#1 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Funtown Splashtown USA
Saco ME
~2.74 miles from Biddeford city center
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Funtown Splashtown USA (commonly referred to as just "Funtown") is a family-owned amusement park located in Saco, Maine, in the United States.
In 1959, Ken and Violet Cormier opened "Marvel Drive In", a drive-in restaurant. Ken’s brother-in-law, Andre Dellaire opened a mini-golf course that previous year next to Marvel Drive-In. In 1963, Andre opened a go-kart track behind his mini golf course, and in 1964 Ken added batting cages and an archery range in 1967 behind Marvel Drive In. Over the course of the next few years, Cormier and Dellaire added several kiddie and carnival-style rides including SkySlides and Swinging Gyms. A gift shop was also opened.
In 1967, Cormier and Dellaire formed a partnership and Funtown U.S.A. was born. Over the next few years, Funtown added a Zipper, outdoor bumper cars, and a Bayern Kurve named “Luv Machine”.
In 1996, Cormier bought out the remaining Dellaire interest at the park and renamed it to Funtown Splashtown U.S.A. with the addition of the waterpark.
A car from the park's Galaxi Roller Coaster returning from the unload platform to be reloaded
The park features Maine's only wooden roller coaster, Excalibur, as well as New England's longest and tallest log flume, Thunder Falls. It also has a 220-foot tall Drop Tower called Dragon's Descent. One of the park's most popular rides is the Astrosphere, which is an indoor Scrambler which features a state-of-the-art laser and light show while playing ELO's Fire on High.
The Splashtown segment features Pirate's Paradise, a large interactive waterpark playground which dumps hundreds of gallons of water onto its guests every few minutes. For the 2007 season, an expansion was built that doubled the size of the waterpark and added two new thrill slides, Tornado and Mammoth.
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#2 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Shoot the Moon
Po Box 1382 Kennebunkport ME - 207-967-5484
~6.20 miles from Biddeford city center
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#3 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Landing School of Boatbuilding
Po Box 1490 Kennebunkport ME - 207-985-7976
~7.77 miles from Biddeford city center
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The School’s mission is to provide educational programs that effectively prepare students for entry-level careers in the marine industry. The Landing School offers full-time programs of education in Wooden Boat Building, Composite Boat Building, Yacht Design and Marine Systems which run from September through June.
The School serves the marine industry by providing skilled employees who design, build and repair boats with the highest standards of quality. Accordingly, The School receives generous support and direction from the industry in curriculum design and program implementation. Noted industry leaders regularly lecture at The School and evaluate student work.
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#4 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Maine Mall
Scarborough ME
~11.42 miles from Biddeford city center
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The Maine Mall, built in 1966, is an enclosed shopping mall located in South Portland, Maine, a suburb of Portland. At 1,200,000 square feet (111,000 m2), it is the largest shopping mall in the state of Maine. Anchored by Best Buy, JCPenney, Macy's, Sears, and Sports Authority, the mall features over 140 tenants, a food court and several ancillary restaurant/retail pad sites.
On April 16, 2009 the Mall owner, General Growth Properties, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This status has not seemingly affected the day-to-day operations of the mall, but raised questions as to whether the owner will be able to retain ownership of the property while they attempt to refinance $27B debt collateralized by their national real estate portfolio. Rumors have been further fueled by the Mall owner's late payment of its 2009 bi-annual South Portland property tax bill exceeding $900,000.
As of June 2009, the overall vacancy rate for the Mall is substantially higher than historically seen rates. Large vacant anchor space remains as the former Filene's, Linens and Things, and Vinny T's spaces have not been re-tenanted. Several smaller retail spaces within the enclosed mall remain as well, as well as at least one restaurant outbuilding formerly occupied by Sebago Brewing. No one has quantified this vacancy rate, but it is representative of the much larger national retail contraction.
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#5 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Cabela's
100 Cabelas Blvd Scarborough ME
~11.78 miles from Biddeford city center
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The World's Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear.
Few, if any, businesses today survive the kitchen-table dreams of their founders, especially in the outdoor industry where businesses come and go with the changing seasons. Yet, the leader in the outdoor equipment business has done just that - survived, grown and prospered from simple beginnings to become the largest mail-order, retail and Internet outdoor outfitter in the world.
Cabela's, the World's Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, was born somewhat inadvertently in 1961 when Dick Cabela came up with a plan to sell fishing flies he purchased while at a furniture show in Chicago. Upon returning home to Chappell, Nebraska, Dick ran a classified ad in the Casper, Wyoming, newspaper reading: "12 hand-tied flies for $1." It generated one response.
Undaunted, Dick formulated a new plan, rewriting the ad to read "FREE Introductory offer! 5 hand tied Flies....25c Postage....Handling" and placing it in national outdoor magazines. It didn't take long for the orders to begin arriving from sportsmen and women around the country.
In typical direct-mail style, each order was mailed out with a mimeographed catalog of outdoor items Dick and his wife, Mary, added to their product line. In the beginning, Dick and Mary ran the business from the kitchen table of their home in Chappell.
