Tanya Busch Maine Real Estate

Looking for something to do in Androscoggin County Maine?

In addition to the myriad of outdoor recreational opportunities, theatre and music events, and food experiences, this area of Central/Western Maine has many interesting museums for your enjoyment!

Check out the list below!

Androscoggin Historical Society

County Court Building, 2 Turner Street, Auburn, ME 04210-5978
207-784-0586

· www.rootsweb.com/~meandrhs • Michael Lord

E-mail: androhs@verizon.net

The Androscoggin Historical Society preserves and disseminates the history of Androscoggin County. Since 1923, the Historical Society has been preserving and promoting the long, rich history of the county. The Clarence E. March Library has extensive holdings in local history and genealogy, and the Davis-Wagg Museum is filled with many artifacts of local historical interest, both open to the public free of charge (donations accepted). Hours are 9:00 a.m. - noon and 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, closing earlier on Fridays in winter. They are wheelchair accessible. P

Atrium Gallery

University of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College
51 Westminster Street, Lewiston, ME 04240

· 207-753-6554

http://www.usm.maine.edu/lac/art

· Robyn Holman, Director of Exhibitions

E-mail: holman@usm.maine.edu

The Atrium Gallery presents year-round art exhibitions and special events for the community. The annual Area Artists Exhibition held in January and February features work by artists in Androscoggin, Franklin, or Oxford Counties. In collaboration with L/A Arts, the gallery hosts an annual "All Maine Invitational: L/A Arts Exhibit and Auction" in the spring, featuring paintings, prints, ceramics, jewelry, fiber arts, and furniture by 60 artists from around the state. P

Bates College Museum of Art

Olin Arts Center, 75 Russell Street, Lewiston, ME 04240
www.bates.edu/acad/museum

· E-mail: museum@bates.edu

Marc Bessire • 207-786-6158

Located on the historic campus of Bates College, the Museum of Art is home to one of the region's finest art collections, including the Marsden Hartley Memorial Collection. The Museum, housed in the Olin Arts Center, hosts ongoing exhibitions, special events, and showings of the permanent collection throughout the year. P

Bates Dance
163 Wood Street, Lewiston, ME 04240
Laura Faure

· 207-786-6381 (office & tickets)

http://www.batesdancefestival.org/

Each July and August the Bates Dance Festival presents a five-week performance series of internationally renowned contemporary dance artists on the Bates College campus. In addition, the Festival sponsors acclaimed dance and music training programs for teens, adults and local disadvantaged youth; produces outreach projects that engage community members of all ages in the art making experience; and supports the creation of new works by established and emerging artists.

Franco-American Heritage Center
at St. Mary's

PO Box 1627, Corner of Oxford & Cedar Streets
Lewiston, ME 04241-1627 • Rita Dube • 207 -783-1515

The Franco-American Heritage Center at St. Mary's was established in November 2000 to preserve and promote all aspects of the Franco-American heritage, including culture, history, and language. Its mission is to transform and restore the building and allow St. Mary's to continue to enrich the lives of the people of Lewiston-Auburn and elsewhere by preserving the community's rich French history. This is an active and thriving center with a combination of uses including a museum, a performance hall, a function hall, and a learning center. It is a true asset to the community as well as a multi-cultural, multi-purpose community facility: a magnificent structure of historical value, a gem in the heart of what is affectionately known as "Little Canada," where children learn from it, adults grow from it, ancestors will be honored by it, and the community shares great pride in it. This center contributes to the area educationally, academically, economically, socially, and culturally. P

Franco-American Heritage Collection

Lewiston-Auburn College
51 Westminster Street, Lewiston, ME 04240

· www.usm.maine.edu/lac/franco • boisvert@usm.maine.edu

Donat Boisvert • 207-753-6545

In keeping with its educational, research, and community service mission, the Collection is designed to promote interest in and study of the Franco-American culture and history. A significant collection of documents, photographs, artifacts, and audiovisual material relating to the Franco-American community is housed in the facility. Hours are Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Thursdays 8:00 a.m. to Noon. P

Museum L-A

Focuses upon the history of the Twin Cities during the Industrial Revolution, when textile mill, shoe mills, railroads, the canal system, and a flow of immigrants from French Canada and Europe transformed Lewiston and Auburn from a quiet rural hamlet into a vibrant prosperous city, practically overnight.

