ANDROSCOGGIN HISTORY

HISTORY BOOKS FOR HOLIDAY GIVING

Our books are available for your gift giving this holiday season! Alnôbak: A Story of Indigenous People in Androscoggin County, by Canyon Wolf, aka Nancy Lecompte, is the most accurate account available of the lives of the original inhabitants of our area. The price is twenty dollars plus one dollar sales tax.

The second book, Androscoggin County, Maine: A Pictorial Sesquicentennial History, 1854 – 2004, contains a chapter on each municipality, written by local authors. Edited by Michael C. Lord & W. Dennis Stires, the price is thirty dollars plus $1.50 for sales tax.

The informative text in each book is profusely complemented with historic photographs.

Save money by purchasing the set of two books for forty-five dollars, plus sales tax of $2.25. Please add $5 S&H for mail order. Available also at the Society, the Book Burrow, Mr. Paperback, Rÿsen, Republic Jewelry, Bates College Store, and many town offices. Please browse these two web pages for description of the books:

http://www.avcnet.org/ne-do-ba/ad_book1.html
http://www.avcnet.org/ne-do-ba/ad_book2.html

RADIO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

We will be advertising our books on WLAM (1470-AM) with Bud Sawyer starting October 18th and ending December 24th. There will air 110 ads total, including seventy-five recorded commercials and thirty-five ad-lib commercials from Bud as he introduces the weather or what have you. We hope the bulk of our books will sell this Christmas season with these ads.

WLAM calls itself “Maine’s Memory Station” and features music of the 1940s and 1950s, as well as other songs in which we can understand the words. Bud Sawyer is a well known radio personality since the early 1960s, whose program airs Monday through Friday, 6:00 to 9:00 A.M. We believe that this station, this spokesman, and their audience are particularly appropriate for our product.

BATES COLLEGE INTERNS

By Michael C. Lord

Our two Bates College summer interns, Patrick Corrigan and Christopher Petrella, have worked out extremely well. They have been busy for many weeks, putting neat's foot oil (over half a gallon!) and other leather treatment on our leather goods, olive oil on our tortoise shell items, polishing our silver (dozens of pieces), cleaning very many display cases and washing many dishes, removing tape from our hand fan display, doing archival stop-gap matting and backing of some of our framed media, archival storage of contents of the file drawer in the green vault, reorganizing the gray office supply storage cabinet, doing more errands than I can remember, genealogy research, emails, sorting postcards for sale, dusting, organizing many boxes of accessions and mailing material from the same from outside our area to the proper historical organizations, organizing our map collection and cemetery records, and creating finding aids for the same

Christopher has redone our Native American display case with the kind help and assistance of Nancy Lecompte, aka Canyon Wolf, of Ne-Do-Ba. The case looks fantastic now! The war clubs and baskets have been cleaned and have been put in with the archaeological items, and the non-Indian material has been removed, and they look spectacular! All should come and see. Many thanks to both Nancy and Christopher.

I will greatly miss the interns’ efficient help and professional attitude.

MEETING NOTICE

On October 26, 2004, at 7 P.M., Nancy Lecompte, aka Canyon Wolf, of Ne-Do-Ba, will speak at our museum in the County Building on the topic of "Nineteenth Century Traveling Medicine Shows in Maine." We hope to see you for what promises to be a very interesting and informative program.

DEDICATION OF LISBON HALL

By Douglas I. Hodgkin

Lisbon Hall, the long brick block at 252-272 Lisbon Street, is now probably the oldest surviving commercial building on Lisbon Street. It was constructed in 1855 by the Franklin Company as described 5 May 1855 in the Lewiston Falls Journal:

“A joint stock Company from Boston and Lowell have contracted for the materials, and will soon commence the building of a Block 132 1/2 feet long by 50 feet wide, to be built of brick and three stores [sic] high, to be occupied by stores, offices, and a hall. There are to be seven stores, with granite fronts. The Hall is to be ‘in the clear,’ 72 feet in length, fifty feet wide, and twenty-four feet high, well finished, and is intended to comfortably seat eight hundred persons, making a room every way credible to the builders and to our village.”

