Name: The Washington Arsenal Explosion: Civil War Disaster in the Capital
Brand: Erin Bergin Voorheis
SKU: 9781609497934
Price: 21.99 USD
Availability: InStock

The Washington Arsenal Explosion: Civil War Disaster in the Capital

9781609497934

$21.99

In 1864, residents of Washington, D.C., mourned together at the largest funeral the district had ever seen. In the midst of the Civil War, the poor Irish neighborhood of the Island lost twenty-one mothers, sisters and daughters. On June 17, dangerous working conditions and a series of unfortunate events led to the deadly explosion of a Federal arsenal at Fort McNair, where the young women made cartridges to assist the war effort. In the wake of the horrific event, a monument was erected at Congressional Cemetery to honor those who were lost. Author Brian Bergin similarly memorializes these women through his book, detailing the poor working conditions, the investigation into the avoidable events leading to the tragedy and the reaction of a community already battered by the Civil War.

The Washington Arsenal Explosion: Civil War Disaster in the Capital

Around Galeton and Coudersport

9780738557199

$24.99

Potter County's abundance of forests in the late 1800s played a large part in making the town of Williamsport the lumber capital of the world. To the north, Galeton had one of the largest sawmills in the country and was the railroad hub of the county. Austin, Cross Fork, Germania, Shinglehouse, Harrison Valley, and other area towns also contributed a great deal during the logging era. There were sawmills, kindling wood factories, hub factories, stave and heading mills, and tanneries in almost every town in the county. Around Galeton and Coudersport showcases a large collection of vintage postcards of Potter County, opening a window back through time and providing a glimpse of life during the formation of the county.

The Picture Man: From the Collection of Bay Area Photographer E.F. Joseph 1927-1979

9781467125659

$24.99

From 1927 until his death in 1979, E.F. Joseph documented the daily lives of African Americans in the Bay Area. His images were printed in the Pittsburgh Courier and the Chicago Defender but not widely published in his home community. A graduate of the American School of Photography in Illinois, Joseph photographed the likes of such celebrities and activists as Josephine Baker, Mahalia Jackson, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Thurgood Marshall. However, what is perhaps more compelling within these pages are the countless images of everyday citizens--teaching, entertaining, worshipping, working, and serving their community and their nation.

The Picture Man: From the Collection of Bay Area Photographer E.F. Joseph 1927-1979

Wayne County Indiana:

9781596298828

$21.99

The residents of Wayne County, Indiana, have battled about the county seat location since its formation in 1810.

There have been three county seats and six courthouses. The disagreement-started between settlers from Salisbury and Centerville-was bitterly debated in the Indiana Territory legislature. Although Salisbury was the first county seat, it was moved to Centerville soon after Indiana's ratification as a state, and Salisbury faded into a lost town. For fifty-two years, Centerville maintained power, building two courthouses and a jail, until Richmond asserted its dominance in the state legislature. The struggle for the reins of power in Wayne County was Indiana's longest-running feud, igniting untold amounts of community pride. Join Wayne County historian Carolyn Lafever as she shares this story of conflict and courthouses, from tumultuous beginning to peaceful end.

Vanderbilt Football

9781609494230

$21.99

In the Southeastern Conference arguably the most historic and competitive conference in all of college football the more blue-collar programs often get overshadowed by the dynasties (read: Alabama). So it has been with Vanderbilt's football history. Yet Vandy is one of the South's, and the country's, most historic universities. Not surprisingly, there are many fun, fascinating, and peculiar history. There are triumphs, like Vandy's upset of Alabama in 1969; tragedies, like the riot that ended a game in 1896; historic events, like the founding of Dudley field in 1922, still the Commodore's home. Then there are the legendary coaches and players. Players from across Vandy's history like Irby "Rabbit" Curry, Dixie Roberts, Carl Hinkle, Greet Ricketson, and Josh Cody, who excelled on both sides of the ball. Coaches like Dan MuGugin who established Vandy as a power house from the early 1900s to the 1930s, and remains the only NCAA football coach in history to win his first three games by 60 points or more. Plus, pioneers like Ray Morrison who helped establish Vandy football, serving as player and coach.