By 1964, continued success and growth demanded a bigger and better location. The operation was moved from their kitchen table to the basement of Dick and Jim's father's furniture store and then on to various buildings in Chappell. In 1969, Cabela's was operating in a 50,000 square-foot vacant John Deere building in neighboring downtown Sidney, Nebraska.
Initially, Dick and Mary were able to handle the growing business with the help of temporary typists hired for mail, label and catalog preparation. However, by the fall of 1962, they realized the demands of their new venture needed full-time attention. Dick urged his younger brother Jim to join the new company, which he did in 1963. Neither Dick, Mary nor Jim took any salary from the company in those early years. Instead, they invested in more mailings, new equipment and bigger facilities.
Today, Cabela's main world headquarters building along Interstate 80 in Sidney encompasses more than 250,000 square feet.
The foundation of the company is its world-famous catalog business. The company produces nearly 100 different catalogs per year, including specialty books focusing on such outdoor pursuits as archery, fly-fishing and boating, as well as massive Spring and Fall Master catalogs. Internationally known as a source of affordable, high-quality outdoor equipment, Cabela's catalogs are shipped to all 50 states and 125 countries.
With its Internet department growing by leaps and bounds, Cabela's has seen tremendous online growth. Besides the thriving e-commerce side of www.cabelas.com, which went live in 1998, the web site features a continuously updated content site, community pages, company information and much more.
Cabela's retail division operates overwhelmingly popular stores throughout the U.S. As much wildlife museums and education centers as retail stores, Cabela's showrooms provide a truly unique shopping experience. True destination stores, Cabela's showrooms offer outdoor enthusiasts and their family an educational and entertaining shopping experience.
To provide support for their co-branded credit card, which was started in 1995, Cabela's chartered the World's Foremost Bank, N.A., in 2001. The bank provides customer service, risk management and payment processing exclusively for Cabela's Visa cardholders. The Cabela's Visa card allows consumers to earn points back from all their purchases, which they can apply toward their next purchase at Cabela's.
Cabela's Outfitter Journal magazine, and award-winning television shows further enhance the company's brand image and provide the public with entertaining and educational ways to experience what Cabela's is about. These media outlets provide sportsmen and women the opportunity to learn what the outdoors has to offer through top-quality production and informative features from the nation's most knowledgeable outdoor journalists and personalities.
Yet another chapter in the company's history began June 25, 2004, when Cabela's (CAB) made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange. Investors eager to acquire a piece of the World's Foremost Outfitter drove the stock's value up 40% in the opening minutes of trading, making it one of the most successful Wall Street debuts in recent memory.
Cabela's success hasn't gone unrecognized, as evidenced by the number of commendations and awards bestowed upon the company in recent years. In 2001, the Cabela's Catalog was ranked as the fifth most popular catalog, behind such direct-mail giants as J.C. Penney and Sears, in a Consumer Shopping Survey administered by Catalog Age magazine. Other awards include: ShotBusiness magazine's Retailer of the Year; Sporting Goods Business magazine Specialty Retailer of the Year; BizRate.com Circle of Excellence Award for outstanding web site performance over the holiday season.
In 2006 Cabela's web site was ranked No. 1 in the outdoor retailer industry and the company was named Company of the Year in Sporting Classics magazine's prestigious Awards of Excellence. Dick, Mary and Jim Cabela are members of the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame, and Dick Cabela is a member of the Direct Marketing Association Hall of Fame. Over the years Cabela's has received numerous recognitions for its work with conservation organizations. In addition, Cabela's employees were instrumental in naming the company one of the Top 100 Companies to Work For in Forbes magazine's January 2000 issue.
Despite the accolades and growth, Cabela's continues to embrace the original philosophy that the customer is No. 1 - a philosophy instilled by company founders Jim and Dick Cabela. This dedication to the customer is just one of many reasons Cabela's is what the family always knew it could be - a dream come true.
http://www.cabelas.com
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#6 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Crescent Beach State Park
Cape Elizabeth ME
~12.20 miles from Biddeford city center
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Crescent Beach State Park is a state park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States. Located outside of Portland, the Park opened in 1966.
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#7 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Two Lights State Park
Cape Elizabeth ME
~13.29 miles from Biddeford city center
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Two Lights State Park is a State Park located on Cape Elizabeth, Maine. It is a popular point of destination for Maine residents and the many visitors who enjoy the state's rocky coast. Opened in 1961, the park includes 41 acres (170,000 m2) of rocky headlands. Standing high above the rocky coast and rolling surf, visitors have sweeping views of Casco Bay and the open Atlantic. The park also contains the remains of a World War II-era seacoast battery bunker and fire control tower.
The park's name originated in the twin lighthouses located nearby at the end of Two Lights Road. Built in 1828, these were the first twin lighthouses on the coast of Maine. Although not open to the public, the eastern light is an active, automated light station, visible 17 miles (27 km) at sea. The western light ceased operation in 1924 and is now a private home. One of these towers was the subject of Edward Hopper's painting Lighthouse at Two Lights.
