Who Is The Hortiwriter?
Alright, the jig is up. My name is not Hortiwriter. It’s not even my nickname among friends. It is my blog handle here. But my real name is Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez (that’s not a name I could make up if I tried!), and I’m a writer and editor by trade who has loved to get my hands dirty in the yard since I was a little kid. I wasn’t all about making mud pies growing up, but I certainly loved to dig holes — for plants, that is!
I love my job as a writer and editor, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t like spending all my time on the computer indoors. Spending time outdoors in the garden is my joy – my escape from deadlines, writer’s block, and frozen computer screens. Time spent in the garden pulling weeds, laying mulch, planting plants, or just taking in some time with Mother Nature in my little corner of the world is never time wasted.
I was doubly blessed to meet and marry my wife, who also loves to garden. Our yard is our creative canvas, and it’s one in a constant state of change as seasons come and go and as our vision changes for what we want to see growing in our yard. We live in Florida, though we’ve had addresses in other states, too, and we love to travel. And when we’re on the road near home or far, we love to stop by botanical gardens and other outdoor spaces.
But before too long I’m back on the computer again. And what do I write about?
Well, besides sharing my gardening and landscape tips, I cover everything from local history and meteorology to numismatics, theme parks, and more. Please take a moment to check out some of my writing projects below or read some of my articles for Tampa, Florida, news platform 83 Degrees Media and TheFunTimesGuide, the latter being where I share a lot of tips for coin collectors who want to find out what their coins are worth.
Thank you for stopping by!
Local History Book Captures Carrollwood’s Past with Pictures
Philip Morgan, Tampa Bay Times, December 27, 2013
https://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/local-history-book-captures-carrollwoods-past-with-pictures/2158681/
CARROLLWOOD — Some 50 years ago, home designer Betty O’Neal had to hurry up and name streets on the map of the new Carrollwood subdivision, so that the U.S. Postal Service could set up routes.
She picked whatever popped in her head, including three varieties of plywood — namesakes for Nokora Drive, Samara Drive and Korina Lane.
So writes Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez in his book about the history of the area. In Tampa’s Carrollwood, he also tells about how in 1907 workers used mules and rolling logs to move Lake Magdalene United Brethren Church in Christ 5 miles to a spot closer to town. The journey took 11 weeks. Workers stopped wherever they were on Sundays to hold church services.
Despite such nuggets in the text, it’s the old photographs that catch the eye. They depict desolate intersections that are now busy thoroughfares, pioneer families in high collars and long dresses, and buildings of the era. Hundreds of pictures fill the pages. One showing a lakeshore picnic scene from 1927 adorns the sepia-colored cover, the hook that makes browsers pick it up and take a look.
That’s the formula for the “Images of America” series from Arcadia Publishing, a 20-year-old Charleston, S.C., company that has produced more than 8,500 volumes on communities throughout the country. Others featuring the Tampa Bay area include Tampa Bay’s Gulf Beaches; Tampa’s Hyde Park; Zephyrhills; Plant City; Tampa’s Historic Cemeteries; and Vintage Tampa Signs and Scenes.
It’s the nation’s leading publisher of regional and local history books, said Leigh Scott, sales manager for the company.
“We’ve cornered the market on pictorial histories,” she said.
The books typically begin with a short historical synopsis, the themes carried forth in extended captions for the photos. Authors routinely turn up historical tidbits that might surprise present-day residents.
Temple Terrace, for example, sets the scene on Feb. 4, 1926, when world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey fought in a demonstration bout in front of a huge outdoor crowd — some in trees for a better view — along the Hillsborough River. According to writers Lana Burroughs, Tim Lancaster and Grant Rimbey of the Temple Terrace Preservation Society, Dempsey was hired by Temple Terrace developer Burks L. Hamner.
Plant City, by the East Hillsborough Historical Society, quotes a sign at Wavers Filling Station, one of the early gas stations in town: “If You SPIT On the Floor at Home, Then We Want You to SPIT On It Here, Cause We Want You to Feel At Home.”
Zephyrhills, by Madonna Jervis Wise, reveals that the city got its name from a Pennsylvania Civil War veteran, Capt. Howard B. Jeffries, who bought land in 1909 as a settlement for Union veterans. Jeffries is said to have stopped at one of the more scenic spots, LeHeup Hill, where he gazed down on rolling hills and felt “zephyr-like” breezes.
McMorrow-Hernandez launched the project on Carrollwood in the Arcadia books section at the Tampa Bay History Center gift shop. He didn’t see one on the Carrollwood community, so he put together a proposal and sent it to the publisher.
“They loved the idea,” he said.