Somerset County

9780738513720

$24.99

When Somerset County, named in honor of Lord Baltimore's sister Lady Mary Somerset, was first established by the Colony of Maryland in 1666, it encompassed more than 16,000 square miles on the Eastern Shore, including what are today's Worcester and Wicomico Counties and part of lower Delaware. By the end of the 18th century, the county, much smaller in geography by then, had become home to more than 15,000 residents. Communities such as Crisfield, Deal Island, Princess Anne, Smith Island, and others have thrived since that time, with the industries of agriculture, seafood, and tourism sustaining the hardworking and spirited residents who have made their home in this county by the Chesapeake Bay.

South Santa Clara County

9780738558455

$24.99

South Santa Clara County, situated at the south end of San Francisco Bay, was a cattle-ranching area in the 19th century. With 300 days of sun a year, it became a major agricultural and food-production center. Since the 1960s, the electronics and computer industries have transformed the Valley of the Heart's Delight into a world-class technology center. City dwellers are now taking up residence in an area once steeped in agriculture, with more than 240,000 people making their homes here. Featured in this book are south San Jose, Coyote Valley, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and unincorporated parts of the south county, such as east Santa Cruz Mountains and Pacheco Pass.

Lake Bluff

9780738552101

$24.99

The shores of Lake Michigan, with towering bluffs and heavily wooded ravines, have attracted many to Lake Bluff during the past two centuries. The Potawatomis were the first to come, using the ravines for their tribal council meetings. The German and Irish came in the 1830s, drawn by the cheap land prices. The 1870s brought the Methodists, who, seeing the beauty of the lake and the ravines, purchased 200 acres and formed the Lake Bluff Camp Meeting Association. The summer chautauqua brought thousands of visitors every year to its quaint cottages and hotels. It was in Lake Bluff where Frances Willard, president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, brought together other temperance leaders to form the national Prohibition party, which led to the ill-fated 18th Amendment. In the 20th century, Lake Bluff has retained its charming cottages and tree-lined village streets. It remains today a picturesque and historic northern suburb of Chicago, nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Columbia County

9780738598703

$24.99

Columbia County, located along the southern border of Arkansas and resting just above Louisiana, was created in 1852 from portions of four surrounding counties. Blessed with abundant natural resources--including timber, petroleum, natural gas, and bromine--and teeming with wildlife, the county's roots of ancestry and industry run deep. The Cotton Belt Railroad once distributed the superior long-staple cotton produced locally, which was used to weave the finest broadcloth west of the Mississippi. Columbia County is also known for the healing mineral waters of Magnesia Springs, which are now part of Logoly State Park. Today, the thriving Southern Arkansas University offers more than 60 degrees in four distinct colleges and is the only school in the world with a Mulerider as a mascot. Columbia County is surrounded by a tremendous expanse of great natural beauty and has produced a cornucopia of characters and storytellers; the authors hope to introduce them in these pages.

Memphis Barbecue

9781626195349

$21.99

Memphis is equal parts music and food--the products of a community marked with grit and resilience.

The city's blues and soul music have lifted spirits, while barbecue has been a serious business ever since pork first entered the culinary landscape of Memphis with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who brought the New World its first herd of pigs. Succulent pulled pork and ribs have become part of the fabric of life in the River City, and today they are cooked up in kitchens ranging from the internationally acclaimed, like Corky's, to the humblest of roadside dives. Told through the history of its barbecue is the story of the city of Memphis, from legendary joints like Leonard's Barbecue, where Elvis Presley hosted private parties, to lesser-known places like William's Bar-B-Q in the West Memphis, Arkansas neighborhood where wild, late-night blues juke joints served as a red-light district across the river from Beale Street in the 1950s and '60s. Sink your teeth into this rich history chock-full of interviews and insights from the city's finest pitmasters and 'cue gurus who continue the long tradition of creating art with meat and flame.

