Along the 175-mile stretch from Monticello to Gettysburg-designated by Congress as the official "birthplace of America"-intriguing details of our nation's past emerge from every town and byway. This beautiful book spotlights key places and personalities on the route, revealing insiders' stories of early America. The creative team-renowned author Andrew Cockburn, along with National Geographic photographer Kenneth Garrett and Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks-will garner nationwide attention with this masterwork of history and heritage. Cockburn's textured prose details the development of the American character through explorations of Native American burial grounds and little-known battlefields; legends of heroes, spies, and wartime romances; breathtaking secrets of the Underground Railroad; and the sagas of seven presidents who lived in the region. Interwoven is the story of the remarkable nonprofit organization, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, which is innovating sustainable economic development to support historic preservation, as covered by the Washington Post, Smithsonian and the New York Times. In light of recent mega-sellers on America's founding fathers, this book will draw audiences who snap up works by Geraldine Brooks, David McCullough, James McPherson, and Joseph Ellis.