December 3, 2007 - Historical Author To Present Book Talk At Library Dec. 11

Lucille Rieley Rights, author of ''A Portrait Of St. Lucie County,'' will present a book talk and signing at the Fort Pierce Library on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.

Cynthia Putnam Crankshaw, treasurer/secretary of the St. Lucie Historical Society, will speak at the program as well. There will also be a slide presentation.

The newest publication of the St. Lucie Historical Society, Inc., ''The Pictorial History of St. Lucie County, 1965-1910'' by Kyle Van Landingham will also be presented at the book talk. The book was first published in 1976, during the U.S. Bi-Centennial celebration. In 1988, a revised second edition was published. The new edition contains 72 enhanced photographs from the historic Hill Florida Photographic Collection. This book will also be available for purchase.

Lucille Rights, a native of Washington D.C., moved to Fort Pierce in 1951, raising a family and working as a social worker and schoolteacher. She is the author of three local history booklets for St. Lucie County schools. An icon in the historical community of the Treasure Coast, Rights has served on the St. Lucie County Historical Commission and as editor of ''Journeys for Young Historians,'' a publication of the Florida Historical Society. She is a charter member of the Port St. Lucie Historical Society.

Cynthia Putnam Crankshaw is a native of Fort Pierce. She has served on the St. Lucie County Historical Commission and served as editor of ''Journeys for Young Historians'' as well as being a charter member of the Port St. Lucie Historical Society.

The first edition of ''A Portrait of St. Lucie County'' was published in 1994. Crankshaw was asked to write the update in 2006. The book has 300 historic photographs and a fascinating, informative text with a first class historical account of the county's growth from the earliest time. The book chronicles the county’s rich heritage from fishermen and boat builders to cattlemen, citrus growers, and farmers and it reviews the impact of modern land development.

All proceeds from ''A Portrait of St. Lucie County'' and ''The Pictorial History of St. Lucie County, 1565-1910'' will benefit the St. Lucie Historical Society, Inc.

For more information, call Vicki at (772) 462-2787. The Fort Pierce Library is located at 101 Melody Lane.