Park facilities include paths and benches along the shore, rest rooms, and a playground. Picnic tables situated on the hills facing the ocean afford visitors views of the ocean.
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#8 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
New England Bible College
879 Sawyer St. South Portland ME - 800-286-1859
~13.59 miles from Biddeford city center
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The College was founded in 1980. However, it has its roots in Glen Cove Bible College, founded in 1959. NEBC’s heritage includes many of their resources as well as the State of Maine’s legislative approval to continue Glen Cove’s former degree granting privileges. The Rev. Jack Christensen, then pastor of First Baptist Church of Portland, was appointed as the first president and classes began in January 1980. Dr. Christensen was appointed chancellor of the college in 2002.
NEBC was founded to serve Conservative Baptist churches, and others of similar doctrine, by partnering with them to equip their people for the Lord's service. The College identified three areas of vocational specialization in which to work — pastoral studies, missions, and Christian education — along with offering preparation for advanced seminary studies.
In 1984 Edward Hales became the College's second president. Also that year the College moved to larger facilities at First Baptist Church of South Portland where it has remained since. Dr. Carll Grathwohl became the third president in 1987, and the first to serve on a full-time basis. He concentrated on providing good pastoral training for the churches of Maine. In 1992 Dr. Grathwohl became the first chancellor of the college, a position which he held until his death in 1995.
Rev. William E. Inman was named the fourth president in 1992. Under his leadership NEBC began to offer BA and BS degrees in 1997, replacing the BRE program. The curriculum underwent revision and plans were laid for several new majors; the first, in Missions, was launched in 2001. Rev. Inman completed his ministry as president in 2002.
Dr. Andrew Alexson served as the fifth president in 2003, followed by the interim leadership of Dr. Christensen. NEBC’s sixth president, Rev. Richard Francis began his tenure in January 2007. Today the school averages from 50-60 students each semester under the instruction of three full-time and eleven part-time faculty. We rejoice in our rich heritage and press forward toward the shared goal of reaching the world for Christ.
http://www.nebc.edu/
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#9 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Hadlock Field
Portland ME
~14.30 miles from Biddeford city center
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Hadlock Field is a Minor League baseball stadium in Portland, Maine. It is primarily home to the Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League. It is also the home of the Portland Bulldogs and Deering Rams baseball teams. The stadium is named for Edson J. Hadlock, Jr., a long-time Portland High School baseball coach and physics teacher.
The park opened on April 18, 1994, and currently has a capacity of 7,368 seats. About 400 seats were added in right field before the start of the 2006 season. Hadlock Field is located between Interstate 295, the historic Fitzpatrick Stadium, and the Portland Exposition Building, the second-oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States. In 2003, when the Sea Dogs affiliated with the Boston Red Sox, a replica Green monster, called the Maine Monster, was added to left field to match the original at the Red Sox' Fenway Park. A replica Citgo sign and Coke bottle were added too to make the field look even more like Fenway Park.
The Portland Sea Dogs, who play home games here are the 2006 Eastern League Champions.
The left-field fence is 315 feet from home plate, the center field-fence is 400 feet, and the fence in right-field is 330 feet away.
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#10 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Neal S. Dow House
Portland ME
~14.42 miles from Biddeford city center
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Built in 1829, Neal S. Dow House is a historic house in Portland, Maine built for noted politician and prohibitionist Neal S. Dow.
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#11 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Portland Club
Portland ME
~14.53 miles from Biddeford city center
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The Portland Club is a building at 156 State Street (The Hunnewell-Shepley Mansion) in Portland, Maine. It was built in 1805, with later updates to the mansion by John Calvin Stevens (1855-1924). The mansion is now home to the historical Portland Club. The mansion was designed by Alexander Parris, a Boston architect who, under the direction of Joseph Ingraham, helped to define much of Portland's skyline with his beautiful structures.
The Portland Club holds many meetings of social and political interest. The mansion itself is home to many paintings and antiques that are original to the club, along with over 12 antique mahogany pool tables on the second floor. The Portland Club has a history of being on the top for all of the social events in Portland, as well as having the history of being one of the first clubs to bring women into the organization as The Woman's Portland Club.
The Portland Club began in 1886 as Fred N. Dow and a group of influential friends decided to organize their informal gatherings into a club. The men's purpose was to "discuss current events," and though never part of the by-laws, to promote the Republican party agenda. Because Republicans controlled Maine's government, the club was widely recognized as the de facto seat of political power for decades. The club acquired the mansion in 1924 and has been the home of The Portland Club ever since.
The Club currently hosts seasonal dinner meetings with lectures, brunches, and various social events while maintaining the integrity of 19th century elegance. As exclusive caterer for The Portland Club, The Black Tie Co. creates numerous social and corporate events each year.
