HomeMaineAuburn

Auburn, Maine

Auburn is a city in south-central Maine, within the United States.
Population 24,061

Top Events in Auburn History

1
1736Military
In 1736, however, the Massachusetts General Court granted a large section of the land to veterans of the 1690 Battle of Quebec.
2
1770History
The name was apparently inspired by "Auburn", a village (real or fictitious) featured in the 1770 poem "The Deserted Village" by Oliver Goldsmith.
3
1786Government
Auburn was first settled in 1786 as part of Bakerstown, renamed Poland when it was incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court in 1795.
4
1802Government
It was then part of Minot, formed from parts of Poland and incorporated in 1802.
5
1823Architecture
Farms supplied grain and produce, but with construction of the bridge across the river to Lewiston in 1823, and especially after arrival of the Atlantic and St.
6
1835Economy
In 1835, the factory system of shoe manufacture originated at Auburn.
7
1842Government
Auburn would itself be formed from parts of Minot and incorporated on February 24, 1842.
8
1848Infrastructure
Lawrence Railroad from Portland in January 1848, the community developed into a mill town.
9
1852Government
By annexing land from towns around it, including part of Poland in 1852, Minot in 1873, and all of Danville (first called Pejepscot) in 1867, Auburn grew geographically into one...
10
1854Culture
Originally part of Cumberland County, the town became county seat of Androscoggin County at its creation in 1854.

Latest News from Maine

Americans Crave a Third Political Party More Than Ever
A striking new Gallup poll captures the depth of Americans’ frustration with the two-party stranglehold on U.S. politics: nearly…
Trump Turns Heads Over This Embarrassing Moment With Melania At Movie Premiere
President Donald Trump found himself back in the spotlight this week…

