Name: Recollections of Pitt County
Brand: Roger Kammerer
SKU: 9781596291324
Price: 21.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Recollections of Pitt County

9781596291324

$21.99

Located in the history-rich heart of eastern North Carolina, Pitt County has been the stage for a colorful cast of characters and intriguing events that have filled the area's past with larger-than-life-stories. With beginnings that stretch back nearly 250 years, Pitt County has been home to clairvoyants, tobacco tycoons, Civil War soldiers and more than a few star-crossed lovers. Pitt County's residents have survived several wars, Reconstruction, economic depression, and more recently, urban sprawl. As the booming tobacco industry changed the county's landscape, development slowly spread outward from the bustling county seat in Greenville. But out in the country, folks remained tied to the land their fathers' fathers had tilled; a land of dirt roads, old family homesteads and memories in the moonlight. Drawing from hundreds of columns from his history feature in the Greenville Times, historian and artist Roger Kammerer presents an eclectic, ambling journey through the ages, stopping along the way to visit with some of Pitt County's more influential, memorable, and often unusual characters. With a charming blend of history, nostalgia and humor, Recollections of Pitt County is a captivating path for history lovers to follow as they wander further down the community's collective memory lane.

Prohibition on the North Jersey Shore

9781609490591

$21.99

Many of the North Jersey Shore towns we know today began as quiet retreats for pious New Yorkers wishing to escape the vice and crime of the city.

Towns such as Long Branch, Ocean Grove, Red Bank, and Atlantic Highlands all got their start like this, but with the passage of Prohibition in 1919, the region became a haven for criminals who began smuggling liquor through the serene seaside. Speakeasies sprang up on virtually every corner, as gangsters like Vito Genovese, Charles "Lucky'? Luciano, and Meyer Lansky ruled this brutal underworld, while civilians were caught in the crossfire of gun battles between rival syndicates. Discover the true drama that captured the Jersey Shore during Prohibition.

Remembering Florence

9781596297227

$21.99

For a town that once consisted of nothing more than a shed, a pine forest and a name, Florence, South Carolina, boasts a surprisingly rich history. From the ten foot bomb dropped on a Mars Bluff farm by apologetic Air Force pilots to a record-breaking seventeen-inch snowfall, this Pee Dee hub has seen plenty of extraordinary events and famous characters. Here, William Howard Taft enjoyed pine bark stew and Herbert Hoover visited Mikado Millie--a world champion cow known for her prolific milk-making. Longtime journalist Thom Anderson lovingly recalls these hometown tales collected over thirty years of writing columns for the Morning News.

Preserving Paradise:

9781596291522

$21.99

In the nearly 500 years since the Florida Keys were discovered by Christopher Columbus in his search for the Fountain of Youth, Key West has been the home of a dazzling array of inhabitants. The picturesque island has been populated with native Indians, European settlers, pirates and other various scallywags, pineapple farmers and an endless stream of sailors from far-flung ports of call. Each faction brought with it to the island a unique past and culture, and no where can this variety of influences be more readily observed than in Key West's historic architecture.

The intriguing history of Key West can be deciphered through the architecture of its buildings--each façade and portico offers another subtle detail in the island-city's larger story. Preserving Paradise, by author and executive director of the Historic Florida Keys Foundation George Born, reveals the nuances of Key West's architecture and uses it to illuminate many aspects of Conch Republic history.

With a warm, readable style, Born explores a range of topics, including Key West's prevalent architectural styles, the preservation of historic structures, the history of building materials, and the effect of hurricanes on the city's architectural heritage. Committed to preserving Key West's architecture and the past it represents, Born explains in detail just why Key West is so architecturally unique, and why the city's buildings, streets and neighborhoods are a repository of history that can be discovered by experts and weekend visitors alike.

