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Bob Mason, of Doten's Construction, saws the sidewalk at start of a repair job in front of the Samantha Smith statue Thursday near the Maine State House in Augusta. In 1982, Manchester native Samantha Smith expressed her fears of the possible threat of nuclear holocaust in a now-famous letter to Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov. Andropov invited Smith to visit the Soviet Union, making her one of our country's youngest ambassadors for peace. Smith and her father were killed in a plane crash in 1985. The Cultural Building in the background has been closed and the state's museum, library and archives located in there will be reopening later in the year. (Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer)
Bob Mason, of Doten’s Construction, saws the sidewalk at start of a repair job in front of the Samantha Smith statue Thursday near the Maine State House in Augusta. In 1982, Manchester native Samantha Smith expressed her fears of the possible threat of nuclear holocaust in a now-famous letter to Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov. Andropov invited Smith to visit the Soviet Union, making her one of our country’s youngest ambassadors for peace. Smith and her father were killed in a plane crash in 1985. The Cultural Building in the background has been closed and the state’s museum, library and archives located in there will be reopening later in the year. (Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image


In 1982, Manchester native Samantha Smith expressed her fears of the possible threat of nuclear holocaust in a now-famous letter to Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov. Andropov invited Smith to visit the Soviet Union, making her one of our country’s youngest ambassadors for peace. Smith and her father were killed in a plane crash in 1985.

The Cultural Building in the background has been closed and the state’s museum, library and archives located in there will be reopening later in the year.

Joe Phelan is an award winning journalist who makes photos and videos around the capital area for the the Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel and the other Masthead Maine publications. Joe’s first journalism...

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