History of Lewiston and Auburn Railroad are topic

Hodgkin to discuss history of Lewiston and Auburn Railroad at Bethel Historical Society

BETHEL - On Thursday, November 4 at 4 p.m., Douglas I. Hodgkin, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus at Bates College, will discuss the Grand Trunk Railway branch line that was opened to Auburn and Lewiston in July 1874. This important railway extension was made possible thanks to $300,000 in capital stock raised by local businessmen and residents after a charter for the "Lewiston and Auburn Railroad" was granted by the Maine Legislature in 1872. Until New England's position as a leader in the textile industry was displaced by the "New South," the cotton mills located here made extensive use of this railroad route to ship their products, and thousands of French Canadian immigrants passed through the doors of Lewiston's Grand Trunk depot (1873), which survives today. The 5.4 mile branch line maintained passenger service until 1956.

Professor Hodgkin, whose ancestors were among the original settlers of Lewiston, is a native of the city. He received his Ph.D. from Duke University following graduation from Lewiston High School and Bates College, where he was a political science professor for many years. Now Emeritus Professor at Bates, he has written and published extensively on Lewiston history. He has also been active as editor of the newsletter of the Androscoggin Historical Society and has served on the Lewiston Historic Preservation Review Board.

Hodgkin's presentation will be held in the exhibit hall of the Dr. Moses Mason House at 14 Broad Street, beginning at 4 p.m. He has written a recently published history of the Auburn/Lewiston branch line and will bring copies for purchase and autographing. This free program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Maine Humanities Council.

For more information, contact 824-2908, 800-824-2910 or info@bethelhistorical.org.