100 years ago, 1914
Plans are being rapidly completed for the big Cabaret show which the Ariel club will give in Lewiston City Hall on Tuesday night, Nov. 24. It will be the first event of the kind ever held in theses cities and present indications are that it will be the biggest sort of a hit. Prof. O’Connell and Miss Comery will give an exhibition of the latest society dancing. There will be excellent refreshments. There will be dancing for all. Those who don’t care to dance or watch the dancing can feast or play games, such is the announcement of the committee.

50 years ago, 1964
The Bates Manufacturing Co., with plants in Lewiston and Augusta, announced Monday its plans for a $15 million long range expansion program. Plans for North Carolina call for the establishment of a synthetic textile operation. Bates officials have termed this the modernization of the textile industry of today. Asked whether or not the opening of a new plant in the South would affect the local situation, H. L. Gosselin of Lewiston, assistant to the Bates president, said this project is “an expansion.” He said, “We’ve been saying that Bates intends to expand for some time. We want to build a larger and stronger company,” he emphasized. Gosselin noted that “this year, we are spending in excess of $800,000 in modernizing Maine plants” located in Lewiston and Augusta.

25 years ago, 1989
After 60 years as a major retail anchor on Lisbon Street, Ward Bros. closed its doors on Wednesday and moved to the Auburn Mall. Margaret Griswold, one of the owners of the women’s clothing store, said a marketing study commissioned by the store showed that “downtown Lewiston seems to be turning into a financial center, a commercial banking area.” Most of the tenants are banks, law offices and realty companies, she said. The Lisbon Street location, which the store had occupied since 1929, also lacked adequate parking, she said.

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