Born in Portland, Maine, on February 9, 1931, Edwina Foster moved to Auburn as a baby. She began working in the mills in 1947 at the age of 16 after she quit school. She worked in the Continental Mill and the Bates Mill, as well as other various textile mills in...
Born in Lewiston on November 28, 1955, Dennis Chamberlain describes the process and modern innovations of brick making through recalling his father’s brickyard and his own work at Morin Brick.
This episode shares the story of Claudette Jalbert, who began working at the Bates Mill just months after graduating high school. In the converting division, she helped cut rolls of cloth. Jalbert recalls the dressy attire of the office mill workers, who often dressed...
Anita Turgeon reflects on her life growing up in Lewiston, Maine, in a French Canadian family and the role community and family played in shaping her path. She shares stories of her early work experiences, her deep ties to the mills, and the lasting impact of those...
Fernand Labbe decided to leave high school in 1956 so that he could begin work at the mills. He worked for a number of years at Hill Mill, where he met his wife. Labbe outlines his roles in the mill, and discusses his experience in the workers union, and a strike that...
