A quarry man from Ohio, a millionaire from New York, a former First Lady and a notorious mountain man - these characters and more are featured in this new book about White Oak Mountain, Polk County, Columbus, NC It is a fascinating and little known story for anyone interested in the history of western North Carolina. There are more than 200 images in the book, some of which have never been seen outside of family albums.

The North Carolina Gazetteer first appeared to wide acclaim in 1968 and has remained an essential reference for anyone with a serious interest in the Tar Heel State, from historians to journalists, from creative writers to urban planners, from backpackers to armchair travelers. This revised and expanded edition adds approximately 1,200 new entries, bringing to nearly 21,000 the number of North Carolina cities, towns, crossroads, waterways, mountains, and other places identified here. The stories attached to place names are at the core of the book and the reason why it has stood the test of time. Some recall faraway places: Bombay, Shanghai, Moscow, Berlin. Others paint the locality as a little piece of heaven on earth: Bliss, Splendor, Sweet Home. In many cases the name derivations are unusual, sometimes wildly so: Cat Square, Huggins Hell, Tater Hill, Whynot. Telling us much about our own history in these snapshot histories of particular locales, The North Carolina Gazetteer provides an engaging, authoritative, and fully updated reference to place names from all corners of the Tar Heel State.

A comprehensive handbook to top southeastern nature sites For hikers, climbers, naturalists, botanists, zoologists, wildflower enthusiasts, waterfall watchers, and all who enjoy exploring the outdoors, this field guide offers detailed descriptions of more than fifty natural areas in the "gorge" region of the Blue Ridge province. Veteran naturalist L. L. Gaddy, Jr., shares his extensive knowledge of this scenic, biologically diverse region, which runs from North Carolina's Linville Gorge to Tallulah Gorge in Georgia, and offers practical advice on how to best experience its many rock pinnacles, deep ravines, wildflower coves, and spectacular waterfalls. Describing areas that range in size from less than fifty to more than ten thousand acres, Gaddy provides comprehensive information on well-known sites—Table Rock State Park, Caesar's Head State Park, Whiteside Mountain, Chimney Rock Park, and Raven Cliff Falls—along with many lesser-known areas—Wolf's Lair, Thompson River Gorge, Chattooga River Narrows, and Chauga River Gorge. For each location he outlines points of interest, flora and fauna (including rare plants and endangered wildlife), and other natural features. Gaddy supplements his entries with topographic maps and an introduction to the area in which he distinguishes the specific ecosystems of the gorge region from those found in the rest of the Blue Ridge.