Toms River is the county seat and largest town in Ocean County, New Jersey (also includes Dover, both are part of Toms River Township).  The 2010 population was about 90,000.  Residents of nearby towns like Brick, Manahawkin, and Lakewood tend to come here for shopping or doctor's appointments.  It has a busy downtown thanks to many government buildings, yet it…...

Warner Robins is a rapidly growing town of 70,000 about 15 miles south of Macon, Georgia. It is right off I-75 in central Georgia. Robins Air Force Base is located in Warner Robins. Business Week named Warner Robins the "Best Place to Raise a Family" in Georgia. Photo of Robins AFB main gate sign courtesy of Wikipedia and United States…...

One of the nation’s top tourist and retirement communities is Santa Barbara, California. Located about 85 miles north of Los Angeles, this charming mission city on the Pacific, has done a superb job of preserving its heritage and creating a livable, modern city. The graceful adobe architecture of the Spanish Mission style is everywhere - from the historic Mission Santa…...

Hudson is a town near Marlborough and Worcester, about 30 miles west of Boston.  Formerly known as "Shoe Town", at one point Hudson had 17 shoe factories.  As a result of that work it attracted a number of Irish and Portuguese immigrants.  The population is about 14,000.  Photo of Wood Square, and photo of Unitarian Church, built in 1861, courtesy…...