Remembering Fairfax County, Virginia

9781596290969

$21.99

The passage of time has brought with it vast alterations to the landscape of Northern Virginia and Fairfax County. Once a sleepy rural area dotted with a few small villages, it has changed into a bustling suburb that is now home to thousands of people. Throughout its history, Fairfax County has hosted presidents, been home to slave traders and been a strategic component in multiple campaigns during the Civil War. Remembering Fairfax County, Virginia by longtime local historian Karl Reiner is a collection of historical vignettes that captures not only the essence of the events and people who have shaped the history of Fairfax County, but also their impact on the Old Dominion. Reiner calls upon a breadth of materials, exploring much of the forgotten heritage in the county, to provide an accessible and balanced work that is both informative and entertaining. From the influence of presidents such as George Washington to forgotten battles during the Civil War, this collection chronicles the history of Fairfax County during some of the most influential periods in American history.

A History of Jewish Connecticut

9781596299870

$21.99

During the Revolutionary War, Sephardic Jews fled British-occupied New York to become the first Jewish families in Connecticut. This long Jewish history is explored in a collection of essays by historians and community members across the state, from colonial times and the role Jews played in the Civil War to memories of summer nights at Lebanon's Grand Lake Lodge and Danbury's Lake Waubeeka. Join editor Betty N. Hoffman and company as they recount tales of Kid Kaplan, the Meriden Buzz Saw," who became boxing's 1925 Featherweight Champion of the World; the Lender family, who "bagelized America"; and the graceful personal service of Marlow's Department Store in Manchester to reveal a fascinating and intimate portrait of Jewish Connecticut."

Cincinnati's Incomplete Subway

9781596298958

$23.99

Local author Jacob R. Mecklenborg reveals a fresh, thought-provoking, full examination of the Cincinnati subway's demise and what its future might hold.

What of those ghostly catacombs that lie dormant below city streets? Those subway tunnels, never finished, never filled with the screeches of trains and the busy commotion of commuters. Just there. Dead. You've heard of the subway's demise. The tunnels were too narrow. The city was too broke. A grand miscalculation. Well, most of what you've heard is, sorry to say, untrue. The popular story of the subway's demise is myth-laden and as incomplete as the original plan. The full story, long buried in mounds of public records dispersed in libraries, is now exposed.

Hunting & Fishing the Chesapeake

9781467138338

$21.99

Join author C.L. Marshall as he weaves humorous and harrowing tales of the sporting life on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake.

Fish and fowl make their way to the Chesapeake Bay with the changing seasons, and sportsmen yearn for the hunt. Whether on the wing or water, stories of the chase are integral to life on the Eastern Shore. Thousands of fishermen turn out for the annual White Marlin Open, but not every boat comes close to winning the tournament's big money. Dedicated hunters brave the Bay on a cold January day to hunt waterfowl on the Pocomoke Sound. Only the most committed fishermen launch a brand-new boat from Saxis Island in the teeth of a summer storm.

Prattville, Alabama:

9781609491949

$21.99

In 1833, a New Hampshire industrialist named Daniel Pratt moved south. Pratt established the largest cotton gin factory in the world and, with it, a town known fittingly as Prattville. Soon this humble hamlet outside Montgomery became an industrial hub, fueling Alabama's antebellum cotton production. Prattville weathered the Civil War and recovered faster than any other Alabama town, as Pratt collected on debts owed from his Northern accounts. Since then, Prattville has continued to grow in important ways, gradually shifting from an industrial epicenter to a forward-looking city and a beloved hometown. Through floods, tornadoes, damaging fires and shifting economic conditions, Prattville and its townspeople endured. Now, authors Marc and Melissa Parker ensure that Prattville's history will also endure by recounting the Fountain City's proud heritage.

Poisoning the Pecks of Grand Rapids:

9781626196971

$23.99

With his boyish good looks, Arthur Warren Waite charmed into marriage the daughter of wealthy Grand Rapids business tycoon John E. Peck in 1916. He then wasted no time executing what he believed to be a flawless scheme to hijack his wife's inheritance. The plot went awry when a mysterious telegram set off a sequence of events that ultimately exposed his immoral ambition to poison all other Peck heirs. Follow Waite's fingerprints of indiscretion" around Grand Rapids and New York City as author Tobin T. Buhk details this audacious plan of staggering complexity."

