by Montress Greene (Author)
CROSSROADS is a book of true stories and events of the 1930's and 1940's. It contains both historical and legendary stories about country stores, poverty, farm life, front porches, sharecropping, childhood labor, health care, hardships, race relations and more. Stories are factual and written from the author's memories of growing up in rural eastern North Carolina. The author writes about the peddlers who traveled throughout rural areas selling their goods such as sewing machines, Bibles, ribbons, candy, blankets and even fish.
Tobacco was the "king of crops" and the crossroads was right in the heart of tobacco land.
The Southern folklore in CROSSROADS is informative and entertaining.
Greene was fortunate to have longevity in her family. She had six living grandmothers and
great grandmothers and two grandfathers living during her childhood. All lived
near the Crossroads and her interaction with them provided a wealth of
information about the past. Many of her family elders were storytellers and
loved sharing both the history of the area and the legends dating back to the
Civil War.
As you read these stories, you will feel the respect and love Greene has for the place she
grew up. You will feel the love she has for the people and for the time spent
at the country store and on the front porches of her grandparents. The
stories will trigger memories for the older folks and introduce younger
generations to a time long past but not forgotten.