 Looking for a fun way to learn or teach Cape Fear history? Well here it is! Over 300 colorable images accompanied by the stories behind them that tell the history of the lower Cape Fear all in one volume. It's a great way to interest children and adults alike in the four centuries of colorful history that took place along the Cape Fear River. From Native Americans and early explorers, first settlers and colonial ports, revolutionaries and rebels, to fine homes and public spaces, peaceful resting spots and silver screen palaces, and so much more, this is the book for the art lover AND history buff! Topics covered include Early Exploration • The Proprietary Era • Colonial Brunswick and Wilmington • The Revolutionary War • The Civil War • 1898 • Fine Homes and Public Spaces • Final Resting Places • Southport, Bald Head, and Oak Island • Naval Stores, Rice, and Indigo • Life on the Water • The Cape Fear Beaches • Railroads • Sports Legends and more.
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 Nobody has been more involved in rehabilitating Wilmington into the city it is today than Gene Merritt. From farm roots in southeastern North Carolina, to becoming a successful developer and champion of historic preservation in Downtown Wilmington, Merritt has been involved in virtually every move to transform the city from the sleepy backwater of the 1970s to the thriving destination spot it is today. From cleaning up downtown to advocating for a Raleigh to Wilmington I-40 extension, Merritt has spent decades building his vision for a better city. Now his memoir, written with former StarNews editor John H. Meyer, pulls back the curtain on a lifetime of civic involvement and improvement.
 Announcing a new offering in the Young Reader's Series of North Carolina History! After Great Britain fought a war to retain its colonies in North America during the French & Indian War, King George III’s treasury was badly depleted. As part of the global conflict called the Seven Years War, the fighting in North America pitted the British and their colonial subjects against the French and their Indian allies. Britain’s Prime Minister George Lord Grenville proposed a tax on paper products in the colonies that would raise £60,000 per year to make up the money spent in the war, and cover the costs of maintaining troops in America. This book tells the story of the rebellion by North Carolinians to the tax, levied on virtually every printed item in the American colonies between 1765-1766. Resistance to the Stamp Act was especially strong on the Cape Fear River, where the people of Wilmington and Brunswick forced stamp officers to resign, challenged the authority of Royal Governor William Tryon and the Royal Navy, and took up arms to prevent the hated stamps from being delivered - a full eight years before the more famous Boston Tea Party. The port at Wilmington became the only American port where the stamps were never successfully landed, and first established North Carolina’s claim to being “First in Freedom.”
 Beginning on 6/28/25, and for every other Saturday through November, Dram Tree Books will be set up at the Downtown Wilmington Riverfront Market from 8am-1pm. Come see Jack Fryar and get your copies of the best in Cape Fear and North Carolina history books!
Now available from Dram Tree Books! Author and historian Jack E. Fryar, Jr. delivers a comprehensive history of the Lower Cape Fear during the turbulent Revolutionary period between 1765-1782. This new history covers it all: the Stamp Act rebellion, the Regulator Rebellion, Moores Creek, the British in the Cape Fear, the Redcoat occupation of Wilmington, and so much more! Available in both hardcover and paperback, with cover artwork by the fabulous James C. Horton:  Hardcover Trade PaperbackGreetings! It's been a while since I've posted an update about what's going on with Dram Tree Books, so I thought it was high time I did.
First, YOU CAN BUY DRAM TREE BOOKS TITLES DIRECTLY FROM THIS WEBSITE NOW! Just click on "Shop Our Books!" in the bar at the top of this page and you can peruse everything we have in print, place your order, and enjoy great Cape Fear and North Carolina history in a jiffy! There are some great new titles coming in the not too distant future that you should keep an eye out for: On the drawing board as I write this is a new history of the Lower Cape Fear in the Revolutionary War by Jack E. Fryar, Jr., titled When the British Came: Revolution in the Lower Cape Fear, 1765-1782. With the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution approaching in 2026, and commemorations of that world changing event beginning this year, I thought it was time to write what we hope will be the go-to history of southeastern North Carolina from the Stamp Act resistance, to the Regulator Rebellion, to Moores Creek and the British occupation of Wilmington in 1781. The book is a comprehensive history (or as much so as I can make it) of the conflict, and of the civil war that raged between Cross Creek (modern Fayetteville) and Bald Head Island, just in time for the anniversary of those turbulent days that birthed a new nation. We're pretty sure this is going to be Dram Tree Books' first hardcover edition, featuring cover art from noted artist and history buff James C. HortonI We hope to have it out and ready for purchase by summer 2024. Rebecca Taylor is working on a new offering in the Young Reader's Series of North Carolina History about the African American resort, Seabreeze. We hope to have that one ready by fall. Currently, Rebecca is trying to gather photos and other items to illustrate the book. If you