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#12 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Victoria Mansion
Portland ME
~14.64 miles from Biddeford city center
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Victoria Mansion, also known as the Morse-Libby House or Morse-Libby Mansion, is a landmark example of American residential architecture located in downtown Portland, Maine, United States. The brownstone exterior, elaborate interior design, opulent furnishings and early technological conveniences provide a detailed portrait of lavish living in nineteenth-century America. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
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#13 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Portland Museum of Art
Portland ME
~14.71 miles from Biddeford city center
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The Portland Museum of Art, founded in 1882, is Maine's largest public art institution. The Museum's three architecturally significant buildings unite three centuries that showcase the history of American art and culture. The Museum's collection of more than 15,000 objects includes decorative and fine arts dating from the 18th century to the present. The heart of the Museum's collection is the State of Maine Collection, which features works by artists such as Winslow Homer, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Louise Nevelson, and Andrew Wyeth. The Museum has the largest European collection in Maine. The major European movements from Impressionism through Surrealism are represented by the Joan Whitney Payson, Albert Otten, and Scott M. Black collection, which include works by Auguste Rodin, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch, and René Magritte. The Elizabeth B. Noyce Collection, a bequest of 66 paintings and sculptures, has transformed the scope and quality of the Museum's American collection, bringing to the Museum its first paintings by George Bellows, Alfred Thompson Bricher, Abraham Walkowitz, and Jamie Wyeth, and adding masterpieces to the collection by Childe Hassam, Fitz Hugh Lane, and N. C. Wyeth.
Originally founded as the Portland Society of Art, the Museum used a variety of exhibition spaces until 1908. That year Mrs. Margaret Jane Mussey Sweat bequeathed her three-story mansion, now known as the McLellan House, and sufficient funds to create a gallery in memory of her late husband, Lorenzo de Medici Sweat. Noted New England architect John Calvin Stevens designed the L. D. M. Sweat Memorial Galleries, which opened to the public in 1911.
Over the next 65 years, as the size and scope of the exhibitions expanded, the limitations of the Museum's galleries, storage, and support areas became apparent. In 1976, Maine native Charles Shipman Payson promised the Museum his collection of 17 paintings by Winslow Homer. Recognizing the Museum's physical limitations, he also gave $8 million toward the building of an addition to be designed by Henry Nichols Cobb of I. M. Pei & Partners. Construction began on the Charles Shipman Payson Building in 1981, and within two years the $8.2 million facility was opened to the public.
Mr. Payson's gift of the Homer paintings served as a catalyst for the Museum's expansion as well as for significant long-term loans and outright gifts to the Museum. In direct response to the Payson gift, the 1979 gift of the Hamilton Easter Field Art Foundation Collection added more than 50 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper to the collection. In 1991, the Joan Whitney Payson Collection of 20 Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works of art was given to the Museum on permanent loan. In 1996, Elizabeth B. Noyce, art collector and Maine philanthropist, bequeathed 66 works of American art, which is the most extensive and diverse gift of American art ever presented to the Museum.
The Portland Museum of Art, located at Seven Congress Square, Portland, ME, is easily reached from Exit 6A, I-295 North or South. Follow signs to the Downtown Arts District. For hours and fees please see the museum's website.
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#14 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Children's Museum of Maine
Portland ME
~14.76 miles from Biddeford city center
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Located in the Arts District of downtown Portland, the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine features a wide variety of interactive exhibits and activities for children and families!
This year, Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine is joining Maine Narrow Gauge railroad to bring the classic holiday tale to life - right here in Portland! Beautiful decorations along the waterfront route will light up the night as you enjoy a theatrical reading of the story, hot cocoa, a treat and caroling. Children will be enchanted when the train pulls into the North Pole station, where Santa will hop aboard to ride back to the Station. On the ride back, each child will receive a special sleigh bell of their own! The Polar Express™ starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs through Wednesday December 23rd.
To Purchase Tickets to this Fantastic Show:
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#15 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Gulf Of Maine Aquarium
350 Commerical Street Portland ME
~14.79 miles from Biddeford city center
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The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is a community-focused marine research and education center located in Portland, Maine.
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is a non-profit marine science center located in Portland, Maine.
Our dynamic fusion of science, education, and community programs catalyzes community dialogue, interdisciplinary research, and science literacy to realize the natural and human potential of the Gulf of Maine bioregion.
http://www.gmri.org/
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#16 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
University of Southern Maine
Portland ME
~14.80 miles from Biddeford city center
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The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a multi-campus public urban comprehensive university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston. Originally founded as two separate universities (Gorham Normal School, University of Maine at Portland), the two state universities were combined in 1970 to help streamline the public university system in Maine and eventually expanded by adding the Lewiston campus in 1988. The Portland Campus is home to the Edmund Muskie School of Public Service along with the Bio Sciences Research Institute and the University of Maine School of Law, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Osher Map Library. The Gorham campus, much more residential, is home to the College of Education and the School of Music. At Lewiston-Auburn, students experience a small, intimate campus, with a focus on interdisciplinary learning. Each campus maintains its own "atmosphere", and professionals from all campuses provide a world-class experience at this regional university.