Super Cities! Chicago

9781467198516

$14.99

Sometimes the coolest places are right outside your front door. Learning about Chicago’s interesting and unique culture has never been so super fun!

Did you know that Chicago’s Home Insurance Building was the world’s first skyscraper? Or that lacrosse was originally created by the Algonquian people? Have you ever heard that Walt Disney was born in Chicago? From the Great Chicago Fire, to delicious deep-dish pizza, Super Cities!: Chicago covers it all, and is sure to engage any reader with fun facts about the history, culture, and people who make this city great. Dive into Lake Michigan, explore Little Italy, and join in the fun at Lollapalooza, all right here. Take a peek inside to learn more about the impressive, unusual, super history of Chicago!

South Boston

9780738555287

$24.99

Through vintage postcards, South Boston shows one of Boston's most beautiful neighborhoods with miles of sandy beaches, shaded thoroughfares, and well-kept brick and wood frame homes.

During the early part of the 20th century, technological advances in the printing industry spawned a new fad: postcard collecting. Publishers dispatched photographers to communities throughout the country and produced iconic images that formed a portrait of the nation. Travelers used postcards to communicate with friends and family and to maintain a visual record of their itineraries. Although the fad was short lived, thousands of postcards and, in some cases, entire collections survive to this day. South Boston is an Irish American enclave that has probably undergone fewer physical and social changes than any other section of the city.

Mount Hope and Otisville

9780738557021

$24.99

The town of Mount Hope and the village of Otisville are located in a picturesque area of Orange County, nestled in the shadows of the Shawangunk Mountains. In 1846, the arrival of the Erie Railroad in Otisville changed the sleepy town into a center of commerce for the surrounding area. While the railroad sparked a decline in trade within Mount Hope, many citizens in Otisville had railroad-related jobs and relied on the railroad for transportation. In the early 1900s, Otisville became a chief supplier of butter for the New York City market. The vintage images in this book chronicle the changing history of these two communities, from the introduction of the bustling railroad to a simpler time of summer strawberry festivals and winter sleigh rides, when life revolved around the village.

Cover image for Mount Hope and Otisville, isbn: 9780738557021

Florence

9780738598413

$24.99

In 1852, the community that began as Broughton's Meadow officially became the Village of Florence. This small, New England community prospered with the rise of the silk industry and its businesses, such as the Northampton Silk Company, the Nonotuck Silk Company, and Corticelli Silk Mills. Local mills and factories manufactured goods that were shipped around the world while local shops and storefronts continued to grow and change the face of the village. The population expanded due to the success of companies like the Florence Casket Company and Florence Savings, which created more jobs. By the turn of the 20th century, Florence was well established with over 3,500 residents. The community had several churches, a modern schoolhouse, the Lilly Library, a thriving business center, and its own trolley line, which ran to and from Northampton. Florence provides a look at the residents, businesses, and organizations that came to shape the life of this community.

Medford:

9781596297678

$21.99

Since its early days in the possession of a man who never set foot on the land itself, Medford has been a place of possibility. Many Medford residents have made their mark on American culture, including James W. Tufts, the inventor of the soda fountain, and Fannie Farmer, author of the first modern cookbook. Medford has been the site of revolutionary changes, as entrepreneur Thatcher Magoun built the wildly successful clipper ship industry, and in the case of Belinda Royall, a slave who remarkably won her legal emancipation in 1773. Author Dee Morris renders a richly detailed history, from the Medford Square rum distilleries that sent a molasses smell wafting through town for centuries to the celebration for Amelia Earhart, who lived in West Medford briefly, before her first successful transatlantic flight. Medford: A Brief History reveals hidden stories behind a small town with a big legacy.

