The phantom scent of a woman's perfume floats from Trimper's carousel while the Ocean City Life-Saving Station is haunted by the ghost of a drowned sailor. In Berlin, some guests never check out of the Atlantic Hotel, and strange happenings have been reported at the Rackliffe House, where legend has it that a cruel plantation owner was murdered by his slaves.

Writer Susan B. Johnson documents the interesting histories of of the famous antebellum cottages which dot Savannah's historic district.

In a warm, accessible style, Savannah writer Susan B. Johnson gives voice to the walls of the famous antebellum cottages that dot the city's historic district and examines the lives of the families that called them home. Who built these tiny dwellings? Who lived in their twelve hundred (or fewer) square feet of space? And what sort of world did they see when they gazed out their windows? This charming, meticulously researched book answers all these questions--and more. Who can resist the story of Dr. Samuel Furman, who was married to sisters, first Lucy and then Henrietta Williams? Or the sad tale of Edward and Jane Harden, who both died of bilious fever in 1804--he on her birthday, she on his--leaving their children in the care of slaves? Or the mystery of lively and conniving Eliza Howell, whose three husbands all died under the same circumstances?

Chatham and the Passaic River have been inextricably linked for nearly 275 years, since the town's founding under the informal name of Day's Bridge.

The name of Day's Bridge honored John Day, builder of the first span across the river, which forms the eastern edge of the town but the true nature of the town's residents is reflected in the area's permanent name, selected by villagers in 1773. Chatham is named for Great Britain's William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham, who was a champion of American liberties during that revolutionary era. The Passaic, fondly referred to by locals as ""The Fishawack,"" inspired the gradual flourishing of early mills and factories. Small shops, hotels, and especially the railroad brought nineteenth-century prosperity to Chatham's Main Street, and extended the influence of residents who commute to Newark and New York City. John T. Cunningham, New Jersey's preeminent historian, chronicles this growth and the relationship between populace and river through wonderful photographs and intriguing historic details.

Stretching from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, the Natchez Trace is one of the oldest, most historically significant routes in American history.

Beginning as hunting ground for natives, the Trace became the favored path back home for early settlers who floated down the Mississippi River to sell goods in Natchez. Yet the Trace was riddled with bandits, marauders and other perils, and today troubled and tortured voices from the past still echo along the road. Travel to Grinders Stand where famed explorer Meriwether Lewis met his untimely demise, and onto Kings Tavern, built in the late 1700s, and haunted by the ghost of the innkeeper's mistress. Author and ghost expert Bud Steed recounts these tales, and more, all lurking in the shadows of the Haunted Natchez Trace.

Formerly known as Black River, the village of Chester lies in the hills of Morris County, New Jersey.

Located on the site of former Native American trails, Chester was incorporated as a township in 1799. Join local historian and photographer Joan S. Case for this unique and informative look at the history of Chester--with images donated by the local historical society as well as many Chester families, this pictorial history covers the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. During this period, Chester was home to one of the busiest mining districts in New Jersey, and was also an important agricultural area; local distilleries turned thousands of bushels of Chester apples into the famous "Jersey Lightning. '? Five sites in Chester, including Zephaniah Drake's Brick Hotel, have been accepted into both the State and National Registers of Historic Places.