Bob O Connor

scottb@herald-mail.com The jurisdictional borders between Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia are essentially being erased in tourism campaigns to let visitors delve more fully into Civil War experiences, tourism officials told legislators Friday. Marci Wolff Ross, manager of destination resources development for the Maryland Office of Tourism Development, said maps for Civil War trails that are being distributed make it easy for people to travel across state lines to follow historical themes.

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. - Bob O'Connor has long been fascinated by the story of infamous abolitionist John Brown and various curiosities associated with his tale. He shares many of those intriguing facts in his first book, a historical novel, "The Perfect Steel Trap: Harpers Ferry 1859. " For instance, future Abraham Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth - another historical figure O'Connor has had a lifetime fascination about - was at Brown's execution. Many of the curiosities or coincidences are left for the near-end of the book.

The deadline for entries for the annual Charles and Wilhelmina O'Connor Author Competition has been announced. Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 31. The competition is open to anyone who lives in Jefferson County, W.Va. or is a member of the Jefferson County Historical Society, has not ever published a book before, and is in the final stages of writing a nonfiction or fiction book, play or children's book about the history of Jefferson County. The contest offers the winner a professionally published book, an e-book and marketing materials for the promotion of their book.

1. Lights! Camera! Action! Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown is from Thursday, April 11, through Saturday, April 13, at three venues in downtown Hagerstown — The Maryland Theatre, Bridge of Life and Academy Theater.  Opening reception and red carpet ceremony Thursday, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Washington County Arts Council, 34-36 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown; "Argo" with Q&A with Tony Mendez, 6:45 to 9:30 p.m. The Maryland Theater, 21...

The cover of Charles Town author Bob O'Connor's latest book - “A House Divided Against Itself” - shows two soldiers, Union and Confederate, casually talking over coffee. Knowing the book is about brothers who fought on opposite sides of the Civil War, one could incorrectly assume that the cover depicts them meeting on some battlefield. The brothers, two of the book's four main characters, were John Wesley Culp, who fought for the Confederacy, and his older brother, William Culp, who joined the Union Army.

The phrase “brother vs. brother” during the United States Civil War was given a literal meaning in Charles Town, W.Va., author Bob O'Connor's most recent book, “A House Divided Against Itself.” The historical fiction work is based on real-life events in which two brothers fought on different sides of the Civil War and were twice involved in the same battle, O'Connor said Wednesday during a book signing at the downtown Hagerstown Visitor Welcome...

Every Thursday: Toddler Time for ages 18 to 36 months, Smithsburg Library, 11 a.m. Every Friday: Preschool story time for ages 3 to 5, Smithsburg Library, 11 a.m. Sept. 8 and 22: Smithsburg Lions Club meeting, Mountain Gate Restaurant in Waynesboro, Pa., 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11: Conrad Brooks, star of the cult classic "Plan 9 from Outer Space" will speak on his experiences in old Hollywood and what it was like to work with cult film phenomenon Ed Wood at 6 p.m. in the Community Room of the Smithsburg Library.

The 79th annual Cumberland Valley Artists Exhibition at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts will be on view from June 4 through Sept. 4, in the museum’s Groh Gallery. It is sponsored by Bob and Mary Helen Strauch, and Hugh and Marty Talton.   The exhibition showcases artists of the region. The judge for this year’s exhibition was Philip Lindsey, a professor at Wilson College, where he teaches painting, drawing and computer graphics. A total of 169 works of art were submitted for consideration and 47 works were accepted.

NARFE Today, noon. Western Sizzlin restaurant, 17567 York Road, Hagerstown. National Active and Retired Federal Employees Chapter 306. Paul Cunningham will speak about income taxes. Members and guests welcome. Call JoAnn Rider at 301-733-7576. Christian Motorcyclists Association Saturday, Oct. 15, 9 a.m. Golden Corral Restaurant, 17635 Valley Mall Road, Halfway. All makes and models of motorcycles are welcome. Weather permitting, a group ride follows breakfast.