The 12 Local History Based Books From My Shelves That I Plan To Read in 2023
I buy a lot of books by local authors, about local history and events. Some memoirs, some non fiction, some fiction. My goal in 2023 is to finally READ all of the books I have purchased - with a goal of finishing one a month. Below is a quick summary of what is on this years list - although what I actually finish is completely subject to my whims, and attention span, at the time.
In addition to the monthly reads, this year I'm also reading through Daily Stories Of Pennsylvania History by Frederick Godcharles. It is just as the title says, 365 stories, one a day, of historical events from Pennsylvania. You can download it for free from - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69956
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In January I set the bar high, with what quickly became one of my favorite books, ever. Although I live in Watsontown, on a farm that has been in my husbands family for generations, I was born and raised in Milton, which I'm sure heavily influences my opinion of this book. However, you do not have to be from Milton to appreciate this. It will just mean more to you if you are invested in the history of the town.
The front porch: Simpler and gentler times in small-town America--Milton, Pennsylvania, 1925-1941 by A. Frank Krause https://amzn.to/3XU5gai
This is such an amazing book, for anyone interested in history in and around Milton Pa. Each chapter covers one year, and begins with world history, then Milton history, then personal stories from the authors life at his center street home. It took me a few chapters to adjust to the format, at first I didn't think I'd like it, but soon I saw the genius of it. It's absolutely amazing to see all of the events going on at the same time, in these years. So much history was being made. Reading about the Depression in Milton in the 30s, followed by the 1936 flood... the first hand accounts of how it effected the town were heartbreaking.
And then there's all the interesting tidbits about the trolley, various businesses, the fair, and I was even fortunate enough to find a couple of mentions of my husbands great great grandfather, with a photo of their house in the center of the book. That was a fun surprise!
There are many mentions of popular books each year, popular music, what was happening in world events, and sports.
The book is very expensive new on Amazon, but used copies are pretty reasonable.
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https://amzn.to/40vbbmo
In February I read Path Lit By Lightening by David Maraniss, about the life of Jim Thorpe. Maraniss is not a local author, but Thorpe, although he never stepped foot in the town named for him while alive, is a local man, sort of. An Indian, he was forced from his family and raised in the Carlisle school for Indians, which could be an entire book in and of itself. He as probably the best athlete of all time, winning Olympic medals, only to have them taken from him because he had been paid to play baseball. That story, and Pop Warners involvement, could be an entire other book, all on its own. And although he never set foot in the town of Jim Thorpe, until he was dead and his wife had him buried there in exchange for the town changing its name [That's a very simplified explanation], he did briefly, work in Hughesville Pa. Read about that here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/10/when-jim-thorpe-came-to-hughesville.html
In February I read Path Lit By Lightening by David Maraniss, about the life of Jim Thorpe. Maraniss is not a local author, but Thorpe, although he never stepped foot in the town named for him while alive, is a local man, sort of. An Indian, he was forced from his family and raised in the Carlisle school for Indians, which could be an entire book in and of itself. He as probably the best athlete of all time, winning Olympic medals, only to have them taken from him because he had been paid to play baseball. That story, and Pop Warners involvement, could be an entire other book, all on its own. And although he never set foot in the town of Jim Thorpe, until he was dead and his wife had him buried there in exchange for the town changing its name [That's a very simplified explanation], he did briefly, work in Hughesville Pa. Read about that here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2019/10/when-jim-thorpe-came-to-hughesville.html
Unfortunately, I didn't love this book. My goodreads review:
In July of 2022, IOC announced that it would reinstate Thorpe as the sole winner of the 1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon. This book feels like a rushed attempt to capitalize on that news.
There's a lot included in this book, and the entire time I read it I found myself re-outlining all of the information into better chapters. In one long time line format, it was chaotic, and often difficult to follow, with too many characters and too many side stories. I know there's no way to tell Thorpe's story without discussing the Carlisle School, and Pop Warner, and the plight of the Indian in America at that time... but with all of those subjects, and many more, stuck into so many areas of the time line, it felt like I was both receiving both too much information, and not enough, all at the same time.
And that's from someone who knew a good deal about Thorpe's life before reading the book.
I can't fault the author for the contradictions of Thorpe's life, but in the way they were presented, it didn't make the book any more readable.
There's a lot included in this book, and the entire time I read it I found myself re-outlining all of the information into better chapters. In one long time line format, it was chaotic, and often difficult to follow, with too many characters and too many side stories. I know there's no way to tell Thorpe's story without discussing the Carlisle School, and Pop Warner, and the plight of the Indian in America at that time... but with all of those subjects, and many more, stuck into so many areas of the time line, it felt like I was both receiving both too much information, and not enough, all at the same time.