Remembering Galesburg

9781596296732

$21.99

Galesburg, Illinois, has made quite a name for itself since the first settlers arrived in 1836. It has witnessed the comings and goings of fifteen United States presidents, listened to Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, seen the birth of an elephant and served as home of the man who brought the dandelion to America. Lifetime resident and city historian Tom Wilson captures the true spirit of the town through this charming collection of articles from his column, "Tracking History." Nuances and details, from the excitement of the Lincoln-Douglas debates to the frustrations of stalemate college basketball, make Remembering Galesburg a sparkling depiction of this town's personality.

Prohibition in Dallas & Fort Worth

9781609499723

$21.99

A place with wild men and wilder women," 1920s Dallas boasted one bar for every one hundred people, and a thirsty Texan could find a drink nearly anywhere. Although home to the Texas Anti-Saloon League, drinks never stopped pouring in Dallas and Fort Worth, fueled by the likes of Jack Ruby, Benny Binion, saloons and dance halls. Homegrown moonshine and bathtub gin yielded specialty recipes that today's barkeeps have honed into tasty concoctions for a contemporary palate. Join Rita Cook as she explores prohibition in Dallas and Fort Worth and learn from Jeffrey Yarbrough and his band of local mixologists about their modern takes on classic drinks so readers can step back in time, drink in hand."

Hidden History of Greater Niagara

9781596297890

$21.99

The Niagara Falls region is known as a popular destination for honeymooners, a standing challenge for any daredevil with a barrel or tightrope and a scenic spot to revel in the sprawling beauty of gardens and, of course, waterfalls. This collection of little-known tales illuminates the fascinating men and women who have been privileged to call this breathtaking area home. Local journalist Bob Kostoff reveals the truth behind political figures like Grover Cleveland, whose alleged illegitimate child was born and raised in Buffalo, and female presidential candidate Belva Lockwood of Royalton, who campaigned in an era when she could not even vote. From illegal women's boxing matches on the water in North Tonawonda to criminal hangings that morphed into musical celebrations, there is much more to this storied land than its famous enchantments.

Remembering Johnson City

9781596294837

$21.99

Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, Johnson City is a town that has grown with the times, from a sleepy depot stop to a thriving city. In this collection of history gems, Johnson City Press "Yesteryear" columnist Bob Cox expertly combs through the past to uncover stories of rampaging elephants and the fiddling Taylor brothers, the five railroads and the Soldiers' Home, the Civil War and westward expansion. Come along and experience a place of homegrown music and enduring memories. Experience Johnson City.

The Hidden History of Chester County: Lost Tales from the Delaware and Brandywine Valleys

9781609490737

$21.99

On an Oxford bound train in 1866 Mary Miles refused to move to the 'blacks-only' section, eighty-nine years before Rosa Parks' famous ride. Eight years later in a West Chester courtroom photographic evidence was used for the first time. Soon after that the hills of Westtown became the testing grounds for the Flexible Flyer, America's original steerable sled. These are among the extraordinary stories too often lost to Chester County's history. From the humorous tale of the goat that ate a stick of dynamite to Ann Preston, M.D., leading her female medical students through a mob of enraged men, author Mark Dixon is sure to please with this beguiling collection of vignettes.

The Hidden History of Chester County: Lost Tales from the Delaware and Brandywine Valleys

Remembering Greensboro

9781596298194

$21.99

Have you ever heard about the Gardner Hill gold mine or the healing powers of Apinol? Do you remember the Brightwood Inn or the antics of Slammin' Sammy Snead? Culling the best from News & Record reporter Jim Schlosser's hundreds of history-related articles, Remembering Greensboro celebrates the unique history of Greensboro and Guilford County. From memorable events like the Woolworth sit-ins and the Greater Greensboro Open to beloved local heroes, characters and celebrities, Schlosser offers something for everyone who calls the Gate City home.

Wicked Northern Virginia

9781626191013

$21.99

Behind the bucolic plantation estates of Northern Virginia lies a history of scandal. The region has a rotating cast of greedy supervisors, vain senators, bullying occupiers and party bosses. The Aryan Nations once flooded the streets of Arlington. Infamous floating brothels once sailed the Potomac. Even George Washington's death at his historic estate outside the capital is shrouded in mystery. Join journalist and author Michael Lee Pope as he serves a cookie full of arsenic on a cold platter of revenge.

