Archives Catalog

Houle-Dubreuil-L’italien Family Papers, 1894-1979 (MS 027)

The Houle-Dubreuil-L’italien family were very representative of an average Franco-American family in Biddeford in the early 20th Century. Hervé was born in Canada, and grew up speaking French. Eventually he moved with his parents Biddeford Maine. He worked as a cook and eventually went on to own his own restaurant, Herve’s Lunch, in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

The Houle family is known for the first French speaking child born in Biddeford. Born Augusta Lafluer, her nice Lilly Houle went on to marry Hervé Dubreuil, and passed these stories on through the collection. She also collected many photographs of the family enjoying leisure time in in the 1920’s-1930’s, a look into the everyday life of a family in Biddeford. This collection also includes the journal of Louis Dubreuil, a family member who served in World War 1 and recorded his last few months of life in the fall of 1918.

Finding Aid

Archive Record

Miscellaneous collection – Small manuscripts (MS 999)

The Library’s Miscellaneous collection – Small manuscripts includes a variety of materials relating to the history of Biddeford and environs, from colonial times to the modern era. The collection is a “catch-all” for the numerous single item and very small collections, which while important and informative, do not warrant their own singular collection. These materials include a large portion of the Library’s 18th century holdings, and are a rich source of local and regional historical material.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

McArthur Library Institutional Collection (MS103)

This collection also contains materials from the York Mechanic’s Institute, the Biddeford Public Library, and the Biddeford Library and Reading Room Association, precursors to McArthur Library. The majority of the collection though is from the 20th century, when the institution was known as the McArthur Library. This collection contains accession records, circulation records, financial records, correspondence and research of directors, communications created by the library or staff on behalf of it, scrapbooks and photos, as well as some digital photos.

ONLINE ACCESS:

Finding Aid

Minerva Catalog Record

PastPerfect Catalog Record

Camille Bolduc genealogy collection (MS 87)

Genealogy research and associated materials collected by Camille Bolduc, a past president of the York County Genealogical Society of Franco-Americans and a founder of LaKermesse. Includes 1 index card box of genealogy research cards, and a binder of featured family histories that were posted in the genealogy tent at LaKermesse festival from 1989-2005.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

“Biddeford to Bideford” radio broadcast collection (MS 86)

Glass lacquer record (broken) of broadcast “From Biddeford to Bideford” which aired March 12, 1942 over radio station WRUL in Boston. Recorded at WCSH studio in the Eastland Hotel, Portland, Maine on March 7, 1942. Folder which accompanies the record included the Biddeford Daily Journal article about the broadcast and correspondence between Dane Yorke (McArthur Library) and radio stations WGAN and WCSH for recording prices, and letters from WRUL asking Biddeford to participate and then the process of developing the program, from January 20, 1942 through March 26, 1942.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog
Listen to the Broadcast

Pepperell Manufacturing Company collection (MS 100)

The history of the textile industry that developed along the banks of the Saco River in Biddeford and Saco, Maine is complicated by a complex web of interconnectedness. A core group of businessmen show up repeatedly in the development of each of the various companies. None of these companies was completely separate from the others, from their incorporations forward – for example: Samuel Batchelder appears in the incorporation papers for all three Biddeford companies; William Dwight was the treasurer of both the Saco Water Power Company and the Laconia Company; York Manufacturing begat Saco Water Power Co. which begat Saco Water Power Machine Shop, Laconia Company and Pepperell Manufacturing Company; Pepperell later absorbed two of its predecessors.

Finding Aid contains histories of the following:

The Saco Water Power Company (1837 – 1915).
Laconia Company (1841 – 1899).
Pepperell Manufacturing Company/WestPoint-Pepperell/WestPoint Stevens/WestPoint Home (1844 – 2009) – [also Biddeford Textile Company].
J.S. & E. Wright Co./Wright, Bliss and Fabyan/Bliss, Fabyan & Co. (1864 – 1940).

