100 years ago: 1925

A complete little home which with the lot, lawn and neat little picket fence occupies a plot less than two feet square can be found at the county building, Auburn, if one looks hard enough.

It is the handiwork of Ted Morin of Lewiston, one of the prisoners, who used only a jackknife in its construction.

The house itself from back porch to front porch is only a foot long yet it is complete in every detail. It is sort of a rambling design with “ells” and wings yet it is exactly as Mr. Morin will build a home for himself when he finishes his jail sentence for liquor selling.

50 years ago: 1975

The larceny of a lamp from the Roundhouse Motor Inn was reported early this morning to Auburn police.

At about 1:45 a.m., the night clerk at the Center Street restaurant and motel notified authorities that he had just left the desk area for a few minutes to check the remainder of the complex and upon returning discovered a lamp missing from the lounge area.

The clerk said he believed the thief drove off in a foreign-made pickup truck. The lamp is described as being two feet tall with a brown and white shade. It is valued at $50.

Patrolman Conrad Vaillancourt conducted the investigation.

25 years ago: 2000

Stagnant water from melting ice at Central Maine Civic Center will turn to a surreal scene of painted and pierced youth in April when Smashing Pumpkins fans hit the arena floor.

“It’s amazing to watch,” says Roger Theriault, the center’s owner. “It’s almost like a Halloween party; they dress to enjoy themselves.”

But don’t let a vision of gothic, foreboding fans turn your veins to ice.

“All these kids are very polite,” Theriault says.

Chris Beaudoin, a 13-year-old Lewiston Middle School student, can’t go to a show unless his grades are looking up. His mother, Carla White, will often accompany him, making it a family affair.

One thing Chris won’t be doing, however, is jumping into mosh pits where fans dance and surf on the hands of others.

“Too big,” he says, “it’s scary.”

The quoted material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.