Sales from one DeKalb writer’s recent work could benefit a local history museum.
Clint Cargile held a book signing and lecture at the DeKalb County Community Foundation in Sycamore for his book In Search of a Fair Wind. It’s about Georgia Townsend Yates, who was from Sycamore but traveled across the country and sailed to Japan with her husband in the early 1890s.
Michelle Donahoe, executive director for the Sycamore History Museum, says the museum's current presentation of stories of local historical figures -- including Yates -- and Cargile writing the book around the same time was serendipitous.
“It’s just really cool to have the book here, and to have some things that are mentioned in the story,” Donahoe said. “We have the steamer trunk that was used on this adventure on display, as well as their wedding silverware that was given as a present. It’s just … everything just kind of fell into place.”
Cargile says the subject of his previous book -- a relative of Yates -- gave him her letters. Cargile decided to read them aloud to his wife during a family road trip to see if it was worth finding out more about Yates’s life and travels.
“Within the first couple of letters, I think we both knew this was a project worth pursuing,” Cargile said.
All of the book sales from local sellers and Amazon – not just profits – will go to the Sycamore History Museum. Donahoe says she’s glad the funds will go towards getting people excited about local history.