New Book Covers History of Local Railroad
April 26th, 2010
Few topics conjure up imagination, romance, and the quest for adventure as that of the formation of a railroad. A new book on the history of the Lewiston and Auburn Railroad Company does just that.
Written by Douglas I. Hodgkin, Bates College Professor Emeritus of Political Science, “The Lewiston and Auburn Railroad Company, 1872-2009” is a detailed history of the Railroad beginning with its controversial charter adoption.
Although initiated by local textile manufacturers, the railroad’s creation was ultimately opposed by those same textile companies, along with the Maine Central Railroad. Hodgkin shows early photos of the railroad from its time as a vibrant means of transporting immigrants to the local area, to its dormancy and rebirth.
Hodgkin describes the immigration of the ancestors of many Lewiston and Auburn residents from Quebec, arriving at the Depot on Lincoln Street.
In his book, Hodgkin explains how the railroad has been a key player in the economic development of the region through intermodal transportation technology.
The 136-page paperback retails for $20, and is available at Mr. Paperback in Lewiston and Percy’s Burrow in Auburn, as well as at the fourth-floor office of the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council at 415 Lisbon Street in Lewiston.
