100 years ago, 1916
A spectacular fire occurring yesterday noon badly gutted V. S. Darling’s garage, facing on North Main street, Auburn, and for a little while looked very threatening, but the prompt work of the fire department prevented the fire from spreading, The building valued at $4,000 which was badly gutted, is practically covered by insurance. A. E. Downing was badly burned on the back, hands and neck in trying to save some of the cars in the burning buildings.

50 years ago, 1966
A few openings remain in the first class at Lewiston’s new Culinary Arts Center, Summer Street, which is slated to begin operation Monday. William H. Dunton, coordinator for the Manpower Development and Training Act programs in the area, said about 15 students have been enrolled for the first period of instruction. The course for hotel and restaurant chefs is filled, and there is one vacancy in the baking class. The rest of the vacancies are in a course for short-order cooks.

25 years ago, 1991
When Richard Keene was just a youngster, his father gave him one very important piece of advice. “He said: ‘Always wear a hat and you’ll never go bald’,” Keene related. “My father was a farmer, and he always wore a hat, summer and winter, when he worked outdoors. I’m not bald, but I am beginning to thin a little,” he added. Keene, in his own way, has attempted to keep up the family tradition. As a 26-year veteran of the Auburn Police Department, he has worn his work hat every day, and in his spare time, Keene has managed to accumulate about 400 others. The 51-year-old West Auburn resident started collecting hats, mostly baseball-style caps, about 20 years ago.

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