DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am looking for pins from the Great Falls Balloon Festival. I need four to complete my collection: the second annual (1994), the third annual (1995), the sixth annual (1998) and the eighth annual (2000).

Please let me know if you have any of these pins! — Sarah Nichols, [email protected], 240-8729

DEAR SUN SPOTS: We are searching for old photos or even glass negatives of Empire Grove Camp meeting photos taken by photographer Mary Irish (back in the late 1800s or early 1900s).

We believe she was based out of Massachusetts but traveled here in summers taking photos of camp meeting attendees. Any leads would be appreciated. — Sandy Allten, [email protected]

ANSWER: In addition to whatever readers might provide, you might also want to check at the Androscoggin Historical Society (784-0586) or the Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine (753-6545). Both are excellent sources of historical images and information about the region.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am a retired history professor writing a book about a soldier from Buckfield, Pvt. Charles Chase (1841-1864), who was killed at Cold Harbor, Va., on June 3, 1864.

Although my research focuses on the Civil War, it also covers Buckfield during the first 19 years of Charles’ life and Boston during the period Charles was employed there as a clerk, 1860-1862.

The Cole & Whitman history of Buckfield is very helpful, but I am hoping to locate additional material on the Thomas and Esther Chase family — letters, journals, photographs, perhaps even items owned by Charles Chase himself.

Can anyone help me? — Norman Delaney, [email protected], 361-855-0014, 3747 Aransas St., Corpus Christi, TX 78411

DEAR SUN SPOTS: It seems there have been a lot of queries involving old issues of the Sun Journal. While I’m not writing you regarding those inquiries, I have a suggestion researchers, or those looking for a bit of nostalgia, might find of interest.

Google has a site where the old microfilmed editions of the Daily Sun and Evening Journal are archived. They extend as far back as the 1880s, though there are huge gaps, especially the earliest years.

Researching specific people and events is not easy and it takes perseverance, but it can be done. I enjoy looking at random papers from my younger days to see what was happening in the world and in the Twin Cities at the time. It’s quite amusing to see how much the paper and the area have changed through the years.

The Journal archive is at http://tinyurl.com/2v2uu7x, and the Sun is at http://tinyurl.com/334ehgd. — Andrew Hall, [email protected]

ANSWER: Coincidentally, Andrew’s letter arrived in Sun Spots’ email in box just a day before she did a column on all the Sun Journal archives, which include resources for newer editions of the paper.

After that column appeared, one of Sun Spots’ colleagues said she thought the gaps in the early years were due to Google’s failure to copy those papers and that the archives at the Lewiston Public Library are more complete. Sun Spots does not know if that is so, but eager searchers might want to check.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Dzien dobry (dgen do-bri; good morning). I am very interested in my family background, heritage and whether I still have living relatives in Poland (the country).

Do you know of any Polish clubs or organizations in the Lewiston-Auburn or in Maine? Maybe you or some of your readers can point me to a source. Dziekuje (dgen-koo-ye; thank you). — Babcia, [email protected]

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