As of 2008, USM had 8,133 undergraduate students and 2,320 graduate and law school students, with an average class size of 22 and a student-faculty ratio of 17:1.
USM is among the “Best Northeastern Colleges,” according to The Princeton Review’s 2007 listings, and was also included in its 2007 edition of "America's Best Value Colleges." The current president of USM is Dr. Selma Botman, who assumed the role on July 1, 2008 after serving as the Chief Academic Officer for the CUNY system in New York.[5] Former President Dr. Richard Pattenaude became chancellor of the University of Maine System on July 1, 2007.
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#17 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Maine College of Art
Portland ME
~14.87 miles from Biddeford city center
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Founded in 1882, the Maine College of Art is the oldest arts educational institution in Maine.
The Maine College of Art (MECA) is a fully accredited, degree-granting art college in the city of Portland, Maine. It should not be confused with the Art Institute of Portland which is located in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1882, the Maine College of Art is the oldest arts educational institution in Maine. In addition to offering Bachelor, Post-Baccalaureate in Art Education and Master of Fine Arts degrees, the school has a continuing studies program for adults and high school students. MECA is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD), a consortium of thirty-six leading art schools in the United States. MECA is located in the heart of Portland and educates artists at all stages of their creative careers.
http://www.meca.edu
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#18 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Wadsworth Longfellow House
Portland ME
~14.93 miles from Biddeford city center
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The Wadsworth-Longfellow House is a historic house now open as a museum. It is located at 489 Congress Street in Portland, Maine, United States, and is operated by the Maine Historical Society. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962, and administratively added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The house is open daily to public from May through October (half days on Sundays). An admission fee is charged.
The house has both historical and literary importance, as it is both the oldest standing structure on the Portland peninsula and the childhood home of famous American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882).
Revolutionary War General Peleg Wadsworth built the house in 1785–1786, the first wholly brick dwelling in Portland. Wadsworth raised ten children in the two-story structure with a pitched roof before retiring to the family farm in Hiram, Maine, in 1807. His daughter Zilpah and her husband Stephen Longfellow IV were married in the house.
Their son, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was born nearby at the home of an aunt, Stephen's sister, on February 27, 1807. The home was a three-story Federal architecture-style home at the corner of Fore and Hancock Streets. Young Longfellow did not move with his parents to the Wadsworth-Longfellow House until he was eight months old, but spent the next 35 years there. The Longfellows added today's third story in 1815.
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#19 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Cumberland County Civic Center
Portland ME
~14.96 miles from Biddeford city center
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The Cumberland County Civic Center is a 6,733-seat multi-purpose arena in Portland, Maine. Built in 1977 at a cost of $8 million, it is home to the Portland Pirates ice hockey team, various trade shows and the Maine Principals' Association high school basketball tournament.
The arena's official name is the George I. Lewis Auditorium at Cumberland County Civic Center. The press box is named for sportscasting legend, the late Frank Fixaris. There are 6,733 permanent seats in the arena, and it seats up to 9,000 for concerts. The arena floor features 34,500 square feet (3,210 m2) of space, making it useful for trade shows and conventions in addition to sports and concerts. ZZ Top was the very first act to play the Civic Center when it opened on March 3, 1977. Dire Straits played there during their Brothers In Arms world tour in 1985. The venue also hosted the America East Conference (then the ECAC North) men's basketball tournament in 1980. The current tenants are the AHL Portland Pirates. Prior AHL clubs have also called the "4 C's" home, including 3 time Calder Cup champions, the Maine Mariners.
The inside consists of one deck rising 24 rows, 14 seats across at its widest, and 30 separated sections around. There is also one restaurant in the lobby known as the Penalty Box Grill. The arena has had a unique history of having locals sponsor individual seats at the arena. Those who pay to sponsor seats at the Civic Center can have their name engraved on their seats or dedicate the seat to someone they know.
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#20 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Monument Square
Portland ME
~15.00 miles from Biddeford city center
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Portland Maine is one of the few US cities to have a true European Public Square. Monument Square is at the hub of downtown, dividing Congress Street from the Old Port and West Port. An outdoor meeting place and landmark known by all in the area.
Great Shops, Museums, and the Portland Public Library are seconds away from Monument Square. Congress Street, the Maine College of Art, and the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow House are nearby as well. The famous Old Port District, and Exchange Street offer visitors to Portland many unique shops, galleries, and restaurants. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Nickelodeon Theater is a favorite hang out of local Portlanders. The Cumberland County Civic Center is close by, as well as the newly renovated art deco State Theater which both showcase outstanding musical acts and entertainment. A few blocks away the famous Victorian Mansion stands intensely looking out at sea.
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#21 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Merrill Auditorium
Portland ME
~15.19 miles from Biddeford city center
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Merrill Auditorium is a 1,900-seat auditorium located in Portland, Maine, United States. Originally known as Portland City Hall Auditorium, it is located in the eastern section of Portland City Hall. Organizations such as PCA Great Performances and the Portland Symphony Orchestra use the auditorium as a primary performance space. PortTIX is the official box office of the Merrill Auditorium.
