Who are the

Franco-
Americans?
Have you seen any of these before?
 Who are the Franco-Americans in Maine?
Background
Franco= French
Immigration
Most of the Franco-Americans
in originally came from 2
groups: The St. John River
Valley Acadians, who settled in
Northern Maine, and the
French Canadians from
Quebec.
Why did they move?
The St. John River Acadians
were expelled by the British,
who controlled part of Canada.
The French Canadians from
Quebec came seeking
employment and better
prospects.
 Who are the Franco-Americans in Maine?
Lewiston, Maine
“Little Canada”
The French Canadians from
Quebec settled in mill towns,
like Lewiston. They worked in
the mills, and formed
communities around them
called “Little Canadas”. There is
one near the New Auburn
bridge.
Religion
The French Canadians brought
their culture to Maine, and part
of that culture was their
Catholic religion. The St. Peter
and Paul Basilica was built in
the early 1900s to help them to
worship together.
 Who are the Franco-Americans in Maine?
Cultural Traditions
Music
The French Canadians brought
with them a rich history of
music making. Acadian and
Quebecois music continues to
be used for contra dances, and
for the learning of folk music
around the state of Maine.
Food
French fries, poutine, ployes,
meat pies, creton, and stews
are only a few of the foods still
enjoyed by people today with a
Franco heritage.
Gregory Boardman, folk artist
and Lewiston strings teacher
Ployes: Buckwheat pancakes that
can be served sweet or savory

Poutine
French fries covered in cheese curds and gravy.
 Who are the Franco-Americans in Maine?
Struggles
Language
The French Canadians were
discriminated against because
of their language (French), and
told not to speak it in the
schools because it was deemed
“impure”.
Faith
The French Canadians had
faith in Catholicism, which was
different than the Protestant
religions in their surrounding
community. This became
another way that they were
discriminated against.
 Who are the Franco-Americans in Maine?
My connection
The Franco-Heritage Center
The Franco-Heritage Center
was originally St. Mary’s
Church, the sister church to
the Basilica. In 2000, the
church was sold to the
community for $1, in order to
preserve the Franco-American
heritage in the area.
Performance Space
For almost 20 years, I have
performed plays, music
concerts, special events, and a
yearly Nutcracker Ballet at the
Franco-Heritage Center. The
main hall seats 428 people,
with comfortable seats and
great acoustics.
Speak Quebecois French Learn to make ployes
 Who are the Franco-Americans in Maine?

References
“Franco Center – For Heritage and the Performing Arts.” Franco
Center, https://francocenter.org/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2022.

“Maine’s Franco-Americans: A Short History – The Bowdoin

Orient.” The Bowdoin Orient, The Bowdoin Orient, 9 Nov. 2018,
https://bowdoinorient.com/2018/11/09/maines-franco-american
s-a-short-history/.

Mary, and James. The Franco-Americans of Lewiston-Auburn. 1st

ed., History Press Library Editions, 2015.

Hammond, Z (2014). Culturally Responsive Teaching and The

Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. 1st ed., Corwin,
2014.