John Allard started in the shoe industry at the age of 15, swapping locations here and there. He then worked at Falcon Shoe for about four times, coming back several times after either being fired or quitting. He was a shoe cutter and also a leather assessor. He...
Lorraine Brown has been making shoes for a long time. She was born and raised in Lewiston/Auburn, getting started in shoe-making at the age of 15 when she wanted to raise money for roller skates at the Beacon. She worked at the Bleachery and Libby Mill for a time, but...
Dick Courtmanche was born in Lewiston as one of 10 siblings to his parents who arrived from Canada. The family had a small farm on College Road in Lewiston with his dad working as a hand sewer in the shoe industry, with his children expected to follow in his steps. He...
David Nelson and his family have a lot of deep ties to the shoe industry here in Lewiston-Auburn. He was born in Lewiston and has lived in Auburn for his entire life, during which he recounts the urban renewal of the 1960s and the changes to the town that came with...
Jim Wellehan and his family have deep ties to the shoe industries located across Lewiston-Auburn. His family operates Lamey-Wellehan Shoes with locations across the state, and the company got their start in 1914 when his dad opened the first store with Charley...