Nestled in Upstate New York along the banks of the Mohawk River are the many communities of the Mohawk Valley. These villages, towns and cities have unique histories but are inextricably tied together by the waterways that run through them. The mills, railroads and the Erie Canal sustained early growth; the Painted Rocks beautified the landscape; and tales from the local Mohawk Nation still enrich the folklore. Many remarkable individuals have called the Mohawk Valley home, including psychedelic philosopher Benjamin Paul Blood, Queen Libby, the Daiquiris and actor Kirk Douglas. For over a decade, local native Bob Cudmore has documented the interesting, important and unusual stories from the region's past, and he has compiled the best of them here. Bob Cudmore has written a weekly newspaper column on Mohawk Valley history for the Daily Gazette for over a dozen years. A former adjunct instructor in mass media at Albany's College of St. Rose, Cudmore worked in public relations for the State University of New York from 1993 to 2001. He has an MA and BA in English from Boston University. A radio and television personality, Cudmore began hosting the morning show on Lite 104.7/1570 AM WVTL radio in Amsterdam in 2004. He lives with his family in Glenville.