Conrad Duchette was born in Lewiston, ME to a family with 24 siblings and moved to Turner, ME at 10 years old. He later returned to Lewiston at 18 to work in the shoe shops. He talked about the scariness of the shoe industry shutting down and how he managed to hold...
William ‘Bud’ Lewis worked as an engineer for the Bates Manufacturing Company Inc. from 1949 to 1985, then became a consultant until 2000. In this interview, he discusses growing up during The Great Depression in Portland, Maine, the history of the...
Bruce has been involved in the shoe industry from a young age. In this interview, Bruce describes how he co-founded a shoe-company, the Lewiston and Mill community, the innovation of new technology, and competition within the shoe industry.
Ted Johanson was the owner of Falcon Shoe in Lewiston-Auburn. He discusses his journey as a businessman, including how he started the factory and how he adapted to global changes in the shoe industry. He also talks about working conditions and programs for the...
Tonya Bailey-Curry grew up in the Lewiston-Auburn area and now is raising her own family here as well. Her mother’s family was Scottish and worked in the mills. Her father was Black and was a musician. Tonya speaks about her family and building her own...
