New Book Releases

We’re always on the hunt for the next great American history book. When we find it, you’ll see about it here, with our new book releases. We release new history books each month in a variety of subjects and series. Browse through all of our newest titles below, and discover your next favorite history book at Arcadia Publishing! [View all New Book Releases]

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Hampton

$24.99

Chesapeake Bay Deck Boats

$24.99

Petersburg

$24.99

Edgar Allan Poe's Richmond:

$21.99

Down on the Chickahominy:

$21.99

Hello, Shenandoah!

$9.99

Edgar Allan Poe's Petersburg:

$21.99

Hampton University

$24.99

William and Mary Men's Soccer

Slave Labor on Virginia's Blue Ridge Railroad

$21.99

The Charlottesville Dogwood Festival

$24.99

Civil War Legacy in the Shenandoah:

$21.99

Big Bethel:

$21.99

Blue Ridge Chronicles:

$21.99

Mosby's Raids in Civil War Northern Virginia

$21.99

Civil War Graves of Northern Virginia

$24.99

Montpelier and the Madisons

$21.99

Monument Avenue Memories:

$21.99

Hiltons

$24.99

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Hampton

9780738553818

$24.99

According to its citizens, Hampton, Virginia, is the oldest continuously inhabited English-speaking city on the continent. It replaced Kecoughtan, an important Native American settlement. The English established a thriving tobacco port, a planned town centered on the intersection of King and Queen Streets. The British bombarded the town during the Revolutionary War and pillaged it during the War of 1812. Because of the continued Union occupation of Fort Monroe, Confederate troops burnt the town in 1861 during the Civil War. Rebuilding after 1865 was stimulated by the astonishing national success of the local crab and oyster industries. Early images portray Hamptonians on dusty streets with horse-drawn wagons and merchants in front of often ramshackle storefronts. Later photographs show imposing banks and a huge oyster pile dominating "Crabtown" as the first automobiles, electricity, and trolley cars appeared. Hampton's modern heyday of a working waterfront and busy streets, as shown on the cover, springs to life in these images.

Chesapeake Bay Deck Boats

9781467105194

$24.99

During the 1880s, Chesapeake Bay boatbuilders began constructing small wooden open boats, referred to as deadrise boats, out of planks with V-shaped bows. As boatbuilders created larger deadrise boats, decks were installed to provide more work and payload space; these deck boats also had a house/pilothouse near the stern and a mast closer to the bow of the boat. Deck boats were powered by gasoline engines but also utilized sails and wind. From the 1910s to the 1940s, auxiliary "steadying" sails were raised to help steady the boat when encountering adverse seas. More deck boats were built in the 1920s than in any other decade. Over the history of the boats, several thousand worked the bay in the freight business, were used to buy and plant oysters, worked in the bay's pound net fishery, and dredged for crabs and oysters. Approximately 40 boats are left on the bay. A few still work the water. Some have found new life as recreational yachts, and others are education boats owned by museums and nonprofits. In 2004, boat owners formed the Chesapeake Bay Buyboat Association, which holds an annual rendezvous at different ports as a way to educate the public about this unique aspect of Chesapeake Bay maritime history.

Petersburg

9780738542850

$24.99

The postcard collection included in this volume portrays Petersburg as both a progressive 20th century city and as a community with deep historical roots. Landmarks such as Old Blandford Church, the Hustings Courthouse, and the United States Custom House and Post Office (now City Hall) are highlighted in this book. Petersburg's Civil War history is also strongly represented with images of the Crater and surrounding battlefield and fortifications, as well as monuments, memorials, and museums that sprang up after the war.

Edgar Allan Poe's Richmond:

9781609496074

$21.99

Acclaimed as one of America's most innovative authors and the inventor of the detective story, Edgar Allan Poe and his works are celebrated around the world. Yet the true story of Poe's time in Richmond, Virginia, is every bit as strange and exciting as his fiction.
Poe spent nearly a third of his life in Richmond. It was here that he matched wits with a chess-playing robot, set the record for swimming against the current in the James River, challenged a rival editor to a duel and first revealed his talent for practical jokes. Join Christopher P. Semtner, curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, as he reveals previously unpublished photographs and little-known source material to shed new light on how the mystery, madness and tragedy that Poe encountered during his Richmond years forever shaped his renowned fiction.

