Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to North Adams

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Famous people · North Adams

Writers and artists stand out among the 39 famous people born in North Adams

Will Durant is the best known, with articles in 66 languages. Second and third on the list are Frank Vincent and John Henry Schwarz. Between 1920 and 1969, 15 were born, the most of any period. Over 203 years of births, the list goes from Caleb Atwater (1778) to Van Hansis (1981).

#1 best knownWill DurantWriting & Arts · 1885–1981
+35more
Born here
39
notable people
Best known
Will Durant
in 66 Wikipedia languages
First
1778
Caleb Atwater
Youngest
1981
Van Hansis
Most common field
Writing & Arts
9 people

What stands out about North Adams’ famous people

★ What stands out · The best known

Born in North Adams

Counted by languages, Will Durant is ahead of Frank Vincent and John Henry Schwarz: 66, 36 and 24.

Will Durant#1
Writing & Arts

Will Durant

1885–1981

American historian, philosopher and writer

66 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Frank Vincent#2
Film, TV & Stage

Frank Vincent

1937–2017

American actor

36 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
JS#3
Science & Medicine

John Henry Schwarz

born 1941

American theoretical physicist

24 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for

What North Adams is known for

No other field is as far above the usual share as writers and artists, at 2.3 times.

The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.

Through the years

When North Adams’s famous people were born

More were born in the 1950s than in any other decade: 6.

A new nationMills & railroadsThe American centuryToday18001850190019502000Paul FarmerFrank Vincent
Writing & ArtsPolitics & LawScience & MedicineFilm, TV & StageSportsNotableBusinessMilitaryMusic

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

Everyone

Everyone else born in North Adams

36 more, from 1778 to 1981.

Paul Farmer

Paul Farmer

1959–2022

American anthropologist, 1959-2022

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Peter Laird

Peter Laird

born 1954

US comic book artist and writer

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Jane Swift

Jane Swift

born 1965

Politician in Massachusetts, US

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Curtis Callan

Curtis Callan

born 1942

American physicist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Van Hansis

Van Hansis

born 1981

American television, stage, and film actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
LO

Leonard O'Brien

1904–1939

Field hockey player

Jack Chesbro

Jack Chesbro

1874–1931

Major League Baseball pitcher

JD

John M. Darby

1804–1877

American botanist, chemist & academic

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Amanda L. Aikens

Amanda L. Aikens

1833–1892

American editor, philanthropist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
CB

Charles Albert Browne

1870–1947

American chemist and agrarian historian

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Charles Albert Levine

Charles Albert Levine

1897–1991

American businessman

Hiram Sibley

Hiram Sibley

1807–1888

American industrialist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist; co-founder and President of Western Union

Anna Laurens Dawes

Anna Laurens Dawes

1851–1938

American author and anti-suffragist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Allan Rockwell McCann

Allan Rockwell McCann

1896–1978

United States Navy admiral

BR

Bruce Russett

1935–2023

American academic

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Harry C. Browne

Harry C. Browne

1878–1954

American actor and singer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Martin Melcher

Martin Melcher

1915–1968

American film producer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
AW

Andrew J. Waterman

1825–1900

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Caleb Atwater

Caleb Atwater

1778–1867

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Chris Conroy

Chris Conroy

born 1974

Baseball umpire from the United States

Daniel E. Bosley

Daniel E. Bosley

born 1953

Politician in Massachusetts, US

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

Who’s the most famous person from North Adams?

Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Town Square →
Your pick
No picks yet

Be the first to say who North Adams’ most famous person is.

Or tell us
Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

Of the towns nearby, Williamstown lists the most people: 28.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is North Adams and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.

Photo credits (24)