Hidden History of Ashtabula County (Ohio)
Arcadia, 2016
Available from the publisher and amazon.com.
Hidden History of Ashtabula County explores the story of Ohio’s largest county looking in unlikely places for those stories, such old roads and abandoned buildings. Carl finds history is often “hidden in plain sight” if one knows what to look for. Includes stories about Underground Railroad in this part of Ohio.
From the publisher:
Picturesque Ashtabula County harbors a rich and sometimes strange history. Ohio’s Western Reserve settlers were astonished by the ancient graveyards they found that yielded bones belonging to a gigantic race. Mr. Buck of Conneaut lived a secluded life married to himself, assuming the character and dress of the fictional Mrs. Buck. A legend persists to this day that the ship of a Spanish princess lies at the bottom of Pymatuning Lake. Author Carl E. Feather delves into the rich history of Ohio’s largest county and uncovers its little-known secrets in the most unexpected places.
From a reader (amazon.com review)
What a delightful read by Carl Feather. I’m an Ashtabula native who lives in Los Angeles, currently unable to make my annual summer pilgrimage back to my hometown due to coronavirus restrictions. Reading Hidden History of Ashtabula County was no substitute for a visit, but I feel closer to my old stomping ground in spirit after reading it. I’d never heard many of the stories in the book, which just get more interesting as the chapters progress, and always in Feather’s easy-reading style, set among locations throughout the county familiar to any Ashtabula native. Hard to pick a favorite, but the story of Mr. & Mrs. Buck was pretty unforgettable! 😉 I also enjoyed learning for the first time of the Spalding/Rutger scandal with the Mormon church and the mysterious skeletons of giants. Carl Feather is a true historian, and I look forward to reading his other works and learning more about my faraway hometown.