The current exhibition, "Lewiston-A Century and a Half of Textile Manufacturing," tells the story of Bates Manufacturing from its inception in 1852 until its demise in 2001, as well as that of W.S. Libbey and other local textile enterprises. A spinning frame, a Jacquard loom, and other equipment Bates used to create its famous bedspreads are on display, together with examples of the company's fashionable products and alluring ads. P

Washburn-Norlands Living History Center

290 Norlands Road, Livermore, ME 04253

· 207-897-4366

http://www.norlands.org/ • E-mail: norlands@norland.org

Located on 445 acres of the former estate of the Washburn family, the site is a working farm and museum featuring a beautifully restored Victorian country home, farmer's cottage, granite library, white-steepled church, one-room schoolhouse, and a large barn full of animals. The Norlands seeks to preserve the heritage of 19th-century rural life through innovative and entertaining hands-on programs for all ages. The Norlands thrives on the generosity of its members, donors, and volunteers. Public hours vary please call for more information. G P $

Yes, it is definitely Ice Fishing season, but if you are already making your plans for a spring visit to Maine, don't miss Lake Auburn!

According to Tom Seymour's write-up on http://www.trails.com/ (Falcon Publishing): "This cold, deep 2,260-acre reservoir ... (has) rocky shorelines and water up to 118 feet deep (that) make for good fishing for a variety of species. Even though this lake is found in an urban setting, the shoreline has little development, giving a sense of wildness. A portion of the southern end of the lake is closed to all water-related activities, but the rest of the lake is open to fishing and recreational boating. Swimming is not allowed, so competition from water-skiers is not a problem. This lake is a noted early-season producer. While the northern lakes are still icebound, anglers are catching fish in Lake Auburn. Key Species: brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, pickerel, white perch."

Located at the Northern end of Auburn, Maine, this giant beauty is truly a sight to behold and a vacationers dream to enjoy. Check out more local links on our website at www.TanyaB.com

Lost Valley Ski Resort

Lost Valley is a family ski haven, with 15 trails and a snowboard terrain park. Most of Lost Valley's trails are rated beginner and intermediate, with some challenges for more advanced skiers. Lost Valley is also a great setting for mountain biking. Located on a wooded 300-acre site, Lost Valley has combined a series of tote roads and single track trails to form a unique trail system. The wooded terrain is varied with rolling hills, streams and bridges. Lost Valley's trails are maintained by an experienced staff. Plentiful and densely-wooded space is also perfect for paintball, one of today's most popular adventure sports. Lost Valley also rents its banquet facilities and caters events from small to large.

For more information about Lost Valley call 207-784-1561, or visit their website at http://www.lostvalleyski.com/.

Check out more local events and town links on our website

at www.TanyaB.com

The Tanya Busch Team, Keller Williams Realty Mid Maine

34 Center Street Auburn, ME 04210

Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary

Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary in Lewiston, a 312-acre wildlife preserve, has been the primary focus of The Stanton Bird Club for more than 80 years. At an elevation of 510 feet, the highest point in the city, this sanctuary sits as a green capstone, a forested oasis surrounded on three sides by urban and suburban development. The "Crag", belonging to the family Thorne in the 1800's, is a familiar and well-loved landmark in Lewiston. The human use of this land over the decades has been as varied as the habitats and wildlife it has always protected. Uses have included: recreation and scientific research by Bates College, a sheep and dairy farm, tuberculosis sanitorium, homestead for the reclusive Elder Thorne, and facility for Highland Spring Bottled Water Company.

Thorncrag is now used as a demonstration and workshop site for groups such as University of Maine wildlife biologists, college and high school ecology classes, Boy and Girl Scout troops, professional botanical societies, garden clubs, arborists, and environmental educators.

Passive recreation at Thorncrag: Bird-watching, picnicking, hiking, walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, skating, nature photography. Promotion of these activities is offered through our widely distributed brochure (at the Chamber of Commerce and at the DOT information facility in Kittery); in entries in the AAA guidebooks and the Delorme Atlas and Gazetteer; in environmental education publications and newsletters; and in the IF &W publication "On Water, On Wings, In the Woods."

