History of the Roaring Camp Railroads Honored

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - May 21, 2013 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of Rail series is Roaring Camp Railroads from local authors Beniam Kifle and Nathan Goodman. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of the California railroads.

In 1963, Norman Clark officially opened Roaring Camp to the public. Since then, it has become a popular and well-known destination for tourists and rail buffs from around the world who wish to visit and ride on its 100-year-old steam trains.

Isaac Graham, who constructed the first powered sawmill and the first whiskey distillery in the American West, settled the area in the 1840s. Graham was notorious for his boisterous antics and his settlement became known as a "wild and roaring camp."

Clark arrived in the area in the mid-1950s with $25 in his pocket and the dream of preserving a piece of early California. Clark's dream included a plan to construct an 1880s railroad town, complete with an authentic narrow-gauge logging railway. Over the last 50 years, Clark's dream has been continued and expanded, now incorporating two railroads, one of which dates to 1875.

Highlights of Roaring Camp Railroads include:
•   Contains never-before-seen images chronicling Roaring Camp’s 50 year history.
•   Learn about steam locomotive restoration and how Roaring Camp cares for its engines.
•   Images depicting forgotten crafts and skills, such as boiler making.
•   Stories and memories from locals about the birth of “America’s Most Backward Railroad.”

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.  

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States.  Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.  Have we done a book on your town?  Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com/.