Maine Memory Network

La St-Jean in Lewiston-Auburn

St-Jean-Baptiste Day -- June 24th -- in Lewiston-Auburn was a very public display of ethnic pride for nearly a century. Since about 1830, French Canadians had used St. John the Baptist's birthdate as a demonstration of French-Canadian nationalism.

Hermann Kotzschmar: Portland's Musical Genius

During the second half of the 19th century, "Hermann Kotzschmar" was a familiar household name in Portland. He spent 59 years in his adopted city as a teacher, choral conductor, concert artist, and church organist.

From French Canadians to Franco-Americans

French Canadians who emigrated to the Lewiston-Auburn area faced discrimination as children and adults -- such as living in "Little Canada" tenements and being ridiculed for speaking French -- but also adapted to their new lives and sustained many cultural traditions.

Music in Maine - Community and School Marching Bands

"… a professional recording musician and church choir director from Lewiston wrote the Sainte-Cécile March and Two Step for The Fanfare (Band) Sainte…"

Music in Maine - Sacred Music

"… pipe and lyre while leading the Baptist Church choir in South Limington. Blowing through the small whistle sets the pitch and helps musicians tune…"

Music in Maine - Music stores

"… Against Me!, Imagine Dragons, Soweto Gospel Choir, Disturbed, Smashing Pumpkins, Chvrches, Tim Sample, and Chelsea Cutler."

Music in Maine - Opera, Orchestras and Stages

"… of Maine Singers Euphony, Orono’s Chamber Choir and the Oratorio Society, and performed to a sold-out hall."

Le Théâtre

Lewiston, Maine's second largest city, was long looked upon by many as a mill town with grimy smoke stacks, crowded tenements, low-paying jobs, sleazy clubs and little by way of refinement, except for Bates College. Yet, a noted Québec historian, Robert Rumilly, described it as "the French Athens of New England."

The Kotzschmar Memorial Organ

A fire and two men whose lives were entwined for more than 50 years resulted in what is now considered to be "the Jewel of Portland" -- the Austin organ that was given to the city of Portland in 1912.

We Used to be "Normal": A History of F.S.N.S.

Farmington's Normal School -- a teacher-training facility -- opened in 1863 and, over the decades, offered academic programs that included such unique features as domestic and child-care training, and extra-curricular activities from athletics to music and theater.