February 2023: Bates Bedspread, Valentine’s Day Edition

This is a Bates bedspread with hearts and flowers on it. The bedspread is reversible: one side has flowers and hearts that are pink and white on a green background, the other side has flowers and hearts that are green and white on a pink background. This is one of the...

January 2023: Murphy’s Fur Coat

This month the museum is highlighting a Murphy’s fur coat. Murphy’s was a fur business started by T.J. Murphy in 1873 that had two locations in Lewiston: one on Ash street and one on Lisbon street. They became nationally known for their high quality and their direct...

December 2022: Bates Bedspread Snowman

To celebrate the holiday season, our December object of the month is this festive bedspread disguised as a snowman. Almost all of the bedspreads in our collection remain in their original condition, but this one was given new life, dressed up for the holidays, and...

November 2022: War Ration Booklet

With Veteran’s Day approaching later this month, our object of the month is a ration booklet held in our collection. As with many areas of life, the textile, brick, and shoemaking industries of the Androscoggin region felt the effects of WWII. For example, many mills...

October 2022: Bates Manufacturing Company Medal for Valued Service

This medal was awarded to the Bates Manufacturing Company in 1951 for 100 years of valued service. The Jordan Marsh Company bestowed this medal to the mills, “commemorating our New England centennial associates whose integrity of character and preservation of American...

September 2022: Mill Workers

In honor of Labor Day this month, the museum would like to recognize and honor the hard work and dedication of the mill workers of the late nineteenth and twentieth  centuries. These three undated photographs show mill workers at different parts of the textile making...