100 Years Ago: 1920

Mrs. Eliza Pratt of King avenue, Lewiston who is eighty-four years old, came into the art and fancywork department at the fair, yesterday, wearing a wool coat sweater which she spun and dyed and knit two years ago. She brought it for exhibition among other things, a knit bedspread in leaf pattern, knit wool underskirt, silk embroidered quilt, which she has made since she was eighty years old. Mrs. Pratt has a unique history for she was a nurse in the Civil war, spending two  years and five months in Federal service, She was at Fredericksburg.

50 Years Ago: 1970

An interesting display of antiques, prepared by Martha Dunham, is something new for State Fair patrons, Bottles in varied hues and shapes are featured ‘’and several very old pieces of furniture are included in the booth, along with old toys, candlesticks and other items which have improved with age. Charles Meade, 84, is the guiding hand behind the extensive displays in Exhiri bition Hall at the Lewiston Fairgrounds for the event which opened today and continues the remainder of the week A. Dwight Black, Albion Goodwin and William Fowler, all of the Maine Department of Agriculture, served as judges, selecting the tops in each category.

25 Years Ago: 1995

In his new book, Retired Gen. Colin Powell says he turned down a chance to become director of the CIA when President-elect Bush offered him the job in 1988, according to Newsweek. In 1992, Powell was asked to consider being candidate Bill Clinton’s running mate, and he was approached twice about becoming President Clinton’s secretary of state, said the Sept. 11 issue of Newsweek, which obtained a copy of the 813-page autobiography “My American Journey.” White House press secretary Mike McCurry, traveling with Clinton in Hawaii, did not dispute Powell’s assertions. t think you know that the president cast a wide net as he was searching for a running mate,” McCurry said. “It is no secret that President Clinton has very high regard for Gen. Powell, as do many Americans.”

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