Name: Fort Worth's Quality Hill
Brand: Brenda S. McClurkin
SKU: 9781467132114
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Fort Worth's Quality Hill

9781467132114

$24.99

In the late 19th century, Fort Worth's Quality Hill succeeded Samuels Avenue as the city's prestigious residential neighborhood. Cattle barons, bankers, attorneys, and business entrepreneurs selected this west-side locale to construct exquisite homes that reflected their wealth and prominence in the community. Bounded by Seventh Street on the north, Pennsylvania Avenue on the south, Henderson Street on the east, and the Trinity River on the west, the area had an unequaled civility. Quality Hill set the standard for fine living, elaborate entertaining, and philanthropy. Just a handful of these gracious homes have survived the years. Fort Worth's Quality Hill offers you an opportunity to explore this historic neighborhood in its finest and waning days.

African Americans of Sanford

9780738567624

$24.99

African Americans of Sanford have served in the building of this great nation since their participation in the three Seminole Wars. They were a large part of the labor force that earned Sanford the distinction of "Celery Capital of the World." The residents of Sanford and its surrounding communities of Goldsboro, Georgetown, Bookertown, and Midway/Canaan work tirelessly to nurture and protect their families. Their stories are a vital ingredient in Sanford's folklife performance, "Celery Soup." Crooms Academy gave service to African Americans in the area from its founding in 1926 until integration in the late 1960s and was the central force in connecting local communities. Its graduates have entered education, law, medicine, politics, engineering, entertainment, and other specialized areas. African Americans of Sanford recognizes and applauds those who have helped to preserve Sanford's history as well as those who have participated in making it.

Washington County

9780738552996

$24.99

Named after the first president of the United States, Washington County is nationally known as the place where Abraham Lincoln's parents wed in 1806. While that is the public perception, residents say they live in the county to enjoy life's simple pleasures--visiting friends, watching softball games, or taking drives in the country. It is a unique and beautiful place; rugged, wooded hills in the north gently cascade to rolling, fertile terrain in the south. Washington County was made up of 35 separate communities, now anchored by the incorporated towns of Springfield, the county seat; Willisburg; and Mackville. Images of America: Washington County features photographs of the area's rich culture, the strong roles of religion and education, the agrarian base, and, most importantly, its families. The photographs depict the enjoyment of living and prospering in Washington County.

World War I and the Sacramento Valley

9781467119054

$21.99

When the First World War thrust the United States into a dire global conflict, the Sacramento Valley was quick to mobilize. Many of America's first air units for combat were trained at Mather Field, while local farms filled some of the largest food supply orders for the Allies. Many women eschewed tradition and joined the industrial workforce at Liberty Iron Works, Southern Pacific Railroad and more. Though many banded together, the region's homefront was not without tension. Gripped by xenophobia, groups like the Liberty League formed local chapters to hunt spies, and local police forced displays of patriotism from suspected German sympathizers. With exclusive content from the Sacramento Public Library's Special Collections, librarians Amanda DeWilde and James Scott reveal the struggles and triumphs of the Sacramento region during the First World War.

Haunted Lansing

9781467140478

$21.99

Hastily dubbed the new capital in 1847, Lansing overcame derision and setbacks to become a booming metropolis. Yet its rich history hides chilling legends.

Bertie Clippinger plays tricks on the unwary at the Capitol Building, where the teen accidentally fell to his death when a game went horribly wrong. One of Lansing's founding families keeps a spectral vigil over its homestead, the Turner Dodge House. Malevolent spirits stalk the derelict Michigan School for the Blind. A witch's vengeful curse follows those who trespass on Seven Gables Road, one of the state's most haunted stretches. Founder of Demented Mitten Tours and local author Jenn Carpenter leads readers to the dark side of the Capital City.

Escondido Grape Day Festivals

9780738559490

$24.99

Escondido is the lilting Spanish name meaning "hidden" and was given to an irregular-shaped inland Southern California valley where an investment group planted 100 acres of grapes in the early 1880s. The dry-farmed grapes grew unusually large and sweet, which prompted business leaders to envision an attraction similar to Pasadena's Tournament of Roses. The first Grape Day Festival in 1908 commemorated an auspicious occasion in Escondido's water history and celebrated the grape as a symbol of the agricultural abundance of the region. The event attracted thousands of guests who could view the valley, farm displays, a grand parade, and entertainment while eating their fill of free grapes. But by mid-century, Grape Day disappeared along with the grape in Escondido. With the memory of the grape remaining clear, the Escondido Historical Society began the revival of the celebration in the 1970s. The centennial Grape Day Festival took place September 6, 2008.

Kiowa County

9780738580937

$24.99

Carved out of Bent County in 1889, Kiowa County is a rural, agricultural area with a rich and varied history. Located in southeastern Colorado in the heart of the Great Plains, Kiowa County was originally dominated by cattle ranches; however, farming quickly became just as important. The construction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad in the late 1880s sparked the growth of towns in Kiowa County, bringing a variety of ambitious settlers facing many challenges. Confronted with a well-documented drought cycle in the semiarid climate, the settlers persevered to establish schools and businesses and to create homes. Although Kiowa County never became home to a booming metropolis as early residents dreamed, the county's citizens take pride in a rich history and strive to preserve it.

Picturing Historic Person County

9781596292895

$21.99

Tucked away from the bustle of nearby Raleigh and Durham, Person County, North Carolina, is an oasis of easygoing Southern charm. The photography of John Wesley Merritt, shutterbug and lifelong Roxboro resident, brilliantly captures the spirit of this idyllic setting as it was in the 1940s and 1950s.

Producing a vivid portrait of a bygone era, Merritt had the rare talent of preserving a whole way of life through the details he recorded on film from streets and shops to fields and farm stands. Captions and essays by Eddie Talbert reveal what the photographs do not. Hard times and good times, historic facts and interesting details are all collected here in a unique edition that celebrates a cherished era in Person County's history.

Navajo and Hopi Art in Arizona

9781467117890

$24.99

Arizona's Navajo and Hopi cultures span multiple generations, and their descendants continue to honor customs from thousands of years ago. Contemporary artists like Hopi katsina doll carver Manuel Chavarria and Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas use traditional crafts and techniques to preserve the stories of their ancestors. Meanwhile, emerging mixed-media artists like Melanie Yazzie expand the boundaries of tradition by combining Navajo influences with contemporary culture and styles. Local author Rory Schmitt presents the region's outstanding native artists and their work, studios and inspirations.

The Italian Home for Children

9780738538273

$24.99

As it ravaged the world, the influenza epidemic of 1918 devastated Boston's congested North End and left hundreds of orphans in its wake. Touched by this crisis, a Roman Catholic priest and a group of Italian Americans founded the first home for Italian children in Massachusetts. Franciscan Sisters devoted 24 hours a day to providing the children with a safe, loving, and spiritual environment. In addition, the home provided educational support for its residents. Over time, the changing needs of children mandated that the agency change the nature of its services from custodial care to treatment. In 1974, in response to the changing political and social climate, the agency became the Italian Home for Children. Today, it is a nonprofit, nonsectarian residential treatment facility with a capacity for 61 children of all races, nationalities, and religions. The images in The Italian Home for Children document milestones in the organization's history: the devastating influenza epidemic, the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas plays, a visit from Joe DiMaggio, trips to Canobie Lake Park in the summer, the Tony Martin benefit performance at Boston Garden, and the home as it is today--a refuge for children in the most severe crises.

Swedish Seattle

9780738548081

$24.99

Swedish immigrants began arriving in Seattle in the 1880s, and by 1900 had formed a thriving community of churches, businesses, social clubs, labor organizations, choruses, and dance groups, as well as a Swedish-language press. Their civic accomplishments are exemplified by well-known Seattle institutions founded by Swedish immigrants, including a national department store chain and a world-class medical facility, which began as Swedish Hospital. The story of the Swedish community in Seattle is also a personal history of families and friends building a new life as Americans. Swedish culture is perhaps most publicly visible in annual celebrations such as Midsummer and Lucia. A lively local interest in Swedish music and dance suggests that "Swedish" Seattle is not limited to residents who happen to be of Swedish descent.