And that's from someone who knew a good deal about Thorpe's life before reading the book.
I can't fault the author for the contradictions of Thorpe's life, but in the way they were presented, it didn't make the book any more readable.
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In March... [Copied from my facebook post]
Continuing my goal of reading one local history book each month, tonight I spent this beautiful evening on my deck with a copy of Instigations Of The Devil by John H. Paul III.
This book, about the Twiggs & Clark trial in Danville, presents the idea that the only two people ever executed on the gallows in Montour County were, most likely, innocent. Find the book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3GIYwFx
I've written about the Twiggs and Clark case on my local history blog, here:
This book is not for the casual reader, and is not something I'll be able to get my friends and family to read for fun. This is not a novel, it is not historical fiction. It's old newspapers, and transcripts, with a really nice, short, editorial at the very end. It's a lot of information. Let me say that again. It's a LOT of information. If you aren't already really interested in this piece of history, you probably are not going to enjoy this.
But for those who are very interested in this event, this is a well written, thorough, look at this case. And it is in large enough print that if this kind of reading is something you enjoy, it's a lot easier than reading the original documents and articles. 🙂 It's a very convincing case, presented factually, with an editorial at the end.
I did already believe there was a possibility Twiggs and Clark were innocent. However, after reading it, I think their innocence is much more likely than their guilt. The clear comparison of those two letters, both fully included in the book, are very compelling, as are the convicteds claims of innocence, even when standing on the gallows.
Full disclosure, the author sent me a copy of his book. I do not encourage authors to send me books. I actively discourage it, as I'm very opinionated and not always as tactful as I mean to be when I do not like what I read. Trust me, if you write about something local, I'm most likely going to eventually BUY your book anyway. And if I like it, I will talk about it. A lot.
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Behind Shooters Bar was written by Kay Derr. From the books description:
"An inspiring true-life story of triumph over tragedy in small-town Danville, Pennsylvania. It's about life in the 1950's: a generation of ice boxes, early television, and outhouses. Mingled with humor, a touch of history, and ultimate healing, the story is about discovering the long-held secret of events that happened in 1943, behind Shooters Bar"
I met Kay in a Sunday School class a few years back, and I love that she wrote this book! I have owned a copy since it first came out, but have just not taken the time to read it. It's a short book and should be a quick read - it will likely be my April selection.
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Crestmont, By Holly Weiss is historical fiction, set in Eagles Mere Pa, when Eagles Mere was THE summer resort destination.
About the real Crestmont:
"This was the last of the major hotels to be built in the area. It opened in 1900 with 110 rooms. William Warner built this hotel on top of the highest point in Eagles Mere with 200 workmen. There were two fires during its construction. Tennis was a long-standing tradition here, and Warner and his family ran it for 71 years. An unusual feature was a distribution of pears to the tennis tournament spectators. This hotel had the most scheduled activities, including horse-drawn carriage rides to Fulmer’s view (bring a picnic basket). The Eagles Mere Tennis Championships were among the top tennis competitions on the East Coast by 1915. $15/week was the special for a single room, and $25/week for a deluxe two-person suite. Employees were housed in the Evergreen Lodge built as an on-site dormitory. In the first half of the nineteenth century Eagles Mere was widely advertised as a vacation paradise. The Crestmont also featured its own 9-hole, par three golf course in later years."
There's a history museum in downtown Eagles Mere with a fantastic selection of hotel photos and artifacts. They also have a model of the train that ran right past a waterfall, taking visitors to the Eagles Mere resorts.
The Book Description:
"A dream, after all, needn't be fueled by particulars, only by desire." So notes main character, Gracie Antes, in CRESTMONT, a historical fiction gem set in the 1920s. Determined to take control of her life, sheltered Gracie Antes leaves her unhappy home in 1925 to pursue her dream of a singing career. On her way to the big city, she accepts a job as a housemaid at the bustling Crestmont Inn. Once there, Gracie finds a life-changing encounter with opera singer Rosa Ponselle, family she never imagined could be hers, and a man with a mysterious past. Relive the 1920s with a colorful cast of characters. Discover with Gracie that sometimes we must trade loss for happiness. Set in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, the story is interwoven with details about the town, the rich history of The Crestmont Inn, and the family who passed ownership from one generation to the next. Many attempts have been made to explain how the mountaintop lake nestled in this tiny town came to be. Crestmont gives a new twist to an old Native American legend, setting the tone of grace around which the story is built. Let the period of the Roaring Twenties spark your interest with its unique social mores, fashion, jazz, and yes, a little bootlegging thrown in for pizzazz.
