Publications From CCHA

Publications can be ordered by mail from CCHA using the printable order form. Questions about ordering publications can be sent to sales@chathamhistory.org.

Fred Vatter’s delightful saunter into some of the many corners of Chatham County’s past tell us of old houses, aged country stores, church yards with intriguing gravestones, and venerable public buildings; settlements and cemeteries now lost due to dams and other effects of progress; ordinary people who know the county’s past and would love to tell you about it, as well as prominent civic leaders now long dead.
	Price		S&H
Tales Beyond Fried Rabbit by Fred J. Vatter	$23.95		inquire
The Gravesites of Chatham County, North Carolina by Will Heiser and Audrey Heiser	$35.00		$4.50
The most complete survey ever done of all the cemeteries and family plots in Chatham County, this is a great resource for anyone doing genealogical research. There are over 27,000 names from the early 18th century to present day. Download additions and corrections (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
The Chatham Railroad by Robert A. Wiesner	$10.00		$3.00
Tracing the 16-year history of the Chatham Railroad, this book contributes to an understanding of the tumultuous economic affairs of North Carolina in the years preceding and during the Civil War era. Included are photographs of the main figures and a little-known map of 1858 showing proposed rail routes to the Deep River coal fields. (8.5" x 11", 54 pages, soft cover)
Chatham County, 1771-1971 edited by Wade H. Hadley, Doris Horton, and Nell Strowd, 1971	$20.00		$4.00
Now in its second facsimile reprinting, the book contains chapters on the colonial and Revolutionary War period, county government, politics, Civil War, transportation, town and county life, communities and post offices, churches, education, fraternal orders, African Americans, agriculture, industry, and brief summaries of well-known families. (6" x 9", 528 pg., photographs, index). To include the original dust jacket, add $1.00 to the price above.
The Architectural Heritage of Chatham County North Carolina by Rachel Osborn and Ruth Selden-Sturgill, edited by Marjorie Hudson, 1991	$35.00		$4.50
Sections on the history and architectural development of Chatham County and of Pittsboro are followed by historic architecture inventories of Pittsboro, Siler City, Goldston, Mt. Vernon Springs and Ore Hill, and each of the county's townships. The book is lavishly illustrated with black & white photographs and thoroughly documented. (8.5" x 11", 391 pages, index).
Map of Chatham County, NC by Capt. N.A. Ramsey, 1870	$5.00		$2.50
This reproduction of the original map shows rivers, bridges, mills, churches, roads and railroads, and many family locations. (17" x 22"). To include an index of all names shown, add $0.50 to the price above.
Map of the Coal Fields of Chatham and a Portion of the Mineral Region of N.C. by Lucy Worth Jackson, 1874.	$3.00		$2.50
A reproduction of the original map shows Chatham County and several nearby counties, emphasizing the coal fields near the Deep River. (17" x 22", color).
"Our Land, Our Lives" and "Land Beneath the Waters" combination DVD	$10.00		$2.00
"Our Land, Our Lives," was originally a video tape produced from a slide and tape documentary about the construction of Jordan Lake. (15 minutes). "Land Beneath the Waters" is a documentary tracing the history of the New Hope River valley through the development of Jordan Lake and covers native population, early settlement, Revolutionary and Civil Wars, acquisition of properties and construction of the dam, and present-day recreational activities. (35 minutes). These two documentaries are now available only as a combination DVD.
Chatham Historical Journal back issues 1988 - 2008	Inquire		Inquire
Now in its twenty-first year, this is an occasional publication with previously unpublished articles related to Chatham County. Articles cover a variety of topics, such as the county courthouse, silk culture, coal, mills, the Chatham rabbit, and oral histories. (Each issue is four pages, 8.5" x 11", some with photographs). $1.00 each or full set for $25.00. See the detailed list of past articles.
Siler City, North Carolina, 1887-1987 by Wade H. Hadley, Jr., 1986	$8.00		$3.00
A reprint of Siler City's centennial history, the book describes pioneer families, railroads, business and industry, schools, fairs and celebrations, early churches, in general following a chronological order. (8.5" x 11", photographs, index, 67+ pages)
Historical Buildings of the Central Business District, Siler City by Wade Hadley, 1996	$8.00		$2.00
Brief histories of twenty-eight buildings erected between 1909 and 1929 are illustrated with photographs by the author. (8.5" x 11", map, index, 24 pg.).
Historical Chatham County Note Cards	$5.00		$2.00
Twelve cards and envelopes, with duplicate cards depicting Mann's Chapel, Hotel Hadley, Baldwin's Mill, Kelvin, Aspen Hall, and the Manly Law Office. (4 1/4" x 5 1/2", black ink on cream cards).
A General Store at St. Lawrence Post Office in Western Chatham County, NC, 1851-1852 and Notes on the History of the Community by Wade Hadley, 1974		Out of print
The main body of the booklet summarizes merchandise transactions recorded in an account book found in the Southern Historical Collection of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The text also gives a brief history of the store and post office at St. Lawrence, which was located about three miles east of present-day Siler City. (8.5" x 11", 16 pg., softcover).
Chatham County, North Carolina: 200 Years of Progress 1971		Out of print
Published for the county bicentennial celebration in 1971, this booklet contains information about communities, notable events of history, and many details of the bicentennial celebration. (8.5" x 11", 48 pg., photographs).
The Story of the Cape Fear and Deep River Navigation Company, 1849-1873 by Wade Hadley, 1980	Out of print
The author's abstract reads: "The story records an heroic attempt to render almost one hundred miles of the upper Cape Fear and lower Deep rivers continuously and reliably navigable for steamboats." (8.5" x 11", 90 pg., bibliography, map).