Director says her
passion for L-A’s
legacy is personal

I am writing today feeling inspired and invigorated. I am often asked where the passion for this work comes from. Working at Museum L-A, I wondered how we could make our industrial and community history relevant to today’s high- technology youth. After all, many don’t even know what a mill is.

One day, it dawned on me that we needed to focus on the spirit of who we are as a people, and that is what we need to transfer to future generations. Stories of strong-willed, stubborn, deeply faithful, loving-life, full-of-hope, fun-loving, and innovative ancestors, often first in the state or country with new ideas, products, procedures, services, music and in developing world markets. One of the best-kept secrets today is that this is still what we are, strong and great. It’s just that we sometimes forget and need to be reminded. We have kept the spirit, the heart, the soul and the joie de vivre.

Did you know:

• that Bates Manufacturing was a worldwide company that sold bedspreads to all the  First Ladies in the White House, and that our own Maine Heritage Weavers continues the tradition today?

• that the LL Bean brothers had their first store in Auburn?

• That in the late ’60s, Lewiston had EAB studios, the only professional stat- of-the-art recording studio north of Boston?

that in the mid ’60’s, we had over 100 rock ‘n’ roll bands in the area?

 • that in the ’40s & ’50s, we had the highest number of musicians per capita of population in the United States here in L-A and that in the ’60s and 70s, as the mills fell, the music industry rose?

• and, that creativity and invention was and is very much alive in L-A?

The Lewiston-Auburn Mini Maker Faire was created because of our local Adrien Jalbert (deceased) who, with a 6th-grade education, became a prolific inventor. His many U.S. patents and inventions still in use today were the inspiration that led us to daring to apply for the first nationally licensed fair in Maine.

Every day we see and hear things at Museum L-A which give us the strength to keep moving forward. Take the 9-year-old boy who didn’t like school and left here saying: “I didn’t know learning could be so much fun!” and started doing better in school. The interns and work study students who have learned new values of life and history and changed their career paths because of their experience at Museum L-A. Teachers who come with their students for hands-on experiences and watch them forget computers for a few minutes. The joy when we hear: “Wow, look what I made with nothing,” as we teach children how to build bridges and dams with old cardboard and elastics and build water wheels with Popsicle sticks and Styrofoam cups. Or, the artists who are inspired to create amazing works and exhibits as they connect with our artifacts and stories.

The happiness we see in the elderly of our assisted-living facilities and nursing homes as they come alive when we go speak with them about their lives; sharing life stories they hadn’t shared before because they didn’t think anyone would want to hear them. The Girl Scout troops we worked with in nursing home settings, sharing with their chosen elders what it was like to be a teen in each other’s times. When asked the biggest things they had learned, one Scout answered – “that she wasn’t always old like this, but a little girl like me once.” Or, the groups of Alzheimer’s clients who come with not much recognition, until they get near the machinery, the familiar smells and surroundings. In amazement we sometimes catch that little glimmer of recognition.

Listen to the visitors from 43 states and 12 countries who leave in awe at who we are, our sense of place, our resilience, our strength of character and friendliness; or, the locals who leave walking proud of living here again. The introduction to the community that we provide to new businesses arriving so they can better understand the area they are coming to serve, or, the young entrepreneur from Skowhegan who brought his textile company back from Pakistan because we worked to get him a full loom and now we have a new business and more employment in our state.

And last, but not least, our “untold” stories. We must make sure these stories are not only told, they are not forgotten.

-Aimee Foisey who brought his loom-fixer’s tools to the millworker reunion. When he was thanked, he responded: “You’re thanking me? I thank you.” Adding, with tears in his eyes: “I can go in peace now. Someone cares about the work I did.” A year later he was gone.

-Cyrille Baillargeon – yes, my dad. Two days before he died, totally parched and I don’t know where he got the energy to even speak. On the third attempt, I prayed I would understand and his face told me, I finally got it. He asked: “Est-ce-que les enfants apprennent encore l’ouvrage que nous faiseons.” i.e. “Are the children still learning about the work we did?” I was dumbfounded. Here is a man with absolutely no education, on his last breaths and he is worrying about whether the children will remember the work he did? Is there something in each of us that has that need to be remembered? The importance of legacy.

-Barney Charest – A shoe worker and manager. After partially recording his history, we were to continue later since he was so tired. A couple of months later, we were called to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center at 10:30p.m. We wanted to come back but, he said: “No, I need to finish now.” We recorded for about 35 minutes and you could tell it was taking so much out of him. He suddenly said: “I think you should have my wife come in now.” The next morning, I had an email from his sister. Barney died an hour after we left him.

Museum L-A matters because we are here to Remember, Remind and Inspire.

Museum L-A is much more than objects, exhibits, the past and old stuff. We need to go beyond and see how your community museum is impacting the connecting of generations; inspiring love of learning and community; opening doors for young artists and entrepreneurs; helping in the economic development of our communities; giving pride, meaning and hope back to our people; helping leave legacy; and especially, showcasing our community in its authenticity and its true light of greatness. Yes,  despite a history of a dirty river, reputation of a great shoe strike and strife between our Irish and French immigrants, we are and always have been so much more.

Museum L-A is here to help lead in critical thinking skills, cultural literacy, creativity, civic engagement, curiosity, knowledge, and understanding. Above all, as a local businessman, Michael Rancourt of Rancourt & Company Shoecrafters, Inc. recently commented: “In a world of over-hyped things, Museum L-A helps bring authenticity to our business which benefits our entire community.”

As a community, I know we have received a mandate from our ancestors. I have spoken to so many of them now. That mandate is: Remember and preserve. Remind and do not forget. Inspire for the future with our stories.

The question often comes up: Is this personal for me? You bet. I am the daughter of a millworker. This is our community. This is our heritage. Let’s remember that each of us has a story. The legacy of Lewiston and Auburn is very powerful. Will anyone care when we become “the ancestors”?

Rachel Desgrosseilliers,

Executive Director of Museum L-A.

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