For more than 25 years, Mr. Manningâs faith and optimism in North Adams never wavered. NORTH ADAMS â Joe Manning, who observed, wrote about and cherished the city of North Adams for more than two decades, has died. While Mr. Manning, of Florence, never lived in North Adams, he knew as much, if not more, about this city â from its people to its history to what makes North Adams âNorth Adamsâ â than any lifelong resident. Last week, Mr. Manning died. He was 79. Mr. Manning first came to visit North Adams in 1996, lured by its realities and possibilities as an up-and-coming and revitalized community. He befriended the city at a time when its proud history and promising future were learning to become allies. And he quickly embraced both: He saw North Adamsâ steeple-filled skyline and its horizon amid the development stages of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.