There is a growing sense of pride in the Twin Cities and people are taking notice.

Two weeks after Bates College bids farewell to its graduates, the campus comes alive once again with alumni, its graduates of 5, 10, 15 through 50 or more years ago. Most stay on campus in their old dorms. Some who are true creatures of comfort stay at the Ware Street Inn.

My kitchen is adjacent to the dining room and, while flipping French toast, guests’ greetings and conversations are easy prey to eavesdropping and I’m not generally shy about joining in when the time is right.

This particular weekend I just listened – at least it started out that way.

The elders in the group were expounding upon how difficult it had been for them to pave the way for those who followed – the vests they had to wear labeling them as freshmen, the subservience that was expected toward the sophomores, etc.

Tongue in cheek, the younger ones at the table commented that, because of how they once suffered as freshmen for the good of all future Bates students, it was fitting and just that the Class of ’53 was chosen as the featured class this reunion year.

The usual chuckles and ribbing went around the table as I filled another platter. That’s when someone commented, “Well, one thing we can really be sure of is how much Lewiston has changed since we were at Bates.” Aha! That comment caused my casual eavesdropping to become serious listening in!

The conversation became animated and enthusiastic. Apparently two of the couples had taken a ride around town the previous night after the campus fireworks display. Another had read a few of the brochures we keep in our foyer.

By the sound of it there was no doubt in my mind that these visitors, who hadn’t been back to Lewiston for at least 10 years, were impressed. I brought the platter to the table, cleared away a few empty dishes, and kept listening.

One couple was awestruck by the sight of Saints Peter and Paul Church’s illumination and were drawn to it like a magnet. They recalled seeing the spires so many years ago but never realized how impressive a structure it is – physically as well as spiritually. They stressed the symbolism and pride they felt as the church loomed ever larger before them.

The conversation snowballed from there.

The historic walking tour brochure (the one that DownEast Magazine has featured twice recently) really caught their attention. None had realized the rich history Lewiston’s architecture and mill structures represented. And the arts: had any of them imagined how many venues there were in Lewiston for live theater and music, and did anyone notice all the construction around town and how things had been cleaned up in the areas where you first entered the city, and had they all seen the new plaza across the bridge in Auburn with the colorful canopies, and was that a new hotel being built by the falls. I was grinning in the kitchen and decided the time was right.

“So what do you think of all the changes you’ve seen in Lewiston and Auburn since you left Bates?” I asked as I leaned against the doorjamb between my kitchen and their dining room.

There was a general consensus in their responses: L-A is obviously becoming more progressive, more interesting, more diverse, and seems to be creating a real sense of positive awareness about itself.

From the Class of ’53: “If only it had been like this when I was here. Maybe I wouldn’t have been such a dull bookworm in my freshman vest!”

From the Class of ’93: “I never ventured off campus. There was nothing to do off campus. Now I’d experience the community – it seems to have so much to offer!”

Now and then someone comes back to L-A and compares then and now. Or you can close your eyes and reflect on the way things were then, when you were just a kid, and the way they are now.

I remember when I was a little girl living in Auburn two streets above the river. The odor of pollution was so strong we had to close our windows on the hottest, most humid days to keep from gagging. Last week I was having lunch with a friend at Pat’s Pizza in Auburn and I watched boats cruising around on that same river.

I remember there being only one park – the one we know now as Kennedy Park. Now there’s Festival Plaza, Dunlap Plaza, Courthouse Plaza, and so many other little green spaces around L-A.

I remember being a “frog.” The Festival de Joie, the Franco-American Heritage Center and the Franco-American Heritage Collection have created a sense of pride in being a French-speaking Lewiston-Auburn resident of Franco-American descent.

Do you think about then and now? If you do, you’ll believe in L-A. Why?

It’s happening here! That’s why.

Jan Barrett is the innkeeper and owner of the Ware Street Inn Bed & Breakfast in Lewiston.

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