Collection + Exhibits
Object of the Month
Get a glimpse of the past with highlighted artifacts from the museum’s collection.
With more than 10,00 artifacts in our collection, there’s a lot to learn about. Come along with us as we unearth one item a month and take a deep dive into its use, significance, and any community stories connected to its history, meaning, or purpose.
From archival photographs to awards, manufacturing tools and inventions to locally made holiday ornaments from a once renown manufacturer—get a glimpse into the past, right now.
April 2026: Health and Safety in the Mill
April 24th is National Workers Memorial Day in which the US Department of Labor honors fallen workers. OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is the regulatory agency that oversees the safety and health of all workers in the United States.
A 1990 document, pictured here, records a variety of accidents at a mill or factory in Lewiston, Maine. The documented workplace injuries range from a hand caught in an elevator door to being bitten by leather fleas. Chemical exposure was a notable hazard, evidenced by one case of injury resulting from the inhalation of diphenyl methane diisocyanate (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate). This chemical is commonly found in industrial spray foam sealants, adhesives, and coatings. Given the history of shoe manufacturing in the area, this exposure may have been connected to adhesives used during production.
Did you miss a past Object of The Month?
We’ve gone through a treasure trove of items from our collection over the years. Scroll through and see what you may have missed.
April 2026: Health and Safety in the Mill
April 24th is National Workers Memorial Day in which the US Department of Labor honors fallen workers. OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is the regulatory agency that oversees the safety and health of all workers in the United States. A 1990...
March 2026: Women in Bates Mill Bowling League
March is designated as Women's History Month, a tradition established by Jimmy Carter to honor the often-unnoticed contributions of women to the building of our nation. This month provides an opportunity to focus on the leadership, courage, strength, love, and...
February 2026: Peck’s Department Store 100th Anniversary Bag
Peck’s Department Store was founded in 1880 by Bradford Peck. Originally located on the Music Hall block of Lisbon Street in Lewiston, in 1886 it moved to the Sands Block and in 1899 moved to the corners of Main Street and Lisbon Street, where it occupied all five...
January 2026: Weaving Inspection Tools
These tools were meant for the inspection, mending, and hand picking of any imperfections in the weaves and textiles in the Lewiston mills. With regular use these tools developed a gorgeous patina and are a testament to the careful eye of the workers to ensure that...
December 2025: Snowshoe Club Uniform Jacket
This uniform jacket, features the signature gray and scarlet colors of Lewiston's Le Montagnard snowshoe club. Founded in 1922 by Louis-Philippe Gagné, Le Montagnard was the first club of its kind in Lewiston. Each snowshoe club had a unique uniform, identifiable by...
November 2025: Snowshoe Club Pins
Lewiston was a significant center for snowshoe clubs in the 1950s, boasting 17 different organizations. These clubs were popular, even drawing participation from other New England towns with large French-Canadian populations. Each club was distinct, with its own...
October 2025: Costume Fun
This photograph from our archival collection is captioned, “Bob Larrabee ‘clowning around’ in the Bates Classing Room.” The fun hat he wears conveys a sense of lightheartedness that likely helped ease the intensity of the Classing Room’s demanding work.
September 2025: Instruction Book for Weaving Machine
Andre Langlois's name is marked on the inside of this instruction book for the Bates Mill weaving machine. This detail reminds us of the contributions of thousands of individuals, like Langlois, who were key to the success of the Lewiston and Auburn mills. Weaving...
August 2025: Shoe Anvil
This cast iron cobbler’s shoe anvil, used for making and repairing footwear, represents the late 19th and early 20th centuries when shoe manufacturing was central to the economies of Lewiston and Auburn. The Maine MILL’s new location at 1 Beech Street, which will open...
Help preserve Maine MILL artifacts
Antique and vintage items need a lot of maintenance to prolong their lifetime. Help us to preserve and care for these historical items and representations of our community’s history by donating today.