Founded in 1871 by Collis P. Huntington, the rail tycoon's namesake city thrived as a gateway to the coalfields of southern West Virginia. The city's earliest leaders included Mayor Rufus Switzer, who created one of the community's true jewels, Ritter Park, and John Hooe Russel, who opened the city's first bank and, when it was robbed, jumped on his horse and gave chase to the bandits. Over the years, Huntington has been home to such varied individuals as Carter Woodson, the father of Black History Month; Dr. Henry D. Hatfield, who was West Virginia governor but said he would rather be known as a "country doctor;" Dagmar, the blonde bombshell of 1950s television; basketball star Hal Greer; golfing great Bill Campbell; Stella Fuller, who spent her life ministering to Huntington's poor; and the spectacularly generous Joan Edwards, who gave away $65 million. Legendary Locals of Huntington captures their stories and many others in a striking panorama of a remarkable community.

For over 100 years, Huntington Beach, a.k.a. "Surf City, USA," has come to represent the true beach culture of Southern California. Originally called Pacific City, it was when railroad magnate Henry Huntington first ran his train line down in 1904 from Los Angeles, approximately 40 miles north, that the then-quaint beach town took on the name that made it famous around the state and around the world. In 1914, the legendary George Freeth put on a surfing exhibition the day the city's vaunted concrete pier was opened, which christened Huntington Beach as a soon-to-be surfing mecca. It became a boomtown after oil was discovered in 1920 and, several decades later, morphed once again into a cradle of aerospace engineering when companies such as Boeing arrived. Throughout its tumultuous and dramatic history, Huntington Beach has always boasted a cast of colorful and profound characters. From the first mayor, Ed Manning, to Medal of Honor-recipient Chris Carr, from the Zamboni family (who invented the ice-cleaning machine) to baseball star Jeff Kent: the list is almost endless. But it is not just professional athletes, actors, and rock stars; it is the teachers, crossing guards, merchants, and activists that give Huntington Beach its well-earned reputation as one of the most interesting and charismatic cities in the state.

Amesbury was incorporated in 1668. The settlers began to build the community, starting the first sawmills on the Powwow River. The community continued to grow with carriage manufacturers starting businesses in town; Jacob Huntington was very influential in this endeavor. The automobile industry was the next major industry with the S.R. Bailey Company leading the way. George McNeil was responsible for unions coming to town, and Amelia Earhart was teaching English as a second language to factory workers. Valentine Bagley made sure that everyone had water, and John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a poem about it, "The Captain's Well." Gregory Hoyt and Jeffrey Donovan left the Amesbury High School drama club behind and made it big in movies and television. Ryan Noon went from designing his own fashions to designing for Nike. Legendary Locals of Amesbury showcases just a select few from the long list of fabulous people who have helped make Amesbury the community it is today.

In 1878, Charles Erskine Scott Wood, builder of the Cats Estate, wrote "Good citizens are the riches of a city." From its beginning, Los Gatos has suffered no shortage of hardworking, inventive, entrepreneurial, and gifted people. Early orchardists found the land unbelievably productive, but their crops were threatened with disease and pesky infestations of gophers. John Bean and Zephyr Macabee provided solutions. Louise Van Meter was an unconventional teacher who championed the new concept of kindergarten. Neta Snook Southern defied traditional female roles to become a pilot. She taught Amelia Earhart to fly before retiring to Los Gatos, where she raised prunes, apricots, and miniature horses. John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath during one long, hot summer in town. Steve Wozniak settled in Los Gatos and donated computers to schools. The lives presented here have contributed to the sparkling legacy of the "Gem City of the Foothills."

Although the town benefits from a position on a major navigable waterway, Middletown's success is primarily due to the energy, creativity, and diversity of its people. These include James Riley, whose autobiography detailing his trials as a white slave in Northern Africa showed millions of Americans the evils of slavery; Max Corvo, who helped the World War II Italian underground defeat the fascist regime; and Christie Ellen McLeod, longtime chief pathologist at Middlesex Memorial Hospital. Middletown can boast of athletes such as Helen "Babe" Carlson, a tremendously strong competitor who participated on men's baseball teams; Willie Pep, who, while going for the world featherweight title, had a record of 134 wins and only one loss; and Corny Thompson, who sparked the University of Connecticut basketball program's rise to national prominence. More notables include Allie Wrubel, a prolific songwriter and Academy Award winner for his song "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah;" Vivian McRae Wesley, a teacher, reading director, and leader of Middletown's African American community; and Francesco Lentini, who was born with three legs and appeared in every major circus and carnival.

When John T. Benson purchased land in Hudson in 1924, little did he know that Benson's Wild Animal Farm would make Hudson famous. For 60 years, "the Strangest Farm on Earth" became legendary. The former attraction is now a beautiful town park. Volunteers were key to the new Benson Park, just as volunteers have always made Hudson a wonderful place. These pages are filled with stories of many who gave of their time, talent, and treasure. Leonard Smith designed and helped build Central Fire Station. Shirley Nadeau is always ready to lend a hand. Leon Hammond cooked for countless bean suppers. Dr. Alfred Kimball Hills, Kimball Webster, G. Philip Rodgers, and Alvin Rodgers have been generous benefactors. The H in Hudson stands for "heart."