As indicated in the Lewiston walking tour brochure, it was re-named the College Block “when Benjamin Bates gave his share of the building to the college. Town meetings were held here. Served as a provisional City Hall. It later became a social center for Canadian immigrants.”

The dedication of the building was described 12 January 1856 in the Lewiston Falls Journal:

“The Military and Civic Levee Tuesday evening, was the affair of the season. The company was large, -numbering six or seven hundred - the music excellent - the speeches appropriate - and the supper such as did credit to the DeWitt and its popular landlord. Members of military companies from Bath and Portland were present. H. G. Cilley Esq. delivered an exceedingly appropriate dedicatory address. - C. W. Goddard Esq. addressed the audience in his usually happy manner. Ned Kendall was present with his famous bugle, and charmed the listeners with its silver notes. - Altogether the occasion was the most splendid affair ever witnessed in Lewiston.”

EARLY TALK OF MERGER

The brothers Guay who currently (2004) serve as mayors of Lewiston and Auburn are establishing a commission to develop ways to unify the delivery of services in the two cities. We all know that this has been a topic of discussion over many years, but do you realize how far back this idea goes? The following article was found in the Lewiston Falls Journal, 24 October 1857, under the heading, “New City”:

“It is proposed to unite the three towns Lewiston, Auburn and Danville under a municipal charter and government. Such an arrangement would tend to the mutual benefit of each and if not now effected, will be before many years.- Bath Sentinel.

“Although no steps have been taken to accomplish the desirable project of uniting the three villages into which our whole village is divided, yet we doubt not that before many years it will be done. Where natural position, private and public interests, and the general welfare, demand such a course, and where no single tenable reason can be adduced against such a union, it must eventually be brought about. Whenever the time shall come to organize a city government, there ought to be entire unanmity [sic] in consolidating our different municipal organizations. It will lessen the expenses of our municipal governments, it will give us better schools, it will place in us a position to make needed improvements, it will increase the importance of our village and give us greater influence, and we shall command greater respect from abroad. It will enlarge our business, and increase the value of all kinds of property.”

THE PLOWING MATCH

“This interesting trial came off on Saturday afternoon last, in the rear of the residence of A. Wakefield [on Main Street, near current Wakefield Street, Lewiston]. There were eight teams entered, one of which withdrew soon after starting. The contest was witnessed by a very large number of the citizens of the county, and was regarded as one of the most interesting features of the exhibition. Each team plowed one-eighth of an acre. The best time made was by the team entered by Isaac G. Field. The one-eighth was plowed in 20 minutes. The teams of Philip Bradford of Turner, and Stephen Lowell of Greene, accomplished the work in 22 minutes. The teams of Rufus Prince, and B. A. Bradford, both of Turner, accomplished the work in 29 minutes; Col. Read’s team occupied about the same time.” (Lewiston Falls Journal, 13 October 1855, 3.)

“After a careful examination of the labor done, we have assigned the premiums as follows:

“To B. A. Bradford of Turner, the first, five dollars.

“To Phillips Bradford, of Turner, the second, four dollars.

“To Rufus Prince of Turner, the third, three dollars.

“To I. G. Field of Lewiston, the fourth, two dollars.”

…

“As to time occupied in performing the labor, it varied from twenty to thirty-six minutes in the ploughing one eighth of an acre, as follows:

[We omit those listed in the article above.]

Lewis Gilbert, thirty-two minutes

J. Estes “ “ “

S. H. Read, thirty-six “

(“Plowing,” in “Reports of the Committees of the Androscoggin Agricultural Society,” Lewiston Falls Journal, 20 October 1855, 1.)

JOURNAL OF TRIP TO 1904 WORLD’S FAIR

Florence Campbell Nevens of 195 College Street, Lewiston, detailed her 1904 trip with her husband Ezra Nevens to the St. Louis World’s Fair. They were accompanied on the trip west by a Mr. Stinchfield, a Mrs. Lord, and a boy Kenneth. After attending the fair, they visited Dwight and Lois Morron in Kansas City. The return to Lewiston included a visit to Washington D.C. and Mount Vernon.

