During the early 1840s the exploitation of waterpower potential spurred swift manufacturing development in Auburn. The shoe industry, which had begun in the 1830s, grew despite the laborious hand methods of the time. Then, about 1850, the factory system and the first laborsaving machinery were introduced. By the 1870s two million pairs of shoes were leaving Auburn factories each year.
Although shoe production has declined significantly, new technological and entrepreneurial enterprises have combined with the growth of a large service and retail industry and have successfully revitalized the city.
Opportunities exist for play as well as for work. Lake Auburn, 3 miles north, offers fishing at selected sites.
Things to Do
Androscoggin Historical Society Museum
Recreational Activities