Voted "the Prettiest Small Town in North Carolina" and often referred to as the Crown of the Blue Ridge, Blowing Rock is the highlight of the High Country. Named for a unique, natural feature itself, Blowing Rock has always represented a distinctive blend of natural and cultural heritage. The town was first developed as an early resort area, which grew quickly in the 1890s. Modern boardinghouses, hotels, and inns were the first significant businesses in Blowing Rock and helped the town survive--even flourish--during the Great Depression. Added attractions in the 1950s and 1960s made Blowing Rock a year-round vacation paradise for families, which it still is today. Yet the heart of Blowing Rock lies within its community and residents who make their small town a wonderful place to visit and an even better place to live.

Voted "the Prettiest Small Town in North Carolina" and often referred to as the Crown of the Blue Ridge, Blowing Rock is the highlight of the High Country. Named for a unique, natural feature itself, Blowing Rock has always represented a distinctive blend of natural and cultural heritage. The town was first developed as an early resort area, which grew quickly in the 1890s. Modern boardinghouses, hotels, and inns were the first significant businesses in Blowing Rock and helped the town survive--even flourish--during the Great Depression. Added attractions in the 1950s and 1960s made Blowing Rock a year-round vacation paradise for families, which it still is today. Yet the heart of Blowing Rock lies within its community and residents who make their small town a wonderful place to visit and an even better place to live.

Prior to its formation in 1849, Watauga County was a hunting ground for the Cherokee and part of the trail blazed by frontiersman Daniel Boone, for whom the county seat was later named. Primarily settled by whites after the Revolutionary War, many of the county's earliest families came to the Appalachians from the Piedmont region of North Carolina and, prior to that, from the North--New England, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. These settlers were mainly of European extraction--English, German, Scottish, Irish, Swiss, and Welsh--along with a smaller African representation. Nestled in the panoramic Blue Ridge Mountains and unimagined by its early agrarian inhabitants, Watauga would become one of North Carolina's premier tourist destinations and home to Appalachian State University. Primarily settled by whites after the Revolutionary War, many of the county's earliest families came to the Appalachians from the Piedmont region of North Carolina and, prior to that, from the North--New England, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. These settlers were mainly of European extraction--English, German, Scottish, Irish, Swiss, and Welsh--along with a smaller African representation. Nestled in the panoramic Blue Ridge Mountains and unimagined by its early agrarian inhabitants, Watauga would become one of North Carolina's premier tourist destinations and home to Appalachian State University.

A companion to Images of America: Washington County, this book, Washington County Revisited, depicts more of the area's rich history. In an attempt to thoroughly cover this county in Virginia, Washington County Revisited explores the history of settlements that were once major community centers, including Lodi, Blackwell's Chapel, Rich Valley, Lindell, Bethel, Taylor's Valley, Hayter's Gap, Clinchburg, and Alvarado. Learn even more of the fascinating history surrounding the railroad towns of Damascus, Glade Spring, and Meadowview. Officially formed in 1776 from Fincastle County, the county was named for Gen. George Washington, who was then serving as commander in chief of the Continental Army. Washington County holds the distinction of being the first geographical region to be named for the first U.S. president. With more than 200 images, Washington County Revisited provides a unique visit to this rural region that once served as a gateway to the West along the Great Wagon Road and saw thousands of settlers and goods pass through to uncharted lands.

Abingdon, first named Wolf Hills by Daniel Boone, was one of the earliest towns and commercial centers in southwestern Virginia. Named after Martha Washington's ancestral parish in England, this unique town has weathered many economic changes and has emerged as a leading cultural and arts center for the area.

Old-House Journal is the original magazine devoted to restoring and preserving old houses. For more than 35 years, our mission has been to help old-house owners repair, restore, update, and decorate buildings of every age and architectural style. Each issue explores hands-on restoration techniques, practical architectural guidelines, historical overviews, and homeowner stories--all in a trusted, authoritative voice.

In this revised edition of the 1967 Twayne volume, Sanders sees The Call (1985) as the culmination of Hersey's career, since it draws on autobiographical themes and marks a standard against which his earlier work in fiction and journalism should be measured. Discussing Hersey's early career as a correspondent as well as his major volumes of fiction and nonfiction in separate chapters, Sanders makes a persuasive case for Hersey as an important figure among writers who have experimented with journalism and the novel. He includes a chronology, a comprehensive bibliography of Hersey's works and a succinct, annotated bibliography of writing about Hersey. ISBN 0-8057-7610-9: $20.95.