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I heard P.J. Piccirillo, an author from Northern Central Pa, speak at the Taber Museum in Williamsport. At the time, I already owned this book. Here's the description:
"Based on the true story of two slaves who fled their owners with white women into the wilderness of north-central Pennsylvania, The Indigo Scarf interprets the little known legacy of slavery persisting in the north during the nineteenth century. Meticulously researched, the author’s work is informed by scholars in early American slave laws and northern black codes, by experts in post-colonial folkways, and by descendants who live to this day in the fugitive settlement their forbears established. While The Indigo Scarf relates the covert workings of sympathetic Quakers, the ruthlessness of a slave catcher, and the irony of a Revolutionary War veteran forced to face his daughter’s love for the slave Jedediah James, it treats the deeper theme of the spirit-breaking impact slavery has had across generations since abolition.
Though shadowed in whiskey-making and timber-pirating, The Indigo Scarf is a paean to devotion, testing the lengths a woman will go to save her man from a burning vengeance as he confronts the privations of a wild frontier while his former owner schemes his return. On a broader scale, the story is a testament to the perseverance and vision of pioneer women who devoted themselves to planting in their offspring the seeds of hope for liberty which may only be realized by descendants they would never know.
Woven between scenes spanning a forbidden, historically based slave marriage on a plantation in Virginia’s tidewater region to a tragic liquor operation on the Susquehanna’s un-peopled and feral West Branch during the frontier decades after Pennsylvania’s last Indian purchase, the narrator’s own sub-tale culminates in her realization of how a pioneer-woman ancestor had destined her to break the generational chain of bondage."
After hearing him speak, I also picked up a copy of another of his books, this one is a collection of short stories, and a novella.
"A Ferry Tale" - that made me laugh. :-)
Conflicted hearts search for human connection upon waters and vivid landscapes.
Randolf, a Susquehanna ferryman, is piloting an Amish wedding party in the title story of this collection, “Nunc Stans—A Ferry Tale.” But mid-river, the ferry snags on a low dam, and a frightened mare bolts from the deck. As Randolf tries to save the ferry, he’s forced to confront his own remorse in a haunting reflection of a couple’s grief, guilt, and awakenings in the aftermath of a stillbirth.
In “Not 2B,” a down-on-his-luck dirt track driver is in search of redemption for the on-track tragedy that made him the scorn and scapegoat of 800 Saturday night race fans.
“Nancy,” inspired by John O’Hara’s Appointment in Samarra, is set in the wilds of northern Pennsylvania and tells the crossing paths of a raw Pennsylvania lumbering crew, an influenza-ridden society man, and a female African American goat farmer.
In “The Wagon Woman,” a story of the irony of highways simultaneously feeding and destroying small towns, an EMT arrives at his most tragic medical incident to discover the aftershock of an illicit love affair he is embroiled in.
In “Mainland,” Robin, an ecology student, is doing graduate fieldwork in Maine. On an evening out, a marine biologist named Susan persuades Robin to join her and three men for an impromptu party on a cobblestone beach. Abandoned with a drunk lobsterman and saving herself from a sexual assault, Robin comes to realize the prerogative of her own fertility and identity.
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Only One Child by Brian Brohun Barlow
If you are local, you probably know about Muncy Farms, built by Samuel Wallis, a British spy. Located across from the Lycoming Mall, the house is thought to be the oldest still standing in Lycoming County, and recently it celebrated it's 250th anniversary with tours and a small festival.
Brian Barlow is the current owner of the home. He is not a descendent by blood - but was taken in as a child during WWII, his parents having sent him to America to keep him safe. This book is his story.
"Brian Bohun Barlow's story Only One Child enlightens us about the WWII British children evacuees and educates us about the chaotic condition of Britain during the war. More than that, it touches our hearts with the tale of the generosity of two women-one who takes in four children and the other who gives the keeping of four of her children to someone who will foster their futures in America. Barlow's meticulous attention to detail and careful rendition of time and place make this a wonderful read for history buffs. Brian Bohun Barlow was an innovative English and history teacher, introducing economic subjects to middle school students and teaching history by asking students about family oral history related to WWI. Barlow's American education included attendance at the Russell Ranch School in Tuscon, graduation from St. Andrew's School in Delaware, and a year of study at Lycoming College. He served in the United States and Austria during the Korean War. Using the GI Bill educational benefits Barlow earned a B.A. from Wharton School of Economics of the University of Pennsylvania and a Master's degree in Education. Barlow has collected an extensive library about WWII. Barlow resides in Maine with his wife, Marie (Robbins)."
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The Iron Spy is a childrens book [ages 10+] , listed as one of the "Danville Chronicles".
I picked this up at a festival years ago, but have never taken the time to read it.
"It's 1875 and in the dark mines in the hills of Pennsylvania where coal is king, the Molly Maguires rule with terrorism. Could they have finally come to the sleepy iron ore town of Danville?
