Lewiston, Maine was first settled in 1770 as a plantation. It became the 94th Maine town on 2/18/1795. In 1819 Michael Little established a small carding and fulling woolen mill. By the Civil War it was a major US textile center, a total "company town" & effectively controlled by one consortium. The Lewiston Bagging Mill announced its 13-hour day (45 minutes off at noon.) It may have been considered liberal…they had Sundays off.
The factory bell begins to ring
And we must all obey;
And to our old employment go,
Or else be turned away.
And since they've cut my wages down,
To nine shillings per week,
If I cannot better wages make,
Some other place I'll seek.
"Lewiston Factory Girl," Hedy West and Songs of New England, Jim
Douglas; 1992. Basically same as "The Lowell Factory Girl." In Lowell they
have a good free folk festival there instead of near-slave labor.
Last weekend of May.
Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved
What are Happy's all about? See Clicky