Title: Come Meet the Author of New Montgomery History Book on Saturday
Author: Andre Salles
Publisher: MontgomeryPatch.com
Date: 7/21/2011
If you want to take a trip back in time through Montgomery's history, you can't do much better than local author (and Patch contributor) Jo Fredell Higgins' new book, simply titled Montgomery.
And if you want to meet Higgins and get your book signed, well, you're in luck. She'll be at Gray's Mill on River Street on Saturday.
Montgomery is Higgins' sixth book, and her fifth historical photo collection. She's spent the last decade painstakingly chronicling Fox Valley history, and her four previous photo books—dedicated to Naperville, Geneva, DeKalb and Aurora—are mainstays at local bookstores.
For Montgomery, Higgins spoke with more than 100 residents, and assembled 220 historical photographs, creating a visual timeline of the history of the village. Higgins, a former teacher at Waubonsee Community College before her 2007 retirement, sometimes worked 10 hours a day doing research. She availed herself not only of local libraries, but of the village's extensive historical records.
Montgomery begins with Daniel Gray, the first settler in what would later be the village, and includes interviews with some of Montgomery's oldest living residents, including Ruth Dieterich Wagner, all of 97 years young. Higgins got first-hand accounts of village history from those who saw it happen.
The book's foreword was written by Montgomery Village President Marilyn Michelini.
The book is now available at Montgomery Village Hall, and can be ordered from Borders and Barnes and Noble, or online through Arcadia Publishing. But if you want to meet Higgins and buy one from her, come on down to Gray's Mill at 211 N. River St. on Saturday.
The signing runs from 1-3 p.m., and will feature music from Geneva cellist Allison DeYoung, and light refreshments. There will be door prizes as well, donated by local businesses, including George's Restaurant, the River View Diner, Buona Beef, and the Montgomery Economic Development Corporation.
Higgins will also have copies on hand of her first novel, A Song for Cecilia, also published earlier this year.
Title: History of Montgomery Told Through Photographs
Publisher: Arcadia Publisher
Date: 7/11/2011
The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing's popular Images of America series is Montgomery from local author Jo Fredell Higgins. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by.
Montgomery was originally known as Graytown, named after founding father Daniel S. Gray. In the autumn of 1836, he moved his family from New York and built the first frame house in the village. His industrious nature produced in quick order a store, foundry, and reaper and header shop.
Montgomery also had two stores and a stone depot for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad. A large cheese factory was built in 1874. From the early settlers who came for the prized farmland and the Fox River amenities to the present-day residents, the village of Montgomery continues to thrive and prosper as it celebrates its 175th anniversary in 2010.
Join the Author for a Book Signing!
When: Saturday, July 23rd from 1-3pm
Where: Gray's Mill Restaurant
Highlights of Montgomery:
? The book contains many family images never seen before from private family scrapbooks.
? Over 100 families and individuals contributed photos and memories for this book.
? Montgomery Archives also contributed several images and artifacts.
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.
Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America's people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.
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Title: 'Geneva' Author Jo Fredell Higgins Now Releases 'Montgomery'
Publisher: Geneva Patch
Date: 7/18/2011
Jo Fredell Higgins, author of the book Geneva, has a new book coming out about the village of Montgomery.
Higgins will host a signature-signing event of the newly-released book from 1 to 3 p.m. July 23 at Gray's Mill at 211 N. River St. in Montgomery.
Allison DeYoung of Geneva will play the cello as background music. Allison was just selected by the Elgin Children's Symphony for future performances. Light refreshments will be served. Door prizes have been donated by local merchants, including RiverView Restaurant, George's Restaurant, the MEDC and Buona Beef Restaurant.
Higgins is an internationally published and award-winning photographer, writer, essayist, historian and poet. Montgomery is her her sixth book. Four other titles have been released from Arcadia Publishing including Geneva, Naperville, DeKalb and Aurora.
Her Geneva title was released in 2003 with a welcome letter included in the book from Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns. The signature signing event was held at the Geneva History Center and 82 copies of the book were sold of the 100 the History Center had ordered.
Higgins' novel A Song for Cecilia was released in June by Tate Publishing. Both books will be available for sale at the event. Hosts are Virginia and Ron Potter.
Montgomery Village President Marilyn Michelini has written the welcome to the Montgomery title and Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis has written the welcome for A Song for Cecilia.
For additional information, please e-mail poetrylady45@yahoo.com.
Information from this article is from a press release by Jo Fredell Higgins.