Herreshoff Yachts

9781596293069

$21.99

From 1893 to 1920, Bristol's Herreshoff clan designed and built so many undefeated America's Cup sailboats that enthusiasts refer to the era as The Herreshoff Period. In this intimate portrait, Simpson tackles the achievements of a New England dynasty that has attained the pinnacle of sailing fame and success.

Prohibition in Washington, D.C.:

9781609492366

$21.99

In 1929, it was estimated that every week bootleggers brought twenty-two thousand gallons of whiskey, moonshine and other spirits into Washington, D.C.'s three thousand speakeasies. H.L. Mencken called it the thirteen awful years, "? though it was sixteen for the District. Nevertheless, the bathtub gin, swilling capital dwellers made the most of Prohibition. Author Garrett Peck crafts a rollicking history brimming with stories of vice, topped off with vintage cocktail recipes and garnished with a walking tour of former speakeasies. Join Peck as he explores an underground city ruled not by organized crime but by amateur bootleggers, where publicly teetotaling congressmen could get a stiff drink behind House office doors and the African American community of U Street was humming with a new sound called jazz."

Remembering Conshohocken and West Conshohocken

9781596294127

$21.99

The banks of the Schuylkill once echoed with the hum of the steel mills, and immigrants came across the sea to transform Conshohocken and West Conshohocken into thriving industrial towns. When the storm clouds gathered in Europe, the neighboring communities proudly sent more sons and daughters per capita to serve in World War I than any other town in America. Author Jack Coll chronicles the history of these Pennsylvania mill towns with a series of compelling vignettes. From stories of Ned Hector, an African American soldier who fought valiantly during the Revolutionary War, to the heroics of the Conshohocken fire companies, Coll pays tribute to his home and evokes times gone by.

Remembering Conshohocken and West Conshohocken

Texas Gulf Coast Stories

9781609490324

$21.99

The middle Texas coast, known locally as the Coast Bend, is an area filled with fascinating stories. From as early as the days of de Vaca and La Salle, the Coastal Bend has been a site of early exploration, bloody conflicts, legendary shipwrecks and even a buried treasure or two. However, much of the true history has remained unknown, misunderstood and even hidden. For years, local historian C. Herndon Williams has shared his fascinating discoveries of the area's early stories through his weekly column, "Coastal Bend Chronicle." Now he has selected some of his favorites in Texas Gulf Coast Stories. Join Williams as he explores the days of early settlement and European contact, Karankawa and Tonkawa legends and the Coastal Bend's tallest of tall tales.

Clarence Saunders and the Founding of Piggly Wiggly

9781609492854

$21.99

Clarence Saunders' vision for a better shopping experience for day-to-day needs has made Piggly Wiggly a staple of southern living for over 100 years.

The grocery business began as a complicated service industry. Random pricing, inconsistent quantities and prescriptive salesmen made grocery shopping burdensome. It took one brash Memphian with uncommon vision and unbridled ambition to change everything. Clarence Saunders worked his way out of poverty and obscurity to found Piggly Wiggly in 1916. With an unprecedented approach, he virtually invented the concept of the modern self-service grocery store. Stores flourished, franchises spread and Saunders made millions. Yet just as the final bricks of Pink Palace--his garish marble mansion--were being laid, Saunders went bankrupt, and he was forced to sell Piggly Wiggly. A variety of new ventures helped Saunders out of bankruptcy, but he never duplicated his prior success. Memphis historian Mike Freeman tracks the remarkable life of this retail visionary.

Clarence Saunders and the Founding of Piggly Wiggly

Portland's Lost Waterfront

9781609495954

$21.99

Today, Portland, Oregon, is a city of majestic bridges crisscrossing the deep swath of the Willamette River. A century ago, riverboat pilots would have witnessed a flurry of stevedores and longshoremen hurrying along the wharves. Situated as the terminus of sea lanes and railroads, with easy access to the wheat fields, sawmills and dairies of the Willamette Valley, Portland quickly became a rich and powerful seaport. As the city changed, so too did the role of the sailor--once bartered by shanghai masters, later elevated to well-paid and respected mariner. Drawing on primary source material, previously unpublished photographs and thirty-three years of waterfront work, local author Barney Blalock recalls the city's vanished waterfront in these tales of sea dogs, salty days and the river's tides.

