In This Small Place
by Edward Barnes Ellis
Non Fiction: Historical
The book covers the period from the 1690s, when the earliest European settlers arrived. It explains the local Tuscarora Indian War, Civil War events, the coming of the railroad, the local production of illegal liquor, the naval stores industries, the founding of the City of Havelock and the establishment of Cherry Point, the world’s largest Marine Corps air station.
Included in the book is a never-before-published first person account of the Battle of New Bern during the Civil War by a Union soldier. Also included is a three-chapter biography of British Major-General Sir Henry Havelock, the city’s namesake.
In contrast to a typical local history, In This Small Place sets out to be more accessible than archetypal accounts of the past filled with dates and names. The author accomplishes this through his conversational, informal style and a light sprinkling of humor.
Authoritative resources hail In This Small Place is being as a valuable historical resource, despite its laid-back approach. Its details about the three centuries since the community’s settlement, the thoroughness of its research and the reproduction of rare artwork and photographs have drawn pre-publication praise from historians, journalists and the reading public alike.