New Book Releases

Rediscover the magic of the Enchanted Forest in this history of Maryland's Storybook Park, the first children's theme park on the East Coast.

The history of the Enchanted Forest is one of magical beginnings. When it first opened in 1955, Ellicott City's storybook land became the first children's theme park on the East Coast. Young visitors could climb aboard rides like the Little Toot tugboat, Mother Goose and Ali Baba or encounter animals like peacocks and burros. Upon its closing in 1989, Marylanders who cherished memories of the Enchanted Forest were deeply disappointed. However, many of the park's beloved figures were moved to nearby Clark's Elioak Farm, where they were restored and displayed to the delight of new generations. Even today, the farm is a popular destination that evokes the whimsical spirit of the iconic park. Local author Janet Kusterer and Martha Anne Clark of Elioak Farm trace the park's history through vintage images and interviews with the Harrison family, former employees and visitors. Join Kusterer and Clark to rediscover the magic of the Enchanted Forest.

Washington County's involvement in the Civil War conjures images of the terrible aftermath of the Battle of Antietam. But many other events occurred there during the war. Wedged into a narrow neck between Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the area was the setting for many important events in the conflict. From John Brown launching his raid on nearby Harpers Ferry at the Kennedy Farm in 1859 to the dragnet that ensnared local citizens following President Lincoln's assassination in 1865, the military was a constant presence. Antietam changed the course of the war and provided President Lincoln the military events needed to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Harper's Ferry, the C&O Canal, and several rail lines were of vital importance for projecting Union strength into the Shenandoah Valley. They were regularly attacked and defended, and Hagerstown was nearly burned in 1864. Many from across the nation returned home indelibly affected by their experiences in Washington County; some never made it back at all.

For nearly four centuries, St. Mary's County has been called "the land of pleasant living." The county's fertile fields and pristine waters invite visitors and natives alike to revel, relax, and renew. As the "Mother County" of Maryland, St. Mary's has a rich written history dating from 1634, when George and Leonard Calvert established the first American settlement founded on the principle of religious tolerance. After surviving British raids during the War of 1812 and divided loyalties in the Civil War, the county leapt into the modern era when the US Navy established Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the Navy's premier flight test center and test pilot school. Today, millions of Americans trace their roots to Southern Maryland and are welcomed home as "Sons and Daughters of Old St. Mary's."

Begun in 1923 as a cluster of summer cottages, Holland Point has developed into a jewel-like residential community on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay at the southern tip of Anne Arundel County. Vintage photographs here capture the history of this community's early beach life that virtually vanished in an August 1933 storm. Behind rock seawalls, residents continued to celebrate with seafood, boating, and parties. Fourth generations of founding families now build luxury homes around "Grandma's cottage" but appreciate the same waves, waterfowl, and wildlife that their ancestors admired when they first cut through the forest to discover the bay.

See how the Baltimore suburb of Catonsville became thesummer retreat in the late 1800's and still retains much of its 19th century ellegency today.

Catonsville, a major suburb of Baltimore, still maintains much of the genteel country-estate charm it developed in the early 19th century. In 1810, Charles Carroll bestowed the land that is now Catonsville upon his daughter, Mary, and her husband, Richard Caton. The Frederick Turnpike helped the area grow, and many estates and farms cultivated the community. By 1880, it was the preferred summer retreat from the heat of Baltimore City for some of Maryland's most prosperous merchants. The completion of the Catonsville Short Line Railroad in 1884 made the burg attractive to middle-income families and a diverse village was born.

Highlighted in this volume are many long-gone homes, mansions, and institutions such as Castle Thunder, Ingleside, Nancy's Fancy, Catonsville Casino, Farmlands, and Arden, the centerpiece of Eden Terrace. Featured as well are monuments that still stand today: Uplands Mansion, Homewood, James Gary's Summit, Hilton, St. Mark Catholic Church, St. Charles College, Old Salem Lutheran Church, Mt. de Sales Academy, Belle Grove, numerous Victorian manors, and the early 20th-century homes that completed this hamlet.

Ghost stories from Ellicott City, Maryland have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of Ellicott City comes to life--even when the main players are dead. Visit the Third Ellicott City Firehouse and catch a glimpse of the people who died in the tragic fire that occurred there. Or step inside the ruins of Patapsco Female Institute, and be sure to keep an eye out for the ghoulish girls that may be running around! 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.

In the shadows of the quiet mountain towns of Western Maryland, strange creatures are said to lurk in the woods while phantoms wander the foothills.

The Hagerstown clock tower is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young artist killed during the Civil War, while the low summit of South Mountain was once host to a mysterious spell-caster, the Wizard Zittle. Farther west, tales of legendary hunter Meshach Browning echo among the Allegany Mountains while visitors to Deep Creek Lake may feel the chilling presence of monks who never left their former monastery. From the 1909 hoax of the monstrous Snallygaster that terrorized the Middletown Valley to the doglike Dwayyo that was spotted near Frederick in 1965, local historian Susan Fair rounds up the bizarre beasts, odd characters and unsolved mysteries that color the legends and lore of Western Maryland.

Victorine Quille Adams was a Baltimore native and the first African American woman elected to the city council. Born in 1912, she lived through stringent segregation, racial violence and economic turbulence

Victorine Quille Adams was a Baltimore native and the first African American woman elected to the city council. Born in 1912, she lived through stringent segregation, racial violence and economic turbulence.

Educated at Morgan State and Coppin State Universities, she took to the classroom and enriched the lives of her students. In 1946, she founded the Colored Women's Democratic Campaign Committee to educate African American women about the vote and the power of the ballot box. In concert with fellow educators Mary McLeod Bethune, Kate Sheppard and Dr. Delores Hunt, she persisted in educating and empowering voters throughout her life. Author Ida E. Jones reveals the story of this civic leader and her crusade for equity for all people in Baltimore.

Conococheague and Potomac Streets, Doubleday Hill, Springfield Farm, the C&O Canal--these names conjure up images of Williamsport, Maryland. The first settlement in what was to become Washington County was located here in the heart of the Cumberland Valley in the late 1730s. This small trading post, set amid local Native American tribes, formed the basis of the town of Williamsport. Gen. Otho Holland Williams, a Revolutionary War hero from the region, laid out what he intended to be a grand city with wide avenues on the banks of the great and mighty Potomac. Upon hearing that George Washington favored a site along the Potomac for the new nation's capital, Williams persuaded Washington to visit his town, and "Williams' Port" was given due consideration as a possible location. Williamsport became an important stopping-off point for settlers heading west, and the town quickly grew to be the second largest in Washington County. The arrival of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in 1834 brought a boom to Williamsport as warehouses, shipping firms, and many other businesses were established to handle the increased population and trade. The Civil War, the arrival of the railroad, and a series of disastrous floods also impacted the town. Today, Williamsport is a quiet community rich with local history and flavor.