Down on the Chickahominy:

9781596296954

$21.99

For centuries, the "Chick" has blessed the Tidewater region of Virginia with life, even today in the face of deteriorating resources and dramatic environmental change. While an abundant ecosystem thrived in the water, a unique and culturally rich community that once dotted the Chick's riverbanks has dwindled near extinction. Author Jack Trammell spent the past three years on the river researching its incredible past and uncertain future. Drawing on old letters, photographs, and the still extant memories of lifelong watermen like Captains Bill Buck Jr. and Art Conway, he weaves a fascinating narrative
of this river community. Hop onboard and join the search for the record perch, the vanished villages, the proud Chickahominy Tribe, and the vestiges of the Civil War in this definitive and easy-to navigate history of a sacred Virginia tributary.

Hello, Shenandoah!

9781467198882

$9.99

Welcome to Shenandoah National Park!

Parent and child black bears tour Shenandoah in best-selling author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock's Hello! board book series for children. In Hello, Shenandoah!, join the pair as they explore the park’s Visitor Center, saddle up at Skyland Stables, hike the Appalachian Trail, and roll down the Skyline Drive. With something for the entire family to enjoy, you won’t want to say goodbye!

Edgar Allan Poe's Petersburg:

9781609498641

$21.99

Antebellum Petersburg was a melting pot of French, Haitian, Scotch-Irish and free black populations. It was in this eclectic city that the master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, chose to take his new wife, thirteen-year-old first cousin Virginia Clemm, on their honeymoon in 1836. Join author Jeffrey Abugel as he traces the steps of the controversial couple through imaginative scenes of historic Petersburg. From Poe's own mother performing in the local venues to the poet's lasting friendship with Petersburg native and publisher Hiram Haines, Abugel reveals an overlooked place in Poe's fascinating life. Walk along the cobblestones of history to discover a forgotten past of a literary giant.

Hampton University

9781467122146

$24.99

The alma mater of both Dr. Booker T. Washington and Wanda Sykes, Hampton University's history is a story of ingenuity and inspiration.

Hampton University is situated on an arm of Hampton Roads, two miles from Fort Monroe. Founded under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Samuel Armstrong in 1868 and incorporated in 1870 as Hampton Normal & Agricultural Institute, it was the first permanent school for freedmen in the South. Industrial and normal education through self-help was the fundamental principle of the school; trades and industries were taught and practiced. Among the university's noteworthy alumni are Dr. Booker T. Washington, renowned orator and Tuskegee Institute founder; Alberta Williams King, mother of Martin Luther King Jr.; Marcus Dixon, NFL player for the Kansas City Chiefs; and Wanda Sykes, comedian and actress. Today, the university is recognized for the Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, the world's largest cancer proton treatment center, and its local commitment to the commercial revitalization of downtown Hampton, Virginia. Through the use of vintage photographs, Hampton University shows how the university community continues to uphold Armstrong's legacy by ""keeping their eye to the future.""

William and Mary Men's Soccer

9780738566948

$24.99

From its humble beginnings as a club team with hand-me-down football jerseys, William and Mary men's soccer team has become an exemplary intercollegiate program. Whether judged by their 30 consecutive winning seasons or the success of their graduates--including Comedy Central's Jon Stewart and MLS stars Wade Barrett, Steve Jolley, and Adin Brown--Tribe soccer has become what college soccer should be. For almost 50 years, William and Mary has not only developed outstanding individuals and teams, but has also exerted an amazing amount of influence on soccer in their community by contributing to the growth of youth, high school, and women's soccer.

Buchanan County

9780738586823

$24.99

The engaging history of Buchanan County is explored in-depth in this book.

Buchanan County, like many small counties, has gone through boom and bust in its history. From floods and fires to economic prosperity, Buchanan went from being one of the wealthiest counties to one of the poorest in the state of Virginia. Unlike many small counties, Buchanan is reinventing itself. The original county is no more and is currently being rebuilt.

