The Devil's Town: Hot Springs During the Gangster Era

by Philip Leigh

In The Devil’s Town, Philip Leigh, a rising star among American historians, tells the unique and colorful story of the small resort city of Hot Springs, Arkansas---how it became a theater for New York and Chicago mobs during the gangster era. This is a richly detailed tale of a significant part of Southern history--- exploitation of a people’s poverty, crime, evasion of law, and local and state corruption. The author names names, some of them of national importance including, among others, Frank Costello, Al Capone, Myer Lansky, “Jelly” Nash, Nick the Greek, Thomas Dewey, J. Edgar Hoover, and presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, and Clinton. *** Even as an author of four Hot Springs books, The Devil’s Town entertainingly amplified insight into my hometown —Ray Hanley, author of A Place A Personal History of Hot Springs *** Comments on Southern Reconstruction “Leigh’s Southern Reconstruction is a refreshing anecdote to politically acceptable versions of the story.” * “Leigh’s latest work Southern Reconstruction is an excellent study of a critical and too often misunderstood part of American history. It is a no nonsense tour de force….” * “I applaud Philip Leigh, and think his book will be historographically significant . . .”

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2018

Reviews

[Beverly Duckworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on the history of Hot Springs.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've long had a fascination with Hot Springs in the open gambling era. I'm old enough to remember the races and my parents talking about the Vapors, Velda Rose and other nightspots. I guess it did have the atmosphere of Vegas in little old Hot Springs. This is an interesting book on the era when Owney Madden arrived and ran his thing along with all the others on the hunt for riches and the glamor of a hot springs destination.