100 Years Ago: 1921

The Hotel Cortland, Auburn, will open its newly renovated dining rooms to the public on Sunday morning. Mr and Mrs. N.M. Garnett will personally conduct their dining room business serving meals on the European and American plan. Quality food with clean surroundings will be the word.

50 Years Ago: 1971

A demonstration of flower arranging is scheduled for the monthly meeting of Maine Arts and Crafts Guild, which will take place Monday evening at 7:30 pm in the vestry of the First Universalist Church in Auburn. Mrs. Charles Wright of Auburn, a credited judge, and Mrs. Caroline Klein, Auburn, a member of the Guild will discuss the subject and do a few arrangements. Any members who want to learn more about the subject may bring their own flowers and containers to the meeting and Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Klein will work with them.

25 Years Ago: 1996

The lilacs were slightly past their peak at the McLaughlin Public garden at 101 Main St. on Thursday, but that didn’t stop a steady stream of visitors from strolling the paths along the side yard of the late Bernard McLaughin’s 151-year-old Colonial home and barn to admire the 96 varieties of rare-colored blossoms and drink in their fragrance. It’s a good thing, too, said Walter Bresette and Mike Martel, as they offered an informal tour of the grounds; the house, a former sea captain’s home; and its renowned spring garden, which draws bus-loads of visitors each Memorial Day weekend. The parcel is on the market for sale as a commercial property, and the downtown attraction may be history soon. “It just outrages me that something as beautiful as that flower garden could be leveled and nobody would even care about it,” said Martel, of Greenwood, who along with Bresette, of Norway, has organized a picket for Saturday morning front of the estate to “Save the flowers of South Paris” before the property is sold.

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