The Danny Ford Years at Clemson: Romping and Stomping

9781609497057

$21.99

The last time Danny Ford spit tobacco juice on a Clemson sideline was Dec. 30, 1989. Yet Ford has become more beloved as time has distanced the Tigers from the glory he orchestrated in eleven years as the team's football coach. It began in December of 1978 when a young, obscure offensive line coach took over a heartbroken fan base. It ended in January of 1990 under a cloud of controversy and mystery that has not yet been completely resolved. In between, Ford led Clemson on a wild and unforgettable ride. Award-winning sportswriter Larry Williams presents, for the first time in book form, the definitive story of Ford's complicated, compelling Clemson tenure.

The Danny Ford Years at Clemson: Romping and Stomping

People of the Flint Hills:

9781626197237

$21.99

The Flint Hills stretch across eighty-two thousand square miles of American history in a long, rocked-up, grassed-up finger pointing from the Oklahoma border all the way to Nebraska. This history winds though the mythos of the cowboy, climbing among families built on fierce independence, respect for the land and the water, and stubborn refusal to sacrifice a way of life to enforced economic change. These stories tell the hard truths of hard people whose traditional values have carried them, have helped them prosper for five generations. Ancestral land belongs these days only to those willing to fight for it. Heaven's own sunsets wait only for the strong and the certain. The world would do well to know these hills and those who live here.

San Francisco State University

9780738555669

$24.99

San Francisco State University has promoted educational excellence for more than a century. Established as a vocational school for teachers, it became the first such institute in the United States to require a high school diploma. As the school expanded its curriculum, it became San Francisco State Teachers College (1921), San Francisco State College (1935), and San Francisco State University (1972). Known as "the City's University," San Francisco State is situated on a park-like campus in the southwest corner of San Francisco. The school's motto--"experience teaches"--communicates its pragmatic approach to education, and SFSU has developed many internationally respected programs over the years. The school's fascinating history includes complete destruction by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, as well as a five-month student/faculty strike during the late 1960s, which resulted in the founding of the first School of Ethnic Studies (1969) in the United States.

Gund

9780738537108

$24.99

Gund, America's oldest and most recognized stuffed-toy manufacturer, has produced millions of quality toys for more than one hundred years. Since Adolf Gund launched the company in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1898, Gund has prided itself on its founding values of quality, workmanship, and "huggability." The photographs in Gund document significant events in the company's history, including prestigious awards, lovable products, and important people. Gund was making stuffed bears four years before teddy bears became the namesake of President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt. From Snuffles the bear to Muttsy the dog, these plush playthings fill millions of homes and hearts.

Detroit's New Center

9780738532714

$24.99

The northern anchor of Detroit's greater downtown, New Center is a diverse and vibrant neighborhood that offers shopping, entertainment, and dining among landmark architecture, historic districts, and contemporary homes and businesses.

Shortly after General Motors built their headquarters three miles north of downtown, the Fisher Brothers conceived the idea of a ""new center"" and proceeded to construct the landmark Fisher and New Center Buildings. From this initial activity in the 1920s sprung a new commercial district, a new neighborhood, and a New Center for the City of Detroit. Detroit's New Center takes readers on a journey from New Center's origins as a planned business district to its current life as a thriving area where Detroiters live, work, and play.

Ocean City Baby Parade

9780738565033

$24.99

The Ocean City Baby Parade is the longest continuously held baby parade in the nation, tracing back to August 10, 1901, when the city's first baby show was held. From its beginning with 46 babies in the prettiest, cutest, and fattest baby categories, it has grown into a boardwalk extravaganza with 300 entrants, bands and bugle corps, professionally decorated commercial floats, homemade baby floats, grand marshals, and cartoon characters. Many families plan their vacations around this well-known event, and they are among the thousands of spectators lining the boardwalk each year.

Wood-Ridge

9780738535562

$24.99

Located in northeastern New Jersey some twenty minutes from Manhattan, Wood-Ridge was incorporated in 1894. Once a place of farms and woods, the borough was transformed first in the 1920s by Sunshine City, a thousand-house development, and then in the mid-1900s by the renowned airplane-engine manufacturer Curtiss-Wright Corporation, which built its headquarters here. Wood-Ridge highlights early landowners-among them the Brandenburgs and the Brinkerhoffs-and later people of accomplishment, including Grace Castagnetta, Frank Lovejoy, and Frankie Muniz. It also looks ahead to the proposed redevelopment of Westmont Station.

