What were some of the worst disasters to effect the Lewiston-Auburn area?
The New Auburn Fire of 1933 – On May 15, 1933, a windswept fire sped through downtown New Auburn and destroyed 249 buildings in four hours. The fire moved so quickly that reporters from the Lewiston Journal, trying to report on the story, were forced to rush from telephones in buildings that had not caught fire when they entered. Over 2000 people from 422 families were left homeless, and the resulting damage was valued at over $2 million in 1933 dollars. (Source: Lewiston Journal Illustrated, Magazine Section, May 27, 1933.) The Flood of 1936 – In March of 1936, heavy snowfall, record rains, and a sudden thaw combined to unleash record-breaking floods in many parts of the eastern United States. By the time the flooding was over, the nation’s death toll stood at 136, over 200,000 people were homeless, and total damage was estimated at $300 million in 1936 dollars. In Maine, five people were killed, approximately 200 bridges were washed out, and damage was estimated at $25 million. No on
