Titanic

 Hello, readers! This year, April 15th marks the 110th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. It is hard to believe it has been that long since the largest ship of its day struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic and sank, taking with her over 1500 lives.  The story of that …

A Break from “all this” with Bartram…

Hi, Kristina here at MCPL where we're making the best of this beautiful Water|Ways exhibit from the Smithsonian. We had originally planned for LOTS of programs, field trips, movies and more in conjunction with the display... no need to go into all the readjusting we've done! But we are hosting a few events, including a …

Art Out of Chaos: The Literature and Movies of World War II

Benjamin Baruch Woody June 6, 2019 was the 75th anniversary of D-Day. As most of you probably know, this is the day that the Allied forces began the offensive push to defeat the German Army. This anniversary got me thinking about sacrifice, heroism, a generation that is quickly fading away, and it got me thinking …

Sir John Keegan

British historian John Keegan and I were almost contemporaries.  Although he was four years older than me, both of us were boys living in a Britain troubled by war in the early 1940s; he in England, I in Scotland.  Keegan told interviewer Brian Lamb a few years ago he chose military history  to study because he …

Really? Six Nifty World War II Facts

I am going to steal some of Stephen's thunder here. He writes often (and well) about history, but I also do a fair amount of nonfiction reading. Ever since I was a boy I was especially interested in World War II. As an adult I think I pretty much know all the standard facts about …

An Enigma Inside A Question Inside A Book Part 2

The problem with researching real life mysteries is that there are just so many of them.  Too many for one blog post, so here is a second installment, with even more conundrums from the annals of history.  Enjoy! DB Cooper Christina:  When it comes to unsolved mysteries, DB Cooper is the king. To this day, …

An Enigma Inside a Question Inside a Book

Some events capture the imagination and become legends, with fanciful (and often incorrect) anecdotes. Unsolved mysteries, disappearances, murders…society loves a good story, and there’s something about an unsolved case that seems to keep us hooked. Mysteries are so beloved that some events considered “unsolved” are actually…solved. Or maybe sort of solved. such as the case …

Horace Kephart – Writer, Outdoorsman, National Park Activist…Librarian?

By Jeff This past weekend in Bryson City, the town celebrated the life of  Horace Kephart (1862-1931), who made Swain County his home away from home.  Kephart, for those who don't know, was the writer of Our Southern Highlanders (1913) and Camping and Woodcraft (1918), two works that are, after nearly a century, still in print.  …

Our History is Our Strength

By Sarah Our shared history unites families, communities, and nations.  Although women’s history is intertwined with the history shared with men, several factors - social, religious, economic, and biological - have worked to create a unique sphere of women's history. With ideas like coverture being the norm for years, women's experiences in history were often silenced.  …

Memorial Day

By Faye When I hear the name “Joyce Kilmer” I think of the beautiful memorial park just a few miles from Bryson City. Fond memories I have of  numerous times enjoying picnics, fishing and hiking the trails with family and friends. Kilmer was born in New Jersey and died in World War I. The Veterans …