Philadelphia Reflections:

9781609493189

$21.99

Beyond the iconic landmarks of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell is the Philadelphia the locals know. The gritty waterfront district, the vital farming suburbs and the immigrant communities of Germantown and Kensington are all part of the hometown face of Philly.
From the bustling streets of the downtown of today and yesteryear to the bingo halls of Allentown and the Middletown Grange Fair, this collection takes the reader on a nostalgic journey through the cityscapes and suburbs. Sixteen of Pennsylvania's finest creative nonfiction writers share their stories of taking SEPTA buses, riding the Wanamaker's monorail and kayaking the Schuylkill. This collection of vignettes masterfully reveals the unforgettable histories and colorful traditions that make up the City of Neighborhoods.

University of Central Arkansas

9781467104272

$24.99

"The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) began its life as the Arkansas State Normal School in 1907. Originally intended to bolster Arkansas's teaching pool by training professional educators, the school hosted 9 academic departments, 1 building, 107 students, and 7 faculty members. The school renamed itself the Arkansas State Teachers College in 1925 and became the University of Central Arkansas in 1975. UCA now has around 12,000 students, 400 full-time faculty, 150 total degrees and certificates, and more than 120 buildings on over 350 acres. UCA was one of the first schools in the nation to create an honors program, the Norbert O. Schedler Honors College, which still thrives today. The University of Central Arkansas has positioned itself as a beacon of academic progress in Arkansas and continues to grow with Conway's booming population sector."

Cover image for University of Central Arkansas, isbn: 9781467104272

LaGrange

9780738564524

$24.99

Founded in 1821, LaGrange was originally known as the town of Freedom. The town grew slowly at first, but the good soil, along with many streams, led to successful farms and mills. Quakers made their homes in the hamlets of Moore's Mills and Arthursburg and petitioned for the end of slavery, while the local men marched with Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in the 150th Regiment, New York Infantry. Later LaGrange was home to Dr. George Huntington, who had been hailed for his research on the disease named after him. With the arrival of the trains, businesses prospered and the population grew, as both New England and city residents discovered its charms. Composer T. Carl Whitmer shared his talents in local performances and the legacy of James Baird, builder of the Lincoln Memorial, lives on in the park that bears his name. Thanks to its scenic beauty and central location to the Taconic State Parkway, LaGrange continues to attract visitors today.

Stillwater, Minnesota

9781467135160

$21.99

The riverfront always drew people to Stillwater. The Ojibwe and Dakota first settled here, later striking a treaty with Europeans, who quickly realized the St. Croix River's potential as an ideal way to move lumber. One of the first to float logs down the river was Captain Stephen Hanks, cousin to Abraham Lincoln. The lumber business gave birth to Minnesota's first millionaire as the city grew, and Stillwater received one of the state's first Carnegie grants for a free public library. Meanwhile, the state prison saw notorious gangster Cole Younger found the Prison Mirror in 1887, now the nation's oldest continuously operated offender newspaper. Authors Holly Day and Sherman Wick celebrate the history and charm of one of Minnesota's finest cities, from the frontier to today.

Artesia

9780738576282

$24.99

Before New Mexico became a state in 1912, hardy pioneers had already established the village of Miller, known today as Artesia, on the dusty southeastern plains of the territory. Abundant artesian wells and, later, oil wells drew settlers from far and wide to make a living and a home in Artesia. As with any town, Artesia has evolved and changed throughout the years; businesses have come and gone, while the love for Bulldog sports still attracts the young and old. Today, Artesia continues to grow as the community takes pride in preserving and displaying the history of the town. Artesia captures this story in photographs, tracing the growth of Miller to Stegman to Artesia.

Pioneering Palm Beach

9781609496579

$21.99

Palm Beach's sunny and idyllic shores had humble beginnings as a wilderness of sawgrass and swamps only braved by the hardiest of souls. Two such adventurers were Fred and Byrd "Birdie" Spilman Dewey, who pioneered in central Florida before discovering the tropical beauty of Palm Beach in 1887. Though their story was all but lost, this dynamic couple was vital in transforming the region from a rough backcountry into a paradise poised for progress. Authors Ginger Pedersen and Janet DeVries trace the remarkable history of the Deweys in South Florida from their beginnings on the isolated frontier to entertaining the likes of the Flaglers, Vanderbilts, Phippses, Cluetts, Clarkes and other Palm Beach elite. Using Birdie's autobiographical writings from her best-selling books to fill in the gaps, Pedersen and DeVries narrate a chapter in Florida's history that has remained untold until now.

