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...
Constance was born and raised in Lewiston, ME. She shares how her family came from Canada to Maine, growing up in Lewiston in the 30s and 40s, what the community was like, and her time as a clerk in the Bates Division of the Bates Manufacturing Company.
Cecile Brodeur was born and raised in Lewiston, she speaks about growing up in a big family and having to work in the mills with her 11 siblings at 18 in order to support the family. She worked in the card room at the Bates Mill, and she talks about her experience...
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...
Ray and Rita Thibault worked various jobs in the shoe mills. Ray discusses his job as a pattern maker and Rita talks about her childhood and work as well. Both speak positively of the shoe industry.
