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37-537: Biddeford High School (BHS) is a public high school in Biddeford, Maine , United States. It is the secondary school for Biddeford Public Schools, a school district which exclusively serves the city of Biddeford. The first public high school in Biddeford was established in 1848. The building for the high school was erected on Washington Street close to the city's downtown. After a rise in Biddeford's population in

74-502: A lighthouse located about a mile offshore from Biddeford Pool. This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen climate classification , Biddeford has a humid continental climate , Dfb on climate maps. At the 2010 census , there were 21,277 people, 8,598 households and 4,972 families residing in

111-838: A town in Devon, England , from which some settlers had emigrated. After the Fall of Quebec in 1759, hostilities with the indigenous people ceased. During King Philip's War in 1675, the town, once again, was allegedly attacked by Native Americans. In 1762, the land northeast of the river was set off as Pepperellborough, which in 1805 was renamed Saco. The first bridge to Saco was built in 1767. The river divides into two falls that drop 40 feet (12 m), providing water power for mills. Factories were established to make boots and shoes. The developing mill town also had granite quarries and brickyards , in addition to lumber and grain mills. Major textile manufacturing facilities were constructed along

148-422: Is headquartered in the city. The city also possesses a wide array of community facilities including public beaches, an ice arena, a full-service YMCA , and one school which has been recently recognized as a National School of Excellence . Anchoring Biddeford's historic downtown are McArthur Public Library and Biddeford's City Theater . Biddeford has a number of properties and two Historic Districts entered into

185-419: Is locally known as "The Gut." Consequently, this is the area where most boats are moored. Wood Island Light is located about a mile offshore to the northeast. Biddeford Pool is bounded by the mainland to the south and west, by Hills Beach to the north, and by East Point to the east. The area is a popular summer destination for visitors from as far south as Florida and as far west as California . The pool

222-530: Is located two miles south of the central business district . The Saco Transportation Center Amtrak stop serves downtown Biddeford. Local bus service in Biddeford is provided by Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Transit , connecting the city to destinations in Saco and Portland . Biddeford Pool Biddeford Pool is the site of Maine's first recorded permanent settlement, then called Winter Harbor (not to be confused with present-day Winter Harbor, Maine ). In

259-488: Is one example of this movement offering retail stores, art studios, cultural events, and upscale housing. Biddeford is home to large institutions including MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Biddeford and the University of New England , a fast-growing school located along the coast which includes Maine's only medical school, the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine . Telecommunications company GWI.net

296-562: Is referred to as the "Battle of the Bridges" by residents of both communities. This is in reference to the multiple bridges which interconnect the two cities over the Saco River . After Biddeford High School was demoted to Class B in 2015, the two teams no longer compete with one another within the same Class. In 1971, the boys and girls gymnastics teams won dual state championships. The boys' team repeated as state champions in 1972, while

333-498: Is surrounded by tall grass salt marshes that are home to a variety of birds and other wildlife. East Point Sanctuary, maintained by the Maine Audubon Society, is considered to be one of the premier birding spots on the northeast coast. Mile Stretch Road, a sandy strip of beach which connects the neighborhood of Biddeford Pool to the mainland, is a notable tombolo . Points of interest around Biddeford Pool include

370-659: Is the site of the University of New England and the annual La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival . First visited by Europeans in 1616, it is the site of one of the earliest European settlements in the United States. It is home to Saint Joseph's Church , the tallest building in Maine. Biddeford is a principal population center of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan statistical area . The first European to settle at Biddeford

407-457: The 22nd Coast Artillery , which departed in October 1943; it is unclear what unit was at the site after that time. The small harbor hosts both vacationers and lobstermen . Its water level fluctuates from a large navigable body during high tide to mostly mudflats during low tide. The only exception is the deep mouth, where a gut is located which is naturally dredged by tidal current. It

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444-636: The Biddeford Pool Military Reservation was established from 1941 to 1945, on what is now the Abenakee Golf Club. It had four circular concrete platforms called " Panama mounts " for 155 mm guns , three of which remain today. From December 1941 to 12 February 1943 it was garrisoned by Battery F of the 240th Coast Artillery of the Maine National Guard ; this unit was then relieved by Battery E of