Lake Quannapowitt

9780738573892

$24.99

Lake Quannapowitt is named for James Quonopohit, a member of the Pawtucket tribe of Nipmuc Indians and signer of the 1686 deed selling land to European colonists. A town called Redding (now Wakefield) developed on the shore of the lake that provided colonists with a bounty of fish, including salmon and alewives, until mills stopped their passage upstream. The town remained rural until the Boston and Maine Railroad arrived in 1845. Overnight, new markets became accessible, and Lake Quannapowitt ice was exported to destinations worldwide. Icehouses dominated the shoreline and stood side-by-side with boathouses and bathhouses. Some in Wakefield remember the last days of ice harvesting, although barely a trace of its existence remains. More residents remember Hill's Boathouse and Dance Hall, where many a romance began. For recent arrivals who walk and jog its idyllic 5-kilometer shore, the lake's industrial and complex past will come as a surprise.

Cherokee County, South Carolina

9780738514314

$24.99

Situated just south of the Carolina border in the scenic foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Cherokee County offers the charm of small-town life and country living with the convenience of nearby metropolitan areas.

In 1897, the year of its founding, the county inherited a rich history that began with the Cherokee Indians. Home to two American Revolutionary War sites, Cowpens National Battlefield and Kings Mountain Military Park, as well as the Overmountain Victory National Trail, it exists as a bevy of historical sites that date before the county was established.Cherokee County pays tribute to this community's decisive history and celebrates the local architecture, business establishments, and residents, both past and present. Historic views, coupled with informative text, highlight the 1914 Carnegie Library, the charming railroad depot, the Limestone Quarry, and construction of the towering smokestack of Gaffney Manufacturing Company. Vintage photographs depict downtown Gaffney, settled almost a century before Cherokee County became a political entity, and historic Blacksburg, known as Black Station before 1888, while bringing to life the evolution of the 1845 Limestone Springs Female High School into the state's popular Limestone College of today.

Medfield's Dwight-Derby House:

9781596297852

$21.99

Constructed in 1651, the Dwight-Derby House stands as the centerpiece of the Medfield town common and at the heart of the town's history. Contained within the walls of this 350-year-old time capsule are the stories of two prominent families: the Dwights and the Derbys--united in their deep connection to the home. To this day, the house remains a testament to the dedication and fortitude of the community, which banded together and succeeded in preserving this historic landmark. Join Electa Tritsch on her journey of sifting through records, artifacts and dusty cardboard boxes as she enlivens the story of the Dwight-Derby House--a home that has brought out
the best of this thriving community.

Baseball in Long Beach

9780738558233

$24.99

Organized baseball in Long Beach dates to 1910, when
the Long Beach Clothiers of the Southern California
Trolley League played opponents wherever a streetcar could take them. Exhibition games later featured Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, and other Major League barnstormers. Homegrown talent includes Baseball Hall of Famers Bob Lemon and Tony Gwynn. Pioneering entrepreneur Bill Feistner built the first accommodating baseball park in 1922 at Redondo Avenue and Stearns Street in the shadow of oil-rich Signal Hill. When ballplayers weren't on the Shell Park diamond, they worked the derricks.

Mount Airy

9780738557403

$24.99

Mount Airy got its name from William Allen's 1750 summer estate, eight miles from Philadelphia. For much of its early history, Mount Airy remained rural, with a thriving mill community along the Cresheim and Wissahickon Creeks, yet also accessible, connected to Philadelphia and the outlying towns by the Germantown Road. The 1777 Battle of Germantown brought the Revolutionary War to the village's doorsteps when George Washington's troops attacked the British. In the 19th century, when two railroad lines traversed Mount Airy, the old estates and farms gave way to a fresh grid of streets, fashionable new developments such as Pelham, and important institutions, including the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Mount Airy contains many never-before-published images from family albums and historical archives, showing the area as it once was and how it grew to become one of the few neighborhoods in America celebrated for its racial integration.

