Presents for the History-lover!

STORIES FROM A CHRISTMAS PAST by Shelley Pearsall and Bette Lou Higgins
Illustrated by Sandra J. Hines
Design by Athina D. Crawford

The Holidays are a storytelling time of year and there are lots of good Christmas stories around. This book will take you back to long-ago times. You can celebrate Cleveland's first Christmas tree, join in the Kingsbury family's reunion, and enjoy other tales from Ohio's past holidays.

Table of Contents
Cleveland's First Christmas Tree
School Bells On Christmas Day
Whistling Ben Hanby
Bill Dinwoodie's Story of the Christmas Thief
The Kingsbury Christmas Reunion
The Green Gift

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LOST RESTAURANTS OF DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND by Bette Lou Higgins
Step back in time to the days when a trip downtown meant dressing up, riding the Rapid, and sharing a meal at one of Cleveland's beloved restaurants. Author Bette Lou Higgins brings these cherished dining memories to life, recalling cafés, diners, and elegant establishments that once filled the heart of the city with enticing aromas and warm conversation.

Remember the excitement of eating at the restaurants in Public Square or the Terminal Tower-perhaps at a Fred Harvey dining room, where the famous Harvey Girls welcomed travelers with smiles and prompt service. Relive the magic of Short Vincent's Theatrical Grille, alive with jazz and showbiz personalities, and the star-studded walls of Otto Moser's. And who could forget a plate of pasta at the New York Spaghetti House, where the food-and the atmosphere-made every visit special?

You can get your own copy at Arcadia Press and at Amazon.

GRANDMA GATEWOOD: OHIO'S LEGENDARY HIKER by Bette Lou Higgins and Kelly Boyer Sagert

Read the fascinating story of Grandma Emma Gatewood who was the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 1955 at the age of 67 after raising 11 children and surviving domestic abuse! She not only hiked that difficult trail once -- she went back and did THREE times (making her the first woman to do that!). In 1959 she hiked the Oregon Trail in honor of the Oregon's Centennial. Emma was one of the founders of Ohio's Buckeye Trail. She showed everyone that it's never too late to take a hike!

Emma's daughter Lucy Seeds wrote, "Bette Lou and Kelly: You did an excellent job on Mama's Bio. I thoroughly enjoyed the read. I found no fault. Thank you. Lucy" (Read an excerpt)

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OHIO GHOST STORIES by Shelley Pearsall

Everyone loves a good ghost story and these are some good ones! Johnson's Island in Sandusky bay was the site of a Prison Camp for captured confederate soldiers. A total of fifteen thousand men were brought to its rocky shores during the duration of the Civil War. Two hundred and six soldiers discovered that Johnson's Island was a dark, frozen place of no return. Franklin Castle in Cleveland holds secrets in its walls and the Victoria Theatre in Dayton is the last stage of a haunting actress named Vicky.

Table of Contents
Gray Ghosts of Johnson's Island
The Rain Drum
The Haunted Castle
The Last Curtain Call
Erie Mary

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THE PAST WE INHERIT by Bette Lou Higgins

College life is never boring -- ask anyone who's been there. This history of Baldwin-Wallace College from the early 1800s to 197 covers the life of founder John Baldwin, the founding of Berea, Baldwin University, German Wallace College and Baldwin-Wallace AND tells the behind the scenes stories of some of the campus's most interesting people. A complete bibliography is included.

Rosemary K. wrote: "Reading your book is like listening to you talk."

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BATTLE SCARS: STORIES OF THE CIVIL WAR: by Bette Lou Higgins

This book is not about battle strategies or military tactics - it's about the human side of the Civil War, the personal stories that linger in our hearts long after the history books are closed. Read the surprising, touching, and little-known tales that reveal courage, humor, and resilience during one of America's most difficult eras.

Why was "I Wish I Was in Dixie's Land" sung by soldiers on both sides of the conflict? What really happened when Confederate forces attempted a daring rescue of prisoners held on Johnson's Island in Lake Erie? How did captured Union officers pull off a bold escape from Libby Prison? These and other remarkable stories bring the Civil War to life in unforgettable ways, including:

"Whistling Dixie - Whose Side Are You On?"
The unlikely story of a song claimed by both the North and the South.

"It's All in Your Point of View"
Insightful reflections and experiences from prisoners of war.

"Nice Try - The Story of the Philo Parsons"
The dramatic (and sometimes humorous) tale of a plan that didn't quite succeed.

"The Great Escape"
Experience the thrill of freedom as soldiers break out of Libby Prison.

"Cyclone in Calico"
Meet Mother Bickerdyke, the indomitable woman who cared for wounded soldiers with grit and compassion.

Filled with heart, history, and humanity, this program offers a fresh look at the Civil War through stories that stay with us.

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TALES OF THE WESTERN RESERVE by Shelley Pearsall

Table of Contents
The Legend Of The Black Swamp Road
The Bridges Of The Cuyahoga
The Story Of Dunk
Gold In The Reserve
When Scrooge Came To Town

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VICTORIA WOODHULL: SHATTERING GLASS CEILINGS by Kelly Boyer Sagert and Bette Lou Higgins

Meet Victoria Woodhull, one of Ohio's most remarkable and trailblazing women. Born into poverty with little formal schooling, she rose to become the first woman to address the United States Congress, the first female stockbroker on Wall Street, a newspaper publisher, an outspoken advocate for women's rights - and in 1872, the first woman to run for President of the United States, at a time when women couldn't even vote.

Victoria's life was bold, controversial, and endlessly fascinating. She campaigned for equal rights for all, an eight-hour workday, minority representation in Congress, universal education, public housing for the poor, and even the creation of an international organization to help prevent war - long before such ideas became mainstream.

She lived life on her own terms, once saying, "I endeavor to make the most of everything." And she did - from Wall Street to the White House campaign trail, and even riding a motorcycle in her later years!

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YOU CAN’T PLAY BALL IN A SKIRT! Researched and Written by Susan Brewer and Bette Lou Higgins
Photographs used by permission of Raymond Hisrich
Alta Weiss portrait by Mary McHale
Layout and design by Athina D. Crawford and Sandra Hines

Dr. Alta Weiss put herself through medical school playing profession baseball on a MEN's team in the early 1900s. She and her team, The Weiss All-Stars played at Cleveland's famed League Park on October 2, 1907. The railroads and the interurban line added extra excursion trains into Cleveland from Sandusky, Vermilion and Lorain bringing in several thousand fans to watch the female pitcher work her magic and she did -- her team won! Alta was particularly fond of the report that said, "It was in the second inning that Miss Weiss shone, she struck out the first batter, and the crowd cheered. The next man drove a sizzling liner at her. She made a catch that increased the cheers threefold. It was a beauty, and would have been a credit to any male pitcher. Then she fanned another batter retiring the side." Alta made $100.00 for pitching that game.

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NEXT STOP, FREEDOM! by Bette Lou Higgins and Shelley Pearsall
Research Assistance by: Susan Brewer and Rosemary Kubera Goodburn
Layout by Athina D. Crawford

Journey back to a time when courage, hope, and determination lit the way to freedom. Next Stop, Freedom! shares remarkable true stories from the Underground Railroad, with a special focus on Ohio and the Great Lakes as vital pathways to Canada. Hear how freedom seekers traveled by night, faced danger at every turn, and relied on a network of ordinary men and women who risked everything to help them reach safety.

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