481-782: The National Register of Historic Places . The newest addition is the Main Street Historic District, entered into the National Register on December 24, 2009. Other downtown National Register properties include the Biddeford-Saco Mills Historic District, Biddeford City Hall, Dudley Block and the U.S. Post Office. National Register properties outside of downtown and in the Biddeford Pool area include

518-539: The Seacoast Region of New Hampshire and to northern Massachusetts. In recent years, strip malls have developed along the State Route 111 corridor. In late 2006, a 500,000-square-foot (46,000 m ) shopping center known as The Shops at Biddeford Crossing opened, with 20 stores and five restaurants. Recent interest in revitalizing the downtown area has brought new life to the old mills. The North Dam Mill

555-684: The Alfred Street building in the 1960s to its present location farther away from the Downtown core. This coincided with the establishment of the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology in 1969 located at the same location. Biddeford High School football has won 11 Class A state championships since 1950 (in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994). The school has a long-standing football rivalry with Saco 's Thornton Academy dating to 1893 which

592-519: The Class B boys' hockey state championship in 1977. Biddeford students taking part in the 1971 Southern Maine Regional Science Fair held at Falmouth High School came home with five of the nine first-place awards. Altogether, Biddeford High School students earned 12 of the 22 total awards. In 1972, Biddeford High students won the statewide first place Novice Trophy in debate at Brunswick High School. Biddeford High School's Marching Band won first place in

629-582: The Division 1 category at the 2024 New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA) Championship. Biddeford, Maine Biddeford ( / ˈ b ɪ d ɪ f ər d / BID -if-ərd ) is a city in York County, Maine , United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. Its population was 22,552 at the 2020 census . The twin cities of Saco and Biddeford include the resort communities of Biddeford Pool and Fortunes Rocks . The town

666-597: The Gulf of Maine, Biddeford is drained by the Little River and the Saco River . The city proper has very diverse geography, from inland rolling hillside, to urban settlement, to coastal sprawl. The city is crossed by Interstate 95 , U. S. Route 1 , and state routes 5 , 9 , 111 , and 208 . It is bordered by the city of Saco to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the towns of Dayton and Lyman to

703-729: The John Tarr House, First Parish Meetinghouse , Fletcher's Neck Lifesaving Station and the James Montgomery Flagg House. There are also many festivals and concerts held around the city. Biddeford was the eastern terminus of the now-defunct New England Interstate Route 11 , which ended in Manchester, Vermont . State Route 111, which travels through Biddeford's main commercial corridor, is now numbered in Old Route 11's place. Biddeford Municipal Airport

740-428: The age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.2% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age in

777-399: The city was 38.3 years. 18.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 15.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female. At the 2000 census , there were 20,942 people, 8,636 households and 5,259 families residing in the city. The population density

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814-476: The city. The population density was 707.1 inhabitants per square mile (273.0/km ). There were 10,064 housing units at an average density of 334.5 per square mile (129.2/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.8% White , 1.0% African American , 0.5% Native American , 1.7% Asian , 0.4% from other races , and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population. There were 8,598 households, of which 27.3% had children under

851-441: The falls. Settlers withdrew to Winter Harbor for safety, and their homes and mills upriver at the falls were burned. In 1693, a stone fort was built a short distance below the falls, but it was allegedly captured by Native Americans in 1703, when 11 colonists were killed and 24 taken captive to Canada . In 1688, Fort Mary was built near the entrance to Biddeford Pool. The town was reorganized in 1718 as Biddeford, after Bideford ,

888-764: The girls' team would win the state championship again in 1979 and 2003. Biddeford High won the Class A competitive cheerleading state championships in 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2019, and 2020, with the 2014 team capping off the season by winning the New England Championship in the coed division. Other Class A state championships include: ice hockey (in 2007, 2008, and 2010), softball (in 2006, 2016, and 2022), field hockey (in 1990 and 2018), baseball (in 1984), girls' volleyball (in 2010 and 2022), boys' basketball (in 1924), boys' golf (in 1993 and 1994), boys' outdoor track (in 1995), and girls' outdoor track (in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1998). Biddeford High also won

925-524: The last remaining textile company in the city, WestPoint Home, closed. The property occupying the mill has been sold and is being redeveloped into housing and new businesses. The last log drive down the Saco River was in 1943, with the last log sawed in 1948. Biddeford's name is engraved near the top level of The Pilgrim Monument , in Provincetown , Massachusetts , along with the names of some of

