Sweet Auburn! The loveliest village of the plain. This line from an Oliver Goldsmith poem is believed to have inspired the naming of Auburn, Indiana. Known as "The Home of the Classics" in honor of the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg automobiles built by citizens of the city from the early 1900s through 1937, this classic theme runs deep within the people who shaped the very fabric of the community. These locals--like Martha "the Popcorn Lady" Falka, Glenn T. Rieke, Charles Eckhart, William McIntosh, Dr. Bonnell Souder, Irene Bisel, Rollie Muhn, John Martin Smith, and others--dedicated themselves to "Auburn Forever with Honest Endeavor." They advanced a legacy first envisioned for the "loveliest village of the plain" and nurtured its vibrant heritage. Legendary Locals of Auburn explores the stories of these men and women and offers an insightful look into Auburn's remarkable contributions to American culture.

An Auburn University alumna explores the long-buried, mysterious and fascinating stories, lore and traditions behind the history of the treasured Alabama town and university. Auburn is not just the home to a world-class university; it is also the home of a storied community with deep roots in Alabama history. Join author and Auburn University alumna Kelly Kazek as she tracks the lesser-known history of both the city and the school. In this diverse collection of lost, forgotten or just plain strange history, Kazek uses her decades of experience as a journalist to dig deep and cast a wide net, revealing stories sure to surprise even the most seasoned Auburn experts. From the mysterious origins of some of AU's most hallowed traditions to tales that stretch back to the very founding of the city, Hidden History of Auburn is an unprecedented collection that unearths the long-buried stories of this Alabama treasure.

In as much as it has endowed the region with a rich heritage, plentiful stories, and a host of colorful characters, history has been kind to Androscoggin County. But history can also be dark and uncanny, as when Francis E. Stanley, a Lewiston resident and inventor of an early steam-powered vehicle, died in an automobile accident. It can be eerie, like when his twin brother opened an enormous hotel--now purportedly home to his ghost--that became the inspiration for Stephen King's novel The Shining. These twists of fate begin to unravel the tale of Androscoggin County's legendary locals. Some, like Benjamin Bates and Edward Little, are remembered for the institutions they helped create. Others raised the hopes and spirits of their neighbors, like Joey Gamache, who won two boxing world titles in the early 1990s. Still others are remembered for the subtler ways they affected change, like Rita Dube, who saved Lewiston's St. Mary's Church from demolition and helped create the Franco-American Heritage Center. Some notable residents ascended to the highest offices of government, others to national fame, but many are remembered for the significant ways they shaped their communities, and Androscoggin County, from within.

Holyoke is home to some of the most amazing and courageous individuals. In 1658, European pioneer John Riley, along with other early planters, was instrumental in establishing a community in the West Springfield area called Ireland Parish, which eventually became known as Holyoke. This tenacious man led the way for many other trailblazers, including George Ewing, who envisioned utilizing hydropower to operate factories and inspired town engineers to design one of the first planned cities in the United States. In 1898, the progressive Elizabeth Towne encouraged Holyoke residents and an international audience with her New Thought movement that advocated a healthy lifestyle. Another outstanding citizen, Timothy Alben, judiciously leads the Massachusetts State Police, while Holyoke's Henry Jennings honorably served his country in the armed forces, as a commander of the Holyoke War Memorial Building, and on the Holyoke City Council. Barbara Bernard has astutely kept residents informed about current events for the last 70 years. Legendary Locals of Holyoke chronicles the community's finest men and women who survived and prospered through harsh circumstances and against all odds.

Newton has more than enough legendary locals to fill volumes of books. Endless are the stories about men, women, and young people who dedicated, or still dedicate, countless hours of their lives in order to make Newton and the world a better place. Newton has been a launching ground for award-winning authors, Nobel Prize winners, Olympic medalists, and Hollywood stars. Some of Boston's best athletes have chosen to make "the Garden City" their home. In the pages of this book, readers will learn about Newton's first mayor, James Hyde, who never lost an election in more than 50 times on the ballot; Rev. Edmond Kelley, the first pastor at Myrtle Baptist Church and a former slave; Leonard Zakim, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League who dedicated his life to fighting prejudice and civil rights violations; Louise Bruyn, who walked from Newton to Washington, DC, to protest the Vietnam War; Shirley Lewis, known as the "regal queen of the blues"; and Ted Williams, regarded as baseball's greatest hitter, who lived in Newton Upper Falls.

