Lewiston

Lewiston Lewiston. 1 City (1990 pop. 28,082), seat of Nez Perce co., NW Idaho, at the Wash. line and at the junction of the Snake and Clearwater rivers; founded 1861. It is the commercial and industrial center of a timber, grain, and livestock region that also has lime, clay, and silica deposits. The city has food-processing plants and produces pulp and paper, lumber, and small-arms ammunition. Lewis and Clark camped there in 1805. At nearby Lapwai, Henry H. Spalding established (1836) a mission and operated the first printing press in the Pacific Northwest. Lewiston grew as a supply and shipping center after gold was discovered on the Clearwater River. It was the first capital (1863â€"64) of Idaho Territory and had the first newspaper, the Golden Age (1862), in Idaho. Lewis-Clark State College is in the city. 2 Industrial city (1990 pop. 39,757), Androscoggin co., SW Maine, on the Androscoggin River opposite Auburn ; inc. 1795. A 50-ft (15-m) waterfall supplied power for early textil e mills; there is diversified industry. Bates College and the Memorial Armoury (1927), with its large auditoriums, are in Lewiston. Nearby is a bird sanctuary. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography