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Cherokee Trail of Tears In 1838, troops rounded up 15,000 Cherokees and imprisoned them in preparation for their removal from their native homelands in Southern Appalachia to the Indian Territory of present-day Oklahoma. Fifteen hundred died in confinement before the rest embarked on the forced exodus known as the Trail of Tears. The relocation of the Cherokees lasted two years and resulted in more than 5,000 deaths. Author Duane King and photographer David Fitzgerald trace the story along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, which spans portions of nine states. Their photo-essay pays tribute to the 17 Cherokee detachments that were pushed westward into Oklahoma, with attention on historical and pertinent sites and journal excerpts. Published by Graphic Arts Books in Portland, Ore. Hardcover, 128 pages, $27.95. (503) 226-2402 |
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The Ferries of North Carolina Did you know that two-car cable ferries still ply the waters of three rivers in North Carolina? Or that the state-operated system is the second largest in the U.S.? “The Ferries of North Carolina: Traveling the State’s Nautical Highways” is a comprehensive guide to the state’s public and private passenger and vehicle ferries. Seventeen coastal and river routes are described, covering waterways from the Cape Fear River to Currituck Sound. Each route includes directions to landings and information about schedules, fares, shore facilities and nearby accommodations and attractions. Original and historical photographs throughout show sites of interest, ferry operators and vessels, including the cable-guided ferry moving across the Meherrin River. Author Barbara Brannon also shares historical trivia, interviews, anecdotes and observations based on years of firsthand experience. Published by Winoca Press in Wilmington. Softcover, 192 pages, $16.95. (910) 297-5108 |
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Mount Airy history “The Hollows” is a researched look at the efforts of second and third generation Americans who settled into the Mount Airy area. The book’s title refers to 144 square miles (not counting the part in Virginia) in the north central part of Surry County. For several generations, the Hollows were the edge of a frontier and anyone who settled there was a pioneer of sorts. Written by historian and former newspaper editor Barbara Case Summerlin, “The Hollows” includes maps, sketches, vintage photographs, anecdotes and excerpts from diaries, letters and newspaper articles. Published by Hickory Hill Publishing in Mount Airy. Hardcover, 265 pages, $45. bsummerlin@triad.rr.com |
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Memories of a Country Boy Nationally known watercolor artist and EnergyUnited member “Cotton” Ketchie grew up in the country, north of Mooresville and near his grandmother’s small farm. In his new book, he presents a collection of his down-home recollections of life as a country child of the 1950s. Chapter titles include “Cowboys and Indians,” “Ice-Cold Watermelon,” “Radio and Television,” “Harvesting Grain,” “Rabbit and Squirrel Hunting” and “Mischief at Grandma’s.” Ketchie also includes intermittent black and white photographs of friends, family and local haunts. Softcover, 263 pages, $17.95. (877) 289-2665 |
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My Dad, The Folk Potter Written from a child’s perspective, “My Dad, The Folk Potter” explains the artful process of making pottery as it was crafted 200 years ago in the Catawba Valley. Through text and clear color photographs of a boy and a working potter, the book moves from digging and preparing clay to turning the pots, burning them in a wood-fired kiln and then selling the pieces at a kiln opening. Author Blaka Abee of Connelly Springs, a Rutherford EMC member, includes details that show and tell methods for making face jugs. Softcover, 54 pages, $20.99. (888) 795-4274 |