Congressional Medal of Honor winner: Civil War

EDWARD P. TOBIE 

Saints Peter and Paul Church

Historic Lyceum Hall on Lisbon Street

Lewiston City Hall Tower from the Park

 Classic style bank building on Lisbon Street

LEWISTON

Lewiston Falls, on the Androscoggin River between downtown Lewiston and neighboring Auburn, its "twin" city, was a  fishing source for Native Americans.   It was known by them as Amitgonpontook, or the falls where you smoke meat or fish, a meaning similar to Androscoggin.  Recently, a park has been developed at the site of the falls and one of the old mills (now a housing complex) that once thrived on its power.

 
Mills along Canal Street in Lewiston

 The falls provided power for the many mills and factories that dominated the local economy during the 19th and early 20th centuries.  As recently as 1978 Jim Brunelle could state "Lewiston is the largest textile manufacturing center in Maine."  In the early 21st century that distinction  has all but disappeared.  The Bates Manufacturing mill, built on the Lowell (Massachusetts) model, is now defunct.

The great demand for manufacturing labor in the 19th century drew large numbers of French speaking people from Canada and northern Maine.  Their descendents and the locally adapted culture still dominate the City's character.

Lewiston Skyline

As did many working class immigrant communities, the Franco-Americans found support in the Democratic Party and made the city a major political stronghold for the Democrats.  Lewiston contributed two 19th century governors, Nelson Dingley, Jr. (1874-1876) and Alonzo Garcelon (1879).

The first governor of the 20th century  from the city was Louis L. Brann, elected in the depths of the Depression (1933-1937), even as Franklin D. Roosevelt lost in Maine during his winning national landslide election as president.  James B. Longley, Sr.,  a Lewiston insurance executive, became the state's first modern "independent" governor, serving from 1975 through 1979.

Red Sox manager Bill Carrigan was born in the city in 1883.  Bates College and a Lewiston-Auburn division of the University of Maine are located in the city.  Though declining in population, it remains Maine's second largest city.  

Lewiston is home to Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary, one of New England’s largest. Founded by the Stanton Bird Club, access is from the Highland Springs Road, off Sabattus Street.

National Register of Historic Places - Listings

Atkinson Building 2/2/83, 220 Lisbon Street 
Bergin Block 4/25/86, 330 Lisbon Street 
Bradford House 12/22/78, 54-56 Pine Street
Briggs, William, Homestead 3/20/86, 1470 Turner Street 
Clifford, John D., House 12/30/8, 14--16 Ware Street 
College Block--Lisbon Block,4/25/86, 248--274 Lisbon Street 
Lewiston Commercial District  Continental Mill Housing 7/10/79, 66-82 Oxford Street 
Cowan Mill 8/1/85, Island Mill Street 
Dominican Block 1/15/80, 141-145 Lincoln Street 
First Callahan Building 4/25/86, 276 Lisbon Street 
First McGillicuddy Block 4/25/86, 133 Lisbon Street 
First National Bank 4/25/86, 157--163 Main Street 
Frye, Sen. William P., House 10/8/76, 453-461 Main Street 
Grand Trunk Railroad Station 6/4/79, Lincoln Street 
Hathorn Hall, Bates College 8/25/70, Bates College campus 
Healey Asylum 10/1/79, 81 Ash Street 
Holland, Captain, House 3/21/85, 142 College Street 
Holland-Drew House 12/22/78, 377 Main Street 
Jordan School 3/22/84, 35 Wood Street 
Kora Temple 9/11/75, 11 Sabattus Street 
Lewiston City Hall 10/21/76, Pine and Park Streets 
Lewiston Public Library 1/31/78, Park and Pine Streets 
Lewiston Trust and Safe Deposit Company 4/25/86, 46 Lisbon Street 
Lord Block 4/25/86, 379 Lisbon Street 
Lord, James C., House 7/21/78, 497 Main Street 
Lower Lisbon Street Historic District 5/21/85, Lisbon Street between Cedar and Chestnut 
Lyceum Hall 4/25/86, 49 Lisbon Street 
Maine Supply Company Building 4/25/86, 415--417 Lisbon Street 
Manufacturer's National Bank 4/25/86, 145 Lisbon Street 
Marcotte Nursing Home 12/26/85, 100 Campus Avenue 
Martel, Dr. Louis J., House 1/4/83, 122-124 Bartlett Street 
Oak Street School 10/8/76, Oak Street 
Odd Fellows Block 4/25/86, 182--190 Lisbon Street 
Osgood Building 4/25/86, 129 Lisbon Street 
Pilsbury Block 4/14/83, 200-210 Lisbon Street 
Saint Mary's General Hospital 12/30/87, 45 Golder Street 
Savings Bank Block 1/20/78, 215 Lisbon Street 
Second Callahan Block 4/25/86, 282 Lisbon Street 
St. Joseph's Catholic Church 7/13/89, 253 Main Street 
Saints Peter and Paul Church 7/14/83, 27 Bartlett Street 
Trinity Episcopal Church 3/30/78, Bates and Spruce Streets 
Union Block 4/25/86, 21--29 Lisbon Street 
US Post Office--Lewiston Main 5/2/86, 49 Ash Street 
Wedgewood, Dr. Milton, House 1/10/86, 101 Pine Street