Some people make a name for themselves by contributing to the nation as a whole, and end up going down in the history books; others choose to make a difference in the community they are in, leaving a legacy behind for the town in which they live.  Plattsburg has been fortunate enough to claim both kinds of individuals. 

Two celebrity writers also claim Plattsburg as their home: New York journalist Oscar Odd McIntyre and novelist J. Breckenridge Ellis. 

For tree enthusiasts, Guy Speckman is a  local "favorite" because he was the person responsible for initiating the "Tree City, U.S.A" program in Plattsburg.