First AA groups in Maine, Maryland, West Virgina,
Iowa, Minnesota, and Florida

The first continuous meeting in Maine was in 1946. It met in Bangor over a
garage. There is very little information on it but on January 11th, 1947; a
group registered with New York as the Bangor Group. The oldtimers who I have
talked to claimed that it was a new group, not an offspring of the garage group.
Anyway, the oldest registered Group in Maine is The Portland Group, which
registered with New York on January 7th, 1947 - four days before the Bangor
Group.
Lee N.

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From: Rick Benchoff <rxichard2nd@...> (rxichard2nd at yahoo.com)

Baltimore, Maryland: what later came to be
called the 857 Group first met on June 16, 1940.

Additional info: Jimmy Burwell was in attendance at
this meeting in addition to four Baltimore area men.

Rick B.
Hagerstown, Maryland
Member of the Hagerstown Group
(founded in September 1946)

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From: Richard H <area73archives@...> (area73archives at yahoo.com)

Here you go from Area 73, West Virginia.
First AA Group registered with New York was
in Charleston, WV on March 1, 1942.

Best regards,
Richard Humway
Area 73 Archivist

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From: "tomper87" <tomper99@...> (tomper99 at yahoo.com)

This is the earliest I can find in Iowa.

Iowa Des Moines Oct 1943

Great idea to see how AA spread across the country and Canada.

Tom P.

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First AA group in Minnesota

From Jean F. <jeanfid@...>
(jeanfid at gmail.com)

Patrick Cronin's dry date was November 11,
1940; he was visited by Chan Forman (a former
Minnesotan) and Bill Long from Chicago AA.
The Armistice Day blizzard kept them here in
Minneapolis long enough to help Cronin stay
sober and hear the message.

In April of 1941 Pat got two rooms (which
quickly spread to five rooms) and a telephone
at 200 East Franklin so as to organize a group.

Bill Wilson made his first visit here to
Minneapolis on October 26, 1941. Eventually
the club was moved to the Washburn House at
2218 1st Ave So, now lovingly known as the
Cronin house.

I'm sure there are others who will chime
in here.

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From: Lynn Sawyer <sawyer7952@...>
(sawyer7952 at yahoo.com)

Dear fellow HistoryLovers,
Yes, I CERTAINLY DO remember '2218', as it
was also lovingly called!! Went to many a mtg.
there, and had a few meals there, too.

(They sold sm. meals from the kitchen, which
was next to a large mtg. room on the 1st floor.

Thanks for letting me share!

Lynn S.
[Now] Sacramento, CA
alcoholic

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From: Archives Historie <firsthings1st@...>
(firsthings1st at yahoo.com)

Florida history: December 1940, Commander
Junius Cotten met at the Jacksonville Naval
Air Station with Thomas Sharpe.

1st meeting in Florida!

Registered with AA on June 30, 1941.

In Jacksonville.

From the Area 14 Archives in North Florida