A History of Cannon Mountain

9781609490430

$21.99

Join author and longtime Cannon skier Meghan McCarthy McPhaul to learn about the history of this historic mountain that is steeped in legends and lore.

Rising at the western edge of New Hampshire's magnificently beautiful Franconia Notch State Park, the granite-domed mountain has been the playground of skiers since the 1930s. Here, the country's first down-mountain ski trail was cleared in 1933, the first aerial tramway was built on the mountain and the first professional ski patrol was established. More than a dozen members of the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame--whose contributions to the sport include historic racing feats, the development of ski techniques and designing countless ski areas across the country and around the world--have called Cannon their home hill.

The Flume Gorge at Franconia Notch

9781467142687

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

Lying at the heart of Franconia Notch State Park, the Flume has enthralled travelers since the first decades of the nineteenth century. Early tourists like Emerson and Thoreau were awed by the gorge's wild grandeur and spectacular granite walls rising nearly ninety feet overhead. Railroads in the 1850s brought a flood of visitors, including artists, poets, scientists and photographers, who richly documented the natural splendor of the Flume. Since that time, the Flume has become one of New Hampshire's most popular attractions, drawing thousands to view its beauty each year. Join historian Michael J. Maddigan as he explores the fascinating history of one of New Hampshire's most beloved scenic treasures.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge: Spanning Tampa Bay

9781626190023

$21.99

Of the more than 5,200 bridges in the state of Florida, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, spanning scenic Tampa Bay, is by far the most famous. But the award-winning bridge that residents and tourists cross on a daily basis isn't the first to hold the Skyway name. Numerous versions of the current bridge have stretched across lower Tampa Bay, and each has its own remarkable history. Nevin and Ric Sitler detail the suspension cables, concrete, nuts and bolts and political battles that combined to produce the fantastic history of the Skyway bridges and other historic Tampa Bay crossings. Join this father-and-son team on their journey across the historic bay.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge: Spanning Tampa Bay

The Yampa Valley Sin Circuit

9781626191679

$21.99

Far from the rest of civilization, but with plenty of money and booze close at hand, Steamboat Springs and the surrounding towns of Oak Creek, Yampa, Hayden and Craig were filled with shady characters with even shadier pasts. Many of the saloonkeepers in these areas opened multiple enterprises, allowing the various "soiled doves" of the region to move from town to town and bar to bar every few months to keep business fresh or to escape entanglements that had gone sour. Historian Laurel Watson unearths the seamy history of Yampa Valley's early red-light districts and the people who called them home.

Streetcars of Florida's First Coast

9781626197077

$23.99

In the late 1800s, a new method to power streetcars ushered Florida's First Coast cities into the modern era. Earlier travelers moved around town on hay burners, but after the very first electric-powered trolley cruised up Jacksonville's Main Street in 1893, railways cropped up throughout the region. When the new railroad terminal opened in 1919, it handled millions of passengers, becoming the hub of the streetcar system and the largest railroad station in the South. With almost sixty miles of track, the Jacksonville Traction Company was the largest streetcar system in Florida. Award-winning author and historian Robert W. Mann chronicles the story behind Florida's bygone streetcar epoch and the dramatic history of city builders, financiers, organized labor, civil rights, fire, fever, nabobs and railway men.

World War II Dispatches to Akron

9780738503592

$24.99

On his twenty-sixth horrifying mission over the hostile skies of Nazi Europe, a charismatic bombardier, seated at the nose of a B-17, strapped on his parachute as his disintegrating bomber dropped uncontrollably to the ground. What got him to this point, the ensuing months behind barbed wire and his daily letters written to his family in Akron, Ohio, makes for an emotionally intense memoir. This is the true account of a single unknown individual who stands in for the unsung warriors of the greatest generation during World War II.

