Auburn Sites

A 1940 Maine State Legislature report records the Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport was one of 6 airports considered important for national defense by the State Defense Commission in 1940 and that construction was undertaken by the WPA. Developed under FERA, it was originally built in 1935 to support recreational flying and consists of two 2,000 x 100 graded runways. "From late 1942, during World War II, the airfield was under the control of the United States Navy for use as a base for anti-submarine patrols by Squadron VS-31. It was commissioned on 15 April 1943 as Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Lewiston, and used...

An article by Gerald Reed in the Lewiston Evening Journal Jan. 3rd, 1935 reported that the CWA helped with the funding of the construction of a sub fire station in East Auburn and the renovation of another sub fire station on Court Street on Goff Hill. Total cost of the projects was $13,846.95 with the city covering $4,396.40 for the materials. The sub station on Center Street was rebuilt in 1974, and the the sub station on Court Street on Goff Hill was demolished and a new station built nearby on Minot Avenue in 1972.

In 1873, the Legislature granted permission to the cities of Lewiston and Auburn to take water from Wilson Pond (later renamed Lake Auburn). In 1880, the pump house to supply water to the city was built. By 1933/35 the annual address by the mayor mentioned that the condition of the pump was resulting in the danger of loss of water for the city. In 1934, a FERA project allowed for the painting of the interior of the pump station. In the 1937 town report, the Mayor's address noted “The modernization of the Pumping Station, with Federal assistance, was by far the largest...

The Lewiston Evening Journal reported that by 1935, a combination of the CWA, FERA, and ERA had completed numerous work projects in Auburn Maine: A two mile hiking trail along the Little Androscoggin River called the Baker Mill Trail was started. An athletic field was built at the Walton Elementary School along with shrubs and landscaping. The interiors of the Webster Grammar school, Webster Jr. High, Lake Street school, & Washburn school were painted. The roof was repainted at the Chamberlain school. At Edward Little High School, the windows were replaced. The roof of the city building was repaired, floors refinished, & both the interior and...

According to an article in the Lewiston Evening Journal of January 3, 1935 by Gerald Reed, extensive utility work was undertaken in the city by a combination of the CWA, FERA, & ERA agencies. "Under Sup. Cook of the Auburn Water and Sewerage District, a reforestation program was undertaken at Lake Auburn with the planting of 30,000 trees. Several additional services and the replacement of old water mains were installed on Loring, Western, Forest, & Fairmont Avenues, Towle, School, Fifth, Taylor, and Oliver Streets, a right of way at Court St. and Hillcrest Ave. The projects also included the lowering of the...

2 baseball fields were constructed at Pettingill Park by either the CWA, FERA, or ERA. 27,500 cubic yards of dirt were moved by hand. One of the parks was finished by January 3, 1935.