100 years ago, 1913
When the addition which Ashe, Noyes & Small are building at their Auburn shoe factory is completed it will be the most modern shoe making structure in Maine and, in addition, will prove an ornamentation to the city. The new building faces on Spring street with a frontage of 46 feet 2 inches, and extends back to the present factory on Railroad street a distance of 115 feet. The new structure will be three stories and basement, although on Spring street it will, practically, be four stories, as the basement will start on street level. At the same time this new factory is in the process of construction the firm is having built a new boiler house and coal pocket. The dimensions of this building will be 16 by 63 feet. The boiler house roof will rise above the grade of the street, but the coal pocket will be at grade, with a roof of re-enforced concrete, so that teams can drive on and dump their loads or take on loads of shoes from the shipping room of the factory.

50 years ago, 1963
A nationally known jewelry manufacturer will lease about 40,000 square feet of the Bates Mfg. Co. Androscoggin Division and set up a plant which is expected to employ between 400 and 500 persons, according to reliable reports in Lewiston today. It was learned that the Gemex Precision Metals, of Union, N.J., has been negotiation for a lease with Bates Mfg. Co. The firm presently is one of the country’s leading manufacturers of watch bracelets. Although no official confirmation has been made, it is understood that Gemex will take a whole floor of the now unused Androscoggin Division which Bates closed down some years ago.

25 years ago, 1988
According to Lewiston High School football coach Skip Capone, his team suffered a letdown Friday night when it faced the winless Noble Knights a the Lewiston Athletic Park. But it would be difficult to tell from the final outcome that there was any letdown whatsoever on the part of the unbeaten Blue Devils, because the cruised to their 10th straight victory, 40-0, to remain tied with South Portland atop the Western Maine Class A standings.