100 years ago, 1914
Dr. John Sturgis of Auburn and F. D. Abbott of Houghton, who attended the Rockingham Fair together, making the trip in the former’s auto, had a narrow escape from being killed by running into a freight train at Oquossoc when they mistook the trainman’s signal to stop for one to come on. Only the doctor’s quick thinking saved them. He managed to turn the car side to the engine, just as the train of about twenty-five cars struck the crossing and passed with just a few inches of space between them and a terrible death.

50 years ago, 1964
Two Lewiston youths got an unexpected assist from Gov. John H. Reed, Friday morning, when they found themselves stranded in Portland after Sen. Barry Goldwater’s address. Russell Swift of 58 Highland Ave., Lewiston, and Phil Roy of 31 Hackett St., Lewiston, both juniors at Lewiston High School, were given a lift to the Lewiston exit of the Maine Turnpike by the Governor, who radioed ahead for a State Police trooper to take them the rest of the way to the school. The boys had been given a ride to Portland by a class-mate’s mother who works in Portland. They had planned to hear the senator’s address and then get a ride back to school on one of the buses which had taken Twin Cities students to the airport. However, they learned too late that the buses were filled to capacity.

25 years ago, 1989
Doors will open at 7 a.m. on Saturday as activities get under way for Le Festival de Lewiston et Auburn at the Multi-Purpose Center. Breakfast will be served at “Memere’s Cuisine,” located in the activity room, where luncheon will be served at 11 a.m. and dinner at 4.30 p.m. During the morning a dog show is scheduled for 8, a cat show at 8:30 and other animals at 9. This will be followed by a frog or toad jumping contest. “Pepere’s Brasserie” will open at noon in the gymnasium for refreshments.

The material in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors made at that time may be edited.