Saturday, March 14th, 2020, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

The Maceos and the Free State of Galveston
An Authorized History
by Kimber Fountain
The History Press, 2020

Soft cover, $23.99

Purchase

Galveston Bookshop will host a book signing on Saturday, March 14th, 2020, 2:00-4:00 p.m. for local author Kimber Fountain and her new book covering the Maceo Family’s unique place in Galveston history.

Throughout the long and colorful history of Galveston, no name has embodied the “Spirit of the Island” quite like the name Maceo. Two penniless Sicilian immigrants rose from modest beginnings to lead an entire city to prosperity, yet the nature of their industry and its abrupt and embarrassing end resulted in a legacy cloaked in stereotypes and rumor. For nearly forty years, Sam and Rose Maceo ruled a far-reaching underground economy of illegal booze and gambling but used their influence to infuse the “Free State of Galveston” with glamour, fame and fortune—a vision later used as a template for Las Vegas. The island city responded in kind, and its acceptance of the Maceos insulated their empire for decades. Pairing personal interviews of living descendants with her own meticulous research, Kimber Fountain lifts the veil on the Maceo family’s closely guarded heritage.

Kimber Fountain is a native of the Texas Gulf Coast and longtime resident of Galveston Island. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre and dance from the University of Texas at Austin, she lived in Chicago for several years before returning to Texas and making her home in Galveston, where she discovered a love for the city’s rich history. Her literary career began in 2012 as a writer for the Island Guide, and she has served as the editor-in-chief and feature writer for Galveston Monthly since 2015. Kimber is a professional speaker who holds history and book lectures all over Texas, and in the spring of 2019, she created the Red Light District Tours of Galveston, a historical walking tour inspired by her books.