Sept. 10. Left Lewiston at Nine Oclock A.M. ... We had plenty of room in the cars untill [sic] we got to Sherbrooke at 3.10 P.M. then the French crowded in with Onions and all kind of smells; they filled the Train. ... [at Montreal] a Trolley Car came along all decorated with Electric Lights and signs printed in French, it was fixed up like a float + had a Band playing on the tip top.

Sept. 11 [In Toronto after traveling overnight in sleeping cars] Just before our Train came we saw on the platform the Parker Girls who lived in Lewiston Years ago; they had been to St. Louis and were going to Niagra [sic], so we all went together. ... [Dressed to go under the Falls] When they dressed Keneth [sic] he began to cry but when he saw that we looked all alike he laughed, + thought it great sport. ... [Traveled to Lewiston, New York] We got out here and had a drink of Moxie, then took the next car back. ...

Sept. 12 [Traveled through Indiana to Chicago.]

Sept. 13 [Men went to get train tickets. Mrs. Nevens, Mrs. Lord and Kenneth followed by trolley] but the Car got off the track and the Conductor told us he thought we better start to walk for it might be some time before they could get the Car on again, he gave us tickets and said if the Cars overtook us we might get on again, We had a long way to walk, six blocks or more, and Keneth [sic] began to cry because we hustled him so fast, the cars did not overtake us and by running we got to the Station just in time. ... We got into St. Louis at about 6 P.M. [parted from travel companions and met by Lois Morron] took the Electrics for the Inside Inn, ... but ... they had not paid any attention to the letters, in fact they had been so rushed that letters were on file that had not been even opened, so they told us we would have to sleep on cots that night at $2.00 a Cot. ... Lois and I went to the Ladies Parlor and went to bed, there were about 40 Ladies in the same room. ...

Sept. 14. ... We went to the Vermont Inn ... the Proprietor said he had a House down Town ... + would let us have a Room with two beds in it, with use of Bath for $2.00 per day or 50 cts each. We thought at first we could not take it, as it would not look just right for the Two Couples of us to sleep in One Room, even if there were Two Beds ... [but] we decided to take it. We now find our way to the Maine building, the first thing, We were asked to sign the Maine Register. Dwight + Lois to sign the Visitors Register, the man in charge was pleased to see us, because we were from Maine + so was he. We were taken into his Office + he gave us a glass of Poland Water, which he does not give [except] only to Maine People. ... The Building is a Log House + filled with Pictures of Maine + Stuffed Game. ...

Sept. 15. I got up this morning + could not speak out loud. Lois said it was the change of Climate. ... [Nevertheless, they went to the Fair.]

Sept. 16. ... then into Transportation Building where Studebaker had their display of Carriages, Harnesses etc. (In this Building Dwight Morron would spend some of his time, as he Traveled for Studebaker) Engines + other machinery were also displayed - Next to The Philippines where we saw how they live + work, saw the First Philippine Baby that has ever been Born in this Country, it was Christened July 31st 1904 and was a Boy, the People were throwing 5 ct. pieces into the little hammock as it lay asleep. ...

Sept. 17. ... on to a Restaurant … when the waitress handed Ezra the change she gave him a bad Silver Dollar. and would not take it back, we sent for the Head Waitress, she sent for the Manager + he sent for a Man over him. We had quite a time, but at last got a good Dollar in its place. Ezra told him we were from Maine but was not quite so Green as not to know a Bad Silver Dollar when we saw one. ... We go down to view the Cascades for the last time + I could Cry when I look at them + all the lovely Buildings, all one Ball of Fire with Electric Light + everything on so Grand a Scale + Everybody so Happy. I have been in a Dream all these Happy Days + do not like to say Good Bye because I know I shall never have a chance to see anything like it again, so I say “Good Bye Good Old St Louis Fair”. ...

Sept. 18. ... started for Kansas City @ 2.10 P.M. The Country all along is very flat + is a very tiresome ride because of the sameness. ... [At Kansas City] took Car + got to the Morron Mansion @ 11.30 P.M.

Sept. 28. ... Then took a Car + went over to the Cliff where we sat down + looked at the “Bottoms” also the Missouri River. The View was fine but it was very dirty. Exactly in front of us was “Heim’s Brewery” and the “Summer Park” where People spend their summer Evenings, same as we do at Lake Grove. We then came down from the high point by way of Stone Steps ... a short cut to the Park. - this brought us down on the Bottoms where the tough People live. The Streets were very dirty + creepy. ...