Elinor Fry:

9781626191464

$21.99

In Richmond, no other name is more synonymous with dance than Elinor Fry. Helen Keller, Bill Bojangles" Robinson and author Tom Wolfe were just some of the people with whom Fry connected in five decades of dance. From 1920 to 1970, Fry was involved, often accompanied by her beloved students, in nearly every major public event in the River City. Performing in an array of venues and photographed twice by "National Geographic," Fry was a blend of creativity and business savvy and a wonderful role model for thousands of children who learned dance in her studio. Join author and historian Paul Herbert as he celebrates Elinor Fry's spirit and exceptional achievements in the world of dance in Richmond."

Slave Labor on Virginia's Blue Ridge Railroad

9781467144902

$21.99

Between 1849 and 1859, Virginia raced to pierce the Blue Ridge Mountains by rail and reach the Ohio River. At least 300 enslaved people labored involuntarily toward that goal, along with 1,500 Irish immigrants. The state leased the labor of enslaved Virginians from local slaveholders, including four connected with nearby University of Virginia. Blue Ridge Tunnel and Blue Ridge Railroad historian Mary E. Lyons explored hundreds of primary documents to write the first nonfiction book about slave labor on a specific antebellum railroad. She shares hundreds of enslaved people's names, traces where they toiled along the line and describes their backbreaking--and sometimes fatal--tasks.

The Charlottesville Dogwood Festival

9780738542102

$24.99

During the month of April, the residents of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, and Orange Counties converge on the city of Charlottesville to celebrate the beauty of Central Virginia and honor the state flower. Beginning in 1950 as the Apple Harvest Festival, the festival took on its current name, the Charlottesville Dogwood Festival, in 1958. Each year, Charlottesville comes alive not only with the blooms and blossoms of spring, but with fireworks, amusement rides, and a host of local royalty. The beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and fall foliage as well as breathtaking springs and some of the nation's oldest and most prestigious plantations make this area one of the most popular places to visit in the South. The Charlottesville Dogwood Festival takes pride in being a long-standing part of an area rich in tradition and heritage.

Civil War Legacy in the Shenandoah:

9781626198883

$21.99

After four bloody years of Civil War battles in the Shenandoah Valley, the region's inhabitants needed to muster the strength to recover, rebuild and reconcile. Most residents had supported the Confederate cause, and in order to heal the deep wounds of war, they would need to resolve differences with Union veterans. Union veterans memorialized their service. Confederate veterans agreed to forgive but not forget. And each side was key to the rebuilding effort. The battlefields of the Shenandoah, where men sacrificed their lives, became places for veterans to find common ground and healing through remembrance. Civil War historian and professor Jonathan A. Noyalas examines the evolution of attitudes among former soldiers as the Shenandoah Valley sought to find its place in the aftermath of national tragedy.

Big Bethel:

9781609493547

$21.99

The battle at Big Bethel Church, known as the Civil War's first land battle, was a baptism of fire for a nation newly torn apart by civil war. Northern and Southern soldiers alike could not imagine how fiery passions and technological advances would collide into America's bloodiest war, all beginning that hot, cloudless day at Bethel, as the shells burst among the smartly clad Zouaves. Here, the war saw its first friendly fire incident, the death of the first West Point graduate, the death of the first Confederate infantryman and the first Confederate victory. Join award-winning historian John Quarstein as he details the story of the June 10, 1861 battle, when soldiers first realized that the war would not be filled with glorious parades but rather desperate struggles to decide the fate of the nation

Blue Ridge Chronicles:

9781596294547

$21.99

Many of the highlanders in Virginia's western mountains live in small communities with names such as Stonebruise, Novelty, and Wangle Junction, and here their stories are chronicled by one of their own, Floyd County native and Pulitzer-nominated journalist Rex Bowman, roving reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Colorful characters abound, from folks in Independence who have a decades-old tradition of racing outhouses, to the brawlers in St. Paul who once gave the town a reputation for world-class wickedness, to the purveyors of Roanoke's Texas Tavern who have never in seventy years put ketchup on their hamburgers. Blue Ridge Chronicles is a delightful look at how the lively have lived in Southwest Virginia's backcountry.

