Penniman: Virginia's Own Ghost City - Softcover

Thornton, Rosemary

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0971558876 ISBN 13: 9780971558878

Publisher: Gentle Beam Publications, 2020

Synopsis

If you've never heard of Penniman, you re not alone. It s a lost chapter of Virginia history.

Located on the York River between Williamsburg and Yorktown, Penniman was the site of a DuPont munitions plant that produced artillery shells for World War One in 1918. At its peak, it had 15,000 inhabitants. The predominantly female workforce loaded TNT into 2.8 million shells.

When the war ended, so did the town.

"The women at Penniman were known as Canaries, because the [TNT] powder turned their skin and hair yellow. In time, soldiers were sent to relieve the women workers, but the women refused to leave, declaring that this was their opportunity to serve their country and they were going to stick it out until the end." ~Louise Dooly, Penniman Worker

Within the pages of this fascinating story, you ll learn more about:

~German espionage at Penniman.

~Why the Great Atlantic Fleet remained anchored in the York, at Penniman s front door.

~Why 90% of Penniman s shell-loaders were female.

~Why eyewitnesses recalled seeing coffins stacked to the eaves at the Penniman depot.

~Why Penniman s dead were laid to rest (and forgotten) in a farmer s field.

~Penniman s houses: Most were not destroyed but moved. Where are they now?

About this title

About the Author:

Rosemary Thornton has devoted the last six years of her life to researching the story of Penniman, Virginia. Throughout that time, she dug for more information on this Ghost City that was forgotten by time.

In addition, Rosemary is widely known as the country's leading expert on the early 20th century kit homes sold by Sears & Roebuck.

Rose Thornton has traveled throughout the country, seeking and finding Sears Homes. In that time, she s written countless newspaper and magazine articles, in addition to several books.

Rose is the author of The Houses That Sears Built (2002,) Finding the Houses That Sears Built (2004), and The Sears Homes of Illinois (2010).

She s the co-author of California s Kit Homes (2004) and Montgomery Wards Mail-Order Homes (2010). Rose has also contributed chapters to three books, including Hampton s Old Wythe, which was published in November 2014.

Rose has traveled to 24 states to give 200 lectures on Sears Homes, from Bungalow Heaven in Los Angeles to The Smithsonian in Washington, DC. She has addressed a wide variety of audiences from architectural preservationists in Boston, St. Louis and Chicago to kit home enthusiasts in small towns across America.

Rose has appeared on PBS (History Detectives), A&E (Biography), CBS (Sunday Morning News), MSNBC and her book was featured in its own category on Jeopardy. She is considered the country s #1 authority on kit homes.

Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Washington Post, L. A. Times, Dallas Morning News, USA TODAY, Old House Journal, American Bungalow, Blue Ridge Country and about 100 other publications.

Three times in the last several years, the story of her unique career was picked up by the AP and in May 2009, she was interviewed on BBC Radio. In February 2014, Rose was featured on NPR s All Things Considered.

About this edition

• Publisher: Gentle Beam Publications
• Publication date: 2020
• ISBN 10: 0971558876
• ISBN 13: 9780971558878
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 297
• Editor: Howie PhD Sheryl M