The auditorium was built in 1911 and underwent renovation in 1997. It features a large pipe organ, the Hermann Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, donated by Cyrus Curtis.
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#22 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Portland Head Light
Portland ME
~15.26 miles from Biddeford city center
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Portland Head Light Station is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Construction began in 1787 at the directive of George Washington, and was completed on January 10, 1791. Whale oil lamps were originally used for illumination. In 1855 a fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed; that was replaced by a second-order Fresnel lens in 1864. That lens was replaced with an DCB-224 aerobeacon in 1958.
In 1787, while Maine was still part of the state of Massachusetts, George Washington engaged two masons from the town of Portland, Jonathan Bryant and John Nichols, and instructed them to take charge of the construction of a lighthouse on Portland Head. Washington reminded them that the colonial government was poor and that the materials used to build the lighthouse should be taken from the fields and shores. They could be handled nicely when hauled by oxen on a drag, he said.
The old tower, built of rubblestone, still stands as one of the four colonial lighthouses that have never been rebuilt. Washington gave the masons four years to build the tower. While it was under construction, the federal government was formed (in 1789) and it looked for a while as though the lighthouse would not be finished. The first congress made an appropriation and authorized Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, to inform the mechanics that they could go on with the completion of the tower. The tower was completed during 1790 and first lit January 10, 1791.
When Halfway Rock Light was built, Portland Head Light was considered less important and in 1833 the tower was shortened 20 feet and a weaker fourth-order Fresnel lens was added. The former height and second-order Fresnel lens was restored in 1835 following mariners' complaints. During the American Civil War, raids on shipping in and out of Portland Harbor became commonplace, and because of the necessity for ships at sea to sight Portland Head Light as soon as possible, the tower was raised eight feet. The current keepers' house was built in 1891.
The station has changed little except for the rebuilding of the whistle house in 1975 due to it being badly damaged in a storm. Today, Portland Head Light stands 80 feet above ground and 101 feet above water, its white conical tower being connected with a dwelling. The 200,000 candlepower, DCB 224 airport style aerobeacon is visible from 24 miles away. The grounds, and keeper's house are owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth, while the beacon, tower and fog signal are owned and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard as a current aid to navigation. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Portland Headlight on April 24, 1973, reference number 73000121.
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#23 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Willard Beach
Portland ME
~15.46 miles from Biddeford city center
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Goguac Lake is a 352-acre (1.42 km2) lake located in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States — a city of 53,364 located in Calhoun County, situated in the southwest portion of the state of Michigan. With a maximum depth of 66 feet (20 m), the lake is home to many fish species, including Crappie, Bluegill, Pike, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass and Walleye.
While the perimeter of the lake consists primarily of private residences, the Battle Creek Country Club, The Waterfront Restaurant and Willard Beach public park can be found on the lake.
There are three islands on Goguac Lake. Picnic Island, farthest south, became Chamberlain's, then Elk's and finally Vince's Island. Dr. Vince, the English-born dentist, built a causeway from the shore so that he could drive to the handsome manor house he built there. Peach Island was so named for the peach orchard planted there by Hermes Sweet. It was sometimes used for cockfights because both the sport and betting were against the law and this was a good hideaway from the sheriff. The island was subsequently known as Hulbert's, then Clark's, then Gould's for the owners of the single cottage. Ward's Island is smaller than in the early days when the lake level was lower. Ward's cottage stood on it several decades, so did the first Goguac Boat Club for about three years. Occasional picnickers use it now as trespassers, although those who recognize poison ivy generally stay away. Before its graceful elms died it became quite a bird sanctuary. Hummingbirds that fed in gardens on the mainland nested there.
History
The lake was originally spelled Coguagiack, a Native American term used to describe the "undulating" prairie surrounding the lake. This was an area which was home for the Potawatimi tribe and Goguac Lake was said to be a gathering place for them from time to time.
Since being settled by the English in the early nineteenth century, Goguac Lake has provided irrigation for crops, a ready supply of water and a focal point for community recreation.
Tall Tales
Goguac Lake has figured in a surprising number of stories: pure fiction, legends based on a thread of fact and some fantasied logic.
George Willard guessed that La Salle had camped beside Goguac Lake; the story grew to La Salle's committing himself on the beauty of this particular body of water. After slogging through swamps around hundreds of lakes in his hasty escape across southern Michigan. It is doubtful if La Salle had bothered to look at Goguac, much less to comment on its superiority. Of course he had to sleep someplace, Willard figured, so why not beside this lake? Willard also thought the name Goguac meant Ancient Fort and was given to the lake by the Indians. A mound of earth that cut across Waupakisco peninsula was designated Ancient Fort on early maps. Indians seldom gave names to bodies of water and we now know that it was the prairie that was 'undulating' — the meaning of the Indian word Coghwagiak.
