From presidents and patriots, to locals engaged in service both heartwarming and heartbreaking, Quincy has been a place where names endure. On Adams Street, a stately mansion evokes the nations second president and his storied kin, while the nearby Bernazzani Elementary School recalls a beloved educator who died after suffering a medical episode during a school committee meeting. In addition to two presidents and John Hancock, Quincy also birthed Dunkin Donuts and Howard Johnsons, Hollywood stars Ruth Gordon and Bill Dana, punk rock legends the Dropkick Murphys, and a host of prominent industrialists who made quarrying and shipbuilding Quincys national calling cards. Less renowned but equally ingrained are the citys local characters. Memories of Mike The Winger Zadrozny launching vinyl records like Frisbees around the city still elicit nostalgia. Generations who played Little League in the Koch Club recall Richard Kochs commitment to community. The homeless honor Fr. William McCarthy, who founded the shelter Father Bills Place and personified charity. These legendary namesindividuals both towering and humblemade Quincy a uniquely American city and kept it that way.

The area that would soon be known as Concord had barely been settled in May 1771 when nine of its young men courageously orchestrated what many regard as the first colonial attack against the British crown. Their "gunpowder plot" blazed a trail for future legendary locals, from the industrial and philanthropic dynasties of the Cannons and Coltranes to African American vanguards Warren C. Coleman and Mable Parker McLean. With unparalleled passion and, often, Southern sass, Concordians stand up for their beliefs, from Confederate officer Rufus Barringer to crusading newspaperman James P. Cook to bulldozer-defying preservationist Mary Snead Boger. Hometown hero Quincy Collins credits his upbringing for anchoring his sanity while a prisoner of war, and the city's splendor has attracted celebrities like enigmatic screen siren Elizabeth Threatt and The Sound of Music star Daniel Truhitte to settle here. Whether we know them as "Bear," "Mr. Democrat," "Mayor Mac," or "Humpy," they are the favorite sons and daughters of Concord and their stories--from the inspirational to the comical--are collected in this keepsake volume.

A working-class city of 75,000 people on the banks of the Sangamon River and its largest lake, Decatur has a reputation for outstanding individuals with a strong community spirit and an unashamed sense of patriotism. To borrow a phrase from Adm. Chester Nimitz, in Decatur, uncommon dedication is a common virtue. Harold Miller fought at Iwo Jima with a Marine tank battalion, before serving 32 years on the Decatur Police Department. Wayne and Leslie Kent, ministers at First Christian Church, risked their freedom to bring music and encouragement to oppressed believers in the Soviet Union and Poland. George Halas, a Navy veteran, was player-coach for the Decatur Staleys football team (later the Chicago Bears), a charter franchise in the professional association that would become the NFL. Bob Fallstrom, a World War II soldier before working as a newspaper reporter and editor in Decatur for more than 65 years, has promoted numerous community causes. Legendary Locals of Decatur pays tribute to those who have made this community truly unique.

At first glance, Weymouth would seem to be a typical South Shore town of average size and seemingly average people. However, after interviewing longtime locals, hearing their stories, and understanding their past, one would discover that Weymouth and its people are anything but average. This community has been home to Abigail Adams, wife of one president and mother of another; Maria Weston Chapman, famous abolistionist; and Harry Arlanson, the "father of Weymouth football." Other notables include actor Hal Holbrook, hockey player Tim Sweeney, and Olympian Kathy Corrigan. The second oldest town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Weymouth has had quite some time to muster up some extraordinary residents: young, old, famous, infamous, heroic, and scandalous, each with their own unique stories that have contributed to the character of the community. Legendary Locals of Weymouth brings these legendary tales together to chronicle the great history of this unique town.

From the South End's early years as an upper- and middle-class residential district to its time as an immigrant and rooming house neighborhood and then to its recent urban renewal, residents have shaped its legacy and its place within the city of Boston. Locals have worked in common to make the South End a safe and vibrant community for over two centuries. Notables such as architect Gridley J.F. Bryant, preservation advocate Arthur Howe, and pedestrian advocate Ann Hershfang contributed immensely to the built environment. Residents like settlement house leader Robert Woods, immigrant and author Mary Antin, politician and activist Mel King, urban gardener Betsy Johnson, and lawyer Harry Dow, to name a few, shaped minds and lives alike. Add to their ranks artists like Allan Rohan Crite and Kahlil Gibran, jazz club owner Joseph Walcott, longtime restaurateurs such as the Foley and Manjourides families, and bar owner and gay rights advocate Leo Motsis and a true picture of the South End's history and diversity begins to emerge.