962-447: The late 19th-century, a new high school was constructed in 1888 on a lot in close-by Alfred Street. The former high school building on Washington Street was then converted to a primary school before being demolished in the 1960s. The high school moved to its new building in 1890. The Alfred Street building suffered a massive fire in 1893 and was promptly rebuilt. A rear annex and gymnasium were added in 1925. The high school moved out of

999-759: The mouth of the Little River, and is accessible at low tide from Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport. The island and most of adjacent Timber Point became part of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in December 2011. The city has almost 15 miles (24 km) of frontage along the Saco River, and an Atlantic coastline on which the seaside neighborhoods of Hills Beach , Biddeford Pool, Fortunes Rocks and Granite Point are located. Biddeford includes Wood Island Light ,

1036-654: The oldest cities and towns in New England. During World War II , the Biddeford Pool Military Reservation was established from 1942 to 1945, on what is now the Abenakee Golf Club. It had four circular concrete platforms called " Panama mounts " for 155-mm guns , three of which remain today. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 59.08 square miles (153.02 km ), of which 28.99 square miles (75.08 km ) are covered by water. Situated beside Saco Bay on

1073-434: The population. There were 7,636 households, of which 28.4 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4 percent were married couples living together, 12.2 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1 percent were non-families. 29.7 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

1110-592: The riverbanks, including the Laconia Company in 1845, and the Pepperell Company in 1850. Biddeford was incorporated as a city in 1855. The mills attracted waves of immigrants, including the Irish , Albanians , and French-Canadians from Quebec . At one time, the textile mills employed as many as 12,000 people, but as happened elsewhere, the industry entered a long period of decline. As of 2009,

1147-546: The town included both sides of the river, and was incorporated by the Massachusetts General Court as Saco. Biddeford was first incorporated as the Town of Saco in 1653. Roger Spencer was granted the right in 1653 to build the first sawmill . Lumber and fish became the community's chief exports. In 1659, Major William Phillips of Boston became a proprietor, and constructed a garrison and mill at

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1184-665: The west, and the towns of Kennebunkport and Arundel to the south. The Little River forms a portion of the border between Biddeford and the Goose Rocks neighborhood of Kennebunkport, in Biddeford's most southerly region (Granite Point). East Point, located on the peninsula of Biddeford Pool, is the easternmost point in York County. Timber Island, the most southerly point in the City of Biddeford, lies in Goosefare Bay at

1221-452: The winter of 1616-1617, Richard Vines , a physician, resided here as part of the colonization efforts of Sir Ferdinando Gorges , lord proprietor of Maine. An early village developed on the north side. In 1688, Fort Mary was built near the pool's entrance. The former Fletcher's Neck Lifesaving Station , closed in 1971 and on the National Register of Historic Places , still stands at Ocean Avenue and Fourth Street. During World War II

1258-447: Was $ 37,164 and the median family income was $ 44,109. Males had a median income of $ 32,008 versus $ 24,715 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 18,214. About 8.6 percent of families and 13.8 percent of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.8 percent of those under age 18 and 10.3 percent of those age 65 or over. Biddeford is one of Maine's fastest-growing commercial centers, due to its close proximity to

1295-409: Was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.88. 22.1 percent of the population were under the age of 18, 11.1 percent from 18 to 24, 29.5 percent from 25 to 44, 21.8 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.5 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males. The median household income

1332-448: Was 697.8 inhabitants per square mile (269.4/km ). There were 9,631 housing units at an average density of 320.9 per square mile (123.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 96.65 percent White , 0.64 percent African American , 0.40 percent Native American , 0.99 percent Asian , 0.03 percent Pacific Islander , 0.18 percent from other races , and 1.12 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.65 percent of

1369-668: Was physician Richard Vines in the winter of 1616–1617 at Winter Harbor, as he called Biddeford Pool . This 1616 landing by a European antedates the Mayflower landing in Plymouth, Massachusetts, (located 100 miles to the south) by about four years, a fact overlooked in much of New England lore. In 1630, the Plymouth Company granted the land south of the River Swanckadocke to Dr. Vines and John Oldham. In 1653,

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