Regional History
The Mountain State's irregular borders and rugged geography are home to a fascinating mix of cultures, landscapes and foods. West Virginia's culinary history is rooted among the native fauna and flora that early residents hunted and foraged, and the taste of pawpaws and ramps is familiar across the state. Immigrants brought international flavors to Appalachian cuisine, resulting in local traditions like moonshine and the iconic pepperoni roll. Historian, author and West Virginia native Shannon Colaianni Tinnell explores a history that is still being written by a new generation hungry for tradition and authenticity.
Follow Archaeologist Darla Spencer as she discovers the history and habits of 16 Native American sites in West Virginia.
Once thought of as Indian hunting grounds with no permanent inhabitants, West Virginia is teeming with evidence of
Incorporating recent events in the Native American community as well as additional information gleaned from publications and public resources, this newly redesigned and updated second edition of First People brings back to the fore this concise and highly readable narrative. Full of stories that represent the full diversity of Virginia's Indians, past and present, this popular book remains the essential introduction to the history of Virginia Indians from the earlier times to the present day.
Chock full of the wit and wisdom that has become the Foxfire trademark, this entirely new volume in the acclaimed, 6-million-copy best-selling "Foxfire" series is on oral history of Appalachian lives and traditions, homespun crafts, and folk arts.
First published in 1972, The Foxfire Book was a surprise bestseller that brought Appalachia's philosophy of simple living to hundreds of thousands of readers. Whether you wanted to hunt game, bake the old-fashioned way, or learn the art of successful moonshining, The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center had a contact who could teach you how with clear, step-by-step instructions. This second Foxfire volume includes topics such as ghost stories, spinning and weaving, wagon making, midwifing, corn shuckin', and more.
From the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, African Americans in the Washington, D.C. area sought leisure destinations where they could relax without the burden of racial oppression. Local picnic parks such as Eureka and Madre's were accessible by streetcars. Black-owned steamboats ferried passengers seeking sun and sand to places like Collingwood Beach, and African American families settled into quiet beach-side communities along the Western Shore of Maryland. Author and public historian Patsy M. Fletcher reveals the history behind Washington's forgotten era of African American leisure. Train-related excursions chapters including Storer College, Harpers Ferry and Island Park. Author: Patsy Mose Fletcher. Publisher: The History Press. Paperback, 177 pages. Measures 6" x 9". Weighs 14.3 oz.
Jefferson County can proudly claim a large number of firsts when it comes to African Americans in national history. The raid to free slaves that served as a catalyst for the Civil War was led by abolitionist John Brown in Harpers Ferry. The first man wounded in the rebellion was Heyward Shepherd, a free African American and a Jefferson County resident. Pres. Abraham Lincoln appointed Jefferson County native Martin Robison Delany as the first African American field officer of the Civil War. In 1906, the Niagara Movement, forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), held its first meeting on American soil on the Storer College campus. The first woman to become the coach of a men’s college basketball team was also an African American from Jefferson County. Additionally, the Colored Horse Show held in Charles Town was the first of its kind for African Americans. Presented by the Jefferson County Black History Preservation Society, Inc. Foreward by Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Publisher: Arcadia Publishing. Paperback, 127 pages. Measures 6.5" x 9.25". Weighs 10.8 oz.
John Brown to James Brown: The Little Farm Where Liberty Budded, Blossomed, and Boogied
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John Brown to James Brown delves into a distinctively American saga as it unfolds on one small piece of farm property in rural Western Maryland. Commonly known as John Brown's Farm because of the role it played in John Brown's raid on the armory at Harpers Ferry, this site was a music mecca to many young African Americans during the 50s and 60s. The little-known story of the music scene at Kennedy Farm where many giants of rhythm and blues performed during their early years --including James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, the Drifters, and scores of others. These stories, intertwined with those of a gifted promoter and thousands of young people who experienced early R&B music at John Brown's Farm, bring to life an ideal that heralded in America's founding documents and still beats in the heart of mankind today---liberty! Hardback 295 pages
Because they were situated near the Mason-Dixon line, Shepherdstown residents witnessed the realities of the Civil War firsthand. Marching armies, sounds of battle and fear of war had arrived on their doorsteps by the summer of 1862. The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 brought thousands of wounded Confederates into the town's homes, churches and warehouses. The story of Shepherdstown's transformation into "one vast hospital" recounts nightmarish scenes of Confederate soldiers under the caring hands of an army of surgeons and civilians. Author Kevin R. Pawlak retraces the horrific accounts of Shepherdstown as a Civil War hospital town.
A travel guide with character, this fact-filled keepsake offers all the history, beauty, charm, and culture of our nation's capital city. In eye-catching watercolors and detailed sketches, artist Diana Gessler captures the allure that makes Washington DC one of the most visited destinations in the country. In addition to the national landmarks, stirring memorials, and vibrant neighborhoods, there's the Cherry Blossom Festival, the Twilight Tattoo (a military pageant featuring the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and the U.S. Army Drill Team), colorful row houses, famous hotels and restaurants, and more museums than you'll be able to visit in just one trip. Gessler covers the city's most popular attractions but also heads off the beaten path to share hidden gems, like the quirky Albert Einstein Memorial and Eastern Market, where you can dine on bluebucks and browse for flea market finds. Also included are an index of sites and a useful appendix of addresses, Web sites, Metro stops, and phone numbers. Very Washington DC is a picture-perfect guidebook--a one-of-a-kind memento for tourists and a cherished reminder of the city's riches for those who have always lived in America's hometown.