The larger bay, in one place 66 feet (20 m) deep, is spring fed, but any number of stories arose as to the cause of cold and warm water only a few feet apart. In the 1890s a few cottagers stocked the lake with fish of desirable kinds for eating and one year brought in some choice eels. That started stories comparable to those told about the Loch Ness Monster. But the stories disappeared as did the eels. Only one catch, harmless enough, has been reported in the last quarter century.
In the 1850s the New York Mercury, a journal which sired the dime novel and our modern mystery magazines, published a story whose setting was an island in Goguac Lake. The author is unknown. Its main character was a two personality man. He didn't have two personalities to begin with, like the later Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but had stolen the 'soul' and appearance of a man dying here and placed them in his own sturdy body. The story included plenty of suspense and an evil cat.
Goguac Lake has no known natural outlets and its level changes according to season, going down during dry spells, coming up when there is much rain. An artificial inlet from Minges Brook controls this somewhat. Following a rumor that the lake has a hidden outlet into the Kalamazoo River, a priceless 'first person' story was written for a local paper. Suspected as author of the story, and perhaps of the rumor, is William Pease who was owner, editor and possibly sole writer for The Jeffersonian, a short-lived newspaper in Battle Creek.
The autobiographical bit told that the author was a visitor, living at the Battle Creek House, and that he was swimming in Goguac Lake when he was sucked into the outlet at the bottom of the lake. he was swept all the way to the Kalamazoo River. Badly bruised but uninjured, he was not only able to walk but to run back to the hotel and sneak unobserved in the back way. His suit was shamefully torn. Just how he breathed all of that time in a tunnel of water he did not bother to explain.
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#24 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Bug Light
Portland ME
~15.69 miles from Biddeford city center
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Duxbury Pier Light was built in 1871 on the north side of the main channel in Plymouth Harbor to mark the dangerous shoal off Saquish Head. The unusual coffeepot-shaped lighthouse is locally known as "Bug Light" or simply "The Bug." The lighthouse contains three levels that were used as living quarters and a watchroom. The lantern room held a fourth order Fresnel lens, first lighted on September 15, 1871.To protect the structure, 100 tons of stones were placed around the base in 1886. A 700-gallon water cistern was added in 1900. The lighthouse was automated in 1964 and the keepers were removed. A modern optic replaced the Fresnel lens. Over the next two decades Duxbury Pier Light fell victim to much vandalism and seabirds made themselves a home in the interior. Bug Light survived the Hurricane of 1944 when 30-foot waves battered the isolated station. Heavy seas on the east side destroyed the fog bell mechanism, the lightkeepers’ boat, and its outhouse. In 1983 Duxbury Pier Light was slated by the Coast Guard to be replaced by a fiberglass tower much like the one that had replaced Boston Harbor's old Deer Island Lighthouse. The Coast Guard had estimated that a renovation of the current structure would have cost $250,000. A group of concerned local residents formed Project Bug Light. A five-year lease was granted to the preservation committee. The Coast Guard sandblasted and painted the structure and did some repair work in 1983; the work was completed in 1985. The Coast Guard spent $100,000 to refurbish the lower half of the lighthouse. Project Bug Light raised $20,000 from local businesses, as well as sales of T-shirts and bumper stickers, a fashion show, baseball games, and raffling a painting. They used this money to restore the upper parts and the interior, including the rebuilding of the roof and the catwalk. At the same time solar power replaced the older battery system. The fog signal was also converted to solar power. In the late 1980s, vandals broke into the lantern room, leaving it susceptible to leaks. The weather deteriorated the wood interior so much that all the wood had to be removed, leaving bare iron walls. After a few years Project Bug Light virtually dissolved as an organization, and the five-year lease expired. In 1993, the Coast Guard again talked of replacing the lighthouse with a fiberglass pole, or at least removing the lantern room. This time, Dr. Don Muirhead of Duxbury, an avid sailor, spearheaded a new preservation effort. The Coast Guard again refurbished the lighthouse in 1996. The volunteers of Project Bug Light continue to do maintenance at the light and have raised more than $80,000 toward the continued preservation of "The Bug." To quote volunteer Edwin Heap, "It's an ugly old historical thing, but we're glad it's been saved."
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#25 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Portland Harbor Museum
2 Fort Rd South Portland ME - 207-799-6337
~15.72 miles from Biddeford city center
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Address:
Fort Road
South Portland, ME 04106
Phone: (207) 799-6337
Fax: (207) 799-3862
Website: www.portlandharbormuseum.org/
Description
Portland Harbor Museum is a small maritime museum near Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse. It features spectacular views of the harbor and maritime-related exhibits. Bug Light and the Liberty Ship Memorial is nearby.
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#26 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Portland Observatory
Portland ME
~15.77 miles from Biddeford city center
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The Portland Observatory, built in 1807 at Portland, Maine, is the last surviving maritime signal tower in the United States. Using both a telescope and lantern, two-way communication between ship and shore was possible several hours before an incoming vessel reached the docks.
Portland has a deep harbor sheltered by numerous islands. Ships entering the harbor are not directly visible from the wharfs, which created problems for merchants trying to prepare for the arrival of cargoes. This problem was solved in 1807 when Captain Lemuel Moody organized the construction of an observatory on Portland's Munjoy Hill, visible from both the open ocean and the wharfs. During the War of 1812, the observatory was used as a watch tower.