Arcadia editors also initiate their projects, reaching out to communities that have a bit of history. “We seek out local historians, sometimes newspaper journalists, sometimes people with passion for history of their town,” said Scott.
The publisher contacted the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce to look for someone to write the city’s story and was referred to the Temple Terrace Preservation Society. Burroughs, Lancaster and Rimbey, now a City Council member, took on the task as a preservation society project.
All royalties go to the preservation society, but that doesn’t amount to much. The publisher pays the writers 8 percent of the cover price, or about $1.75 per sale at the listed cover price of $21.99.
”You kind of have to do it because you want to do it,” said Lancaster.
That’s what motivated McMorrow-Hernandez, the 32-year-old writer for an online marketing firm. He grew up mostly in northwest Hillsborough County and wanted to tell the story of the neighborhood’s progress, in part, he said, to instill in residents a sense of appreciation.
He breaks the book into eight chapters, the topics covering pioneer families (Bearss and Stall), Lake Magdalene Church; Lake Carroll and the original 1959 Carrollwood development; citrus groves; roads; the extended area; churches, schools and community spirit; and longtime businesses.
His breakthrough, McMorrow-Hernandez said, was meeting local historian Lois Abbott Yost, who introduced him to members of the pioneer Bearss family. He got photos from families, Lake Magdalene church, businesses in the area and library archives.
It took him about nine months to gather the photos, conduct the interviews and write the book, spending about 20 hours a week at night and on weekends. He spent many Friday nights, he said, searching the archives of the University of South Florida library.
A Look at Tampa Bay Hot Spots
Tampa Bay Magazine, May/June 2015
http://www.tampabaymagazine.com/
Local author Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez has used postcards and photographs from personal collections and then Florida State Archives, the University of South Florida, the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library, and other sources to cobble together views of amusement parks, beaches, and other Tampa Bay area points of interest. These images from the ‘50s through the ‘90s have enticed millions of people to live in and visit this beautiful region. The more than 160 color and black-and-white images will bring back memories to those who were here over the years, as it has grown into an international tourist destination.
Editor’s Note: Images of Modern America: Tampa Bay Landmarks and Destinations from Arcadia Publishing is available at local and online bookstores or through Arcadia at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling (888) 313-2665.
New Book Chronicles Busch Gardens Tampa History
Josh Young, Theme Park University, February 28, 2017
https://themeparkuniversity.com/theme-parks-101/new-book-chronicles-busch-gardens-tampa-history
Long before there was Walt Disney World, there was Busch Gardens Tampa. This park has a fascinating history that spans nearly 60 years and finally, there is a new book to tell the tale.
Images of Modern America: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay gives an excellent photographic journey on how the park has blossomed over the years. As many of you know, the genesis of the entire park revolved around beer.
The Anheuser-Busch brewery tour was indeed the main draw for visitors back in the early days. The escalator seen above was the guest entry into the bottling plant. Known as the Stairway to the Stars, this was known as the largest escalator in the world, at 80-feet-long.
What I love about Images of Modern America: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is going through the book and realizing just how much of the park today has been there for decades. Like the Hospitality House (former home of free beer for many fans), it’s still there and mostly left untouched! It’s one of my favorite spots in the park to just get away from the noise and the crowds, which was always the original intent.
Now this section of the book brought tears to my eyes. How many of you miss the Busch Gardens Monorail? I absolutely loved this attraction, as it took you through the savannah of the park past the animals and over lakes and ponds. It was scenic, relaxing and, possibly most important, air conditioned. Now the station is still used for the Skyway and Cheetah Hunt. Again, so much history is still preserved in this park if you know where to look!
One thing stands out about this photo of Stanley Falls to me. Can you imagine a theme park in the United States today that would let guests that close to the water? While it’s a totally separate conversation, you’ve got to wonder what we have done to safety-proof everything in the modern attractions business. While it is probably for the best, photo opportunities like the one above are a rare site in today’s age.
If I could hop into a time machine and visit one thing from Busch Gardens’ past, it’s The African Queen Boat Ride. A truly themed outdoor boat adventure, it’s nearly impossible to find photos or video of the attraction, which opened in 1977. Many of the elements of this attraction were reused in the splashdown Tidal Wave boat ride, but I personally would have much rather saved this gem.
Another great section of Images of Modern America: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay focuses on the amount of live entertainment the park has seen over the years. The Moroccan Palace Theater has hosted dozens of live shows, from Broadway-style shows to ice skating. The book features a ton of great images from shows I had never even heard of!
