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A+History
History · Biddeford

Biddeford dates to 1616, and 41% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 98% of U.S. towns · #9 of 143 in Maine. What drives it

17 places in town are on the National Register, among them five historic districts with 66 buildings between them. Below: 18 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1790.

1616founded
17on the National Register
41%homes built before 1940
18old photos & papers
32famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Biddeford’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Biddeford began

When was Biddeford founded?

1616

Biddeford dates its founding to 1616 (Wikidata). It appears in the first U.S. census, 1790.

First census: 1,018 in 17902020 census: 22,552410 years

How historic is Biddeford?

A+

More historic than 98% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1790.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Biddeford’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Biddeford is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #9 of 143 in Maine. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.

A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Biddeford’s overall grade.
Founding era1616, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194040.7% of homes (±4.0) · typical ME town 19.1% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register17 listings, 76 historic buildings, 33.8 per 10,000 residents · typical ME town 15.9 · U.S. 2.4A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 98%
NewerOlder
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 94%

Maine towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Maine town has 15.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Biddeford’s 33.8 sits above most of its state (68% of Maine towns have fewer) while its 76 historic buildings outnumber those of 88% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1616.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.0 points).

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Biddeford’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Older than the countryEstablished in 1616, 160 years before the Declaration of Independence.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Biddeford, and 10 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 18914 editions of the USGS map, 1891 to 1970. Watch Biddeford change.Landmarks on the Register17 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · Timeline

Biddeford, 1616 to 1991

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 17th century
  2. 1616
    FoundingBiddeford is established
  3. 18th century
  4. 1790Post officeThe Biddeford post office opens
  5. 19th century
  6. 1805Post officeThe Saco post office opens
  7. 1808BuiltWood Island Light Station is built
  8. 1810Post officeThe Biddeford post office closes
  9. 1832Born hereAmos Whitney is born here
  10. 1848Post officeThe Biddeford post office opens
  11. 1850In the archiveSaco, and Biddeford, Me. - sketched from nature by J.B. Bachelder ; J.H. Bufford lith., B…
  12. 1870In the archiveBacon Street from Hill, Biddeford
  13. 1891On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  14. 1894In the archiveStJosephsSchoolBiddefordME
  15. 20th century
  16. 1910In the archiveMills
  17. 1949Born hereLinda Kasabian is born here
  18. 1970Born hereJoan Wasser is born here
  19. 1991Born hereBrian Dumoulin is born here
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Biddeford had its own post office from 1790 to 1810. Another post office, Fortune Rock, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Biddeford
1790–1810
Saco
1805–today
Biddeford
1848–today
Biddeford Pool
1866–today
Fortune Rock
1886–1906
17901910today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Airport VillageBiddeford PoolFive PointsFortunes RocksGuinea CornerHills BeachNewtownOak RidgeTattle CornerTea Kettle Corner
Gone or out of use
District School Number TenschoolIron Bridge Schoolschool
4cemeteries and burying grounds inside Biddeford
GreenwoodSaint JosephsSaint MarysWoodlawn

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

On the map

Biddeford on the map, 1891 to 1970

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Biddeford. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Biddeford on the 1891 USGS mapBiddeford on the 1941 USGS mapBiddeford on the 1956 USGS mapBiddeford on the 1970 USGS map1891Biddeford sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Biddeford.

The story

How Biddeford came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Biddeford.

Read it all →

The first European to settle at Biddeford was physician Richard Vines in the winter of 1616–17 at Winter Harbor, as he called Biddeford Pool. This 1616 landing by a European antedates the Mayflower landing in Plymouth, Massachusetts (100 miles to the south), by about four years, a fact much of New England lore overlooks. In 1630, the Plymouth Company granted the land south of the River Swanckadocke to Vines and John Oldham. In 1653, the town included both sides of the river, and was incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court as Saco.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Biddeford in 1830

Passages that mention Biddeford, cut from the printed page as they were published.

eral Court for a separate act of incorporation. This was obtained in June, 1762* : when it was "enacted by the Governor, Council, and House of Representatives, that all the lands in the Town of Biddeford lying on the East side of Saco River in the County of York, together with an Island in the said…
History of Saco and Biddeford, with notices of other early settlements, and of the proprietary governments, in Maine, including the provinces of New Somersetshire and Lygonia1830 · page 266Read the page →
Read the text

eral Court for a separate act of incorporation. This was obtained in June, 1762* : when it was "enacted by the Governor, Council, and House of Representatives, that all the lands in the Town of Biddeford lying on the East side of Saco River in the County of York, together with an Island in the said River commonly called and known by the name of Indian Island, be, and hereby is, erected into a separate and distinct District by the name of Pep-

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
powers and immunities that towns in this Province by law do or may enjoy, that of sending a Representative to the General i\ssembly only excepted ; and that the said District shall have full liberty and right from time to time to join the Town of Biddeford in choosing a Representative to represent …
History of Saco and Biddeford, with notices of other early settlements, and of the proprietary governments, in Maine, including the provinces of New Somersetshire and Lygonia1830 · page 322Read the page →
Read the text

powers and immunities that towns in this Province by law do or may enjoy, that of sending a Representative to the General i\ssembly only excepted ; and that the said District shall have full liberty and right from time to time to join the Town of Biddeford in choosing a Representative to represent them at the General Assembly, and shall be notified of the time and place of election in like manner with the inhabitants of the said Town of Biddeford, by a warrant from the Selectmen of the said town, directed to a Constable or Constables of the