[edit]About the observatory
The 86-foot (26 m) tall observatory (7 stories) is octagonal and lighthouse-shaped, with a fieldstone base, and stands 222 feet (68 m) above sea level. The observatory's 'lantern' (cupola) included a P & J Dolland Achromatic Refracting Telescope, which could identify ships 30 miles (48 km) to sea. That telescope disappeared from the observatory in 1939.
The observatory has been renovated numerous times over the years, including a Works Progress Administration renovation in 1939. It was most recently renovated from 1998-2000 to repair damage from moisture and powderpost beetles. The latest renovation won a 2001 National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The center column was not an original feature, and was added in the 1939 renovation.
The observatory was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. In 2006, the observatory was made a National Historic Landmark.
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#27 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Fort Preble
Portland ME
~15.79 miles from Biddeford city center
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Fort Preble is a military fort in South Portland, Maine, United States. Fort Preble is on the campus of Southern Maine Community College.
Henry A. S. Dearborn built this second-system fortification as an "embargo fort" in 1808 and named it in honor of Commodore Edward Preble. Along with Fort Scammel, it was built to enforce the unpopular trade embargo that President Thomas Jefferson enacted against Great Britain by preventing Maine merchants from trading with the English. In October of 1808, Dearborn ordered a company of soldiers to occupy the fort and instructed them to do whatever was necessary to enforce the Embargo Act against embargo-breaking ships. The embargo was finally lifted in March of 1809.
In addition, various units manned Fort Preble during the War of 1812. Among them were elements of the Regiment of Light Artillery, the 21st, 33rd, and 34th Regiments of Infantry, as well as U.S. Volunteers — and in times of crisis local militia. When Winfield Scott and other American soldiers returned from British imprisonment in Quebec, they were landed at Fort Preble. Many of them were emaciated and ill, and some died at this post's hospital.
The fort saw action during the American Civil War, when Confederate Army raiders entered Portland Harbor on June 26, 1863, aboard a captured ship named Archer. The Confederates captured the ship Caleb Cushing the next day, and attempted an escape. Calm seas forced them to set the ship on fire, and they were captured by Union forces. Twenty-three Confederate prisoners were captured and taken to the fort.
The fort remained manned through the American Civil War, World War I, and World War II. It was decommissioned in 1950.
Spring Point Ledge Light was built near the site in 1897. A 900-foot (270 m) granite breakwater that extends from the fort and surrounds the lighthouse was later added in 1951.
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#28 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Spring Point Ledge Light
Portland ME
~15.95 miles from Biddeford city center
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Spring Point Ledge Light is a sparkplug lighthouse in South Portland, Maine that marks a dangerous obstruction on the west side of the main shipping channel into Portland Harbor.
The lighthouse was constructed in 1897 by the government after seven steamship companies stated that many of their vessels ran aground on Spring Point Ledge. Congress initially allocated $20,000 to its construction, although the total cost of the tower ended up being $45,000 due to problems with storms and poor quality cement. The lighthouse featured a fog horn that sounded every 12 second, and a lantern fitted with a fifth order Fresnel lens first lit by Keeper William A. Lane on May 24, 1897.
Improvements were made to the lighthouse throughout the 20th century. It was electrified in 1934, and in 1951, a 900-foot breakwater made from 50,000 tons of granite was constructed in order to connect the lighthouse to the mainland. The lighthouse was originally owned and operated by the United States Coast Guard. However, on April 28, 1998, the Maine Lights Selection Committee approved a transfer of ownership of the tower to the Spring Point Ledge Light Trust, with the USCG retaining only the light and fog signal. On May 22, 1999, Spring Point Ledge Light was opened to the public for the first time in its history. It is a popular spot on any summer day for families to picnic and boat-watch on the breakwater or for fisherman to spend an afternoon catching fish. Adjacent to the lighthouse, visitors may also tour the old Fort Preble, the Southern Maine Community College Campus, and visit a small gift shop.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Spring Point Ledge Light Station on January 21, 1988, reference number 87002279.
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#29 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Mackworth Island
Portland ME
~17.58 miles from Biddeford city center
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Mackworth Island is an island on the border line of Falmouth, Maine and Portland, Maine. In 1631, Sir Ferdinando Gorges gave the island to Arthur Mackworth, his deputy in Casco Bay, and the island has retained his name. There is a causeway connecting the island to the mainland in Falmouth. Visitors to the island must pass by a tollhouse; cars can enter the island but parking is limited. There is a footpath around the perimeter of the island with views of Falmouth, Portland, and other islands surrounding the bay. The island is heavily wooded. Mackworth Island has a beautiful rocky shore and offers ample opportunities for surf fisherman of Bluefish and Stripers
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#30 of 30 Things To Do in Biddeford
Bailey Island Bridge
Bailey Island ME
~29.20 miles from Biddeford city center
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