ANSWER: Sun Spots communicated with several people at Auburn City Hall and learned that murals were uncovered on tile walls on the first level where the storefront/market spaces used to be when Auburn Hall was first constructed. The renovation plans required the walls to be removed, and unfortunately the designers were unaware that the murals existed and thus saving them was not included in the renovation plans.
City staff at the time had the contractor try a few different methods to remove the mural tiles intact, but the tiles were embedded into the concrete and kept breaking and they were unable to be saved.
Once the murals were discovered, photos were taken to document them before the walls were torn down. If you have access to a computer and visit Sun Spots online at www.sunjournal.com/sunspots, you can see the seven photos of the murals that city staff shared with Sun Spots. Also, at some point in time, we may print one of the photos in the paper, as the photos are of historical interest.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: Museum L-A is seeking information on a former Bates Mill employee who worked with silk screens. The gentleman is from Sabattus and has valuable information about the silk screens. We hope you can help us find him. — Contact Robert Caron at 207-333-3881 or robertrcaron@gmail.com.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: For those who remember, the Civil Defense program ran from 1941 to circa 1970. Various uniforms, caps, etc., were issued to program volunteers. The Androscoggin County program was in Auburn in the county building. I am interested in the Civil Defense cap that some of the folks wore.
My wife, Ruth Thompson, was the assistant county director working for General Skinner in 1954 through 1957. I have a photo of her wearing the garrison, overseas cap, fore and after — whatever it was called then. I can’t find her cap. It has a white top and the base looks dark from a photo I have with the Civil Defense patch on the left side. I would dearly love to have one, and am willing to pay. I am working on a Civil Defense project and looking for various items, but the cap is a priority, thanks. — Contact Tommy at 207-883-6851 or sthompsd6@maine.rr.com.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: I have lived in Lewiston since 1998. I see a lot of the streets are named after trees like maple, birch, pine, etc., but there is a road I can’t figure out how the name came about. It is off from Old Greene Road and is called Old Bloody Hill Road. Could you tell me how this road was named? — Patrick via online submission form.
ANSWER: Sun Spots has not been able to find the origin of the name of Old Bloody Hill Road in Lewiston, but did come across the minutes of a city council meeting in April 1998 which state “that the request to change the name of Old Bloody Hill Road to Blossom Hill Road be denied.” Any historians know the origins of the road’s name?
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