ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE AND JAIL

On March 18, 1854 , the Maine Legislature passed an act taking parts of Cumberland, Oxford, Kennebec, and Lincoln Counties to form a new county to be known as Androscoggin. The area included the then existing towns of Auburn, Danville,Durham,Poland,Minot, East Livermore, Livermore, Leeds, Greene, Wales,Lewiston and Lisbon. The original sponsor of the bill intended Lewiston to be designated as the county seat. The controversy over the establishment of Androscoggin County was stormy, with much debate over the location of the shire town. The choice came down to Lewiston and Auburn and due to the fact that majority of the communities in the new county were on the west or Auburn side of the Androscoggin river Auburn was elected in 1854. Charles Clark the son-in-law of Edward Little was the counties first sheriff. The Androscoggin Court House was built in 1857, not long after the state legislature designated Androscoggin County, named for the river that dominates it. The job to build the $100,000 structure went to J.F.Gridley out of Boston. The distinction of being selected as the county seat did much to urge the Town of Auburn toward city hood. Its pride and ambition heightened when the new Court House with attendant building was finished. It was a beautiful structure, on a side hill overlooking the busiest section of the growing community. The local government wishing to show appreciation for its new building and added prestige decided to change all of the street names in the downtown area. The old Maine street was changed to Court street, and the old River Street became the new Main Street. In 1882 a Civil War monument was dedicated in an impressive ceremony that hosted over 10,000 people on the grounds of the courthouse to honor the local men who had served in the war. The day was called Decoration Day and at the foot of the monument were placed three bronze tablets that bear the names of the men from Auburn and Danville who gave their lives in the war. Along with the county court the impressive building also is home to the county jail and the probate offices. It also houses the Androscoggin Historical Society Museum. Located on the third floor, the museum houses extensive artifacts, pictures, and written material on the history of Androscoggin County.

AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY

For over one hundred years the Auburn Public Library has grown and given service with the growth and development of the city. Its origin starts from community members in 1890 that thought the growing city needed a literacy center. After renting space in various buildings around town the library trustees along with city officials made arrangements with steel magnate Andrew Carnegie in 1904 to construct a building of their own on the corner of Spring and Court Street. Through the years various changes and improvements have been made in the building as needed: gas lighting to electric to fluorescent;new flooring;oil heating; steel shelving replacing wooden stacks; and the expansion of the Children's department. Over the years the library has been the recipient of some unusual gifts such as a bronze memorial tablet of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in 1908 and a shadow box of wax figures from a Dicken's novel in 1955. The library was renovated in 1956 and again in 1976, then once again within the past five years with a major local fundraising effort allowing the library to increase its original size as well as add a media center and numerous community rooms. Despite the renovations the library has only been closed twice; In 1911 due to a flu epidemic and during World War I during a fuel shortage. Through out all of the renovations the library has retained its original dramatic architecture. It is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The library boasts a circulation of more than 250,000 volumes, the highest circulation per capita for any library in Maine.

THE ENGINE HOUSE

On December 7, 1878 The men of the Auburn fire department were called at 4:00 P.M. for a fire. What they didn't know was that the fire was at their own fire house. The engine house was constructed entirely of wood, and was divided into sections providing stables and hayloft, quarters of Steamer Company #1 and hose carriage, and meeting rooms. On the day of the fire the steward of the company was heading out to kick some boys out of the stable when he smelt smoke. Opening the stable door , he was greeted by heavy smoke and raging flame. The alarm struck at 4:00P.M. By 4:10; the entire building was a mass of flames. The surrounding neighbors also experienced much loss with the loss of two apartment buildings. The horses that pulled the fire equipment escaped but spent the evening running free through the streets of Auburn. The total loss to the city of Auburn was over $7,000. It was insured for around $3,000. In the final debris was found the remains of the boys hay seed cigars and pipes. In 1879 mayor Thomas Littlefield approved a new fire station but recommended this one be made out of brick. The “Engine House” was built at a cost of $6,786.67. It went on to serve as Auburn's central fire station from the days of horse-drawn pumpers to the late 1960s. Since that time it has been used for offices and a restaurant. With its bell tower designed in the stick style, it is one of the last remaining firehouses of the 19th century and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.