Dorothy K. Fletcher Bücher

"The city of Jacksonville has long enjoyed a wondrous array of restaurants with fine cuisine and unique atmospheres. Some of the greatest of those now exist only in memory. Le Chateau, with its elegant patio and seascapes, was a beacon of fine dining. The Rainbow Room at the George Washington Hotel offered a crowded dance floor with its dinner experience. The Green Derby was the hub of passion for fans of Florida and Georgia during one of the fiercest rivalries in college football. Join author Dorothy K. Fletcher as she recalls the history of the city's lost restaurantsand reflects on a more gracious time in Jacksonville living"--

Jacksonville during the '50s and '60s was a wonderful and energetic place for the children who called it home The northeast corner of the Sunshine State was the perfect and picturesque backdrop for some of America's timeless traditions. Mothers belonged to garden clubs and fathers played the golf links, while the children who grew up in Jacksonville frolicked on the warm beaches and fed peanuts to Miss Chic, the first elephant at the Jacksonville Zoo. They strapped on skates and held hands as they circled the rink of the famous Skateland, wandered down the stacks at Haydon Burns Library and crossed the many bridges that traversed Jacksonville's waterways. Join Dorothy Fletcher, former columnist for the Florida Times-Union, as she recounts the memories and adventures of the people who grew up Jacksonville.

Mandy, her brother Casey, and their parents were going to Florida for a holiday trip in December, and the children were very excited to be spending it with their grandmother. However, Mandy was disturbed when she arrived and saw no snow for Santa's sleigh. "I miss Christmas," she complained. Grandma tried to console her and made a few suggestions about things she could Do. To the surprise of both of them, something happened that ensured Mandy would never miss Christmas again.

Elementary school teacher Sarah Palmer had a secret, one that even she found hard to face. Only after her teacher friends witnessed one of her debilitating panic attacks did she ever consider confronting it. Shelter from the Storm is her journey toward salvation and renewal. It is a sensitive story about how two young girls-one black, one white-try to overcome the status quo in a time when Jim Crow Laws prevailed. It is also a story that considers how two people can live through the same event and experience very different outcomes- that some become stronger while others are swept away like cottages in a hurricane.

Jacksonville has long been a mecca for car enthusiasts and collectors, due in part to the city's unique automotive history. Bystanders gazed in wonder as John Einig drove Florida's very first steam-powered horseless carriage through the streets in 1889. Fred Gilbert opened the first automobile dealership in 1903, just before the city's first automobile parade, and people were soon clamoring to buy cars of their own. Claude Nolan, whose local dealership has been in business for well over a century, gained fame for racing his Cadillac against an airplane at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds. NASCAR held races at the Jacksonville Speedway in the '50s and '60s. Author Dorothy K. Fletcher explores the rich history and memories of car culture in the River City.

Jacksonville's theatre and performance history is rich with flair and drama. The theatres, drive-ins and movie houses that brought entertainment to its citizens have their own exciting stories. Some have passed into memory. The Dixie Theatre, originally part of Dixieland Park, began to fade in 1909. The Palace Theatre, home to vaudeville acts, was torn down in the '50s. The Alhambra has been everyone's favorite dinner theatre since 1967's debut of Come Blow Your Horn. Local author Dorothy K. Fletcher revives the history of Jacksonville's theatres. Lights, camera, action!

Take time for a glorious return to the campfires, the singing, the trails and the trials of Greater Jacksonville's most iconic summer camps. Revisit Florida at a time when children were much more at home in the wild. The balmy northeast corner of the state, filled with lakes and forests primeval, was a camper's paradise. Iconic summer camps like Blanding, Chowenwaw, Echockotee, Immokalee, Montgomery, Keystone, Seminole and Weed played vital roles in the development of countless children. They swapped adventures beneath the stars, a heartening reminder that even the worst days can make the best stories. Join author Dorothy K. Fletcher and experience the giddy relief of a camper who weathered their first dark night and welcomed a brilliant sunrise, just before all the fun begins!