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Club Richelieu archive (MS 85)

Records of Le Club Richelieu de Biddeford (Club Richelieu, Région Merrimac, District 6, #156 – Biddeford, Maine) from about 1968-2000. This collection includes pamphlets, newsletters, files, correspondence and two plaques (awards). The box of records sustained some water damage over the years, but most of the material is in fair condition. Mostly in French with some materials in English.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Emond-Fournier Piano Music (MS 84)

Marie Rose Emond (later Fournier) was a native of Biddeford. A 1922 graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, she taught piano from her home. This collection of about 45 books of sheet music evidently are from Mrs. Fournier’s Conservatory studies and teaching practice. A number of books are stamped or printed by music shops in Biddeford, Portland, and Canada as well. There is music both in English and in French.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Francophone and Francophile Cities Network project (MS 81)

Reports and supporting materials collected and produced by Ms. Gaudet-Chamberland during her internship period in the city of Biddeford in the spring of 2018, in support of the Francophone and Francophile Cities Network (FFCN). The FFCN was developed jointly by the cities of Quebec City, QC, and Moncton, NB (Canada) and Lafayette, LA (USA) to support cultural development and communication amongst historically French communities. Biddeford is now a member of this network, and a detailed profile appears on the site.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog
About FFCN
FFCN (Full Site)
Biddeford@FFCN

First National Bank collection (MS 80)

This collection contains the remaining financial and administrative records of the First National Bank of Biddeford (FNB), collected under it’s various names. It is comprised of mostly ledgers as well as papers, legal papers, correspondence, minutes, account books, photographs and artifacts that include plaques, awards and deposit stamps. Additionally, there are administrative and financial records of three specific units under the umbrella of FNB or those who ran it. Those include working papers of Arthur Maxwell (former bank president and board president), records of the Masonic Building Association (which built, operated and managed the Masonic Building), and records of the Bradford Commandery No. 4 Knights Templar (the group responsible for the organizing the Masonic Building).

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid

Wilfrid Landry papers (MS 79)

Scrapbook kept by Hon. Wilfrid A. Landry (1889-1960), mostly documenting his political activities during his years as mayor of Biddeford (1937-1940). Contains clippings, photographs, and other ephemera. Also contains family material, including greeting cards from his children and family pictures.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Grand Army of the Republic collection (MS 75)

Records of Biddeford’s earliest Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) post, that of Phil Sheridan Post No. 28; the records cover the years 1871-1875.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog
Grand Army of the Republic (Library of Congress)

Newspapers collection (MS 61)

Collected single issue and bound volumes of newspapers, spanning over 200 years of mostly local news. Most of the papers come from Biddeford and Saco, however the collection also includes papers from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and St. Paul, MN (bound in, probably by accident, with some other papers). There are also a large number of special commemorative papers for large fires, hurricanes, blizzards as well as local and state anniversaries.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog
BIDDEFORD HISTORIC NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE

Pauline Gaudette Canning Papers (MS 55)

Collection of materials related to St. Joseph School, Biddeford, which belonged to Pauline (Gaudette) Canning, SJHS ’49. The collection contains images, class photos, clippings, correspondence, programs, albums and certificates. One item not related to SJS is the elementary school diploma from Saco’s Burns School belonging to Kenneth Canning.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Painchaud’s Band research collection (MS 53)

Compiled by author and historian Joyce Butler of Kennebunk, Maine. It contains clippings, notes, and research materials, plus two drafts (one unpublished and one published) for a history of the Painchaud’s Band and its founder, Pierre Painchaud. The second draft was accepted for publication and appeared in the September 1977 issue of Down East Magazine.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Richard “Dick” Charles Baseball History Collection (MS 52)

This collection consists of a list of game information for various Biddeford and Saco baseball teams from 1894-1962. Many (but not all) entries contain the following information: Year-year (season); Date of game, location; Team 1, score and Team 2, score; Any special or extra information about the game.

