The history and character of Frontenac County have been shaped by its geography -- the numerous rivers and lakes, the farm-friendly limestone bedrock, the granite of the Canadian Shield, which includes the Frontenac Arch, a UNESCO-designated area of extraordinary biological diversity -- and its people. Also fascinating is the social and economic history of Kingston. French explorers, British Loyalists and later arrivals all helped transform it into a key naval and military base, thriving port and center for shipbuilding and the railroad. The book pays particular attention to Limestone City, home to Sir John A. Macdonald, but it also explores the surrounding towns and villages and the entire county's wealth of artists, writers and musicians.