Directions: FROM I-495 - MAINE TURNPIKE, NORTH & SOUTH

Take exit 13 in Lewiston and head west on Rte. 196 (Lisbon Street). Turn right onto East Avenue. (The Promenade Mall will be on your left, Martel School will be on your right). Take East Avenue to the intersection of Sabattus Street (Rte. 126).You will see Rite Aid on the opposite left corner. Turn right onto Sabattus Street and continue until you see Hannaford's Supermarket on the left. Turn left onto Highland Spring Road at the stone pillar with a Thorncrag sign. The Sanctuary is at the end of Highland Spring Road. You can park on the shoulder.

For more information visit: http://www.stantonbirdclub.org/

Check out more local information and local town links

at www.TanyaB.com

The Tanya Busch Team, Keller Williams Realty Mid Maine

34 Center Street Auburn, ME 04210

Creative Businesses in the Lewiston Auburn Maine Area

Maybe it is the water, or maybe it is the clean air, but something spurs on the success of creative and unique businesses here in the Lewiston - Auburn area of Central Maine. Here is just a sample of some of the thriving businesses in our area!

Harriman Associates Architects & Engineers - 1 Auburn Business Park, Auburn (Designers of community projects such as the new Auburn Hall and Bates College's Carnegie Science Building)

Platz Associates - Great Falls Plaza, Auburn (Designers of the Bates Mill redevelopment, the Business Service Center, and several of the area's beautiful parking garages)

In-Depth Archaeology - 382 College Street, Lewiston (One of the regions few archaeologists)

Ware Street Inn - 52 Ware Street, Lewiston/Munroe Inn, 123 Pleasant Street, Auburn (If you've tasted Ware Street owner Jan Barrett's breakfasts or Munroe co-owner Connie Zimmerman's full-course dinners, you'll be a true believer in culinary art)

McIntosh & Tuttle Cabinetmakers - 41 Chestnut Street, Lewiston (Cabinetry as functional art)

Fishbones - Bates Mill Complex, Lewiston (Seafood as art)

Dore's Café - 20 Union Street, Auburn (Try a pastry and hear the muses sing)

Massage therapists - ( I'm not selecting any single one, but consider the magic fingers that work out the week's tension and stress)

Plantasia Florals - 144 Main Street, Auburn (Granted, God deserves credit too, but spouses everywhere are indebted to these artists who masterfully blend color and fragrance to cast a spell or break a curse on many a relationship)

Creative Forensic Services - 11 Elmwood Road, Auburn (Arlo West's creative detective work is used for audio recovery for crime cases)

Encompass Marketing & Design - 162 Main Street, Auburn (Love them or hate them, ad agencies make us pay attention to people, places, and things; this Auburn firm is really good at it)

Belle Decorating - 3 Bosse Street, Lewiston (Talk about creative: Michelle Davis will redesign a living room or family room by rearranging your home's existing furniture and accessories)

Landscaping companies - (I can't vouch for any particular one, but landscaping is nothing short of using the earth to convey a sense of space)

It's Magic - 117 Gamage Avenue, Auburn (Bob Nixon does magic at public events and private parties - hard to argue magic isn't art)

Katahdin Music Works - (John Stass offers custom-made music stands with some of the most elegant wood I've ever seen)

The Maine Bucket Company - Fireslate Place, Lewiston (Big buckets, small buckets, popcorn pails, interlocking display stands - these guys have built quite a business on functional wood)

New England School of Metalwork - 22 Albiston Way, Auburn (A subsidiary of MaineOxy, they teach welders how to be master blacksmiths)

Penmor Lithographers, 8 Lexington Street - Lewiston (A quality printer can make a good brochure a stunning one, and these folks make brochures come to life)

Maine Proofreading Services - 55 Lisbon Street, Lewiston (When you read a good book, you may heap praise on the author, but it's often the proofreader that helps make that paragraph clear or memorable)

Coastal T-shirts - 194 Turner Street, Auburn; Action Printing, 41 Chestnut Street, Lewiston (It's art on your back)

Neokraft Sign Co. - 686 Main Street, Lewiston (They make logos and artwork come to life on walls, street corners, and signposts)

For more information on this great part of Central Maine

Call us today at 207-689-9880 or visit our website at

www.TanyaB.com

The Tanya Busch Team, Keller Williams Realty Mid Maine

34 Center Street Auburn, ME 04210