100 years ago, 1912
During the shower Sunday at about 2.15 p.m., lightning hit a tall fir tree on the grounds of the James Munroe place in West Auburn. The bolt split the tree from top to bottom, plunged into the ground, then out and entered the house, doing slight damage in one room. An oak tree near Del Verrill’s cottage on Lake Auburn, west shore, also was struck by lightning Sunday. Parties in the cottage were much alarmed as well as others in a motor boat, which had drawn up at the wharf for shelter. The tree was splintered into chips and half an acre of water was covered with the debris.

50 years ago, 1962
Lewiston Mayor Donia J. Girard today announced a big “welcome home” reception for members of the Maine National Guard returning to their homes next month after almost a year of federal service. Mayor Girard said he felt brief ceremonies should be held to greet each group of returning guardsmen with a full scale welcoming celebration to be held later after all units have returned home. With all the mobilized units back, a larger celebration will be held, probably featuring a parade and a large banquet or barbecue to be held in the vicinity of Memorial Armory in honor of the troops.

25 years ago, 1987
Seven clustered buildings will be constructed on the former Fordland lot on Center Street over the next few months, resulting in what one of the developers calls “a little colony.” The 3.2-acre parcel between Center Street and North River Road will eventually house between seven and 10 businesses, according to Ernest Ray, one of five partners in Plaza Associates. Ray said it will be a business and shopping park, not as “strip mall structure. They will be wooden-type structures, a little colony of seven buildings.”