Of note: In the early years the local teams played a number of “colored” teams from as far away as Philadelphia and Florida, and in 1905 played against a women’s team from Indiana.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Clement Deschambault papers (MS 50)

This collection contains materials relating to Hon. Clement Deschambault’s law enforcement and political careers in the city of Biddeford. It is comprised of clippings, correspondence, photographs, awards, and speeches he delivered in both French and English. The bulk of the materials cover the years 1957 to 1964.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Salvas-Coulombe Theater Collection (MS 49)

For nearly forty years Joseph Jovite “J.J.” Salvas was actively engaged in the staging and direction of amateur theatrical productions. His companies were made up largely of Biddeford people, and they played to enthusiastic audiences in Biddeford and throughout New England. Felix Coulombe (his cousin, Conrad, as well as Mr. and Mrs. John B. Joncas), were amongst the many active members of this vibrant local theater community.

The photographs, posters and programs in the collection reveal some of the players and the well-known plays in which they appeared.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Almanac collection (MS 37)

This is a collection of almanacs of various types, mostly farmers almanacs, from the New England region, from 1766 to 1935. The bulk of the almanacs are from the 19th century. The Almanac collection consists of 68 almanacs of various focus from 1766-1935. Several contain crop and other notations which show the different kinds of agricultural crops grown in the New England at the time.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Seth S. Fairfield papers (MS 33)

Small collection relating to the work, mostly legal, performed by Seth S. Fairfield (1790-1863) as both as York County Justice of the Peace in the first years of Maine statehood and as an assignee, and also work performed as a surveyor.

He also served on local boards along with many of the important businessmen of the day, such as his term on the Board of Directors of the Saco Mutual Insurance Company along with Nathaniel Burbank, Samuel Pierson, and Josiah Calef.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Edward W. Staples papers (MS 32)

Edward W. Staples (1836-1905) was a successful and powerful business + political leader in Biddeford in the 19^th century. The Staples family was deeply embedded in the business, financial and political elite of Biddeford, and to an extent Saco, during the turn of the century. They are a rich example of the power class of “old Biddeford” during that era.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Dr. John Smith Fogg Papers (MS 30)

This collection contains several journals on the genealogy of the Fogg and related families, U.S. Army reports from the Philippines from 1900-1901, Dr. Fogg’s personal accounts of the Philippines (including drawings, maps and pictures of the Philippines), his correspondence to resolve pay issues his he had with his charge from the Army. This collection also contains a photo album with pictures of the hospital in the Philippines where he worked as a doctor, as well as pictures from New Mexico and Arizona, including some of the Native Americans living in those areas.

There is a scrapbook of local newspaper stories, as well as 5 folders of newspaper clippings of local history/events. There are several short stories written by Dr. Fogg.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

“The Irregular” Newsletter Collection (MS 25)

“The Irregular” was a self-published newsletter created by Howard Browning (1908-1989) of Biddeford Pool. The newsletter was distributed to people of Mr. Browning’s choosing, and ran from 1978 to approximately 1988. Collection is comprised of one box (.2 lin. ft.) containing: correspondence regarding the newsletter and issues discussed in it; newspaper clipping of an in-depth article about Mr. Browning which appeared in the Journal Tribune (Biddeford, Me.) shortly before his death; and newsletter issues from No.1 (1978) – Vol.9/10 No.1 (1988).

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Goodwin papers (MS 24)

Business, personal and legal documents generated by various members of the Goodwin family. Particularly good at showing life around the Saco River wharves and the sea/shipping industry in the beginning of the 19th century.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Hospital Auxiliary records (MS 15)

This collection are the records of the auxiliary for Biddeford’s largest and longest-lived hospital, originally called the Webber Hospital. Includes administrative and financial records of the auxiliary, as well as photographs, clippings, and ephemera created and collected over the course of 100+ years of operation in support of community health and the work and operation of the hospital.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Douglass family papers (MS 14)

Lloyd Douglass (1912-1984) worked as an apprentice in the Metallurgy Laboratory at the Saco-Lowell Shops in Biddeford in the years leading up to WWII.

