Includes bibliographical references (page 6) and index.

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 stron

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 "

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 Wri

In search of opportunity and freedom from oppression, European emigrants boarded ships, leaving behind their ancestral homes. They carved new lives from the unk