Before the Europeans came, Amerindians celebrated on Hilton Head Island with seasonal oyster feasts. Later, planters made fortunes here with Sea Island cotton. But the island came alive to the guns of the Union in 1861 and, for seven years, was host to the troops who helped former slaves even before the Emancipation Proclamation made freedom official. The forces left, and the island slept. In the pages of this book are some of the people who kept the Gullah sea island culture alive, a self-sustaining culture of mutual help and integrity, living off the sea and the land. This volume also includes some of the people who set a standard for development and made the island what it is today, unique visionaries who had a fierce devotion to preservation of the island's natural beauty, its flora, and its fauna.

"Founded as a lumbering town in the mid-1800s, Cheboygan has transformed over the years to be something much less simplistic and much more dynamic; so, too, have its people. While some of Cheboygans residents played important roles in business or commerce, others made their mark through philanthropic work, service to the community, or just by their demeanor. History is as much about people as it is about events people like Gordon Scoop Turner, who came to Cheboygan for a few months but ended up staying for a lifetime. There are businessmen like Millard D. Olds, who became one of the most successful lumbermen at a time when others were leaving town, and George M. Humphrey, the 55th treasurer of the United States. An eye towards the community has also made some residents legendary, such as Joyce and Quincy Leslie. And, of course, there are those whose history is shrouded in controversy, including Sheriff Fred Ming, under whose authority a Native American village was burned to the ground. Whatever their story, these locals have contributed to the character and history of Cheboygan."-- From back cover.

Since long before its founding in 1729, Westford has been a unique place to live and an immense source of pride for the people who call the town home. With an unparalleled sense of community, the citizens of Westford have maintained a strong connection with the history that shaped not only this small town, but the entire New England region. The collections at the Westford Museum are filled with names that echo the profound dedication of Westford residents from its founding to the present day: Charles G. Sargent, John W.P., and John W. Abbot, founders of the Abbot Worsted Company; Herbert Ellery Fletcher, founder of the Fletcher Granite Company; Lt. Col. John Robinson, Revolutionary War hero; LPGA championship golfer Pat Bradley; career volunteer and mover and shaker Ellen Harde; nationally renowned water color artist Andrew Kusmin; and countless others. Legendary Locals of Westford pays tribute and is dedicated to the many who have shaped this unique community.

Amelia Island has been host to remarkable people throughout its 500-year history. These people are responsible for giving Amelia the distinction as the only place in the United States to have seen eight different flags. A new railroad followed the Civil War and brought those who sought to take advantage of the burgeoning shipping center. As opportunities waned, the island became a sleepy, blue collar community supported by the local paper mills. Prior to civil rights legislation desegregating the South, Fernandina's American Beach flourished as an African American coastal community. Meanwhile, local visionaries oversaw tight-knit communities and set the stage for the large resorts that came to the island's south end in the 1970s. Today, Amelia Island is a national tourist destination and home to a diverse of community of longtime residents and newcomers, both with remarkable talents and interesting stories to tell.

Since Haverhill was first settled in 1640, its citizens have shown courage and determination to make it a better place to live. Many unique individuals have called Haverhill home, including Hannah Dustin, who was captured by and then avenged a group of Abenaki Indians; business pioneer Thomas Sanders, financial backer of Alexander Graham Bell; department store entrepreneur Rowland Macy; James Nichols, whose home Winnekenni Castle became one of Haverhill's most famous landmarks; baseball star Carlos Pena; Gerald Ashworth, Olympic gold medalist; literary greats John Greenleaf Whittier and Andre Dubus; Archie Comics artist Bob Montana; screenwriter Harold Livingston; and rising star Christopher Golden. Movie mogul Louis B. Mayer and television personalities Tom Bergeron and Frank Fontaine, along with gardening legend James Crocket, all began their careers here. And Haverhill's veterans who have gone into harm's way to defend our country are not to be forgotten. This book is a tribute to them and all of Haverhill's citizens boldly moving forward.