By Joel Spears

ROGERSVILLE -  Hawkins County natives Randy Ball and Rodney Ferrell, both who have an equal passion for local history, have teamed up to present the community and surrounding area with a new look at Rogersville's historic past.
    On June 15, Ball and Ferrell released a book titled "Rogersville" part of the "Then and Now" series published by Arcadia Publishing.
    According to the publishers, "Rogersville" "contrasts modern day photos with historic images to chronicle the area's varied past."
    The authors both said they hope the book "will take readers on a journey down 'Memory Lane' to a simpler place in time and see old Rogersville in a totally different way."
    Highlights of the book include: current photos, pictures from the Davy Crockett outdoor drama which ran in Rogersville from 1966 until 1971, photos of historic structures long gone, photos of Heritage Days past, and highlights of Rogersville's past high school sports teams.
    Randy Ball is a Rogersville native who has been photographing the southern Appalachian Mountains for 30 years.  His work has been published in books, magazines and newspapers, including the Review.
    His work has also been used by the University of Tennessee, East Tennessee State University, Carson-Newman College, and Berea College.
    Ball is a graduate of Tusculum College and may also be found playing music with his daughters in The Ball Sisters Band.
    Rodney Ferrell is a Surgoinsville native and serves as Hawkins county historian.
    An avid history buff, Ferrell reports that his fourth great grandfather, George Russell, was a friend of the legendary Davy Crockett, whose grandparents are buried a Crockett Spring Park in Rogersville.
    Ferrell, who also writes a weekly history column for the Review, has previously written "Stories From Home," published in 2004.
    He is a member of East Tennessee Historical Society, the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, and the Hawkins County Records Commission.
    At a cost of $21.99 per copy, "Rogersville" is currently available at area booksellers and online retailers, through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com, or by calling (888) 313-2665.