The Chicago Haymarket Affair: A Guide to a Labor Rights Milestone

9781467135740

$21.99

On May 4, 1886, a bomb exploded during a labor demonstration near Haymarket Square. The ensuing gunfire and chaos brought a grisly end to what began as peaceful support for an eight-hour workday and led to the trial and execution of rally organizers. The incident also drew irrevocable attention to a conversation about workers" rights and the role of law enforcement that continues today. In this guide to the key moments and sites of one of Chicago's most confusing and chaotic events, author Joseph Anthony Rulli aims to establish a clearer understanding of its historical significance.

The Chicago Haymarket Affair: A Guide to a Labor Rights Milestone

South Baton Rouge

9781467124720

$24.99

Founded in 1699, Baton Rouge was the site of countless historic events and the home to many people, including those of African ancestry. South Baton Rouge is an African American community located in Baton Rouge. It was one of the first places African Americans could receive a high school education in the state. The three-mile community around historic McKinley High School was the site of the nation's first successful bus boycott. When laws restricted where African Americans could live, work, learn, and play, South Baton Rouge was a refuge. African American restaurants, theaters, gas stations, and other businesses populated the community, and change-makers, including African American lawyers, judges, clergy, educators, and nurses, helped to sustain the community and other portions of the southern half of Louisiana's capital through the end of legal segregation and beyond.

Railway Palaces of Portland, Oregon

9781626193093

$24.99

In 1883, railroad financier Henry Villard brought Portland and the Pacific Northwest their first transcontinental railroad. Earning a reputation for boldness on Wall Street, the war correspondent turned entrepreneur set out to establish Portland as a bourgeoning metropolis. To realize his vision, he hired architects McKim, Mead & White to design a massive passenger station and a first-class hotel. Despite financial panics, lost fortunes and stalled construction, the Portland Hotel opened in 1890 and remained the social heart of the city for sixty years. While the original station was never built, Villard returned as a pivotal benefactor of Union Station, saving its iconic clock tower in the process. Author Alexander Benjamin Craghead tells the story of this Gilded Age patron and the architecture that helped shape the city's identity.

Legendary Locals of Tippecanoe to Tipp City

9781467101592

$24.99

Lock No. 15 on the Miami and Erie Canal ensured the development of Tippecanoe, Ohio, but the village would not have grown into the busy Tipp City of today without people determined to build futures for themselves and their families. John Clark established the town, and prosperity came with men and women like Joshua Horton and his newspaper, John Garver and his furniture factory, James Scheip of Tipp Novelty, Peter Bohlender of SpringHill Nursery, and the Timmers of TipTop Canning. The strong school system evolved thanks to innovative leaders like James Bartmess and L.T. Ball. The entire community benefited from the vision of Sidney Chaffee and his opera house, and it benefits still today with the visions of volunteers like Bob and Jackie Wahl and Peg Hadden, who, along with so many others, give their time, talent, and love to Tippecanoe and Tipp City.

Legendary Locals of Tippecanoe to Tipp City

The Polish Community of New Britain

9780738537658

$24.99

Factory jobs in "the Hardware City of the World" began attracting Polish immigrants to New Britain in the 1890s. The Poles soon became the city's largest ethnic group, centering their family, business, social, cultural, and spiritual life on Broad Street. Their Polonia was unparalleled in New England. Three parishes and dozens of organizations shared a strong commitment to Polish education, military service, political representation, and "Dozynki" and "Dzien Zaduszny" traditions. Continuing waves of immigration contributed to Polonia's ceaseless self-renewal. The Polish Community of New Britain celebrates this magnetic vitality and cultural continuity with rare photographs drawn from family albums and local archives.

Rockford

9780738523415

$24.99

During the early decades of the 20th century, communication by postcard was an inexpensive and popular means of exchanging travel stories, news, and gossip across the United States. For just a few cents each, postcards connected friends and family separated by hundreds of miles. Rockford: 1900-World War I, with a collection of nearly 240 vintage postcard images, captures the details of this dynamic era and documents the Forest City's coming of age.

