100 years ago, 1912
State fair week is once more almost upon us. No one can dispute that our State fair has been making steady progress in recent years and never was this fact so much in evidence as it will be the present year. In the first place we have the finest grounds for a great agricultural and industrial fair that can be found in all Maine. Not only this, but we have the exhibits to make these grounds attractive to all classes. The new poultry house will attract great attention. One man alone, E.A. Drinkwater of Sabatis has entered 150 birds. President B.A. Libby says to the Journal: “Tell your readers that the Maine State Fair is going to establish a new record this year. This we shall do in not only one department but in every one of them. All we now ask is for good weather and all records will be smashed before the fair is over.”

50 years ago, 1962
Some of the long-forgotten war memories of Jean A. Perron of 1114 Lisbon St., Lewiston sprung back to life again recently. The mild-mannered Textile City resident who operates a grocery store received a letter from Belgium, where he was taken as a prisoner of war almost 18 years ago. The letter from Josef Pekus of Bastogne told of finding a wallet in a World War II trench. Included in the letter from the stranger were a few snapshots of Perron and his family. Perron recalled that he had his wallet taken away from him the day he was captured. “It was during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec. 19, 1944,” he said. “SS troops had parachuted right down on top of us during the night.”

25 years ago, 1987
The L & A Railroad Co. has received four proposals for the use of the former Grand Trunk Railroad Depot, including a plan to create a railway museum and heritage center at the Lincoln Street landmark. Post 3459 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars would like to display a variety of railroad cars at the deport, which has been vacant since the mid-1970s. Directors of the L & A Railroad Co. have been trying for several years to find a way to put the tax-exempt parcel back on the tax rolls without jeopardizing its historic character. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.