Dallas's Little Mexico

9780738579795

$24.99

Little Mexico was Dallas's earliest Mexican barrio. "Mexicanos" had lived in Dallas since the mid-19th century. The social displacement created by the Mexican Revolution of 1910, however, caused the emergence of a distinct and vibrant neighborhood on the edge of the city's downtown. This neighborhood consisted of modest homes, small businesses, churches, and schools, and further immigration from Mexico in the 1920s caused its population to boom. By the 1930s, Little Mexico's population had grown to over 15,000 people. The expanding city's construction projects, urban renewal plans, and land speculation by developers gradually began to dismantle Little Mexico. By the end of the 20th century, Little Mexico had all but disappeared, giving way to upscale high-rise residences and hotels, office towers of steel and glass, and the city's newest entertainment district. This book looks at Little Mexico's growth, zenith, demise, and its remarkable renaissance as a neighborhood.

Fort Lawton

9780738558110

$24.99

Fort Lawton was established to provide protection for the navy yard built at Bremerton in 1891 as well the cities along Puget Sound and the commerce generated by them. The development of Fort Lawton was encouraged by civic leaders in Seattle for economic reasons and to curb lawlessness. Although intended primarily as an infantry post, the first soldiers to arrive on July 26, 1901, were artillerymen. One year later, this artillery installation, the Puget Sound Harbor Defense Command, was moved to Fort Warden and the first infantry soldiers arrived in Fort Lawton. It remained an infantry post throughout most of its years, and Seattle's hopes for a major military installation were not to be realized.

Constitution Island

9780738556734

$24.99

Rugged in beauty and rich in history, Constitution Island lies at a picturesque bend of the Hudson River, opposite West Point and north of New York City. As the location of the first fortifications built to defend American independence, it was the anchor site of the great chain, which stretched across the Hudson to impede British passage. During the 19th century, it was the home of two extraordinary sisters, Susan and Anna Warner. Raised in wealth and comfort, they struggled with their father's economic ruin during the panic of 1837. Accomplished and resourceful, they turned to writing for a living. Susan's best-selling novel, The Wide, Wide World, made her a celebrity, while her sister Anna's hymn, "Jesus Loves Me," became known around the globe. In 1916, a devoted group of friends and admirers began a volunteer organization, the Constitution Island Association, to preserve the home, gardens, and memory of the Warner sisters and their historic island.

Vanderbilt Basketball:

9781609496883

$21.99

Vanderbilt basketball has come a long way since the beginnings of organized team play in 1893. Vanderbilt athletic historian Bill Traughber leads the charge through Commodore history, from the Old Gym to the 2012 NCAA Tournament, complete with memories from players and coaches.Experience the program's turning point from the court of the 1947 98-29 loss to Kentucky that sent a clear message: time to play ball or drop it. The first full-time head coach, Bob Polk, soon arrived and built Vanderbilt basketball into the national contender it is today. Feel the magic of Memorial Gymnasium and get on your feet to cheer for impossible buzzer-beaters and thrilling victories.

Huntington Harbor Lighthouse

9781467104746

$24.99

In the early days, Huntington, New York, was known as part of the Gold Coast of Long Island. It was a busy area boasting summer hotels and docking facilities. Steamboats brought crowds to Huntington from New York City for outdoor fun. Mariners took advantage of landmarks to guide their craft into channels until 1857, when the Lloyd Harbor Light Station was built on a sandspit to guard the entrance of both Lloyd and Huntington Harbors. In 1907, the US Congress appropriated $40,000 for the construction of a new lighthouse to replace the Lloyd Harbor Light Station, which proved to be ineffective for the navigation of vessels entering Huntington Harbor. The Venetian Renaissance-style structure was completed in 1912 and had the distinctive appearance of a small castle. Thanks to the enormous efforts of the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc., the beauty and uniqueness of the Huntington Harbor Lighthouse has been preserved.