Inside are views of Rockford's bustling downtown, including rare glimpses of long-gone landmarks like the Grand Opera House and Orpheum Theater. Witness history in the making with Rockford's first recorded airplane flights in 1911 and experience U.S. Army doughboy life at Rockford's Camp Grant. Be there for Teddy Roosevelt's historic visits to Rockford, and marvel at the intrepid companies that turned Rockford into a national manufacturing power.

Cover image for Rockford, isbn: 9780738523415

Los Gatos Generations

9780738555614

$24.99

From its beginnings as a Mexican land grant, Los Gatos has been filled with promise. A beautiful natural setting attracted a fascinating population of innovators, inventors, intellectuals, and artists; those who dreamed and those who cultivated the splendid richness of the soil. A gracious integration of fruit, flowers, and a gentle, delightful climate allowed settlers to thrive and find sure success. Inevitable tragedy and troubles also beset the little settlement at the western edge of the country, especially a series of devastating fires and episodes of raw frontier violence in the 1880s. Yet through all of its history, Los Gatos has prided itself on its strong sense of community, each generation proud of its heritage and of what they accomplished. A gathering of talent graced each decade--hopeful, hardworking people who appreciated the unique combination of an ideal place and abundant opportunity existent in their corner of the "Valley of Hearts Delight."

Twin Lights Tonic

9781467148788

$21.99 $11.00 Save 50%

Since 1907, one Rockport family have continued to make their timeless soda pop the old-fashioned way. Twin Lights Soda--or tonic, as it's still known locally--was started by second-generation Portuguese immigrants in the back of a small-town family grocer and named after the iconic pair of lighthouses just off the coast of Cape Ann. The bottling industry was one of America's great entrepreneurial endeavors, and at its peak, Twin Lights outsold even the two largest national cola brands in the region. But today, while soft drinks are a $45 billion industry, few independents remain. Authors Paul St. Germain and Dev Sherlock trace the fascinating story of one of the last family bottlers still in operation.

Legendary Locals of Beacon Hill

9781467101493

$24.99

In the 1600s, William Blaxton set up his farmstead on Beacon Hill because it was far from the bustle of the city. John Hancock's uncle Thomas Hancock built his mansion on the hill in the 1700s so he could enjoy a rural lifestyle. In the early 1800s, future mayor of Boston Harrison Gray Otis moved to Beacon Hill because it was the new and fashionable neighborhood he was helping create. Louisa May Alcott, in the 19th century, and Robert Frost, in the 20th, lived on the hill because the literary set loved the neighborhood's picturesque streets and close quarters that made it easy to get together for conversation. The 9,000 residents who live in this small, urban neighborhood of Boston today appreciate its walkability, convenience, quirkiness, and neighborliness. The historic architecture, ever-burning gas lamps, rugged bricks, and one-of-a-kind shops prove that the best of the past can live comfortably with the novelty of the present.

Crowley

9781467112291

$24.99

How do you build a town from scratch? The first ingredient is a dream. W.W. Duson served as the chef with a vision for a new town. With the railroad completed through southwestern Louisiana in 1881, Duson, general manager of the Southwestern Louisiana Land Company, orchestrated the purchase of land along the railroad. Railroader Patrick Crowley moved his "Crowley Switch" house depot to the new townsite as Duson stirred interest through advertisements in Midwestern newspapers. Duson blended the surveying, bringing 100 workers to clear the land, with Duson Brothers' real estate business to help shape the town. Mixed in were special excursion trains that brought in prospective buyers of lots and farmland. Finally, a heaping helping of pioneer adventurers--including merchant Jac Frankel, physician D.P. January, farmer brothers C.J. and Thomas Freeland, attorney James Barry, banker Preston Lovell, and many others--were added to spice up the town.

Urbanna

9780738592350

$24.99

Urbanna is one of oldest English-settled towns in America. In 1680, the Virginia Assembly created the town by approving the Act of Cohabitation, which was designed to create 19 towns in Virginia. Urbanna was officially established in 1706 by the assembly, which named the town Burgh of Urbanna, Latin for "City of Anne," after Queen Anne of England. Throughout the colonial period, the town was a tobacco inspection port. It was invaded by the British during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 and then by Union troops during the Civil War. After the Civil War, oysters from the Rappahannock River became the primary source of income for residents until the 1960s. As a tribute to the oyster, the town annually holds the Urbanna Oyster Festival, which draws over 60,000 people to the shores of the little town.