In Walter Turner’s new book, “Paving Tobacco Road: A Century of Progress by the North Carolina Department of Transportation,” the transportation historian traces the development of the agency responsible for the state’s highways—from its beginnings in 1915 as the North Carolina State Highway Commission through the first years of the 21st century.
Sunday, November 21, at 5 p.m., Turner rounds out this season of UNC-TV’s own literary series North Carolina Bookwatch, revealing the historical twists and turns of how North Carolina has maintained its reputation as the “The Good Roads State” since the 1920s. From the building of Interstate 40 to the erection of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Spencer historian identifies many of the leaders who helped to create North Carolina’s entire transportation network — making the Tar Heel State home to one of the nation’s largest highway systems.
Walter R. Turner serves as historian at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer. A fifth-generation North Carolinian, he grew up in Winston-Salem, he earned his undergraduate degree in history at Methodist College in Fayetteville, and a master’s degree in social work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His articles on transportation history have appeared in Our State, Business North Carolina, and many of the state’s major newspapers. He and his wife Pamela live in Greensboro.
Funding for North Carolina Bookwatch is provided by UNC-TV members and by Quail Ridge Books and Music, Raleigh’s independent, full service bookstore, bringing readers and writers together since 1984.
Shachnow Speaking
Major General (Ret) Sid Shachnow, who recently wrote his inspiring and patriotic memoir “Hope and Honor,” will speak at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum on Saturday, Nov. 27, at 1 p.m.
A book signing will follow and books are available in the gift shop. For more information visit www.asomf.org, news and events page.
Robert Ruark Society Forms
Chapel Hill residents are spearheading an effort to form the Robert Ruark Society.
Southport-born and UNC-Chapel Hill educated, Ruark was one of the most prolific and respected writers of the post-World War II period. Among his best-known books are “Something of Value” and “The Old Man and the Boy.”
The Society will create greater awareness of Ruark’s work, keying off the donation of his manuscripts, letters, columns, books, and magazine articles to UNC’s Wilson Library. Ruark is a member of the N.C. Literary Hall of Fame. The Ruark Society plans to sponsor speakers and seminars and eventually establish a Robert Ruark Scholars Program at UNC.
For more information, contact James Cheatham at 10 Meadowmont Circle, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 or by e-mail at jcheathan@prodigy.net.
Writing Contest
Feeling creative? The San Gabriel Writers’ League, based in suburban Austin in Williamson County, Texas, is hosting its annual “Writing Smarter” competition. Entries will be accepted in poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
Cash prizes will be awarded to entries for first, second and third place in each category; honorable mention entries will also be recognized at the awards ceremony to be held at the League’s Spring 2005 Workshop.
Complete contest rules and entry forms are available at www.sgwl.org/contest2005.
Entry forms can also be obtained by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the League’s 2005 Contest Coordinator, Melissa Leedom, at P.O. Box 798, Georgetown, TX 78627.
King Receives Award
Randolph County author Henry King has been awarded the prestigious Willie Parker Peace History Book Award for 2004.
King’s “Hooray for Heroines: Tar Heel Women Who Faced the Enemy and Made the Enemy Blink,” was selected for the honor Saturday, Oct. 9, during the annual meeting of the North Carolina Society for Historians held at Guilford Technical Community College at Jamestown.
Judges of the selection panel were highly praiseworthy of King’s work, characterizing his volume as an “exceptional publication.”
The award was accepted by King’s daughter, Carol K. Stevenson of Liberty, on behalf of her father, who is incapacitated at his Franklinville home.
King, meanwhile, has released another volume, “Boo: N.C. Ghost Guide,” recently featured in area newspapers, as well as Carolina Country magazine.
A retired newspaper reporter and columnist, King has written eight topical Tar Heel books, including one titled “The Best Places to Pray in North Carolina.”
