100 Years Ago: 1921

There is a wonderful plum tree in the garden of L’Heureux at 6 Curtis Street, Lewiston. Altho supposed to have passed the bearing age, it is loaded with fruit. In fact, it is doubtful if there is another tree of the kind bearing such a load of plums.

50 Years Ago: 1971

Miss Barbara McKnight, director of the new YWCA pool on East Avenue, Lewiston, recently completed an intensive ten-day course in swimming for the handicapped, and has been authorized by Mrs. Dorothy Crocker, executive director of the Lewiston-Auburn Red Cross Chapter, to teach swimming to Androscoggin County. She is also a qualified Red Cross first aid instructor. Anyone interested in the Fall swimming program should contact the YWCA.

25 Years Ago: 1996

An elephant in Durham? Not in the memory of any of this town’s old-timers. Area residents will have an opportunity to see Lisa, the performing pachyderm of the Roberts Bros. Three Ring Circus when the show comes to town Wednesday, July 31. The Durham Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary is sponsoring the circus under the big top erected on the Durham Elementary School grounds Wednesday morning. Debbie Larrabee, chairwoman of the Circus Committee, has extended an invitation to local children for the tent-raising after the caravan of circus trucks arrives around 7 a.m. Ticket sales have been brisk, Larrabee reports, but “there are still good seats available for both the 5:30pm and 7:30pm shows.” Advance reduced-price tickets are available from Fire Department Auxiliary members or may be purchased at Morse Brothers, 5 Main St. Lisbon Falls, Strictly Formal, 46 Maine St, in Brunswick, and Nancy’s Crafters, Route 126 in Durham. “Most of the youngsters on hand for the arrival and at the performances are probably seeing their first traditional circus under the big top with all it’s nostalgic excitement,” Larrabee says, “We are proud to be bringing wholesome family entertainment to the Durham area people,” she added. Aerialists, acrobatic and tumbling champions, lightwire wizards, trapeze artists and juggling artists will perform with trained horses and llamas and, of course, the ever popular part of all circus performers, the ponderous performing pachyderm Lisa. The doors to the circus are scheduled to open one half an hour before each performance with the midway attractions opening one hour before show time. Additional information is available from Larrabee or Circus Committee co-chairwoman Kathy St. Michel.

The material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.