Read more about Feb. 9, 1923, in the SunJournal.com archives.

100 Years Ago: 1923

The program for the Philharmonic Club this evening has been omitted because of so much illness among the members.

50 Years Ago: 1973

(from a Journal photo) Members of the Sophomore Class at Lewiston High School are making plans for a Valentine card party on Feb. 14 at Montello auditorium as a project to raise funds to cover expenses which the class will be responsible for at next year’s junior-senior prom. A group of young people will model clothing from B. Peck Co. including  Karen Dubuc, Ruth Skelton, Sue Raymond, Mrs. Daniel Rifelli, Cathy Clark and Lynda Plavin. Also, Mrs. David Bowie and Miss Philomena McPhee. The party is scheduled to begin at 7:30 and refreshments will be served during the evening.

25 Years Ago: 1998

After watching the city’s progress for 30 years, retiring City Clerk Gerald Berube has got  some ideas about the future of his native city.

“I think the city taking over the entire Bates Mill Complex has been an extreme burden on the city and its staff,” Berube said. “But the picture for Bates Mill is starting to look brighter.”

Berube said the opening of the Peoples Heritage Bank operation center at the mill in March will give the downtown a boost that has long been absent.

“I think the hopes for revitalizing the downtown are looking brighter than they have in recent years,” he said. The renewed discussions about the downtown between the city and the Downtown Development and Management Corp. are also promising.

Festivals are another major strength of the city, said Berube. By expanding the festivals held here in coming years, “I think we will be able to attract a bunch of people here,” he said.

Berube thinks the key to the city’s future lays in the revitalization of the waterfront along the river.

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