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Books > Humanities > History > American history > General
Roanoke, Virginia, is one of America's great historic railroad
centers. The Norfolk & Western Railway Company, now the Norfolk
Southern Corporation, has been in Roanoke for over a century. Since
the company has employed many of the city's African Americans, the
two histories are intertwined. The lives of Roanoke's black
railroad workers span the generations from Jim Crow segregation to
the civil rights era to today's diverse corporate workforce. Older
generations toiled through labor-intensive jobs such as janitors
and track laborers, paving the way for younger African Americans to
become engineers, conductors and executives. Join author Sheree
Scarborough as she interviews Roanoke's African American railroad
workers and chronicles stories that are a powerful testament of
personal adversity, struggle and triumph on the rail.
Rich in history, wildlife, and beautiful coastal landscapes,
Georgia's Cumberland Island attracts many an island tourist and
nature lover. The island's well-preserved marshes, tidal creeks,
and dune fields provide this hidden oasis with a rare natural
charm. The area is also home to a wide variety of animal species,
including loggerhead turtles, bob cats, manatees, and alligators,
just to name a few. Though Cumberland is best known for being the
nation's largest wilderness island, its history -- dating back to
the 16th century -- also includes a period of use as a mission by
the Franciscans. Among its historic sites are the magnificent ruins
of Dungeness, the house built by the Carnegie family during the
latter part of the 19th century, as well as the romantic Greyfield
Inn. This pictorial history of Cumberland Island illustrates the
people, places, and events that have shaped the area's cultural and
natural history. The island's rare solitude and beauty, which have
resulted from conservation and preservation efforts in the area,
are captured in this carefully detailed book for all lovers of
nature and history to enjoy. Though the island permits only very
limited human traffic, these images allow the reader to appreciate
the Cumberland landscape -- laced with wild animals, pirate coves,
English forts, and an African-American "settlement" -- from afar.
As one of the nation's oldest cities, Cambridge, Massachusetts, has
a tumultuous history filled with Revolutionary War beginnings,
religious persecution and centuries of debate among Ivy League
intelligentsia. It should come as no surprise that the city is also
home to spirits that are entangled with the past and now inhabit
the dormitories, local watering holes and even military structures
of the present. Discover the apparitions that frighten freshmen in
Harvard's Weld Hall, the Revolutionary War ghosts that haunt the
estates of Tory Row and the flapper who is said to roam the seats
of Somerville Theatre. Using careful research and firsthand
accounts, author Sam Baltrusis delves into ghastly tales of murder,
crime and the bizarre happenings in the early days of Cambridge to
uncover the truth behind some of the city's most historic haunts.
As the saying goes, "dead men tell no tales." Or do they? From its
humble beginnings as a Spanish settlement in 1691 to the bloody
battle at the Alamo, San Antonio's history is rich in haunting
tales. Discover Old San Antonio's most haunted places and uncover
the history that lies waiting for those who dare to enter their
doorways. Take a peek inside the Menger Hotel, the "Most Haunted
Hotel in Texas," and just a block away, peer into the Emily Morgan
Hotel, one of the city's first hospitals and where many men and
women lost their lives. Explore the San Fernando Cathedral, where
people are buried within the walls and visitors claim to see faces
mysteriously appear. Uncover the legends behind Bexar County Jail.
Join authors James and Lauren Swartz and decide for yourself what
truly lurks behind the Alamo City's fabled past.
Chicago has long been regarded as home to some of the world's most
impressive architecture. Responding to the Great Fire of 1871,
Chicagoans rebuilt the city, creating a radically new architectural
style. Chicago continued to grow and evolve through the 20th
century, but many of its architectural masterpieces have been lost,
some to modernization, and others simply to the ravages of time.
Forgotten Chicago preserves the unique story of many of Chicago's
famed architectural wonders. Included are the old Northwestern
Train station, the Coliseum, the Chicago Stadium, old Comiskey
Park, and Soldier Field. Many of the smaller treasures of the city
will also be found here, including some of Chicago's most famous
diners.
Explore Fairplay from the beginning with local historian Linda
Bjorklund as she traces the town s story through Spanish settlers,
early American government, Union-Confederate tensions and modern
development. Even though Fairplay s remarkable gold and silver boom
was reduced to ash overnight in 1873, a strong community overcame
history s challenges and preserved its treasures. From the popular
annual Burro Days to the Way of Life Museum, Fairplay gives folks a
chance to celebrate and relive its rich mining history through
festivities and time-capsule buildings such as the general store,
drugstore, bank, Summer Brewery and Summer Saloon.
A strike gripped Winnipeg from May 15 to June 26, 1919. Some
twenty-five thousand workers walked out, demanding better wages and
union recognition. Red-fearing opponents insisted labour radicals
were attempting to usurp constitutional authority and replace it
with Bolshevism. Newspapers like the "Manitoba Free Press" claimed
themselves political victims and warned of Soviet infiltration.
Supporters of the general sympathetic strike like the "Toronto
Daily Star" maintained that strikers were not Reds; they were
workers fighting for their fair rights. What was really happening
in Winnipeg? In an information age dominated by newspapers and
magazines, the public turned to reporters and editors for answers.
The City by the Sea boasts an ambitious baseball history dating
back to the early days of America's favorite pastime. In 1897, the
Newport Colts became the first professional baseball team to ever
tie in a playoff series. By the 1900s, baseball was being played
daily on open fields and diamonds throughout Newport. The city has
sported six major ball fields, including Cardines Field, host to
the oldest continuously running amateur baseball team in the
country. Discover the humble beginnings of players like Newport
native Frank Corridon, who allegedly invented the now outlawed
spitball, and the legacy of the great Trojans baseball club. Team
up with baseball historian Rick Harris and walk through the history
of Newport baseball from amateur games to the major leagues and all
the strikes, homers and grand slams in between.
Since its establishment in 1683, Perth Amboy has been a progressive
and welcoming community. Residents have consistently made a stand
for equality--in the 1920s, riots at a local KKK meeting ousted the
Klan for good, and the nation's first African American vote was
cast here by Thomas Mundy Peterson. Another Perth Amboy first was
Dr. Solomon Andrews's flight over the town in 1863. Since 1853, the
Eagleswood School has hosted lectures from figures like Henry David
Thoreau. In 1968, the Perth Amboy basketball team swept the state
championship. These and Perth Amboy's other fascinating stories and
characters are chronicled by local author Katherine Massopust.
The importance of fishing in Minnesota goes back thousands of
years: first as a means of critical subsistence and then, in the
last 200 years, as a major economic influence. In the 1800s,
anglers seeking pristine lakes with ample fish traveled to
Minnesota on the railroads. The widespread use of automobiles and
an improving road system rapidly increased the state's
accessibility in the 1900s, and resorts sprouted everywhere. During
the early tourist boom, the state was also home to countless boat
builders, tackle manufacturers, and other fishing-related
businesses. Images of America: Minnesota's Angling Past provides a
view of the time when boats were made from wood and propelled by
rowing; when great fishing spots were found through experience
rather than electronics; and, for some, a suit or dress was proper
attire for a day of fishing. This book includes rare images from
across the state that capture memorable days of angling, such as
the 1955 Leech Lake Muskie Rampage.
Step across the threshold of a haunted hotel in California's
renowned Gold Country and encounter phantom figures of yesteryear.
Wispy apparitions of gentleman guests in Victorian coats and ladies
in fashionable flapper gowns glide through the walls, while
unexplained sobs and choking gasps disturb the night. There's Stan,
the Cary House's eternal desk clerk, and bachelor ghost Lyle, who
tidies the Groveland Hotel. Flo tosses pots and pans in the
National's kitchen, while the once-scorned spirit of Isabella ties
the Sierra Nevada House's curtains in knots. From suicidal gamblers
to murdered miners, the Mother Lode's one-time boomtowns are
crowded with characters of centuries past. Book your stay with
author Nancy Williams as she explores the history and haunts of the
Gold Country's iconic hotels.
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