know of anyone who might have old family pics from family vacations there back int he day, please let us know! You can reach Rebecca by email at [email protected]. Speaking of the Young Readers Series of North Carolina History, look for a version of the RevWar history of the Lower Cape Fear in that line. We figured why not do one for the youngsters, too. The series is designed for young people ages 10-18, giving them richly illustrated history in books that can be quickly read but still provide the essentials to inform and educate. If you have a young person (or even a not-so-young person) who might like their history in a scaled down but fun version, try this series out! You can find the books we have under the "Our Titles" tab on our website. Interested in the seedier side of Wilmington? David A. Norris, author of Potter's Raid: The Union Cavalry's Boldest Expedition in Eastern North Carolina (available on this website) is working on a new title for Dram Tree Books about the Paddy's Hollow district in Wilmington from the colonial era through the Civil War. It's the story of one small area of downtown Wilmington where there were more taverns, saloons, and brothels than anything else for much of the town's early history. Populated today by Cape Fear Community College, the Cotton Exchange, sandwich shops, and other retail businesses, the trade was a whole lot different in times past! In keeping with the Dram Tree Books policy of making available books that are no longer in print but that deserve to be, look for our edition of Janet Schaw's Journal of a Lady of Quality, coming out soon. Schaw was a Scotswoman who traveled around Great Britain's colonial possessions on a tour that brought her to Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear just as the revolutionary fervor in the Lower Cape Fear was heating up. Her journal provides candid assessments of the people and events she saw while here that make it a go to volume for anyone interested in colonial North Carolina. Look for Dram Tree Books at area events, including the Burgwin-Wright House's Spring and Summer Markets in April and June (see calendar in the column to the right). Author Jack E. Fryar, Jr. will be presenting a program on the Charles Towne Settlement on the Cape Fear River, 1664-1667 on March 19 at the N.C. Maritime Museum at Southport. It starts at noon, so be sure to call Shannon Walker at the museum at (910) 477-5151 to reserve your space! The Holiday Season is almost upon us, and many of you have history lovers on your gift list. There are ample opportunities for you to pick up signed copies of great Dram Tree Books titles before the big day. As always, Dram Tree Books will participate in the Burgwin-Wright House Holiday Market on 12/10/22. From 9am-3pm, you can drop by and get author Jack E. Fryar, Jr. to sign personalized copies for your history fans. As well, Barnes & Noble at Mayfaire Center in Wilmington will host Jack E. Fryar, Jr. every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, offering signed and personalized Cape Fear and North Carolina history titles from Dram Tree Books. On 12/11/22, at Barnes & Noble, Dram Tree Books will hold a Local History Book Signing featuring not just Dram Tree Books' Jack E. Fryar, Jr., but also Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr. and Slap Dash Press' Daniel Norris. In short, Barnes & Noble will be Ground Zero for satisfying the history lover on your holiday gift list. We hope you will come see us there!
But if you can't, here are some other places where you can find Dram Tree Books titles in the lower Cape Fear region: • Old Books on Front Street - Wilmington • The Burgwin-Wright House - Wilmington • The Bellamy Mansion - Wilmington • The Latimer House - Wilmington • Barnes & Noble Mayfaire - Wilmington • Wilmington Water Tours - Wilmington • Battleship North Carolina WWII Memorial - Wilmington • Island Books - Carolina Beach • Fort Fisher State Historic Site - Kure Beach • Carolina Beach State Park Marina Store - Carolina Beach • Moores Creek National Battlefield - Currie, N.C. • Brunswick Town/Ft. Anderson State Historic Site - Winnabow, N.C. • NC Maritime Museum - Southport • Southport Visitors Center at Ft. Johnston - Southport • Museum of the Cape Fear - Fayetteville, N.C. BUSINESS OWNERS! - If you own a business and would like to carry Dram Tree Books titles, drop us a line at [email protected]. In just four short years, it will be the 250th anniversary of America's independence from Great Britain. It was during the summer of 1776 that what is sometimes called "the world's greatest breakup letter," the Declaration of Independence, was written and read to the former colonies that from then on would be known as the United States of America. Already plans are in the works for celebrating that milestone of American history, and it should be a great time for all. As someone old enough to remember the pageantry and pomp of the bicentennial back in 1976, the prospect of pulling out all the stops to celebrate the brith of America is something that should delight everyone who loves their country. To that end, Dram Tree Books will be offering several titles intended to contribute to the historical record of the American Revolution as it happened in North Carolina and the Cape Fear region. Keep your eyes peeled - we'll announce the new books here when they are finished! Meanwhile, Dram Tree Books also has several great Revolutionary War titles already in print that you can find in bookstores. Check out the "Our Titles" tab at the tp of the page to see them.
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