Gayle Soucek's Books

Haunted Door County

By: Gayle Soucek

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Because Door County received its name from "Death's Door," the perilous strait with more freshwater shipwrecks than anywhere else in the world, it should be no surprise that the idyllic county has plenty of ghostly history. In the company of storyteller Gayle Soucek, meet lighthouse keepers whose sense of duty extends beyond the grave. Catch a glimpse of the phantom ship Le Griffon, never seen for more than a moment since it sailed through a crack in the ice in 1679. And it is not just the waters of Door County that carry the freight of haunted tales--Country Road T has its share of spooks, bizarre beasts have caused disturbances in the woods and there are whispered rumors that infamous gangster Al Capone added to the county's stock of ghosts through a handful of brutal murders, including an ex-girlfriend and two unacknowledged children.

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Page Count

130

Publisher

History Press Library Editions

Published Date

ISBN 10

1540206645

ISBN 13

9781540206640

Lake Michigan Triangle, The: Mysterious Disappearances and Haunting Tales

By: Gayle Soucek

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Lake Michigan Triangle, The: Mysterious Disappearances and Haunting Tales

By: Gayle Soucek

What disturbing secrets surround the cold, deep waters of Lake Michigan? Sudden violent storms and rocky shoals have claimed the lives of countless mortals foolish enough to brave the treacherous surf of Lake Michigan. But is there another, unnatural force at work? A force that spirited away a ship's captain from a locked cabin without a trace? A force that caused a perfectly airworthy jet to fly into the waves, taking all its passengers to a watery death? Perhaps these tragedies are linked to numerous UFO sightings over the lake. Or perhaps a clue might be found in the prehistoric Stonehenge-like structures discovered deep beneath the crystalline blue surface. Historian and storyteller Gayle Soucek will explore the mysteries behind the area known as the Lake Michigan Triangle.

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Page Count

112

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1467148393

ISBN 13

9781467148399

Carson's

The History of a Chicago Shopping Landmark

By: Gayle Soucek

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Carson's

The History of a Chicago Shopping Landmark

By: Gayle Soucek

Carson Pirie Scott and Company always enjoyed a sterling reputation in Chicago, even among the merchant princes of State Street. For more than one hundred years, in architect Louis Sullivan's stunning commercial masterpiece, Carson's stood shoulder to shoulder with retail icon Marshall Field's, establishing itself as an anchor of contemporary style. It was a place that brought the world to the Midwest, from Parisian fashion to the authentic ambiance of the Mediterrenea dance numbers and the Santa's Village displays. Relive the friendly shopping experience that has kept the Carson's name alive for over a century and a half.

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Page Count

157

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1625849419

ISBN 13

9781625849410

Marshall Field's

The Store that Helped Build Chicago

By: Gayle Soucek

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Marshall Field's

The Store that Helped Build Chicago

By: Gayle Soucek

A history of the iconic department store and a city’s life over a century and a half. Anyone who has waited in a Christmas line for the Walnut Room’s Great Tree can attest that Chicago’s loyalty to Marshall Field’s is fierce. Dayton-Hudson even had to take out advertising around town to apologize for changing the Field's hallowed green bags. And with good reason—the store and those who ran it shaped the city's streets, subsidized its culture, and heralded its progress. The resulting commercial empire dictated wholesale trade terms in Calcutta and sponsored towns in North Carolina, but its essence was always Chicago. So when the Marshall Field name was retired in 2006 after the stores were purchased by Macy’s, protest slogans like “Field’s is Chicago” and “Field’s: as Chicago as it gets” weren't just emotional hype. Many still hope that name will be resurrected like the city it helped support during the Great Fire and the Great Depression. Until then, fans of Marshall Field’s can celebrate its history with this warm look back at the beloved institution.

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Page Count

216

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1614230005

ISBN 13

9781614230007

Chicago Calamities

Disaster in the Windy City

By: Gayle Soucek

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Chicago Calamities

Disaster in the Windy City

By: Gayle Soucek

Fire and flood, train wreck and tornado—a look at the many disasters Chicago has endured over the years, with photos and illustrations. The story of Chicago is often likened to that of a phoenix rising out of the ashes of the Great Fire. Yet that infamous event was only part of the destruction that has shaped Chicago’s identity. This unique history explores the calamities that have befallen the Windy City, such as the 1954 killer water surge that swept in on a calm summer day; the 1967 tornado that ripped through rush hour traffic; the 1886 Haymarket Square riot that put Chicago on the anarchist map; and many other acts of nature and human folly. As you witness a fireproof theater burn, a flood rise up without rain, and one of the greatest maritime disasters occur within city limits, you’ll gain a new appreciation for how this city has endured through unexpected tragedies and produced many unlikely heroes.

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Page Count

109

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1614232741

ISBN 13

9781614232742

Door County Tales

Shipwrecks, Cherries and Goats on the Roof

By: Gayle Soucek

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Door County Tales

Shipwrecks, Cherries and Goats on the Roof

By: Gayle Soucek

Befitting its role as Wisconsin's thumb, Door County has its own unique pulse. It is the "Door of the Dead," which some historians blame for more shipwrecks than any other body of freshwater in the world. It is also the idyllic paradise "north of the tension line," that sends many unsuspecting tourists spiraling into an addiction that lands them in a summer home. The variety of nature's splendors and terrors is matched by the cast of characters that has risen up among them. In Door County Tales, these characters are given free rein, which seems only proper in a place where one might walk out of a restaurant and see goats grazing on the roof.

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Page Count

153

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1614233837

ISBN 13

9781614233831

Mr. Selfridge in Chicago

Marshall Fields in the Windy City & the Making of a Merchant Price

By: Gayle Soucek

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Mr. Selfridge in Chicago

Marshall Fields in the Windy City & the Making of a Merchant Price

By: Gayle Soucek

This biography recounts the rise of the American retail magnate who would go on to open London’s famous Selfridge’s department stores. In early 1909, a new retail emporium readied for business on the “wrong end of Oxford Street” in London. The man behind it was an odd little American with a waxed mustache and frenetic nature. Harry Gordon Selfridge had spent the previous twenty-five years in Chicago honing his skills at the venerable Marshall Field and Company before unleashing his concept of retail theater in the United Kingdom. In Mr. Selfridge in Chicago, biographer Gayle Soucek follows the young man’s astounding rise through the ranks of the Windy City's merchant princes. From working as Mr. Field’s stock boy to his failed attempt to best his former boss as master of Chicago retail, Soucek follows Selfridge on his tumultuous journey—one that ultimately proves triumphant as he brings the American department store to the United Kingdom.

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Page Count

128

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1625852657

ISBN 13

9781625852656

Haunted Door County

By: Gayle Soucek

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Haunted Door County

By: Gayle Soucek

Discover the history of this Wisconsin county known for shipwrecks—and spirits . . . photos included! Because Door County received its name from “Death’s Door,” the perilous strait with more freshwater shipwrecks than anywhere else in the world, it should be no surprise that the idyllic county has plenty of ghostly history. In the company of storyteller Gayle Soucek, meet lighthouse keepers whose sense of duty extends beyond the grave. Catch a glimpse of the phantom ship Le Griffon, never seen for more than a moment since it sailed through a crack in the ice in 1679. And it is not just the waters of Door County that carry the freight of haunted tales—Country Road T has its share of spooks, bizarre beasts have caused disturbances in the woods, and there are whispered rumors that infamous gangster Al Capone added to the county's stock of ghosts through a handful of brutal murders, including an ex-girlfriend and two unacknowledged children . . .

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