The records of the Western Massachusetts locals and district councils of the UBCJA documents the rise of unionization among carpenters in the Connecticut River Valley since the 1880s. This collection represents a merger of separate accessions for the District Councils in Springfield (MS 110), the Pioneer Valley (MS 231), and Holyoke (MS 108), along with post-merger records for Local 108. In general, each has been maintained as a distinct series.
Oral history with the Gagnon family, part of the Franco-American community in Springfield since 1953. Topics include their participation in Franco-American activities at St. Joseph’s Church, their interest in Franco-American studies, and what nationality means to them, as people with roots in America, Canada, and France.
Collection includes statutes and by-laws, minutes, administrative records, correspondence, financial records and receipts, scholarship records, publications, records of programs and events, and artifacts and ephemera.
Interview includes discussions of: political, cultural, and economic dynamics of Old Orchard Beach, Maine; Office of Price Stabilization (OPS); first encounter with and impressions of Muskie; 1960 presidential election; Public Utilities Commission (PUC); Archives bill; Hildreth- Clauson debate; being a congressional aide to Peter N. Kyros, Sr.; Anderson bill; value of political contacts; AARP; and the Saco Bay Planning Commission.
Interview includes discussions of: family and educational background; interest in politics; 1960 presidential nomination; Maine legislature; 1972 presidential campaign; Muskie’s campaign for reelection to the Senate in 1976; Muskie’s pro-war stance; Muskie’s appointment as Secretary of State; 1980 Democratic National Convention; Muskie’s environmental legislation; and connections to various political figures in Maine.
Interview includes discussions of: Biddeford and Saco area communities in the 1950s and 1960s; textile industry; importance of football in the Biddeford-Saco area; Boston College between 1968-1972; George Mitchell; Senator Muskie speaking at Georgetown, Kentucky; Muskie’s temper; receiving bronze eagles (the emblem of Boston College) at a Boston College campaign; similarities and differences between Ed Muskie and George Mitchell; and the importance of Muskie’s environmental legislation.
Interview includes discussion of: growing up in Saco in the 1950s and 1960s; splitting time between Virginia and Maine; reviving the Saco Young Democrats with Mike Aube and Barry Hobbins when Bill Hathaway ran against Margaret Chase Smith; campaigning as a part of the Young Democrats; being hired by Mitchell; Mitchell’s gubernatorial campaign volunteer base; working with Tony Buxton and Mike Aube; Mitchell’s running against and beating Joe Brennan in the primary; the state party structure; surprise at Longley winning the campaign; working as calendar clerk and assistant clerk for the state legislature; observing Mitchell’s progress to senator; and Joe Angelone.
Interview includes discussion of: Aube’s work for the Economic Development Administration, USDA Rural Development; mayor of Bangor; the 1972 McGovern campaign; Mitchell as Democratic National Committeeman; Aube’s involvement in the Maine Young Democrats and working for Mitchell during the 1974 gubernatorial race; the 1973 Maine Public Power referenda; an anecdote about Mitchell being a light sleeper; an anecdote about retrieving the discarded campaign literature to reuse; factors that contributed to Mitchell’s loss in 1974; visiting the Mitchell family; the 1976 Muskie reelection campaign; Mitchell’s appointment to the Senate; the transition to Mitchell in the Senate office; an anecdote about how initially no one knew who Senator Mitchell was; Senator Mitchell saying he needed to become majority leader so that he could control the schedule; staffing the Environment and Public Works Committee and working on economic and community development issues; working as Mitchell’s executive assistant; Aube’s decision to leave Washington, D.C.; Aube’s decision to become a Republican; how Mitchell helped Aube’s daughter with an application to the Disney Corporation; and an anecdote about campaigning at Bowdoin College in 1974 when Mitchell recited the starting line-up of the Red Sox and their batting averages to earn a vote.