Oct. 6. We went to Kansas City Kansas + from there to Leavenworth where we visited the Soldiers Home. ... After Dinner we took the Car + went to Fort Leavenworth, here we went through the U. S. Criminal Prison (The Largest Penitentiary in the World) it is situated inside the Fort. We saw the worst Men they had there, these Men were dressed in stripes + had the Iron Ball chained to the right foot, + worked at breaking stone which is the hardest work to do. ...

Oct. 13. We got the 12-30 Train + started for Portland. Now the Scenery begins to look Natural. ... took the 7 P.M. Train for Lewiston, this is the Home Stretch and we are very glad it is. We have had a wonderful time, but find that “There’s No Place Like Home” after all. We arrived at Lewiston at 8.30 P.M. Thursday Oct. 13^th 1904. Thus ends the “Time of My Life” and I know we will never have another like it. ... I hop[e] we will have Money enough to take another Trip before we Die. [They probably did. They died in 1941 and 1942.]

CORPORATE DONORS

Our sincere thanks to these most recent donors at the Corporate Member level:

Maine Thread & Machinery Company of Lewiston, $100.00.

Leighton Cooney of Old Savings Bank Building of Lewiston, $100.00.

Mechanics Savings Bank of Auburn, $500.00.

ACQUISITIONS. We have acquired the following items during the past few months:

Donations

• Police baton or night stick of Auburn Police Chief Alton E. Savage and S. A. Pollister store rubber stamp, given by Joyce Savage Snay, the Chief's daughter.

• Slides of the interior and exterior of the Libbey Mill and the windows of St. Joseph's church, ca. 1980s, both in Lewiston, given by Bruce Huntington of same. This corrects the donor's name from the last newsletter.

• Metal "Humphrey - Muskie" political tag from when Edmund S. Muskie ran for Vice President in 1968, given by Michael Lord.

• Pot holder from F. X. Marcotte Bros. & Co. of Lewiston, given by Douglas I. Hodgkin.

• The Pine Cone, the Senior Annual and Catalog of Pine Tree Academy, Auburn, Maine, June 1931. This was a Seventh-Day Adventist school, ca. 1922 - 1934, on what is now the South Witham Road. The new Pine Tree Academy is in Freeport, established in 1962, and is now a K-12 school. By Michael Lord, and given to him by William Skelton, who now owns the old Pine Tree Academy.

• Scrapbook of Franklin Larrabee, Lewiston City Councilor, by Geraldine Thompson of Poland.

• Lewiston Journal Magazine Section, November 17 - 20, 1909, “Thanksgiving,” given by the Gorham Historical Society.
• Business card of Gerard Theberge, appliance service manager at Peck's Dept. Store, Lewiston, given by Andrea Johnson of the Court Street Baptist Church, brought in by Bob Purington.

• Seven photos of Maine and national textile worker's union meetings, ca. 1950s, given by Gerri Savage of Auburn.
• A Chinese puppet noisemaker from the Lewiston Evening Journal, ca. 1920s, given by W. Dennis Stires of Livermore. • Carman Thompson Co. (of Lewiston) paper holder (clip), given by Douglas I. Hodgkin.

• Dean Cornwell, Dean of Illustrators, by Patricia Janis Broder (Collectors Press, Portland, OR, 2000), given by Nancy Lecompte, aka Canyon Wolf. Nancy used this book to research the Cornwell mural on her book dust jacket.

• First-Auburn Trust Co. Pocket Map of Maine with 1920 Census, by anonymous donor.

• Brook fishing basket made by Sockalexis Gabriel ca. 1940s for Harold Twitchell, father of donor Gordon W. Twitchell of Turner.

• Hard Work: “To Make Both Ends Meet” Maine Women's Voices, 1888, a video made and a copy donated by Jim Sharkey of Orono, Maine. Based on the Gridley Barrows Collection. We helped him in his research.

Purchases

• The Next Bend in the River - Gold Mining in Maine, by C. J. Stevens.