Cover image for Huntington Harbor Lighthouse, isbn: 9781467104746

Upper Hudson Valley Beer

9781626195127

$21.99

The Upper Hudson Valley has a long and full-bodied brewing tradition. Arriving in the 1600s, the Dutch established the area as a brewing center, a trend that continued well into the eighteenth century despite two devastating wars. The Erie Canal helped develop Albany into a beer capital of North America--Albany Ale" was exported across America and around the world. Upper Hudson Valley breweries continued to thrive until Prohibition, and some, like Beverwyck and Stanton, survived the dark years to revive the area's brewing tradition. Since the 1980s, there has been a renaissance in Upper Hudson Valley craft brewing, including Newman's, C.H. Evans, Shmaltz and Chatham Brewing. Beer scholars Craig Gravina and Alan McLeod explore the sudsy story of Upper Hudson Valley beer."

Maynard:

9781609493035

$21.99

This picturesque town set on the banks of the Assabet River is a haven for those who love the outdoor culture of New England. Local author David A. Mark explores the history and unique atmosphere of Maynard through selections from his popular Beacon-Villager column, Life Outdoors."? From the waves of immigrants working in the woolen mill to the twenty-first-century establishment of Maplebrook Park and the Maynard Community Farmers' Market, this collection recounts booms, busts and activities in the town's history. With tales of coyote sightings, a Cretan-design labyrinth and snowshoeing the Assabet River Rail Trail, Mark also beckons readers to explore outdoor wonders. Join Mark as he carefully intertwines local history and his observations on nature in fifty portraits of life in Maynard, Massachusetts."

Memphis Chronicles:

9781596297142

$21.99

Take a break from the bustle of Poplar and Beale and enjoy this easy ride down memory lane, recalling days when downtown gridlock was caused by streetcars and wagons and the Mid-South was ruled by the likes of the Chickasaws, Confederates, King Cotton and Crump. Few know Shelby County and its history like lifelong Memphian John E. Harkins, who expertly chronicles the city's unparalleled heritage and the individuals and groups who have kept its past alive through the decades. Discover the origins of the yellow fever epidemic, Memphis in May, Elmwood Cemetery, the heroes of Shelby County history and so much more in Memphis Chronicles.

The Virginia Plan

9781609491710

$23.99

With a forward by Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt, learn about William Thalhimer's elaborate plan to save Jewish Germans from Hitler and the Third Reich.

During Hitler's rise to power in the 1930's, Richmond department store founder, William Thalhimer and his family traveled to Germany to visit relatives and business contacts. Thalhimer was deeply disturbed and increasingly alarmed as the anti-Semitism that he and his family witnessed escalated into the violence Brown Shirts and Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Thalhimer became determined to aid Jews fleeing from Germany, and he eventually met a representative of Gross Breesen, a German-Jewish agricultural training institute. The mission of Gross Breesen, and eventually Thalhimer, was to train young Jews in agriculture in hopes that the expertise gained would ensure the students' successful emigration from Germany. Thalhimer purchased a farm, Hyde Farmlands, in Burkeville, Virginia to give the students a home in Virginia.

Memphis and the Superflood of 1937

9781596295308

$21.99

Experience the historic superflood that decimated the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys and the resilience displayed by the people of Memphis.

The greatest flood in United States history struck the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys in January 1937. Perhaps no single flood in the United States had caused as much damage, displayed as much brutal natural force and displaced as many people. Not even the calamitous flood of 1927, which has eclipsed the '37 flood in terms of historical coverage was as massive. Author and Memphis local Patrick O'Daniel illustrates how this national natural disaster affected Memphis, in particular, and how the politicians of the day, from national figures like FDR to local political bosses like Ed Crump, handled unprecedented infrastructural challenges. Yet beyond politics and policy, O'Daniel tells the story of this historic disaster through the eyes of everyday Memphians, their struggles, care for thousands of desperate refugees and the measures they took to save their city from this devastating flood.

