Contributed by Boston Public Library
- Item 66581
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Description
The Greats Falls in the Androscoggin River have held prominence in Lewiston and Auburn for centuries and were responsible for industrial growth in both towns in the 19th and 20th century through the power they provided to mills.
The “Old Man” referenced in the postcard's caption refers to the perceived profile in the rock's formation of a man described as "reign[ing] in royal fashion" and "King of the Androscoggin" by the Lewiston Evening Journal in 1935. The profile came to the wider public's attention when the New York Times republished part of the Lewiston Evening Journal's story about painter D.D. Coombs' description of discovering and painting the Old Man's profile. An 1899 project which put a water line beneath the falls resulted in dynamite exploding and blowing off pieces of the Old Man's head, but he was still considered recognizable as a face. By 1910, the profile appeared to be fading, with suggestions that the dynamite usage in the area caused water to seep into cracks and freeze, altering the formations in the rock faster than would normally occur in geological time.
The caption reads, "The Falls and Old Man, Auburn and Lewiston, Maine."
The Tichnor Brothers printing company published this type of postcard circa 1930-1945.
About This Item
- Title: The Falls and Old Man, Auburn and Lewiston, ca. 1938
- Creator: Tichnor Bros., Inc.
- Creation Date: circa 1938
- Subject Date: circa 1938
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Locations:
- Lewiston, Androscoggin County, ME
- Auburn, Androscoggin County, ME
- Media: Linen texture postcard
- Dimensions: 9 cm x 14 cm
- Collection: The Tichnor Brothers Collection
- Object Type: Text and Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Great Falls (Androscoggin County, Me.)
- Mills and mill-work--Maine--Auburn
- Mills and mill-work--Maine--Lewiston
- Postcards
- Waterfalls--Maine
People
Other Keywords
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