AUBURN — It rained hard all weekend of Feb. 29 to March 1, 1896. Snow melted. Water, ice and logs pounded against the bridges connecting Lewiston and Auburn.

The residents of the two cities woke up on Monday, March 2, to realize that both bridges were gone. Not only were they important for the commerce between the two cities and the workers who commuted, but the bridges also had carried many of the utilities vital for homes and businesses.

Retired professor Doug Hodgkin will describe the flood and its impact as the speaker at a meeting of the Androscoggin Historical Society at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, at the society’s headquarters at the County Courthouse, 2 Turner St.

“This is the story of how the cities scrambled to repair the damage and arrange temporary means of transportation, as well as how the cities cooperated in constructing the new North and South Bridges,” said Hodgkin.

Professor emeritus at Bates College, Hodgkin is the historical society’s secretary and editor of its newsletter. He has written eight books on local topics including Lewiston before the Civil War, the Lewiston Grange, the Lewiston and Auburn Railroad and Auburn Baptist churches. He is currently writing a book on the history of Lewiston from the Civil War to 1900. A Lewiston native, Hodgkin graduated from Lewiston High School and has degrees from Yale and Duke Universities.

Admission for this program is free, although donations are gratefully accepted. For more information about the society, call 207-784-0586. This event will be held at the society’s museum on the third floor of the County Building. An elevator is available.