Since John Smith first spied the area in 1614, Scituate has had a long and remarkable history. Positioned on a rocky, ledge-strewn coast, Scituate is famous for its shipwrecks, lighthouses and the moss gathered from its rocks by Irish immigrants. In more recent years, the seacoast town has become known for its valiant fight to withstand ocean storms and their devastating floods. Scituate was home to legendary characters, such as William Cushing, an original justice of the U.S. Supreme Court appointed by President George Washington. The charming South Shore town also attracted the grandiose T.W. Lawson, who built the Dreamworld estate and created the bad luck" legend of Friday the Thirteenth. With these and other vignettes, author Ted Clarke celebrates the spirit of Scituate history."