When Hardy Ivy built his small cabin on a ridge in the North Georgia wilderness in 1833, no one could have imagined his property would grow to become the internationally recognized city Atlanta is today. Ivy is just one of those whose impact on Atlanta has earned him the right to be called a legendary local. This book includes those with international acclaim like Cable News Network founder and environmentalist Ted Turner, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and former president Jimmy Carter. No less important, but lesser known, are former slave Carrie Steel Logan, who started the first orphanage for black children in Georgia, and May Belle Mitchell, the mother of Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell. May Belle was a legend in her own right for leading the Atlanta womens Equal Suffrage League in the early 1900s. These stories span centuries, highlighting only some of the true legendary locals of Intown Atlanta.

In search of opportunity and freedom from oppression, European emigrants boarded ships, leaving behind their ancestral homes. They carved new lives from the unknown wilderness in the American South. The Speegle family settled in what would become southwest Cullman County, and the Brindley family claimed lands to the north. From the historic Streights Raid exploit of the Civil War to the agricultural and social development of this region of northern Alabama, these early pioneers marched into history. In 1865, Col. Johann G. Cullmann, who was disillusioned with the anarchism in his native Germany, also sought new opportunity in America, eventually settling in Alabama. After being enticed by Colonel Cullmanns descriptive words of the areas virgin timber and fertile soils, five German families joined him. Encouraged by what they found, optimism flourished, word spread, and Cullman Countys destiny was set. Its growth has been constant, and, today, its expansion is propelling the area to new heights of economic prominence.

Drawn by extravagant promises of "a beautiful village of 500 inhabitants, studded with orange trees and grapevines," the Hammond family arrived in Encinitas in 1883 only to find that advertisements had rather overstated the case. Undeterred, these 11 English settlers remained and, in doing so, doubled the town's population overnight. Subsequent pioneers brought wide-ranging talents to this fledgling California coastal town--none more so than the Ecke dynasty, whose flower fields established Encinitas as the poinsettia capital of the world. Today, the city encompasses five distinct communities, and while it boasts many famous celebrities, it is the ordinary folk whose passion and daring have made Encinitas the place their forebears long ago envisaged.

From its days as the site of a Revolutionary War battle to its modern-day appeal as a restaurant mecca, Arlington, at its heart, is a community of active citizens. Once agricultural, Arlington is now a cosmopolitan suburb and home to businesspeople, scientists, artists, and others who have been supported by their town and, in turn, have created an energetic community. Peg Spengler's foresight helped shape town government while James McGough's dream of a museum honoring local sculptor Cyrus Dallin came true. Dentist George Franklin Grant was the first African American on Harvard's faculty and invented the golf tee; years later, Bob Frankston invented the spreadsheet. John Mirak, orphaned in the Armenian genocide, became a town benefactor while Howard Clery turned a family tragedy into a cause to help others. The Hurd and Greeley families have long served their community as public servants. Their stories make up Legendary Locals of Arlington, paying tribute to just some of the people who make this dynamic town their home.

Since 1626, Salem has had a rich history. Time has seen this small city that was founded by Puritans adapt and push forward. It has been the capital of the colony; the site of the witchcraft trials of 1692; a thriving seaport; home to Revolutionary War privateers and soldiers; an East India Seaport that opened trade with China; an industrial center; and a tourist destination. Each age has produced people of influence. They walked the city's lanes, wharves, and streets as they pursued their dreams--people such as Roger Conant, Salem's Puritan founder; Anne Bradstreet, the first American poetess; Judge Sewell, the remorseful witchcraft judge; Elias Derby, the first American millionaire; Samuel McIntyre, the architect who changed the face of Salem; Nathaniel Hawthorne, a great American author; and Frank Benson, the noted impressionist painter. Ordinary people were and are legends, such as Caroline Emmerton, a philanthropist who sought to save Salem's heritage; David Goss, a historian and activist for Salem's past; Pep Cornacchio, an extraordinary civic volunteer; and Joan Boudreau, a preservationist restaurateur; as well as countless others. Legendary Locals of Salem celebrates the eclectic and noteworthy figures that have shaped and continue to shape the community.