Auburn
[key]. 1 City (2020 pop. 76,143), Lee co., E Ala.; inc. 1839. The city's
economy centers around Auburn Univ.; there is some
manufacturing. 2 City (2020 pop. 24,061), seat of Androscoggin co., SW Maine, on
the Androscoggin River (crossed by several bridges) opposite Lewiston; settled 1765 on the site of a Native American village, inc. 1842. With
Lewiston, Auburn long formed one of the most important industrial complexes in Maine. Abundant
water power spurred a large variety of manufactures, including shoes (manufactured there since
c.1835) and bricks; in the late 20th cent., however, industry declined. Nearby Mt. Apatite is
a source of apatite and feldspar. 3 City (2020 pop. 26,866), seat of Cayuga co.,
W central N.Y., in the Finger Lakes region, on the outlet of Owasco Lake; settled 1793, inc.
1848. Its manufactures include transportation equipment, machinery, rope, fiber-optic
instruments, leather products, steel, fuel oil tanks, and electronic parts. It is the site of
Auburn State Prison (built 1816), in which Thomas Mott Osborne, the prison reformer (who was born in Auburn), served a voluntary term.
The city's museum has collections of historical documents and Native American relics. The
houses of William H. Seward and Harriet Tubman are preserved. 4 City (2020 pop. 87,256), King co., W Wash.,
on the Green and White (Stuck) rivers, between Seattle and Tacoma; settled 1855, inc. 1914. It
is a railroad junction and farm trade center. Auburn also possesses a large aircraft industry
and is the site of a Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control center.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography