The main character was a smart, intelligent, enterprising man who travelled the world finding adventure in the age of the industrial revolution. This is the story of his exploits, his family and also his father who was the prototype of the immigrant seeking the American Dream. Together, they cover the Civil War, the KKK, the politics in our capital, but mostly the pioneer struggle in the Pacific Northwest as a pioneer family.

This book examines how the current era of "convergence" has affected, and is reflected in, the world of professional wrestling, which combines several different genres, including drama, action, comedy, horror, science fiction, and even romance. Professional wrestling’s business practices exist at the intersection of bottom-up fan-centric strategies and strict top-down corporate control. Meanwhile, the wrestlers themselves combine aspects of carnival hucksters, actors/actresses, comedians, ...

The surprising story of how Thomas Jefferson commanded an unrivaled age of American exploration—and in presiding over that era of discovery, forged a great nation.At the dawn of the nineteenth century, as Britain, France, Spain, and the United States all jockeyed for control of the vast expanses west of the Mississippi River, the stakes for American expansion were incalculably high. Even after the American purchase of the Louisiana Territory, Spain still coveted th...

Most people think of Lake Erie, the shallowest and second smallest of the Great Lakes, as a sun-drenched, nearly tropical retreat. But it is so much more; mysterious, unpredictable, and known by mariners for its sudden violent weather and dangerous shoals, Lake Erie has been the stage for some of the most dramatic events ever to occur on the North American continent. From the earliest explorations of First Nations and French adventurers to the brazen rumrunners of the Prohibition era and b...

The history of Michigan is a fascinating story of breathtaking geography enriched by an abundant water supply, of bold fur traders and missionaries who developed settlements that grew into major cities, of ingenious entrepreneurs who established thriving industries, and of celebrated cultural icons like the Motown sound. It is also the story of the exploitation of Native Americans, racial discord that resulted in a devastating riot, and ongoing tensions between employers and unions. Mi...

A concise illustrated history of North Carolina, from its dubious beginnings as a pirate-filled colony to a popular tourist destination.Author and illustrator Ben Fortson presents North Carolina's history in the form of off-the-wall anecdotes, poignant insights and sublimely silly illustrations. Take a hilarious look at Daniel Boone's larger-than-life Carolina personality. Peruse an uproarious account of the Andrew Jackson birthplace controversy or politically astu...

"Grant has once again hit a home run . . . a detailed but readable history of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, a major Midwestern railroad." —Carlos A. Schwantes, St. Louis Mercantile Library Professor EmeritusThe Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad's history is one of big booms and bigger busts. When it became the first railroad to reach and then cross the Mississippi River in 1856, it emerged as a leading American railroad company. But after aggressive ex...

This edition of Slow Travels follows U.S. Highways 1, 27, 90, and 301 through the State, examining a cross-section of Florida and providing a wealth of historical information along the way. Also included is U.S. Highway 41 along the Tamiami Trail. Maps provide a reference guide, and GPS Coordinates are listed at the end of each route. Look for others in the series at www.americanautotrails.com.

Spur Award Nominee: How Galveston, Texas, reinvented itself after historic disaster: "A riveting narrative . . . Absorbing [and] well-illustrated." — Library JournalThe Galveston storm of 1900 reduced a cosmopolitan and economically vibrant city to a wreckage-strewn wasteland where survivors struggled without shelter, power, potable water, or even the means to summon help. At least 6,000 of the city's 38,000 residents died in the hurricane. Many observers p...

On August 9, 1841, the steamship Erie, one of the most elegant and fastest sailing between Buffalo and Chicago, departed carrying 340 passengers. Many were Swiss and German immigrants, planning to start new lives in America's heartland most never made it. The Erie erupted in flames during the night, and despite the heroic efforts of the crew of the Dewitt Clinton, 254 lives were lost. As news of this disaster spread, internationally renowned artists and writers, including Charles Dickens, ...

After its founding in 1836, Mexico was named county seat of the newly formed Audrain County. Growth in the primarily agricultural region was slow until the coming of the North Missouri Railroad and the Graduation Act that made land available from the federal government for 12.5� an acre. With the introduction of breeding and training saddle horses, the discovery of fire clay deposits, and the implementation of more efficient means of turning the clay into heat resistant brick, Mexico�s sta...

Beginning in 1839 with the donation of four square blocks of land, the grouping of cemeteries on the central boulevard of Galveston has grown to include seven separate cemeteries within their gates. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it is the resting place of famous and infamous citizens from Galveston's colorful past, including veterans from every war between 1812 and the present, heroes, scoundrels, philanthropists, murderers, pioneers of the Republic of Texas, groundbr...