Lawrence P. Gooley

North Country / Adirondack Author

Genre: North Country / Adirondack History

> Books > North Country / Adirondack History

Bullets, Booze, Bootleggers, and Beer: The Story of Prohibition in Northern New York, Volume 1

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Bullets, Booze, Bootleggers, and Beer, Volume 1-Front Cover

Prohibition was the wildest, most chaotic period in northern New York’s history. America’s so-called “Great Experiment”—banning the social and recreational use of alcohol—led to unforeseen and unfortunate consequences. Thousands of speeding bootleggers presented potentially deadly hazards to casual drivers. The number of gun-toting highwaymen (robbers) skyrocketed with the emergence of new and irresistible targets—bootleggers carrying cash north to buy alcohol, and bootleggers carrying valuable booze loads south.

Even more alarming were the almost daily wild shootouts, often on village and city streets, the air heavy with bullets as lawmen and smugglers fought it out during high-speed chases. Worse yet in the eyes of many were the extremely aggressive tactics of lawmen, who were sworn to provide enforcement (the offenses were mostly misdemeanors) and protect the public, but killed bootleggers and innocent citizens alike in the process, and were rarely held accountable. They falsified charges, lied, stonewalled, withheld evidence, and did whatever it took to avoid prosecution. » More Details

People & Places of the Adirondacks & Foothills, Volume 7

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People & Places of the Adirondacks, Volume 7-Front Cover

The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor.

They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region’s past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain.

In this volume… » More Details

Escape from Dannemora: 170 Years of Escapes, Tortures, and Infamous Inmates at New York’s Most Notorious Prison

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Escape from Dannemora-Front Cover

Clinton Prison has hosted the best and worst criminals in the country, from gentleman scam artists and bank robbers to vicious serial killers who murdered on a whim and dismembered their victims. Included within these pages are those stories and much more—ingenious breakout artists and how they escaped, details on severe punishments and tortures imposed at Clinton for a half century, and profiles of dozens of the most famous, infamous, and unusual prisoners ever confined within Dannemora’s walls.

This book was already in progress when the stunning escape from Dannemora occurred in June 2015. Since the plan included extensive coverage of Clinton’s violent past and dozens of escape stories, the recent escape that gripped the nation for nearly a month provided the perfect opening chapter.

It was a spectacular breakout, but contrary to what was widely stated in the media, hardly unprecedented. Men went over and under the wall on many occasions prior to 1929, which is the line of demarcation that separates the old from the new. During the eighty-five years following 1929, no one escaped from inside the high wall until Richard Matt and David Sweat did it. But during the eighty-five years prior to 1929, it was done many times in exciting, ingenious, and spectacular fashion. » More Details

People & Places of the Adirondacks & Foothills, Volume 6

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People & Places of the Adirondacks, Volume 6-Front Cover

The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor.

They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region’s past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain.

In this volume… » More Details

People & Places of the Adirondacks & Foothills, Volume 5

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People & Places of the Adirondacks, Volume 5-Front Cover

The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor.

They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region’s past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain.

In this volume… » More Details

People & Places of the Adirondacks & Foothills, Volume 4

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People & Places of the Adirondacks, Volume 4-Front Cover

The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor.

They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region’s past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain.

In this volume… » More Details

People & Places of the Adirondacks & Foothills, Volume 3

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People & Places of the Adirondacks, Volume 3-Front Cover

The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor.

They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region’s past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain.

In this volume… » More Details

People & Places of the Adirondacks & Foothills, Volume 2

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People & Places of the Adirondacks, Volume 2-Front Cover

The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor.

They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region’s past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain.

In this volume… » More Details

People & Places of the Adirondacks & Foothills, Volume 1

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People & Places of the Adirondacks, Volume 1-Front Cover

The People & Places of the Adirondacks collection contains a variety of story types: original works of hard history, the lives of unusual people, noteworthy accomplishments, groundbreaking inventions, remarkable mishaps, oddities, and humor.

They all have one thing in common: each is rooted in the North Country, defined here as the Adirondacks and foothills. The region’s past is filled with relative or complete unknowns who were, in fact, highly accomplished individuals. Many of the chapters here reveal their stories, which are well worth preserving. Those and others are presented with a purpose that is threefold: to educate, amuse, and entertain.

In this volume… » More Details

Out of the Darkness: In Memory of Lyon Mountain’s Iron Men, Second Edition

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Out of the Darkness, Second Edition-Front Cover

Out of the Darkness shines a light of recognition on more than 170 men who died in the iron mines of Lyon Mountain, New York. Who were they? How did they die?

You’ll find the answers here in a tribute to the men who lost their lives while working for the mining companies.

Drillers, muckers, furnace workers, timbermen—they’re all here. Many suffered horrible, spectacular deaths, as detailed in the newspaper fashion of the day, tending towards graphic, gruesome imagery. There is no shortage of such stories in this book, so be prepared for some intense reading.

The reality of Lyon Mountain’s many tragic accidents includes explosions, amputations, and decapitations. It’s all here, but there’s much more in this book than just death. » More Details