This collection includes plans, workshop books, and mettalurgy texts; it is particularly good at showing the tightly controlled business practices employed by SLS during the lean years of the Great Depression.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Walter Perkins Amateur Newspaper Collection (MS 12)

Collection of amateur newspapers, the bulk produced between 1873 and 1874, from across the United States and Canada. They were collected by Walter E. Perkins of Biddeford, who at age 14 was producing his own paper “The Snow Flake”. Perkins exchanged his paper with other boys across the country and amassed an impressive collection of over 130 papers from 25 states and Canada in this manner. In 1878 Perkins left for Boston to pursue his dream of becoming a stage actor. He went on to great fame as a comedic actor, and performed across the country until his death in 1925.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog
Perkins Collection Website

Tremblay-Agnew family collection (MS 7)

Collection of portraits of family members (none identified), taken in Maine and Massachusetts. Belonged to Marie Celina (Tremblay) Agnew or her parents (Norbert and Celanire Pelletier Tremblay). Tremblay family lived at 162 Alfred Street in Biddeford. Celina Tremblay married Stanley Agnew and they made their home on Pine Street. Donated by Stanley and Celina’s granddaughter.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Mark Prime Papers (MS 6)

This collection contains correspondence between Mark Prime and various other military personnel, various different forms that relate to expenses of the army, bills, and receipts. Captain Mark Prime (born 27 August 1813) was an Assistant Quarter Master for the United States Army stationed in New Orleans, LA. He was honorably discharged from the Army in July 1863. This collection contains letters sent to and from Mark Prime concerning matters such as report rolls, personal belongings, discrepancies in his reports, and concerns about how he ran his office.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Joseph Libby Papers (MS 5)

This collection contains the papers of Biddeford constable Joseph Libby including bills and receipts, court summonses, as well as various other work and personal papers. Joseph Libby (1725-1802) was from Kittery, Maine, and was the constable of Biddeford and lived in Saco and Biddeford.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Elijah Smith Papers (MS 4)

These are the personal and business records of Elijah Smith. They include records of the Free Will Baptist Church of Saco, Maine, along with Smith’s own diaries and daybooks. Elijah Smith (1800-1886) was a deacon and founder of the Free Will Baptist Church of Saco.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Remich Family Papers (MS 3)

Papers of James K. Remich and his son Daniel Remich. They include a biographical sketch of Daniel Remich, lectures/speeches, and their legal documents. James K. Remich founded The Weekly Visitor, a newspaper in Kennebunk in 1809. He was actively involved in the Maine Temperance Movement and the Temperance Movement in Washington in the 1830’s.

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

Mitchell Shoe Company Collection (MS 2)

“The Assembler” was an employee newsletter published by the Mitchell Shoe Company of Biddeford, Maine. It contained personal items, gossip, photographs, announcements, and advertisements for local businesses.

There are 12 copies and range from Vol. 1 No. 1 (November 1947) to Vol. 2 No. 9 (September 1948).

ONLINE ACCESS:
Finding Aid
McArthur Library Catalog

George Thacher papers (MS 1)

The Thacher collection consists of a folio album containing an account between George Thacher and his nephew, Silas Lee; one photograph of George Thacher’s portrait, painted by Henry Williams; and eighteen pieces of correspondence. The correspondence includes a letter written to Thacher by Squire Samuel Peirson of Biddeford, another of Biddeford’s founding fathers. ONLINE ACCESS: Finding Aid McArthur Library Catalog

Access the Full Catalog

To explore our complete collection of books, media, and resources, please check out the link below to access the full library catalog.

All Names & Places: People, Places, Organizations

The Name Index is your first stop for researching the Biddeford area. Alphabetical index with links to outside resources and digitized materials.

A – D | A Ba-Bo Br-Bu Ca-Cl Co-Cu D

E – J | E F Ga-Goo Gor-Gu Ha-He Hi-Hy I-J

K – N | K La-Li Lo-Ly Ma-Mi Mo-My N

O – S | O Pa-Ph Pi-Py Q R Sa-Si Sm-Sy

T – Z | T U V W-X Y-Z