Throughout the history of Pine City, individuals have dreamed, struggled, and created a remarkable place of American culture. Legendary Locals of Pine City represents an amazing mix of talents and activities, sometimes with far-reaching effects. The Pine City story is told here in the faces of its people: the innovators who brought industry and commerce; generous people and institutions who have given back to the community in a variety of ways; participants in Pine City's thriving cultural life embracing a spectrum of interests and enthusiasms; and ordinary people living everyday lives who have done extraordinary things or had remarkable experiences. This book honors such individuals as the renowned Karla Nelsen, the world's most muscular woman; Anna Dickey Olesen, the first woman to break the glass ceiling and run for US Senate; and Shane Bauer's mom, Cindy Hickey, who worked diligently for more than two years to free her son from captivity in Iran, along with many other memorable people.

Our country's first national reserve, the Pine Barrens, harbors a wonderful secret unknown to most outsiders. This 1.1-million-acre treasure trove of pitch pine and sugar sand is home to many rare species and almost 17 trillion gallons of the purest water on earth. It was in this forest that men like Leland Champion logged trees and built sawmills. It was along these waterways that craftsmen like Gary Giberson made prized decoys. And it was in these woods that Stanley Switlik built a tower from which Amelia Earhart jumped, testing his parachute so it could be used in World War II. These woods yielded inventors whose products we enjoy today: cultivated blueberries, cranberry sauce, and Welch's grape juice. It was here that Bob Buchanan reached for the mooring lines as the Hindenburg ended its final, fated voyage. And it was here in Buzby's General Store that John McPhee penned his classic book, The Pine Barrens, setting into motion legislation to preserve this area for future generations.

Crookston is in the heart of the fertile Red River Valley. Railroad baron James J. Hill positioned the city to be a hub of transportation, so Civil War veterans and railroad workers settled Crookston first. At Hill's behest, a long tradition of learning how to "farm smart" started with the Northwest School of Agriculture in 1906. Facing a short growing season, farmers stayed close to the soil and invented better implements to harvest the area's bounty. The tradition of improving technology continues from the century-old practices begun at the Experiment Station. Currently, precision agriculture is taught at the University of Minnesota, Crookston's "laptop university." Familiar family names from Crookston's retail sector have prevailed throughout the farmers' cycle of boom and bust. Many other talented personalities shine through, especially those skilled in sports and music. Also included in this volume are unsung heroes for their acts of kindness and volunteerism.

On Sunday mornings, church bells ring, calling all denominations, and Savannah's squares are filled with people and activities. The city embraces music, art, and literature, and the historic district welcomes visitors from all over the world. As a port city, Savannah has always embraced diversity, and that is what residents love about it. We are not losing our Southern values and traditions; we are just sharing them. Legendary Locals of Savannah introduces readers to people who braved the Atlantic Ocean to establish the Georgia colony, entrepreneurs who made a fortune in cotton, and black citizens who struggled through slavery and later fought for civil rights. Liberty boys who plotted the Revolution, families who lived in mansions, boys who fought bravely for the Confederate cause, and those who insisted on preserving our beautiful historic district--they all have a story to tell.

Who would have thought a city would one day stand where there was nothing but swamp, with long grass--where there was scarcely an opening in the woods, and in which the wolves made plenty of howling. This observation was made by Leon Trombley, one of the first to try to settle in this part of the Michigan "frontier" in the early 1800s. His nephews, Mader and Joseph, would soon follow and ultimately become noted among the area's first permanent residents. The residents of Bay City have always aspired to be legendary, whether by design, accident, or sheer determination. Annie Edson Taylor, the area schoolteacher turned daredevil who would ride her Bay City-built barrel over Niagara Falls (and survive!), is only one among a large group of local legends that includes Olympic champions, community leaders, artists, musicians, scholars, philosophers, and historians.

Elizabeth City is rich in legend and lore. The pirate Blackbeard was a frequent visitor to the area, selling his ill-gotten goods to a willing populace. The Wright brothers made Elizabeth City the first leg of their trips to Kitty Hawk, and they bought materials to build their flying machine from Kramer Brothers, a local lumberyard. Champion nine-ball player Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter was born and died here. Young "Beautiful Nell" Cropsey was murdered in 1901; her death is the town's most enduring mystery. Newspaperman W.O. Saunders, editor of the Independent, was known nationally after he walked down New York's Fifth Avenue in pajamas to protest uncomfortable work attire. Young Tamsen Donner, a member of the ill-fated Donner Party, was a teacher here in the 1830s. Fred Fearing's Rose Buddies welcomed boaters to Elizabeth City with homegrown roses and wine and cheese parties. He has entertained Walter Cronkite and Willard Scott, among other luminaries. These are just a few of the stories, mysteries, and legends of Elizabeth City's past and present.

From its primordial inception as a Dutch trading post on the left bank of the Hudson River to its late-19th-century reign as one of the world's great industrial centers and transportation termini, Jersey City has always been a city about people--the bold pioneers who reshaped its forested hills and elevated landscapes into a major municipality brimming with immigrant-filled neighborhoods, from which emerged even more distinct personalities. Legendary Locals of Jersey City highlights these timeless citizens, including Peter Stuyvesant, the director-general of New Netherland who rescued fledgeling settlements besieged by wars with the Lenni Lenape; Erminnie Smith, who launched an immensely popular intellectual society and salon in 1876; Hugh Roberts, the falsely accused over-spending architect of the majestic Hudson County Court House; Dr. Lena Edwards, winner of the 1964 Presidential Medal of Freedom; Helene Stapinski, national bestselling author; and Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri, stars of the hit HGTV series Kitchen Cousins and dedicated Jersey City developers.