Legendary Locals of Huntsville

by Leslie Nicole Thomas

Overview

First they came for the land, later they came for the stars and the moon; all found themselves against the glorious backdrop of the Tennessee Valley. Legendary Locals of Huntsville chronicles the story of Rocket City, a sleepy, Southern cotton town that weathered the Great Depression with its mill villages, gained national attention with Redstone Arsenal, blossomed into the center of aerospace development, and became the home of the largest arts center in the Southeast. Notables include pioneer John Hunt and founding father LeRoy Pope; aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun; world-renowned portrait artist and poet Howard Weeden and cobweb artist Anne Clopton; internationally known soprano Susanna Phillips; Professional Football Hall of Fame member John Stallworth; performing arts pioneers Helen Herriott and Loyd Tygett; and entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark C. Smith. The stories herein celebrate just a handful of the many people who have made a memorable impact on this community and who continue to propel Huntsville forward through leadership by example.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467102025
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	11/16/2015
Series:	Legendary Locals Series
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	1,044,741
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Poet and Huntsville native Leslie Nicole Thomas taught creative writing and English literature in New York City and in San Francisco before returning home in 2004. Legendary Locals of Huntsville represents a journey of reconnection and of the opportunity to learn more about the amazing people of Huntsville she long heard of growing up. It is her honor to tell some of their stories.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

Chapter 1 The Land: Founding and Flourishing 9

Chapter 2 The Industry: Mills and Prosperity through the Depression 31

Chapter 3 The Stars, the Moon, and the National Terrain: Redstone Arsenal, NASA, and Civil Rights 45

Chapter 4 The Present Future: Technology and the Arts 69

Index 127