In recent years, much area history has been published in Washington. Now there is another, rather different, publication — a single volume by four individual authors, all known as regional history specialists:Marc Houseman, Washington; Cathie Schoppenhorst, Marthasville; Jim Muench, Columbia; and Anita Mallinckrodt, Augusta.Their new, colorful addition to bookshelves is “The Historic 1830s German Immigration to Missouri.”It’s not a strange title, for in the past year the quartet of authors spoke frequently on the topic, locally and before St. Louis groups, presenting an “alternative” or “counterpoint” view to a foreign exhibit touring the United States — that exhibit proposed that the 1830s German-speaking immigrants to this area were “utopians,” and that there was a “Utopia” place that could be visited.Instead, the local historians said, and have now written, that the 1830s immigrants were not dreamers; they came with specific goals and plans, seeking the goals of the European Enlightenment teaching and of American democracy.The area’s new book authors, drawing on their own family histories and decades of experience as curators of local history museums and organizations, undertook an unusual task: They would evidence how specifically the early immigrants went about settling the land and transferring it to their European culture.Immigrant settlements along the Missouri River — primarily in Franklin, St. Charles and Warren counties — came to be called “Duden Settlements,” after the 1824 explorer Gottfried Duden.Calling itself “Footnooted Legacies, Ltd.,” the local publication group acknowledges that while there is much more yet to be written, these footnoted chapters tell the exciting story from explorer Gottfried Duden in 1824 to the 1830s settlements that still highlight Missouri history.The book is available for $10 plus $3 media mailing postage. To order a copy, send an email to footnotedlegacies@yahoo.com or contact one of these history societies:Marthasville, 636-359-6175; St. Charles, 636-946-9828; or Washington, 636-239-0280.A book signing will be held Saturday, Jan. 9, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Augusta Historic Wine Hall, 5573 Walnut St. in Augusta. All of the authors and the artist will be present.The event is being sponsored by the Augusta Chamber of Commerce. Refreshments will be served.Book Signing