Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection
Document Type
Oral History
Publication Date
3-31-1999
Interview Number
MOH 079
Abstract
Lucien B. Gosselin was born on November 13, 1941 to Delia Hamel Gosselin and Arthur J. Gosselin. His mother was a homemaker and his father worked full time at the Pepperill Mill of Lewiston. He was the second youngest of nine children in his family. They lived on Blake Street in Lewiston in a working class, French-speaking neighborhood. His father passed away when he was ten. He attended the parochial schools St. Peter’s Elementary and St. Dominic’s High School. During high school and after graduation, he worked for the Lewiston newspapers, at first as a delivery boy, and then in the circulation and proofing departments. He then worked at Victor News from 1961 to 1963 before taking a position in the Lewiston city government as an assistant to the City Controller. He eventually worked his way to being the City Administrator under the new Lewiston City Charter of 1980. He served in this capacity until 1989. Gosselin was instrumental in lobbying for the founding of Lewiston-Auburn College. He graduated from Lewiston-Auburn College in 1991. He later received a masters degree from the Muskie School of Public Policy, and is pursuing his Ph.D. He worked for the Maine Development Foundation in the early 1990s, and in 1997 became president of the Lewiston Auburn Economic Growth Council (LAEGC), which is the position he held at the time of the interview.
Use Restrictions
Copyright Bates College. This transcript is provided for individual Research Purposes Only; for all other uses, including publication, reproduction and quotation beyond fair use, permission must be obtained in writing from: The Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College, 70 Campus Avenue, Lewiston, Maine 04240-6018.
Recommended Citation
L'Hommedieu, Andrea, "Gosselin, Lucien B. oral history interview" (1999). Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection. 148.
https://scarab.bates.edu/muskie_oh/148
Scope and Content Note
Interview includes discussions of: the exodus of Lewiston’s textile industry; difficulties attracting new industry to Lewiston/Auburn; downtown Lewiston; urban renewal grants; religion in Lewiston and Auburn; French heritage as a community asset; the “Democratic machine” of Lewiston; Lewiston getting “short changed” by Maine State government; social clubs; Lower Lisbon Street in Lewiston; the 1939 Lewiston Charter; the 1980 Lewiston Charter; Federal grants causing municipal re-organization; setting up a “Council-Administrator” form of government; Lewiston Auburn College; Gosselin’s personal education experience; Ernest Malenfant; Paul Couture; Maurice Goulet; and Mario’s Restaurant.