Mosby's Raids in Civil War Northern Virginia

9781609498931

$21.99

The most famous Civil War name in Northern Virginia, other than General Lee, belongs to Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the Gray Ghost.

The most famous Civil War name in Northern Virginia, other than General Lee, belongs to Colonel John Singleton Mosby, the Gray Ghost. His early life characterized by abuse of childhood bullies, a less-than-outstanding academic career, and even a brief incarceration, Mosby stands out among nearly one thousand generals who served in the war. Even though Mosby was opposed to secession, he joined the Confederate army as a private in Virginia, he quickly rose through the ranks and became celebrated for his raids that captured Union general Edwin Stoughton in Fairfax and Colonel Daniel French Dulany in Rose Hill. By 1864, he was a feared partisan guerrilla in the North and a nightmare for Union troops protecting Washington City. After the war, his support for presidential candidate Ulysses S. Grant forced Mosby to leave his native Virginia for Hong Kong as U.S. consul. A mentor to young George S. Patton, Mosby's military legacy extended far beyond the War Between the States and into World War II. William S. Connery brings alive the many dimensions of this American hero.

Civil War Graves of Northern Virginia

9781467124225

$24.99

Many reminders of the Civil War were left behind in Northern Virginia for future generations to ponder. Also left behind were the graves of those who took part in the tumultuous events of war. Northern Virginia is a treasure house of history, perhaps more so than any other part of the country. One unique way of experiencing that history is by visiting one of the region's many historic cemeteries. Cemeteries have been called open-air museums, and every gravestone has a story to tell. There are some 1,000 cemeteries in Northern Virginia, ranging from small family plots to huge national cemeteries covering hundreds of acres. Many of these cemeteries contain the remains of Civil War veterans. This book is not meant to be an inclusive survey of every cemetery in the region, but rather it is a presentation of the Civil War history of Northern Virginia through the medium of cemeteries.

Montpelier and the Madisons

9781596292772

$21.99

A stately plantation in picturesque Orange County, Virginia, Montpelier has been home to many owners, but the period in which the Madison family occupied it remains the most intriguing. Historian Matthew G. Hyland traces the development of the plantation as it evolved and changed through three generations of Madisons - from beginnings as temporary quarters on the tobacco frontier of Piedmont Virginia to the height of fame as the noteworthy abode of the fourth United States President, James Madison.

The history of the house and its grounds offers a glimpse into the private dilemmas and public struggles that mark the development of democracy and reflect the creation of the United States as a nation. Newly renovated and restored to the era President Madison lived and entertained there, the home stands as a testament to its great proprietor's interests and tastes, and as a witness to American history.

Monument Avenue Memories:

9781626190467

$21.99

Originally a tribute to Robert E. Lee, Richmond's Monument Avenue grew to its zenith in the early twentieth century as a place of wealth and privilege. Richmond native and child of Monument Avenue Patricia Hass has collected the loving memories of those who shared a childhood among the River City's elite. These pages are filled with recollections of warm afternoons playing in the shadows of the monuments and visits to neighborhood institutions such as Reuben's Deli and the Capitol Theatre. While the children played, their families entertained famous houseguests such as David Niven, Lord and Lady Astor and Winston Churchill. Enter each historic home along the avenue and travel back to a time now lost to memory.

Hiltons

9780738554235

$24.99

Hiltons is located in the southwest corner of Virginia and was named for the Reverend Samuel Hilton, who moved to the region from North Carolina in 1795. In the 1880s, Hiltons became a vital link for goods being transported both to and from the region when the railroad was constructed from Bristol to Appalachia. U.S. Highway 58 winds through Hiltons to Virginia Beach, providing many miles of scenic travel on what was, for many years, an important transportation route. The Hiltons area is blessed with natural beauty, including the scenic Clinch Mountains, a part of the Appalachian chain, and the lazy flowing north fork of the Holston River. Hiltons is home to the world-renowned Carter family of country music fame and is the location of the Carter Family Museum and Fold, which continues to provide old-time country music entertainment.