Are There Any Good Books About the History of Southport?
Of Home and the River: Southport Stories from the Civil War to the Present by Lewis J. Hardee, Jr.
When asked the question above, I know that you say: “Sure, there are plenty.” And you start listing them Joshua’s Dream, Master of the Shoals, Classic Southport Cooking, History of Fort Johnston, Before We Were Quaint, Southport Secrets, Southport’s Art Newton, Joshua’s Legacy, Hominy Muffins and Oyster Pie, etc. etc.
Then comes the inevitable next question: “But, which one is the best?” Being a bit of a politician you respond: “well they are all really good, what are you most interested in?” They say “ history” and you then find yourself squarely back on square one. Well, I am putting politics aside (that should be a nice change) and I am going to tell you what I think is the best most humorous book about Southport history.
That book is Lew Hardee’s Of Home and the River, which tracks the history of Southport and Brunswick County since the Civil War. From beginning to end, this book offers nostalgic and often hilarious insight from one of Southport’s best storytellers. The State Port Pilot in its 2008 review noted that Hardee doesn’t shy away from his Southport roots when he notes that:
“I am a Southporter, and I’m afraid we natives can’t help ourselves from finding humor in any subject, no matter how grim. I should further add that if certain passages in this book are a bit salty, it can’t be helped. Southport is a port, and ports are salty.”
The 357 page hardcover work, published by the Southport Historical Society, offers eighteen chapters spanning from the war exploits of Hardee’s great-grandfather, to Hurricane Hazel, to the landing of fifteen Estonian immigrants, who traveled across the Atlantic in a small fishing boat to seek asylum from the Soviet Union, plus many other stories including the visits to Southport by Mae Bamber the mayor of Southport, England.
Following is a short excerpt from the book. The excerpt is titled Mr. Livingston’s Haircut:
Mr. Columbus Ross Livingston was a steady customer. He was tall and thin with big ears, and a big Adam’s apple poked from his gullet like a rock. Norman Rockwell could have drawn him. He lived just a short walk up the street on Howe. Once a week without fail, he would stroll down to Bell’s for a haircut. The funny thing was, he had about as much hair as a cue ball—no more than a dozen strands on his pate and a little fuzz around the neck.
He was a dignified, unhurried gentleman, highly respected and long active in worthy civic and church affairs. He’d take his seat in Bell’s chair like a potentate upon a throne. Barber Bell would take his good time, first adjusting his visor and his sleeve garters before commencing the ritual. With a great flourish, he’d ceremoniously tie it around Mr. Ross’s neck. With his thin, brittle, steel scissors, he’d snip, snip, snip, click, click, click, at the fuzz around the neck a little. He’d then fuss over the dozen hairs on his noggin for forty-five minutes or more as if he were combing out George Washington’s wig. I know what I’m talking about because I saw this first hand.
Visitors from out in the county, in town for court week or supplies and waiting for a haircut, shave or shower, would stare with puzzled looks at this unfolding fantasy and stifle chuckles. Regular customers paid it no mind and went back to reading The Pilot, The Star, or year-old issues of Life or The Saturday Evening Post, or a comic book.
Southport lovers you have to read this book! As proof, let me share how a regular Southport visitor, Hadassah Poteet, summarizes Of Home and the River:
“Lewis Hardee Jr. describes Southport in a way only a native can. His stories will have you plunging back into history you never knew you would so enjoy. You will laugh at humorous moments of the old children of Southport. You will cry when those lives leave for the unknown. And at the very end, you will fall in love with a town you knew always had a special something that nothing else has.”
You can buy your very own copy of Of Home and the River and other great Southport history books today. They are available in our online store and are available at the Old Jail, the Fort Johnston Museum and Visitor’s Center and at the Maritime Museum.