From its beginning as a Tidewater town in the 1600s, Hampton, Virginia, has weathered many storms, including the disastrous effects of the Civil War and the difficulties of Reconstruction. The city's picturesque harbors have witnessed the rise of a thriving seafood industry, the growth of educational opportunity and the plight of Hampton's African American community. Author Alice Erickson uses her own family, the Hickman family, as a vehicle to unite compelling vignettes of Hampton's most storied era. Discover the intricacies of the Virginia secession, the turmoil of Federal occupation and the revitalization of Hampton out of the ashes of conflict. Follow along Erickson's tragic and adventurous story, whose ending has yet to be written.