Around Haledon

9780738557090

$24.99

By 1908, when Haledon became independent from Manchester Township, thousands of southern and eastern European immigrants settled in the borough and its surrounding area. Immigrants found work in textile mills, machine shops, and other industries located in proximity to the city of Paterson and the Passaic River and its mighty Great Falls. Land promoters spurred home building in Haledon, a streetcar suburb. In 1913, nearly 25,000 workers went on strike, demanding an eight-hour workday. During the six-month strike, Haledon became the workers' haven for free speech and assembly as they demanded safer workplaces, a living wage, and an end to child labor. Archival photographs, documents, and postcards from 1890 to 1930 share the story of workers and immigrants who fought for the workplace benefits widely enjoyed by Americans today.

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras

9780738555256

$24.99

In 1958, under the direction of Prof. Marvin Rabin, the Boston University College of Fine Arts established a youth orchestra for junior and senior high school students from the Greater Boston area. The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO), formerly known as the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, has flourished over the past 50 years, expanding beyond the original single orchestra and launching many new artistic initiatives. BYSO members have experienced countless unforgettable moments, including performances at the White House, Carnegie Hall, and renowned concert venues across the world. Today, under the musical leadership of Federico Cortese, the BYSO serves over 400 young musicians from 126 communities throughout New England. The BYSO is one of Boston's most prestigious arts organizations, with a programmatic scope that includes three full symphonic orchestras, a string orchestra, a preparatory wind ensemble, four chamber orchestras, 50 chamber music ensembles, and a nationally recognized string training program for underrepresented youth from inner-city communities. The BYSO has selected images from its extensive archives to exhibit the rich history of this organization.

San Francisco's Chinatown

9780738559254

$24.99

Since the Gold Rush, San Francisco's Chinatown has been a destination for sojourners, immigrants, locals, and tourists. Despite laws restricting Chinese immigration, Chinatown has thrived as a residential and commercial center. Designed for tourists and bearing little resemblance to real Chinese cityscapes, the streets and buildings have nonetheless been extensively documented in picture postcards, as have the residents, particularly from the 1890s to 1930s, the "Golden Age of Postcards." The cards, relatively few of which survive, were kept as visual souvenirs and mementos, or were mailed to family and friends.

Legendary Locals of Metairie

9781467100601

$24.99

Metairie is often considered the dull stepchild of New Orleans--a concrete "Anywhere, USA" lined with shopping malls frequented by fast-food eating, drive-up-daiquiri-drinking, cultureless suburbanites. Despite stereotypical misconceptions, sons and daughters of New Orleans who call Metairie home are every bit as colorful, talented, devious, and gracious as their relatives in the city. Johnny Wiggs kept New Orleans jazz alive. Verne Tripp invented
"perma-press" and pioneered use of the electron microscope. On Atherton Drive, David Ferrie plotted a Cuban coup. Peter Gennaro left his father's bar to become a Broadway star. Shirley Ann Grau raised her children here while writing novels. Al Scramuzza built a crawfish empire and coached Metairie children. Ellen Degeneres found national fame, while Becky Allen won our hearts at home. Those who may not be widely known but have impacted lives in the community and afar are also included in this book, which is a tribute to the people of Metairie.

The Man from Vermont: Charles Ross Taggart Old Country Fiddler

9781626192119

$21.99

In 1895, East Topsham's Charles Ross Taggart set his sights on becoming a traveling musical humorist. His uproarious ventriloquist and musical performances brought rave reviews in his Vermont community. He was soon thrust into the world of the lyceum and Chautauqua circuits, journeying far and wide across North America. His forty-three-year career spanned some of America's most exciting and most difficult times, and his folk performances--especially his beloved Old Country Fiddler"--brought smiles to all who experienced them. He was also an innovator in the entertainment industry, recording his music and humor, as well as appearing in one of the first "talkie" films. Discover the remarkable story of "The Man from Vermont" who helped Americans forget their troubles when they needed it most with his mimicry, stories and fiddling."