The Legend of the Pikesville Cave (Legend of Pikesville Cave) - Softcover

When I was building my 3rd Gilbert American Flyer toy train layout in the basement of our house, I included a tunnel through a mountain. In that tunnel were drippings from the foam material used to make that tunnel. They looked like stalagmites and that was the beginning of the idea for my fictional character, Gustave Pikestein and his adventures. But before he got to the tunnel and the town he founded, Gustave had to travel from his native Bavaria and fight in the Civil War (as my great grandfather had done). I spent many days researching my family history and had the help of a distant relative who had done extensive work in this area. I learned more about my great grandfather and used his muster document as one illustration in the book. The book was written mainly as I was surrounded by the train layout and many of the illustrations were taken from this seventeen foot by nine foot pike. However, I also took my computer on a trip out west as we visited my son in SanFrancisco and in spare moments, I completed Gustave's 1861 voyage from Germany to New York City. Land-ho was actually a Pacific Coast outcropping that I photographed from a balcony on this trip.As the story developed, I was inspired by various stimuli including an episode of the radio program, Gunsmoke which depicted a buffalo hunter. The most wonderful part of writing this book, was how the story just flowed and how I was drawn into the plot and the wonder of, "What's going to happen next?"

Is it the river of life? Has Gustave Pikestein discovered the
legendary Fountain of Youth? Travel through some of the
most fascinating times in United States history with a young
man from Germany who fights in the Civil War, blasts railroad
tunnels, and saves his future bride from a band of renegade
Indians. Watch as he grows up to become a wealthy
citizen, an intrepid investor, the founder of a town, and the
discoverer of a cave that not only provides scenic wonders,
but also a Magic Elixir that keeps him looking like a 30 year
old for decades.
Tom Barker spins a tale that will keep you cheering for his
hero and the characters he meets along the way, including,
Buffalo Bill Cody, General Parker who wrote the Appomattox
surrender document, and characters you never knew
existed. Illustrated with drawings reminiscent of the past.