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

By decade

Biddeford, decade by decade

4 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1850s–1870s16 items
Saco, and Biddeford, Me. - sketched from nature by J.B. Bachelder ; J.H. Bufford lith., Boston1850Saco, and Biddeford, Me. - sketched from nature by J.…Saco, and Biddeford, Me1850Saco, and Biddeford, MeBacon Street from Hill, Biddefordc. 1870Bacon Street from Hill, BiddefordBacon Street from Hill, Biddefordc. 1870Bacon Street from Hill, BiddefordBiddeford in winterc. 1870Biddeford in winterBiddeford in winterc. 1870Biddeford in winterSouth Street, from Elm [Street], Bidd[eford]c. 1870South Street, from Elm [Street], Bidd[eford]South Street, from Elm [Street], Bidd[eford]c. 1870South Street, from Elm [Street], Bidd[eford]South Street, from Jefferson, Bidd[eford]c. 1870South Street, from Jefferson, Bidd[eford]South Street, from Jefferson, Bidd[eford]c. 1870South Street, from Jefferson, Bidd[eford]South from Elm, Bidd[eford]c. 1870South from Elm, Bidd[eford]South from Elm, Bidd[eford]c. 1870South from Elm, Bidd[eford]View in Biddeford, Maine.Alternate Title: A view of an ox team yoked to a wagon; Pepperell Co. in the backgroundc. 1870View in Biddeford, Maine.Alternate Title: A view of a…View in Biddeford, Maine.Alternate Title: A view of an ox team yoked to a wagon; Pepperell Co. in the backgroundc. 1870View in Biddeford, Maine.Alternate Title: A view of a…View of a Biddeford church in winterc. 1870View of a Biddeford church in winterView of a Biddeford church in winterc. 1870View of a Biddeford church in winter
1890s–1910s2 items
StJosephsSchoolBiddefordMEc. 1894StJosephsSchoolBiddefordMEMillsc. 1910MillsPostcard
1920s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Every building

Biddeford, building by building, 1885–1922

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Biddeford fire insurance map, 1885, sheet 11885Sheet 1 of 4
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Saco, and Biddeford, Me. - sketched from nature by J.B. Bachelder ; J.H. Bufford lith., Boston
Retake this viewSaco, and Biddeford, Me. - sketched from nature by J.B. Bachelder ; J.H. Bufford lith., Boston, 1850

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Biddeford’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

17 listings protect 76 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed
17
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
76
each building in a district counts
first listed
1972
First Parish Meetinghouse
First Parish MeetinghouseBiddeford City HallU.S. Post OfficeFletcher's Neck Lifesaving StationJames Montgomery Flagg HouseJohn Tarr HouseDudley BlockSt. Joseph's SchoolWood Island Light Station, built 1808Biddeford Main Street Historic DistrictEmery SchoolSt. Andre's ParishBiddeford-Saco Mills Historic DistrictTimber PointStage Island MonumentVines, Richard, MonumentSummer Street Block
BuildingsDistrictsStructuresObjects

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival3
Mid-19th Century2
Late Victorian2
Italianate2
Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals2
Modern Movement2
First Parish MeetinghouseBuilding
Biddeford City HallBuilding
U.S. Post OfficeBuilding
Fletcher's Neck Lifesaving StationBuilding
James Montgomery Flagg HouseBungalow
John Tarr HouseCape Cod
Dudley BlockGreek Revival
St. Joseph's SchoolBuilding
All 17 listings
Wood Island Light StationDistrict · listed 1988Biddeford Main Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2009Emery SchoolBuilding · listed 2011St. Andre's ParishDistrict · listed 2015Biddeford-Saco Mills Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2022Timber PointDistrict · listed 2016Stage Island MonumentStructure · listed 2019Vines, Richard, MonumentObject · listed 2022Summer Street BlockBuilding · listed 2024

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Biddeford, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,0001800185019001950200022,552

Grew from 1,018 people in 1790 to 22,552 in 2020, more than tenfold.

24 censuses, 1790–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Biddeford’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

32 famous people were born in Biddeford

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Brian DumoulinAmerican ice hockey player · b. 1991
Joan WasserAmerican musician · b. 1970
L
Linda KasabianAmerican woman known for being a member of the … · b. 1949
Amos WhitneyAmerican businessman · b. 1832
C
Carlos BakerAmerican writer and academic · b. 1909
Nick CurranAmerican musician · b. 1977
Help out

Finish Biddeford’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewSaco, and Biddeford, Me. - sketched fro…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Saco11 historic placesA+Kennebunkport10 historic placesADayton1 historic placeB

Questions about Biddeford’s history

What year was Biddeford founded?

In 1616, according to Wikidata. Biddeford’s post office opened in 1790, and the first U.S. census counted 1,018 people here in 1790.

How does Biddeford rank for history?

Biddeford is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #9 of 143 in Maine. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Biddeford?

17 listings: 10 buildings, among them the First Parish Meetinghouse (listed 1972, the first), 5 historic districts with 66 contributing buildings, 1 structure, and 1 object. 76 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Biddeford?

41% of Biddeford’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.0 points), against a typical 19% for a Maine town; the median home was built in 1952.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (17), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (17), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.