100 years ago, 1912
There are 160 cottages around the shores of Lake Auburn and at this time they are all occupied. It may not be generally known that this sheet of water is very popular with New Yorkers and not less than a dozen families are there from that city. Nearly all of the cottagers get their drinking water from the famous spring near the site of the old Spring House that was burned several years ago. As about every cottage has a boat it is an easy matter to reach the spring as it is within ten feet of the water’s edge. This spring water is remarkably cold and pure. This is one of the few springs that crop out above the lake. The most of them are under the sheet of water. Probably there is no lake in Maine that is richer in springs on the bottom than Lake Auburn.

50 years ago, 1962
The Maine National Guard’s 18 medium tanks were unloaded with a roar and a rumble at the Auburn Maine Central railhead today as the advance detail of the Second Medium Tank Battalion got to work unloading the battalion’s equipment. Unloading the tanks at the Auburn railhead, located at the site of the old Auburn railroad station right off Court Street, caused quite a flurry of interest. The area is surrounded by shoe shops. Almost every window was filled with faces. Little boys on bicycles zipped through the area and dogs gathered at the siding to bark at the tanks.

25 years ago, 1987
The New Gloucester Planning Board made a site review at the Outlet Beach on Sabbathday Lake Thursday night. The Cooks, who lease the resort beach from the United Society of Shakers, have applied to the DEP through the Great Ponds Act to spread sand on the beach. The April 1 flood washed sand from the beach into the outlet stream. The Cooks intend to build a retaining wall to keep sand from being washed into the river.