Harvey and Rachel Desgrosseilliers both come from parents born in Quebec, Canada, who immigrated to Maine as young children. Harvey grew up in logging camps outside Bethel in the headwaters of the Androscoggin River as a young boy before moving with his family to the Lewiston-Auburn area, where he helped his mother who worked in local restaurants. Harvey later worked other odd jobs around the Twin Cities before becoming a licensed arborist. Rachel was born and raised in Lewiston-Auburn, graduated from St. Louis University, and studied to become a nun before entering the private sector. She has been a past member of the Maine Tourism Commission, a founder of the popular Lewiston-Auburn Great Falls Balloon Festival, and the former CEO of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. Harvey and Rachel also ran Gooseberry Barn and Six Corners Landscaping in Auburn for almost two decades. Rachel is currently director of Museum L-A in Lewiston. Together with Harvey, they remain active in local efforts for historic preservation and economic development. They live in Minot, Maine.
Interview conducted on December 2, 2011 in Minot, Maine.
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