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Books > History > American history
A book about Vermont's history will likely bring to mind such topics as Abenaki Indians, the Green Mountain Boys and the state's famed covered bridges, but "Forgotten Tales of Vermont" takes readers far beyond traditional histories to uncover littleknown stories from Vermont's quirky past. Who knew that students from Castleton Medical School moonlighted as grave robbers until they were caught hiding Mrs. Churchill's head in a haystack? Or that an Egyptian mummy once turned up in Middlebury and is now buried at the local cemetery alongside the town's founders? Stories such as the Willoughby Lake monster and Slipperyskin, the bear that terrorized Lemington, are sure to bemuse, baffle and surprise even Vermonters who think they've heard it all. Culled from newspapers, books and journals, William M. Alexander's fascinating tales will entertain and inform readers for generations to come!
Journey back to the spring of 1775, when Bennington County, Vermont was no more than the wild frontier of the northern territory. It was from here that the first victory of the American Revolution was won, when Patriot Ethan Allen led the famed Green Mountain Boys to raid and capture towering Fort Ticonderoga from the British. Two years later, the British were again defeated at the Battle of Bennington, sufferring two hundred casualties and the staggering capture of more than seven hundred soldiers by another Patriot, John Stark. Dick Smith takes readers through the famed covered bridges, historic taverns and quaint villages of Bennington County that in another life played a vital role in leading our country toward independence.
This little volume, originally published in 1838, was penned by a whaling captain for his son. Irresistibly collectable, this edition????????????featuring 112 original black-and-white plates ????????????retains all the charm of the original, including descriptions of successful voyages, whale hunting advice and sailing superstitions.
Your guide to the people, places and events that made Gainesville the thriving city and educational center it is today. Gainesville, Florida, was established in the early 1850s in an area of Alachua County known for cotton farming, cattle and citrus. It soon became known for education, with many fine private schools. The arrival of the railroads made it a crossroads town that grew to be the state's fourth-largest city. The arrival in 1906 of what became the University of Florida gave Gainesville the major state-supported institution of higher education, and thereafter the city and the university were inextricably entwined. The city has grown to be a comfortable place to live, and the university is now one of the largest in the nation, with an international reputation for academics and sports.Local historian and UF Law School graduate Steve Rajtar leads you through the decades with words and pictures. An A-to-Z street guide is included to help you explore the historic homes, churches and other sites of historic Gainesville on your own.
Marion is proverbially the great master of strategy?the wily fox of the swamps?never to be caught, never to be followed, ?yet always at hand, with unconjectured promptness, at the moment when he is least feared and is least to be expected. South Carolina's ?Swamp Fox, ? Francis Marion, is one of the most celebrated figures of the American Revolution. Marion's cunning exploits in the Southern theater of the Revolution earned him national renown and a place in history as an American hero and master of modern guerilla warfare. Although dozens of works have been written about Marion's life over the years, this biography -- written by William Gilmore Simms, South Carolina's greatest author -- remains the best. First published in 1844, The Life of Francis Marion was Simms's most commercially successful work of nonfiction. It offers a treatment of Marion's life that is unparalleled in its scope and accuracy, all in Simms's inimitable style.
One of the longest and seemingly most intractable civil wars in Latin America was brought to an end by the signing of the Peace Accords between the Guatemalan government and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) in December 1996. The essays in this volume evaluate progress made in the implementation of the peace agreements and signal some of the key challenges for future political and institutional reform. The volume opens with a chapter by Gustavo Porras, the government's main negotiator in the peace process. The first section then examines the issue of demilitarization. This is followed by aspects of indigenous rights in the peace process, including conceptual frameworks for rights advancement, the harmonization of state law and customary law, and the challenges of nation-state and citizenship construction. The next section examines issues of truth, justice, and reconciliation, and assesses prospects for the Truth Commission. The volume closes with an analysis of different aspects of political reform in Guatemala and includes comments made on the chapters and developed in the debate which took place at the conference on which it is based. The contributors are Marta Altolaguirre*, Marta Elena Casa?s*, Demetrio Cojt?*, Edgar Guti?rrez*, Frank La Rue, Roger Plant, Gustavo Porras*, Alfonso Portillo*, Jennifer Schirmer, Rachel Sieder, David Stoll, Rosalina Tuyuc*, Anna Vinegrad, Richard Wilson (* chapters in Spanish).
Enter Somerville, a city packed with stories larger than itself, to salute a heritage that justifies the fierce pride of its citizens. Share a perch on one of Somerville's celebrated hills with Dee Morris and Dora St. Martin and watch the raising of America's first flag and the stringing of its first telephone line. Strolling from neighborhood to neighborhood, this brief history knocks on the doors of everyone from the father of Fenway Park to Missy LeHand, Franklin D. Roosevelt s private secretary and steadfast companion. Even the notoriously elusive Captain Kidd is caught for inspection as he tries to slip through a trapdoor in a bedroom closet.
Druid Hill Park lies at the hears of Baltimore and made history as one of the first public parks in America. This beautifully illustrated history tells the story of Druid Hill from the seventeenth century until today, and celebrates this natural refuge for fun and relaxation in urban Baltimore.
Beginning in 1541 with Hernando De Soto's Spanish expedition for gold, African Americans have held a prominent place in Chattanooga's history. Author Rita Lorraine Hubbard chronicles the ways African Americans have shaped Chattanooga, and presents inspirational achievements that have gone largely unheralded over the years.
On June 27, 1835, New Hampshire chartered the Boston & Maine Railroad, and a juggernaut was born. By 1900, the B&M operated some 2,300 miles of track in northern New England, having taken over an astonishing forty-seven different railroads since its inception. The B&M loomed particularly large in the Granite State, where it controlled 96 percent of all tracks and was the primary conveyance through the rugged heart of New England s most formidable mountain range. From the gravity-defying Mount Washington Cog Railway to logging transport trains to the famous Depression-era Snow Train, "A History of the Boston & Maine Railroad" traces the fascinating history of New England's most renowned railway.
A Journey through Boston Irish History, the first comprehensive photographic record of Boston's most conspicuous immigrant group, is the fruit of years of tireless research by prize-winning author Dennis P. Ryan. Within these pages are rare and handsome images unearthed from innumerable local libraries, historical societies and museums, parish rectories and Catholic charitable institutions, the archives of religious congregations, major Boston and diocesan newspapers, private family collections, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Beginning with the horrifying famine of the 1840s in Ireland and concluding four generations later with the election of John F. Kennedy as president, A Journey through Boston Irish History is a sweeping, poignant portrait of the children of the Gael and the city they transformed politically, socially, and culturally. Ryan takes us through the corridors and wards of hospitals and orphanages that were established by the Irish to care for their own. Powerful images supplied by the Mathew Brady Collection at the Library of Congress recount the exploits of the celebrated Massachusetts Ninth Irish Regiment during the American Civil War. Within these pages, we are also invited to discover the vibrant personalities of pugilist John L. Sullivan, William Henry Cardinal O'Connell, as well as the irrepressible Mayor James Michael Curley.
The history of Rancho San Justo and Hollister began in 1839 when Gov. Juan Alvarado gave the land grant to Jose Castro. Castro sold the land to Francisco Pacheco, who, in turn, sold the land grant to William Hollister and his partners Llwellyn Bixby and Thomas and Benjamin Flint. In 1861, the men agreed to split the property. The site for the town was surveyed in 1868 with plans to divide the site into 50 homestead lots. Colonel Hollister sold his portion of the rancho to a group of men who called themselves the San Justo Homestead Association. At that time, the town of Hollister was still in Monterey County; however, the homestead association started agitating for a division of the county. An act to create the county of San Benito was approved by the governor on February 12, 1874, and Hollister became the county seat.
From cooking ?coon and ?possum to recalling the heyday of Melrose Plantation, these are the heartwarming stories of Hilton Head, Bluffton and Daufuskie before, as the Gullahs might say, ?it all change up.? In this second volume of personal memories collected by Hilton Head journalist Fran Heyward Marscher, area old-timers tell of the adventures, the industry and the heart of the Lowcountry itself. Before the golf courses and resorts, the residents of Beaufort and Jasper Counties often scraped to make a living, but they left behind stories of enduring devotion and perseverance. Keeping lighthouses on the coast, developing a method for catching crabs with only sticks and hunting quail in Hilton Head are only a few of the tales preserved by local old-timers from the early days of the twentieth century to the times of economic transition after World War II. In ice cream and butter beans, picking oysters and exploring the beach, these memories of the Lowcountry will last for generations.
Two distinct communities which share equally vibrant histories, the twin cities of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor possess a rich heritage rooted in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and tourism. Through more than 200 photographs, this book documents the cities' development from the time when pioneers first struggled to create a community in the wilderness. It pays tribute to the men and women who labored to establish farms and industries, and celebrates the delightful beaches and amusement parks-such as the House of David and Silver Beach-that have brought joy to generations of residents and visitors alike.
In the last quarter of the 19th century, a circle of 16 tall Cottonwood trees stood in the wash that extended to the Verde River just north of where the old jail building now stands. Cattlemen and ranchers from Oak Creek and the mountains made their overnight stops under these trees and the location became known as "The Cottonwoods." The lush riparian area attracted hardy settlers, and Fort Verde's military camp and the copper mines of Jerome provided a ready market for agricultural goods. Thus began the town that was soon to become the commercial hub for the Verde Valley. Today the incorporated city of Cottonwood serves an area population of over 55,000 and boasts a diverse economy based on health care, education, tourism, and the service and retail industries. With its moderate climate, beautiful setting, and small-town charm, combined with the amenities of a larger city, Cottonwood continues to attract steady growth and tourism.
Author Prudy Taylor Board has compiled a collection of historical articles about the intriguing, but little known, people and events in the history of Fort Myers. Board traces the development of the city's prestigious neighborhoods and parks, while introducing readers to some of the most captivating and eccentric characters.
At 7:30 a.m. on June 16, 1944, George Junius Stinney Jr. was escorted by four guards to the death chamber. Wearing socks but no shoes, the 14-year-old Black boy walked with his Bible tucked under his arm. The guards strapped his slight, five-foot-one-inch frame into the electric chair. His small size made it difficult to affix the electrode to his right leg and the face mask, which was clearly too large, fell to the floor when the executioner flipped the switch. That day, George Stinney became, and today remains, the youngest person executed in the United States during the twentieth century.How was it possible, even in Jim Crow South Carolina, for a child to be convicted, sentenced to death, and executed based on circumstantial evidence in a trial that lasted only a few hours? Through extensive archival research and interviews with Stinney's contemporaries-men and women alive today who still carry distinctive memories of the events that rocked the small town of Alcolu and the entire state-Eli Faber pieces together the chain of events that led to this tragic injustice. The first book to fully explore the events leading to Stinney's death, The Child in the Electric Chair offers a compelling narrative with a meticulously researched analysis of the world in which Stinney lived-the era of lynching, segregation, and racist assumptions about Black Americans. Faber explains how a systemically racist system, paired with the personal ambitions of powerful individuals, turned a blind eye to human decency and one of the basic tenets of the American legal system that individuals are innocent until proven guilty. As society continues to grapple with the legacies of racial injustice, the story of George Stinney remains one that can teach us lessons about our collective past and present. By ably placing the Stinney case into a larger context, Faber reveals how this case is not just a travesty of justice locked in the era of the Jim Crow South but rather one that continues to resonate in our own time. A foreword is provided by Carol Berkin, Presidential Professor of History Emerita at Baruch College at the City University of New York and author of several books including Civil War Wives: The Lives and Times of Angelina Grimke Weld, Varina Howell Davis, and Julia Dent Grant.
From the days of early tribes that hunted and fished to the tourists who later relaxed on the beaches, St. Simons Island has been part of the changing landscape of Georgia's coast. When Gen. James E. Oglethorpe established Fort Frederica to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the threat of Spain, it was, for a short time, a vibrant hub of British military operations. During the latter part of the 1700s, a plantation society thrived on the island until the outbreak of the War Between the States. Never returning to an agricultural community, by 1870 St. Simons re-established itself with the development of a booming timber industry. And by the 1870s, the pleasant climate and proximity to the sea drew visitors to St. Simons as a year-round resort. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a sleepy little place with only a few hundred permanent residents until 1941.
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