Historical Timeline

1736Military
In 1736, however, the Massachusetts General Court granted a large section of the land to veterans of the 1690 Battle of Quebec.
1770History
The name was apparently inspired by "Auburn", a village (real or fictitious) featured in the 1770 poem "The Deserted Village" by Oliver Goldsmith.
1786Government
Auburn was first settled in 1786 as part of Bakerstown, renamed Poland when it was incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court in 1795.
1802Government
It was then part of Minot, formed from parts of Poland and incorporated in 1802.
1823Architecture
Farms supplied grain and produce, but with construction of the bridge across the river to Lewiston in 1823, and especially after arrival of the Atlantic and St.
1835Economy
In 1835, the factory system of shoe manufacture originated at Auburn.
1842Government
Auburn would itself be formed from parts of Minot and incorporated on February 24, 1842.
1848Infrastructure
Lawrence Railroad from Portland in January 1848, the community developed into a mill town.
1852Government
By annexing land from towns around it, including part of Poland in 1852, Minot in 1873, and all of Danville (first called Pejepscot) in 1867, Auburn grew geographically into one...
1854Culture
Originally part of Cumberland County, the town became county seat of Androscoggin County at its creation in 1854.
1860History
The population in 1860 was only about 4,000 but by 1890 it had tripled to 12,000 as a result of its shoe factories attracting many French Canadian immigrants, many of whom arriv...
1867History
Dingley House (1867) Free Baptist Church Gay-Munroe House (1878) Holman Day House (1895) Horace Munroe House (1899) Horatio G.
1869Government
Incorporated as a city on February 22, 1869, Auburn in 1917 would be the first city in the state to adopt a council-manager form of government.
1870Economy
Miller, 1870 James Dingley, 1875–1876 Hannibal R.
1877History
Smith, 1877–1878 Thomas Littlefield, 1879–1880 Geo.
1880History
Jordan House (1880) Charles L.
1881History
Woodman, 1881–1883 B.
1884History
Sturgis, ca.1884-1885 L.
1885History
Haskell, 1885–1886 Albert M.
1887History
Penley, 1887–1888 Albert R.
1889History
Savage, 1889–1891 Winchester G.
1890Culture
Garcelon House (1890) Androscoggin County Courthouse and Jail (1857) Auburn Public Library (1903) Barker Mill (1873) Charles A.
1896History
Harris, 1896–1898 Wm.
1898History
Bolster, 1898 Hillman Smith, 1894–1895 Nathan W.
1900History
Wilson, 1900–1901 Eben G.
1902History
Eveleth, 1902–1908 A.
1904Economy
Miller, 1904–1905 David R.
1907History
Webber, 1907 Irving L.
1908History
Merrill, 1908–1911 Charles E.
1912History
Williams, 1912 Alvin W.
1913History
Fowles, 1913–1914 Henry R.
1914History
Foss House (1914) Lamoreau Site Main Street Historic District Roak Block (1871) William A.
1916Infrastructure
Porter, 1916–1916 Ralph F.
1917Military
In 1917, one factory in Auburn was producing 75 percent of the world's supply of white canvas shoes; however, after World War II the shoe industry began to decline, and between ...
1920History
Goss, 1920–1921 Charles S.
1922History
Cummings, 1922–1925 Fred R.
1926History
Walton, 1926–1929 Lloyd H.
1930History
McFadden, ca.1930-1933 George C.
1934History
Wing Jr., ca.1934-1935 Ernest E.
1936History
Estes, ca.1936-1937 L.
1937History
=== Lewiston-Auburn Shoe Strike === In 1937, one of the largest labor disputes in Maine history occurred in Lewiston and Auburn.
1938History
Kenneth Green, ca.1938-1944 Rosaire L.
1949Military
Halle, ca.1949 Edward M.
1960History
Steady population growth continued until around 1960, plateauing at roughly 24,500.
1985History
The area became noted in 1985 due to the plane crash that took the life of Samantha Smith.
2000History
=== 2000 census === As of the census of 2000, there were 23,203 people, 9,764 households, and 5,907 families living in the city.
2002Architecture
== Sites of interest == Lost Valley Ski Area Mount Apatite Park Auburn Riverwalk Lake Auburn Festival Plaza, completed in 2002—public park and performance space along the Andros...
2008History
The Sun Journal was the recipient of the 2008 New England Daily Newspaper of the Year and the 2009 Maine Press Association Newspaper of the Year.
2010History
=== 2010 census === As of the census of 2010, there were 23,055 people, 9,974 households, and 5,818 families living in the city.
2017Military
Levesque, ca.2017-2023 Jeff Harmon, 2023–present == Education == Public primary and secondary education is provided by the Auburn School Department, including Edward Little H...
2023Military
In 2023, Joe Biden became the first sitting United States president to visit Auburn in 111 years, with the previous being William Howard Taft in 1912.

Did You Know?

1
Auburn is located in the state of Maine.
2
Auburn has a population of 24,061 residents.
3
Settled in the foothills of the Western Lakes and Mountains region of the state, the city serves as the county seat of Androscoggin County.

Other Cities in Maine

View all Maine cities →
L
Lewiston
Pop. 37,121
B
Bangor
Pop. 31,753
SP
South Portland
Pop. 26,498
B
Biddeford
Pop. 22,552
S
Sanford
Pop. 21,982
W
Westbrook
Pop. 20,400

Famous People from Auburn, Maine

SE
Sheila Egoff
Literary Critic, Historian · Born Jan 20, 1918 · Died May 22, 2005 (age 87)
JI
Judith Magyar Isaacson
Hungarian-American Educator, University Administrator · Born Jul 3, 1925 · Died Nov 10, 2015 (age 90)
DM
Dana T. Merrill
United States Army General · Born Oct 15, 1876 · Died Aug 3, 1957 (age 80)
TM
Ted Maher
Convicted Killer/Attempted Killer · Born Jun 9, 1958 · Age 67
SH
Sara Mae Stinchfield Hawk
Speech Pathologist · Born 1885 · Died 1977 (age 92)
See something that needs correcting?
We take accuracy seriously. Help us keep Auburn's history right.