New trail highlights Lewiston-Auburn’s Franco-American heritage

A new trial that winds through Lewiston and Auburn highlights the rich Franco-American heritage of the cities.

HOMETOWN MAINE.--NATS OF WALKING ANDTALKING-THERE'S HARDLY A SINGLESTREET CORNER THAT DOESN'TOFFER SOME REMNANT -- SOMEREMINDER OF L-A'S FRANCOPAST,,--NATS (CLIP 6168 00-01-13)"THEY WERE SO CLOSE TOEACH OTHER THEY WOULD YELLFROM ONE BUILDING TOANOTHER HEY, DO YOU HAVE CUPOF SUGAR I CAN BORROW YOUKNOW, AND AH."RACHAEL DE- GROWS-EE-AYGREW UP HERE,,,(21-45- 29)(RACHAELDESGROSSEILLIERS/FRANCOTRAIL L-A)"I'M THE LASTGENERATION THAT LIVED IN AHOME THAT ALL THEY SPOKE WASFRENCH."PIVITOL IN CREATING THISFRANCO TRAIL L/A,,, THETIMING, SHE BELIEVES, ISIDEA....(21-45-20)"THERE SEEMS TO BE AREVIVAL OF THE YOUNGERGENERATION WANTING TO , ALLOF A SUDDENT, WANTING TOLEARN ABOUT THE HERITAGE."THE INTERPRETIVE TRAILWINDS FOUR AND A HALFMILES,,, HIGHLIGHTINGNEARLY 2-DOZEN SITES THATPLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THATHERITAGE,WALKERS, BIKERS,, EVENDRIVERS CAN FOLLOW EITHER APAPER MAP OR THE WEB SITE...ONE STOPS,, MUSEUM L-A ,, AWEALTH OF FRANCO-AMERICANHISTORY, ITS DOORS AREOFTEN OPEN..(CLIP 2241 00-55-28)(AUDREYTHOMSON/MUSEUM L-AEXECUTIVE DIR.)"WE HAVE ARTIFACTS,WE HAVE STORIES , WE HAVEORAL HISTORIES, A GREATPLACE FOR PEOPLE HERE TOUNCOVER THEIR OWNANCESTORIAL HISTORY ANDFOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITORSTO UNDERSTAND HOWLEWISTON/AUBURN CAME TOBE."(21-48-13)"PART OF THE TRAIL'SGOAL WAS TO HELP IN ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT."WHILE PINPOINTINGPLACES OF FRANCOIMPORTANCE,,,, THE TRAILALSO RECOGNIZES LOCALBUSINESSES....REST STOPS,, PERHAPSALONG THE WAY,,,(21-48-19)"WE HAVE A LOT OFPEOPLE, TOURISTS THAT COMETO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE FELTIS WHILE THEY'RE HERE THEYCAN GO TO RESTAURANTS, THECAN STAY AT OUR HOTELS AND SOFORTH."---NATS---HOPE IS THIS FRANCOTRAIL L-A WILL LEADVISITORS DOWN A PATH THATBEST ILLUSTRATES WHERETHIS COMMUNITY CAMEFROM,,,, SO MUCH STILLSTANDS --- SO MUCH STILL HASA STORY...(21-45-57)"I THINK THE SPIRIT OFHARD WORK, THE SPIRIT OFRESILIENCY, (BUTT TO21-46-05) POOR PEOPLEWORKING HARD BUT STILLAIMING HIGH WANTING TO DOBETTER FOR THE FUTURE OFTHEIR CHILDREN."RIGHT NOW THERE IS TALKOF THE L-A TRAIL JOINING UPWITH SIMILAR TRAILS INBIDDEFORD,, MANCHESTERNEW HAMPSHIRE