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Books > History > History of specific subjects > Local history
Presents the story of a small fishing village in the shadow of
Portsmouth which developed to become a major naval and military
base in its own right. This book shows the ways in which Gosport
has sometimes stood still and sometimes altered almost beyond
recognition.
" ""Serving as tour guide, Fox invites his audience to go with
him log rafting down the Kentucky River, bass fishing in the
Cumberland Mountains, rabbit hunting in the Bluegrass, and chasing
outlaws in the border country of Kentucky and Virginia. Along the
route we meet Old South colonels and their ladies, lawless
moonshiners and their shy daughters, bloodthirsty preachers, and
educated young gentlemen visitors who explore the southern
mountains for fun and profit. These sketches offer a delightful
blend of macho adventure and sage observation by an erudite young
writer who had lived in the two worlds that provide his subject
matter-the elegant society of the Bluegrass aristocracy and the
hardscrabble feuding clans of mountaineers.""
The largest inland city in Florida, Orlando, also known as the City
Beautiful, stands proudly among the great lakes of central Florida.
This is a colorful reminder of Orlando's past, from 1902 to 1950,
with 351 color postcards that show Orlando prior to Walt Disney
World, from orange groves and cattle farms to popular tourist
destination. The neighboring city of Winter Park is explored in
over 60 historic postcards, and Sanford, Kissimee, Altamonte
Springs and others are also portrayed. Historians and tourists
alike will treasure this wonderful souvenir, and postcard
collectors will find it a great resource.
Live by the sword, die by the sword. Pittsburgh was built on
steel-and almost destroyed by it. Pittsburgh's vertically
integrated steel industry was foundational in the growth of
America, and it returned economic prosperity to the region for over
a century. But when a myriad of domestic and global factors
unsettled the local industry's competitiveness, the city suffered
through economic turmoil. The city of Pittsburgh found unlikely
heroes in their traditionally also-ran professional football team,
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reflecting the city's tough, hard-nosed,
working class citizens, the Steelers rose to prominence and
galvanized the community to persevere against the challenges of its
deindustrialization transformation. Built of steel, then crippled
by steel, Pittsburgh was eventually saved by the Steelers.
Immaculate: How the Steelers Saved Pittsburgh weaves together the
historical stories of Pittsburgh and its beloved professional
football team like the linear strands of DNA-antiparallel, twisting
throughout, and irrevocably connected together. Beginning with the
history of the region, Immaculate weaves together the area's early
history with the Steelers' origins, tracing the rise of the
Steelers against the contextual backdrop of the steel industry's
collapse and the city's unfolding crisis. The Steelers provided the
foundational inflection point for Pittsburgh's "New Economy" to
emerge and prosper. Immaculate brings to life the colorful stories
and people that shaped a city and a team over the rich tapestry of
profoundly different eras.
Ronnie Earle was a Texas legend. During his three decades as the
district attorney responsible for Austin and surrounding Travis
County, he prosecuted corrupt corporate executives and state
officials, including the notorious US congressman Tom DeLay. But
Earle maintained that the biggest case of his career was the one
involving Frank Hughey Smith, the ex-convict millionaire, alleged
criminal mastermind, and Dixie Mafia figure. With the help of
corrupt local authorities, Smith spent the 1970s building a
criminal empire in auto salvage and bail bonds. But there was one
problem: a rival in the salvage business threatened his dominance.
Smith hired arsonists to destroy the rival; when they botched the
job, he sent three gunmen, but the robbery they planned was a
bloody fiasco. Investigators were convinced that Smith was guilty,
but many were skeptical that the newly elected and inexperienced
Earle could get a conviction. Amid the courtroom drama and
underworld plots the book describes, Willie Nelson makes a cameo.
So do the private eyes, hired guns, and madams who kept Austin not
only weird but also riddled with vice. An extraordinary true story,
Last Gangster in Austin paints an unusual picture of the Texas
capital as a place that was wild, wonderful, and as crooked as the
dirt road to paradise.
Wakefield, the capital of the former West Riding of Yorkshire, has
a long and distinguished past. It came to prominence as a centre
for the cloth trade in the latter half of the 15th century, the
trade in cloth becoming a major part of the town's economy until
recent years. By 1880, Wakefield as a town had expanded and gained
many new institutions built on the wealth of the cloth trade, coal
mining and heavy industry. Changing Wakefield presents a glimpse
into what the townscape of Wakefield was like at the close of the
19th century and compares it to the modern cityscape that has
constantly changed and evolved since 1880. Important buildings in
today's cityscape are looked at in depth with concise histories of
the buildings and the people that built or lived in these notable
landmarks. This fascinating historical time capsule also presents
rare images and histories of many of the lost architectural
treasures of Wakefield.
