Biddeford is the eighth-largest city in Maine. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a population of roughly 23,000 residents who came here from almost every corner of the globe.
The city was literally built on the backs of immigrants who flocked here in the 1800s and early 1900s in search of jobs in the textile mills and tannery plants that were built on the banks of the Saco River, which provided the power for those factories. Those mill buildings have now been converted into upscale apartments, condominiums, restaurants and boutique retail shops.
Those early immigrants were mainly French-speaking Canadians from Quebec, but many others followed, including families from Ireland, Greece, Albania, Syria and Israel.
Today, we are once again seeing a surge of new residents who have come to Biddeford in search of a better life.
The city has transitioned from a thriving manufacturing business center that included a bustling downtown; to a community hit hard by closing factories and suburban shopping malls. Today, the city is once again on the rise, but what makes it great — what makes any community great — is the people who live and work here, whether it’s the young hipsters drawn by microbreweries or fifth-generation families that still speak French at home.
The stories I most enjoy writing are the stories I am honored to write about my neighbors, friends and all the other people who call Biddeford home. Enjoy!
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The Top-25 Political Movers and Shakers in Biddeford-Saco (2012- edition)
A fun review of the people who I think wield the most influence in my hometown
The Top-20 Political Movers and Shakers in Biddeford-Saco (2024 edition)
A fun and updated review of the people who I think wield the most influence in my hometown
Talking about Biddeford-Saco people on the Randy Forcier podcast
INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS:
Michael Cantara: Retired judge, former district attorney, mayor and lifelong Biddeford resident talks about how much the city has changed over the last few years.
George ‘Pete’ Lamontagne spent his career working in Biddeford’s largest textile mill, was a former union leader and served on the Biddeford City Council.
Ryan Fecteau: He became the first openly gay Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives but got his political start as a student representative on the Biddeford School Board.
Bonita Pothier: She was Biddeford’s first female mayor and later went to work as a constituent representative for U.S. Senator Angus King.
Alan Casavant: A beloved former teacher at Biddeford High School, Casavant went on to become Biddeford’s second-longest serving mayor after 12 years of leading the city through a stunning transition.
Richard Rhames: A self-described dirt farmer, Rhames has a reputation for speaking up, a willingness to face controversy head-on and an unwavering tenacity. He is a long-time newspaper columnist, served on the city council; and has been a champion for land conservation and public access television since the 1970s.
Peter, Mark & Robert DiPietrantonio talk about the challenges and the rewards of running a convenience store in the heart of the city’s downtown area,
Hunter Frechette doesn’t let Down Syndrome or any of his other disabilities slow him down. He is always ready for the next challenge, the next adventure.
Kitty Goudreau: A beloved former teacher, Ms. Goudreau fondly remembers the old days of Biddeford politics when people threatened to break kneecaps if they didn’t get their way.
Roger Beaupre: Born and raised in Biddeford, Beaupre came back from the Vietnam war, joined the police department and became chief of police.
Vassie Fowler: The executive director of the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Resource Center, Vassie also has a solid reputation as a community volunteer. A few years ago, Vassie and her husband were given a ceremonial key to the city.
LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY 