Debra Lape, author of Looking for Lizzie, will be signing books along with other authors at Heritage Hall.
On Saturday December 6, 2014 from 1:00 to 4:00pm, the Marion County Historical Society will host their Annual Book Signing featuring Ohio authors including many from Marion. Held at Heritage Hall at 169 East Church Street in Marion, the event provides an opportunity for visitors to shop for books covering a wide range of topics and, in several cases, to meet the authors and have them sign their books.
As an added bonus, admission to Heritage Hall and the Wyandot Popcorn Museum will be free for the event. Visitors can view the current exhibit “What’s Civil About This War” which tells the story of the Civil War through contemporary letters written by Marion County residents, and enjoy a box of freshly popped popcorn while shopping for holiday purchases in the Museum Gift Shop.
Among the authors expected to be participating are:
Sherry Hall, author of Warren G. Harding and the Marion Star, is site manager of President Harding’s Home in Marion. The new book covers President Warren G. Harding’s thirty-nine-year career as a newspaperman which is often treated as a footnote. This book offers a unique approach to the Harding story, presenting him as he saw himself: as a newspaperman. His political successes were based on the thinking of a newspaper editor–balancing all of the facets of an issue, examining the facts and weighing the effect on the constituents.
Randy Winland, historian and longtime MCHS member, will be present to autograph his latest book on Marion Postcards. Winland is a member of the Marion County Historical Society who has served in numerous MCHS Board positions including president, and is now a trustee. He has also authored or edited several other local history publications, including the Marion Activity book, an activity book used in local schools to educate children on local history and Timeline of Marion City Schools.
Debra Lape, author of Looking for Lizzie, a magnificent and subversive study in Americana. Learn about part of our history that has been too long hidden away and is now restored to us in all of its ambiguous glory. If you want to experience America with all of the challenges that it presented to an ambitious 19th century woman, this will be a revelation. Deb will also discuss the research and writing of her book at 2pm in the auditorium. Mary Kathleen Tripp will assist Deb in bringing Lizzie to life.
Phil Reid, local radio personality and member of the Marion County Historical Society, is the author of The Mystifying Murder in Marion Ohio, the story of an incident in 1919 that sparked racial tension and violence.
Ruth Cowgill will also be in attendance with her latest book On Grandfather’s Farm. The farm, near Marion, Ohio provides the central location for Ruth Moloney Cowgill’s true story of her childhood during the Great Depression. World War II was in progress when she graduated from high school and the government had confiscated 126 nearby farms for two new defense plants. The Scioto Ordnance Plant, where she was employed, produced bombs while the Marion Engineer Depot stored tons of supplies for the war effort. Marion also housed 400 German prisoners of war. Bob, her brother and a U.S. pilot, was honored with three air medals and a citation for participation in nine combat missions over enemy territory. He retired 22 years later as Lieutenant Commander. This is a captivating story of good parenting skills where a bond of love enabled members of the family to work happily together for survival through the many, long years of hardship. Learn more about what has been called “The Greatest Generation” through Ruth’s reminiscences.
Marilyn Schraff will be at Heritage Hall as well with her recent publication Kitt’s Hill which is based on a small community in Appalachian Ohio. She calls it a trip down memory lane, but it is much more than that! This is Marilyn’s 4th book and contains a map of the community, a roster of families along with statistical history and even cheers used by cheerleaders during the 1940’s and 1950’s.
Shary Williamson, author of The Woodland Elves, will be flying in from Atlanta just in the nick of time to attend the event. Jay Johnston (illustrator of the book) and Russ Kendall (composer of songs for the book), will also be in attendance. The Woodland Elves is the (almost) true story of how one family came to know and love an entire community of elves living in a forest near the family tree house.
The Heritage Hall Gift shop has a large selection of other books available for purchase including: A Killing in a Small Town and Geezer Bench by Scott Fields; Haunted Marion by Josh Simpkins; My Not So Ordinary Life by the late Trella Romine, historian and longtime MCHS member, who also authored or edited several other local history publications including Day Before Yesterday; Tales from the Sage of Salt Rock by the late Judge Charlton Myers (a treasure of forgotten Marion County history and trivia based on his WMRN Radio programs in 1960); The Life and Loves of Catherine Loudenslager (the reminiscences of a farm wife in the mid-twentieth century); Jim Thorpe and the Oorang Indians by Robert Whitman of LaRue, and many more. We also have many Marion-related items for sale as well as popcorn-related gifts.
For more information call 740-387-4255 or visit www.marionhistory.com.
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