"I first saw New Mexico as a kid, in 1950," the author says. "At
once I fell under its hypnotic spell, as have so many others. My
commitment to become a writer about things New Mexican was born
shortly thereafter. From more than a half century of prowlings
along the byways of the state, I've managed to glean a fair
knowledge of its peoples and culture. "What continues to impress me
is that history in New Mexico lies so close to the surface. Here
one continually runs into Indians, Hispanos and fourth or fifth
generation Anglos whose lives and outlook are firmly rooted in the
years before yesterday. Moreover, their personal histories are
enriched by the backdrop of an extraordinary landscape. These
realities have provided me an abundance of material for carving out
the series of short narratives compiled in the book." Marc Simmons
is a professional author and historian who has published more than
forty books on New Mexico and the American Southwest. His popular
"Trail Dust" column is syndicated in several regional newspapers.
In 1993, King Juan Carlos of Spain admitted him to the knightly
Order of Isabel la Catolica for his contributions to Spanish
colonial history.
Much anticipated sequel to 2010's "Southampton Murder Victims".
Each case is arranged in chronological order, allowing the reader
to dip into the period of their choice. It contains over 200
pictures, some of them official police photographs. This book is a
sequel to "Southampton Murder Victims", produced in 2010 by DB
Publishing and the present book is a joint publication with DB
Publishing and the Hampshire Constabulary History Society. The
former book explained, in some depth, the various amendments to the
original mandatory death penalty for murder; the stages of penal
servitude that were imposed, until abolished in 1948; an
explanation of the former Assize Court system, and the
establishment of the Crown Courts that replaced them in 1972.
"Southampton Murder Victims Vol II" is the result of painstaking
research by the author, who had unrivalled access to police and
other archive files normally unavailable to the general public. It
has resulted in fascinating accounts of over sixty murders
committed in Southampton between 1873 and 2012. The accounts are
arranged in strict chronological order, allowing the reader to dip
into the period of their choice, the earlier cases arousing
nostalgia for parts of the city that have long since vanished. The
book contains many illustrations, some of them official police
photos showing the scene of the crime and published for the first
time, making "Southampton Murder Victims Vol II" a must-read for
the bloodthirsty, the historians and the just plain curious.
Often called "The World's Playground," Atlantic City is seen over
100 years. More than 250 color images display its evolution into a
popular vacation destination. From the beach, boardwalk, and the
Miss America Pagent in Convention Hall, to the Apollo Theatre, the
world famous Steel Pier, and Traymore Hotel, the city's first 100
years put it on the map and made it a major destination. Relive the
magic as you explore the streets that inspired the classic Monopoly
game.
With nearly 300 photographs, many of them from the Media Wales
archives, this title presents a pictorial record and a nostalgic
reminder of how Wales' vibrant capital city has changed over the
years.
This is a fascinating account of the developments that created
Chichester. It offers an insight into the events and individuals
who shaped the town's history. It is illustrated with hundred of
photographs, maps and drawings. Ken Green's densely illustrated
history of Chichester gives a fascinating account of the varied and
surprising events, personalities and wider developments that
created the town of the present day. In a series of vivid
historical snapshots, he takes the reader through thousands of
years of history, from the earliest known prehistoric settlement,
through the Roman and medieval periods, to the thriving but
well-preserved town of today. He writes of the building of the
castle and the cathedral and the medieval layout of the town's
streets, which still survives. More recent developments are
described too - hospitals, schools, churches, chapels, Victorian
terraces, modern estates, the railway and modern roads, all of
which make up the contemporary city. At the same time he gives a
telling insight into the significant events and individuals who
shaped the town's history. His book is illustrated with hundreds of
photographs, maps and drawings from the author's collection, from
the Chichester Observer and the West Sussex Record Office, and it
will be essential reading for every Chichester resident, past and
present.
In this book: each chapter features a different walk and contains
clear and precise walk data with a map, and gives information on
local conveniences, refreshments and other places of interest in
the locality; every route offers the option of the long walk or the
shorter version; and, route details give facts on various landmarks
passed by, the history of each place and some feature tales of
famous names connected to the area. The Derwent Valley is one of
this country's finest assets, both from the point of view of its
heritage and magnificent scenery. Although only about 60 miles in
length, it fills mighty reservoirs near its source, and has been
harnessed to power mills and, most importantly played an
outstanding part in the Industrial Revolution. This was recognised
in 2001, when the Derwent Valley was awarded World Heritage Status,
the site running from Masson Mill at Matlock Bath to the former
Derby Silk Mill, a distance of approximately 15 miles. It is the
only World Heritage Site in the East Midlands. In this title, the
walks and features are designed to enable visitors to discover this
unique and stunningly beautiful valley, both from the valley floor
and high up on the surrounding hills and cliff tops. The walks are
suitable both for the long distance walker as well as for those who
just want a short walk. As they can be completed in short or long
stages, dependent on time and choice. In total there are twenty
linear walks, and ten circular walks. The latter can all be
subdivided into two short walks, making fifty walks in all to
provide hours of exploration and enjoyment. Suggested refreshment
stops, suitable for both linear and circular walks have been
listed. Also numerous places of interest, both in the Derwent
Valley and a little further away, which if you have the time, you
will find well worth the effort of visiting. Some are open all
year, others on a more restricted basis.
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