A History of Fishing in the Florida Keys

9781609499983

$21.99

Since the arrival of Ponce de Leon in the 1500s, the Florida Keys have evolved from a dense, nearly impenetrable jungle full of bears, pumas, snakes, alligators and crocodiles into America's Caribbean islands. And the fish in the region have made the Keys one of the nation's favorite playgrounds for anglers. The Keys are home to more saltwater fishing records than any other angling destination in the world and offer sportsmen an array of amazing fish, from tarpon and Spanish mackerel to mahi-mahi and bonefish. U.S. presidents, celebrities and the world's greatest fishermen and women have cruised the waters of South Florida. Join author Bob T. Epstein on a journey through the storied history of fishing in the Florida Keys.

A History of Fishing in the Florida Keys

Randhurst

9781609491475

$21.99

At the time of its completion in 1962, Chicago's Randhurst Shopping Center was billed as the world's largest shopping center under one roof. Its brash and flamboyant architect, Victor Gruen, the man known as the "Father of the Shopping Mall," declared Randhurst different from any established building type in the world. Gruen turned commercial architecture into an art form, in turn making himself a household name. This is the narrative of the people who walked Randhurst's corridors, from Robert F. Kennedy to Mr. T; of stores and their stories; of the parties, pomp and personalities involved in the life, death and rebirth of an exceptional and atypical place. This is Randhurst.

A History of Hunting in the Great Smoky Mountains

9781596294585

$21.99

Author and local hunting connoisseur Bob Plott takes readers on a quest back through time for a glimpse into the minds and the rifles of the region's most intrepid hunters.

The age-old struggle of man versus beast has ensued within the rugged terrain of the Great Smoky Mountains since humans first encountered the region centuries ago. From the primitive weaponry and prevailing tactics of the Cherokee to the audacious rifle-toting ridge runners, and even a gruesome gang of cannibalistic rogues, these stories are truly a gripping tribute to mountain life and the adventure of the game.

A History of Hunting in the Great Smoky Mountains

Cape Cod Jazz

9781467119320

$21.99

The first notes of jazz hit Cape Cod in the very early days of the genre. Bournehurst-on-the-Canal hosted top bands, and emerging swing era dancers packed the hall. Cape Cod's "First Lady of Jazz," Marie Marcus, was a child prodigy in Boston and found some of her most important instruction in the art of stride piano during lessons with great pianist Fats Waller in New York. At the very tip of the Cape, the Atlantic House in Provincetown showcased performances from some of the biggest names like Gerry Mulligan, Billie Holiday and Stan Getz. Author John Basile details the fascinating history and amazing musicians that made Cape Cod a music destination.

The Story of Waterloo Village: From Colonial Forge to Canal Town

9781626196780

$21.99

First established in the 1700s as a forge village, Waterloo--located in Sussex County, New Jersey--has endured several eras of decline and growth. An industrial hub and farming community, it played a role in the American Revolution. When the canal arrived, Waterloo reinvented itself into a vital transportation link that helped foster the new nation's first Industrial Revolution. The peacefulness of the canal belies the complex engineering required to integrate it into the village's footprint. Today, beautifully preserved colonial-era buildings complement pre-Civil War structures, Victorian mansions and twentieth-century edifices. Local author John Giles illuminates the constant ebb and flow of the history of Waterloo Village.

The Story of Waterloo Village: From Colonial Forge to Canal Town

Wicked Women of New Mexico

9781626191280

$19.99

New Mexico Territory attracted outlaws and desperados as its remote locations guaranteed non-detection while providing opportunists the perfect setting in which to seize wealth. Many wicked women on the run from their pasts headed there seeking new starts before and after 1912 statehood. Colorful characters such as Bronco Sue, Sadie Orchard and Lizzie McGrath were noted mavens of mayhem, while many other women were notorious gamblers, bawdy madams or confidence tricksters. Some paid the ultimate price for crimes of passion, while others avoided punishment by slyly using their beguiling allure to influence authorities. Follow the raucous tales of these wild women in a collection that proves crime in early New Mexico wasn't only a boys' game.