Formed in 1790, Patrick County is named for the Commonwealth of Virginia�s first governor, Patrick Henry, who lived in neighboring Henry County. Located along the border of North Carolina where the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Appalachian Range cross the state line, the �Free State of Patrick� is half piedmont and half mountain plateau. This dividing geographic feature is reflected in the mountain people of Scots-Irish and German descent along with English living below the mountain heights....

Formed in January 1777, Henry County was named for the Commonwealth of Virginia�s first governor, Patrick Henry, who lived in the county from 1779 until 1784. Located along the border of North Carolina, the county was once home to the famous antebellum Hairston family. In the 20th century, textiles, furniture, and the chemical manufacturer DuPont made up the large industrial base of the county. With the recent outsourcing of jobs, the county has turned to other economic sources such as the...

From 1790 until today, continuity in Patrick County, Virginia, has involved a rural agricultural life based on family and religion. In the history of the county named for Patrick Henry, the population has only doubled since the Civil War, when men such as cavalryman James Ewell Brown 'Jeb' Stuart hailed from the county.

This "interesting collection of Southwest Virginia ghost stories" is packed with pictures and Appalachian lore ( Roanoke Star-Sentinel).A Confederate soldier forever lost at Cumberland Gap. The wispy woman of Roanoke College. The spectral horse that runs the streets of Abingdon. These are just a few of the restless spirits of southwestern Virginia.Join local author Joe Tennis as he takes readers on both sides of the Blue Ridge to explore the ghostl...

This collection uncovers the fascinating past of Tennessee's legendary Music City from true tall tales to larger than life characters and much more.Perched on the banks of the Cumberland River, Nashville is best known for its role in the civil rights movement, world-class education and, of course, country music. In this unique collection of columns written for The Tennessean, journalist and longtime Tennessee native George Zepp illuminates a less familiar ...

Route 66 goes through the heart of Illinois: between the great cities of Chicago and St. Louis, there are 300 miles of adventure, history, culinary delights, and quirky attractions. This is the "Land of Lincoln" and roadside giants. There are cozy motels, cozy diners, and Cozy Dogs. Interstate 55 will speed travelers to their destination, but Route 66 offers something more. It goes through the hearts of the towns, wandering onto old brick pavement far from the roar of the interstate. Histo...

Carved out of Ohio's wilderness in 1852, the village of Grove City welcomed industrious laborers, farmers, and German immigrants. The arrival of the railroad and the interurban brought commuters willing to travel from Grove City into Columbus. The 1960s saw the construction of Interstates 71 and 270, which spurred the community's growth. Though its population has surpassed 37,000 residents, Grove City has retained its small-town appeal while offering residents and visitors a revitalized to...

Named for railroad magnate Henry B. Plant, Plant City was incorporated in 1885. Rich in history and the flavor of strawberries, it is known as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. Images featured are from the Quintilla Geer Bruton Archives Center and the East Hillsborough Historical Society. Shelby Jean Roberson Bender, an eighth-generation Floridian, and Roberta Donaldson Jordan, a native of Pennsylvania, have devoted many years to historical and genealogical research, publications...

Mount Pleasant lies atop a tree-covered hill in the midst of East Texas timber country. The native Caddo Indians referred to the hill as �pleasant,� and so it was named. Though it hails from within the historic area known as �Devil�s Triangle,� the city has been dubbed �the sweetest town in Texas.� This area has been alternately ignored, fought over, and claimed, proving the people of Mount Pleasant are resilient, adaptable, and consistently hardworking. It is the kind of stable community ...

Situated between the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, Lock Haven was developed by brothers Jerry and Willard Church in 1833 on 200 acres of farmland. The completion of the canal in 1834 stimulated the lumber industry, which became a source of prosperity for many years. Most of the large, beautiful homes located in Lock Haven�s Water Street Historic District were built by families who prospered from over 50 years of timber harvest. When the lumber industry declined, other industries,...

Monticello was founded by the White County commissioners in 1834 on a bluff above the Tippecanoe River. They named it after the mansion ofThomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. It was incorporated as a town in 1862. The county seat grew more rapidly when the railroads cameto town before the Civil War. Then the town grew large enough to become a city in 1909, and a mayor was elected. The area around the city became atourist destination in the 1920s after dams created th...

Ann Arbor began the 20th century as a modest manufacturing and farm trading center with a small co-existing university community. By the end of the century, Ann Arbor had developed into a cosmopolitan city, home to people from all over the world. Ann Arbor in the 20th Century details the important developments that occurred over a period of 100 years, as residents witnessed the growth of its neighborhoods, schools, shopping areas, and social services. Enormous changes to the physical lands...