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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper April 2018 Page 43

rts & ntertainment Bring Your Creative Side to Light

Discover How the C&O Canal is Connected

to the JFK Assassination and Other Secrets by Francis Smith

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was the
great national project that failed to live up the A Lenten Thought
dream. It never reached its ultimate destination,
which was not Cumberland, Maryland (where
it wound up), or the Ohio River (as the name
implies). The early vision of the canal planners With such a Father as we have, Our human needs He squanders,
was something far grander and longer, and it’s what kind of sons are we, His bounty overflows –
just one of the secrets of the C&O Canal. or daughters too scant is our gratitude,
In his new book, Secrets of the C&O Canal: our greed forever grows.
Little-Known Stories & Hidden History Along as the case may be?
the Potomac River, award-winning writer
James Rada, Jr. (pictured right) tells the stories Grace aplenty comes our way You’d think we’d stop and ponder
of the canal, its people, politics, and connection and mercy too as we while away our days
to history. when we go astray the wonders of our Father
If you’re wondering where the canal could and the love He thus displays.
have gone, one possibility was that it would
Courtesy Photo
have ended at Lake Erie to offer competition to
the Erie Canal. You can discover an alternate starting point in the book. Catoctin Voices Evening of Poetry
Other “secrets” of the canal include: Discovering the connection between the
C&O Canal and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; Finding out Catoctin Voices Evening of Poetry opens its 2018 series with guest poet,
how building the canal led to the creation of the U.S. Constitution; Jessica Flynn, on Friday, April 20, at 7:00 p.m. in the Collier’s Log House,
Discovering how the Johnstown Flood helped kill the canal; Solving the mystery located at 12607 Catoctin Furnace Road in Thurmont. Flynn, of Gardners,
of two murders on the canal that never actually happened. Pennsylvania, has written poetry for sixteen years and performed as a Spoken
“I’ve been writing about the C&O Canal for eighteen years,” Rada said. “It Word Artist for over four years. She represented the USA as an award-winning
was the subject of my first historical novel. I love it, and I keep coming back to it Poet of 2015 in the International Poetry Festival in Macedonia. Her YouTube
as a topic for stories.” channel, “The Hippie Housewife,” currently features fifty-nine videos on
Rada considers “secrets” in this book as stories that aren’t widely known. topics such as art, crafts, food, nature, family, animals, tattooing, dreadlocks,
When speaking to audiences about the topics of his other “Secrets” books, he hula hooping, children, and more. She produces two videos per week. Her
has found that people whom he expected to know all of the stories in his book husband, Dustin Nispel, is also an award-winning published poet and Spoken
knew half of them. Word Artist.
“And those were people who you would expect to know all about the topic,” Catoctin Voices is open to the public and features a guest poet from the
Rada said. region every third Friday of the month, from 7:00-9:00 p.m., April through
These are stories that Rada discovered looking through old newspapers and November. The venue is held in the village of Catoctin Furnace at the historic
journals, and they cover a wide range of areas. Collier’s Cabin, courtesy of the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society. Anyone
“These are stories that caught my attention in one way or another,” Rada who writes poetry or has a favorite poem by another author may share up to
said. “They aren’t the types of stories you find in history books about the county, three pieces during the 45-minute open mic time. Students are most welcome!
but they are part of the area’s past.” Open readings precede the featured poet and refreshments are always served.
Secrets of the C&O Canal contains sixty-seven black and white photographs For more information, call 301-418-3375.
and illustrations that help bring the stories to life. Jessica Flynn, featured guest poet at Catoctin Voices Evening of Poetry on
“I love writing about history,” Rada said. “I love finding interesting and April 20, 2018.
unusual stories about people and places, and I haven’t come across an area that
doesn’t have plenty of these stories.” Share Your
Secrets of the C&O Canal is the third in a series of books that Rada is writing Creative Side Calling Artists for
about regional topics. [email protected]
James Rada, Jr. is an award-winning writer, who Midwest Book Review Spring in the Village/
called “a writer of considerable and deftly expressed storytelling talent.”
Leatherneck Magazine called The Last to Fall “a superb book.” Rada has Art at the Furnace
two dozen writing awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional 2018
Journalists, Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, Maryland State Teachers
Association, and Utah Ad Federation. He has been writing about history for
nearly twenty years and still finds it fascinating and new. Calling all artists for the 2018
“History is not boring. It’s full of love, adventure, comedy, and mysteries Spring in the Village/Art at the
that still aren’t solved to this day. It’s those types of stories I like to write, and I Furnace event in historic Catoctin
believe I’ve pulled together a great collection of them for this book,” Rada said. Furnace in Thurmont.
Rada is the author of twenty books, most history and historical fiction. His During the past six years, more
articles have been published in magazines like The History Channel Magazine, than 3,500 visitors have enjoyed
Boy’s Life, and Frederick Magazine. He also writes four local history columns the crafts, food, and traditional
for The Cumberland Times-News, The Gettysburg Times, The York Dispatch, atmosphere of the historic village
and The Catoctin Banner. during this family-friendly
Secrets of the C&O Canal: Little-Known Stories & Hidden History Along the event.
Potomac River retails for $19.95 and is available at local booksellers. For more For more information, please
information about James Rada’s books, visit his website at jamesrada.com. visit www.catoctinfurnace.org or
call 301-271-7574.