Personally, I miss Questor, which opened in 1991. A cheesy simulator attraction that took guests on a quest to find the Crystal of Zed. That simulator was refitted in 1998 to become… Akbar’s Adventure Tours, which opened in 1998! This one-of-a-kind simulator starred Martin Short and Eugene Levy. I personally loved this attraction. Anyone else remember the outtakes reel shown at the end of the ride? I would love to have a copy if anyone happens to have it! Also worth mentioning, Scott Swenson is seen in the picture above, who created Vault of Souls, my personal favorite haunt attraction in downtown Tampa!
Friends, I cannot recommend Images of Modern America: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay enough. So few parks have the illustrious history of that Busch Gardens does and its an absolute must-have for any theme park buff. Click the link below to pre-order your copy from Amazon!
Bookmarks: First U.S. Mint – The United States Mint in Philadelphia, Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez
Cynthia Wood-Davies, The Numismatist January 2019
As the ink was drying on the Declaration of Independence, the nation called for the establishment of its own legal tender and monetary system. In his latest offering – one from the publisher’s “Images of America” series – award-wining author and American Numismatic Association member Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez presents a comprehensive account of the first United States Mint in Philadelphia.
Chapter 1 gives a brief overview of the coin-making process, from conception to circulation. Each subsequent chapter features a separate mint location. Since its inception in 1793, the mint has been housed in four structures in the City of Brotherly Love. The last was established in 1969 and is still in operation. Although the mint maintains several branches throughout the United States, the Philadelphia facility remains the largest coin factory in the country and the world. Nearly 200 black-and-white photographs grace this stunning paperback book. (6-1/2 x 9-1/4 inches, 128 pages, $21.99, ArcadiaPublishing.com)
Whitman Publishes New Reference by Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez: A Guide Book of American Silver Eagles
Whitman Publishing, CoinWeek September 21, 2022
Whitman Publishing announces the upcoming release of A Guide Book of American Silver Eagles, a new reference and history by Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez. The 384-page book is volume 27 in Whitman’s “Bowers Series” of numismatic references. It will debut in November 2022, available from booksellers and hobby shops nationwide for $29.95 USD. In the meantime, it is available for preorder (including at Whitman.com).
The United States Mint has sold more than 600 million American Silver Eagles since 1986. As a collectible coin widely admired by hobbyists, the American Silver Eagle has been called “the modern Morgan silver dollar.” It is also the world’s most popular silver bullion coin for investors. Its weight, content, and purity are guaranteed by the government of the United States. Each American Silver Eagle contains one full ounce of .999 fine silver.
In A Guide Book of American Silver Eagles, award-winning writer Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez offers readers the content they’ve come to expect from the Bowers Series: Behind-the-scenes history; experienced guidance for both collectors and investors; market analysis; and valuable advice on grading, storage, cherrypicking for quality, and other tips for the smart acquisition of these popular coins.
The new book includes chapters on the historical context of American silver dollars, other bullion programs of the United States, and the artistic roots of the American Silver Eagle. The largest chapter is a coin-by-coin analysis and market guide with mintages and retail values in multiple grades, including for professionally certified coins. Additional study is given to the series’ key dates, varieties, and error coins.
McMorrow-Hernandez interviewed specialists and experts and included insight from the coin’s designers, guidance from dealers and collectors, advice for investing, tax and insurance information, storage options, the latest data from the United States Mint, and more.
“The American Silver Eagle is not ‘just’ a bullion coin,” McMorrow-Hernandez says. “It’s a legitimate collectible on every front, including rarity, value, and numismatic challenge.”
McMorrow-Hernandez is a widely published author and journalist, and editor-in-chief of FUNTopics, the magazine of Florida United Numismatists (FUN). He has written hundreds of numismatic articles for publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, CoinWeek, the PCGS Rare Coin Market Report, Greysheet, The Centinel, Philadelphia Magazine, the Providence Journal, the Tampa Bay Times, and TheFunTimesGuide.com. He is the author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia.
In the book’s foreword, Q. David Bowers wrote:
“Whatever your experience level, you have a talented guide in Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez, who shares insight to help you understand and appreciate American Silver Eagles. Read and learn from Josh’s book, and you can build a beautiful and valuable collection of your own.”
The Guide Book of American Silver Eagles is the 27th volume in Whitman’s “Bowers Series”. Other authors in the series include Bowers himself, David W. Lange, Richard Snow, Katherine Jaeger, Roger W. Burdette, Frank J. Colletti, and Rick Tomaska.
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A Guide Book of American Silver Eagles, first edition
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez; foreword by Q. David Bowers
ISBN 0794849792
Softcover, 6 x 9 inches
384 pages, full color
Retail $29.95 U.S.