After an explosion at the biggest iron mill in town, twelve-year-old Mary Mulhearn tries to clear her father of suspected Molly Maguire terrorism. Daughter of an Irish immigrant, Mary must use all her faith, her wits and even her quick feet to stay one step ahead of the company spy. But who could he really be?"
Local Historian John Moore has written more than a dozen books, and they are ALL on my to read list. Many of his books are focused on frontier life in Pennsylvania. I own this one, and several others already - and I see Mr. Moore at the Degenstein History Buffs Meetings each month, last Tuesday of the Month at 2pm in Sunbury, so I can probably get him to bring me the ones I am missing. :-)
Letters to the Inhabitants of Northumberland
By John Moore
"A world-famous Englishman, Dr. Joseph Priestley addressed the 12 letters in this little book to “the Inhabitants of Northumberland and its Neighborhood.” Nearly 150 miles northwest of Philadelphia, the locale was an obscure village of log houses that had grown up at the confluence of the Susquehanna River’s North and West branches.
Priestley was in his early 60s when he decided to settle there in 1794. The clergyman/scientist had originally intended to devote his sunset years to writing about theological topics and conducting scientific experiments, but controversy over his political and theological beliefs followed him from Great Britain.
He soon found himself the target of frequent and caustic attacks in newspapers throughout the United States that aligned themselves with the Federalist government and policies of President John Adams. On one occasion, when relations between the U.S. and French governments had deteriorated, Priestley was even accused to being a spy for France.
When he found himself increasingly unpopular and misunderstood by the people of his new hometown, Priestley responded by writing these letters. He explained his political and religious beliefs, but also told how, why, and when he had become an honorary citizen of France; listed the reasons why he admired the U.S. Constitution; and justified his decision not to become a U.S. citizen."
More of Moore's Books here:
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Reptiland, by Clyde Peeling
Since I'm there almost every week with my grandson, I thought this might be a good read. Reptiland is a zoo, and dinosaur park, in Allenwood Pa. This book is the story of how it came to be.
" Clyde Peeling founded Reptiland in 1964 and relentlessly pursued his dream, despite naysayers and financial challenges. His story is one of personal and professional evolution over a lifetime spent doing what he loves. The book also records philosophical changes in the function and purposes of zoos over the last half-century. From humble beginnings, in the era of roadside zoos, Reptiland became a modern institution committed to public education and conservation of the natural world."
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Recollections Of A Drummer Boy
By Harry M. Kieffer
Harold M. Kieffer of Mifflinburg enlisted in the 150th Pa Regiment, as a drummer boy, during the Civil War. Kieffer returned to Mifflinburg for a short time after the war, attending college to study for the ministry. Reverand Kieffer and his wife moved to Norristown Pa, and while there, Rev. Kieffer wrote his recollections in a series for St Nicholas magazine. In 1883, he combined his articles and published them in book form, titled Recollections Of A Drummer Boy.
You can download it online for free from:
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Fields of Honor - The Battle Of Fort Freeland
Fort Freeland is located beside the Warrior Run High School, between Turbotville and Watsontown. Each year they hold a festival there, with a re-enactment of the battle, and with historical craft and trade exhibits. The land where the Warrior Run Church stands was donated by one of my husbands ancestors, and our family farm is nearby - so we're really familiar with this area, and the history. And yet, I've never really read a book about it. This one, written by a history professor from Lancaster, is on my shelves. In the acknowledgments, the author thanks Rich Nornhold, Randy Wattts, and Michael Sleese - 3 men I have been fortunate to learn from myself.
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An art professor at Bloomsburg State Teachers College, George Keller began his circus career when a college friend mailed him a mountain lion with a note that said "Here Keller, Tame This". That note would later become the title of his book, but only after Keller trained the mountain lion cub, sold it to the circus, purchased more wild animals, and became a professional Lion Tamer.
He performed in events across the nation, worked for Walt Disney, and appeared on the Today Show. Then in 1960, while on stage, he had a heart attack and died, with the crowd applauding his performance.
I've written about him on my local history blog, here:
While I'd love to read Kellers own book, it is out of print and very difficult to find a reasonably priced copy of it. In the mean time, I own the book by Columbia County historian Robert Dunklebuerger, so I'll start with it. :-)
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MORE TO ADD TO MY LIST
The Bootleg Coal Rebellion:
The Pennsylvania Miners Who Seized an Industry: 1925–1942
By Mitch Troutman
"The Life & Times of a Country Merchant by Emma Harrison Burris published in 1979 by Precision Printers of Millville PA. The first 18 pages, Chapter 1, is devoted almost exclusively to the Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad which made Harrison's General Store in Forks possible."
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READ MORE
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My maternal grandmother worked at crest mint.
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