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Biddeford and the Pacific Northwest... over the years
History is VERY interesting! Most folks glass over when you start
talking about history, but when you get over the word "History",
its actually quite interesting!
Biddeford has almost 500 years of history, while The Pacific Norhtwest's history is a
little more modest, essentially beginning about 160 years ago or so...
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Biddeford and Area |
Year Block |
North Bend Area |
1500's - The Native People of the Saco
The natives around the Saco River had as much to do with how Biddeford was
formed as did the settlers themselves. |
1500 - 1600 |
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1602 - Discovery of Maine.
If no one had found the place, then no one would have moved there...
1603 - Discovery of the Saco River
You can't talk about Biddeford without mentioning the river...
1605 -
First Map of Saco Bay and Biddeford
Its not terribly accurate,
but it worked enough to draw interest to the region. 1606 - Naming the Saco
Ever wonder how the Saco River got its name? 1606 - First Try at a Settlement
A disastrous winter causes a major setback for the Plymouth Company
1607 - New England named on a Map
In a map drawn up for Queen Elizabeth 1, the phrase "New England" is
used to depict "The Mayne". The attempt was to show ownership, and
impress the Queen for more money to continue exploration and settlement. 1616 - Captain Vines Winters at the Pool
In an attempt to spur colonization, a Plymouth investor hires Vines to
prove you can survive a winter in the North Virginia region. 1629 - Vines granted Biddeford Tract
Biddeford's first resident is rewarded for his stay.
1630 -
Vines takes Possession of Biddeford Tract
Vines arrives at his Tract, and takes legal possession of it, with a
group of Settlers.
1630-31 -
The Settlement Begins
The new Settlers begin to create a home for themselves
1632 - The Making of
Money
The first registered company in Biddeford (Then named Saco) was a clapboard
company, but the primary industry was fishing.
1636 - List of
the Settlers
A listing of how much everyone had to pay the minister provides a
listing of who settled the fledgling city.
1640 -
Patent holder for Saco dies.
Thomas Lewis took possession of the land now known as the city of Saco
in 1637. He only held it, however, for 3 years.
1653 - First Saw
Mill in Biddeford
With a mandate for 1 year to build, the first sawmill is granted
rights to start.
1675 -
The First Indian War Begins.
A group of British Soldiers harass the wife of the Saco Chief,
causing the death of his son, and sparks the friendly leader to
transform into a ruthless and effective warrior.
1692 - Ft Mary Established at Saco Falls
Growing tensions, and repeated raids by Indians, goaded on by the
French, prompts the building of several forts in the Maine frontier,
the largest of which are in Saco, and Pemaquid.
1692 -
York County Established and named
The Province of Maine gets rolled into the Mass. Bay Province, and
Maine is re-designated a county, called York.
1697 -
Ft Mary Moved to Winter Harbor
After a few years of operation, it was decided that a more tactical
position was required, to improve the likelihood of a viable defense.
|
1601-1700 |
1625 - 'Northwest
Passage' first mentioned
The rumor that sent Lewis and Clark on their expedition in 1806 started
about 150 years before the US declared itself a country.
1700 - Massive Earthquake
Rocks PNW
A little Japanese Island was surprised one January night by
tsunami's... apparently caused by a massive quake in the yet to be explored wilderness of the
Pacific Northwest |
1767 - 1st Bridge From Bidd. to Factory Island
A toll bridge marks the first bridge to "Indian Island" (now Factory Island)
into Biddeford. Known as the Cutts bridge, it has been replaced 3
times over the years, and now is known as the "York" bridge.
1774 -
Biddeford Joins the Rebellion
Ticked at the various taxes and Levies imposed by what they believed to be
an unjust Parliament, pass a resolution letting the Continental Congress
know that if asked, they would side against the King.
1776
- Declaration Memorialized as Public Record - The Declaration arrived
less than two weeks after being signed in Boston. It was reprinted,
and read in the churches of the town, and then was officially recorded in
the town's public record. |
1701-1800 |
1775 - The Spanish Land in PNW
They sort of botched up the 'first contact' somehow, though.
1778 - Captain
Cook discovers Cape Flattery
Cook, heading to the PNW from the West Indies, discovers Hawaii on the way.
1792 - US
Discovers Columbia River
After Vancouver missed it, Captain Gray crosses the bar, and provides the US
with a legal grounds for possession of the region.
1792 - British
Explore Puget Sound
Vancouver, with his flotilla of ships on a Voyage of Discovery, names the
Sound after one of the Ship's Masters in his command, Lieutenant Peter
Puget.
1800 - Prior to Settlement
The region around the South Sound was a prime location for development... it just
took a long time for the "European Americans" to get here. |
1806 - Wood
Island Light Station established
The opening to the Saco River is protected by a light station that exists to
this day.
1807 -
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is Born
One of more popular persons from York County, HW Longfellow grew up in the
small town environs of Southern Maine.
1811 - Saco
Academy Opens
The town of Saco petitions Massachusetts for money for a school, while a
local doctor named Thorton donates some of his holdings in a bank to start
one of the oldest Academy's still open in New England.
1850
- Pepperell Mill In Biddeford Opens
Large by even today's standards, the Pepperell Manufacturing company takes
the city of Biddeford to the cutting edge of Technology for its day, opening
one of the largest and certainly the most advanced textile mills in the country at the time.
|
1801-1850 |
1841 - US Explores Puget Sound
The source of inspiration for the infamous Captain Ahab of "Moby
Dick" lore, Captain Wilkes surveys the Puget Sound for the US, and
names Budd Inlet, the future port of Olympia.
1845 - Simmons Party Settles in New Market
Racism sends the area's first settlers North to the Puget Sound... leading
Simmons, "Daniel Boone of the Pacific Northwest", and his band to settle New
Market (Tumwater). The
Willamette's loss is our gain.
1846- First Olympia Settlers Arrive
Two New Englanders - one from Maine - Settle in what was to become Olympia.
1848 -
Congress Creates the Oregon Territory
Up until this point, the settlers have enjoyed their own sovereignty.
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and parts of what is now Canada are included in
the decree.
1848 - Co-Founder Smith Dies
One of the two settlers of "Smithville" dies. The other
later changes the name to Olympia.
1850 - Olympia Dedicated
Olympia is officially dedicated as a town by former Eastport, Maine resident Edmund
Sylvester.
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1855 - Biddeford
Fire Department Formed.
During the town's reorganization process, a
professional Fire Department became a branch of the city government.
1855 - Flooding in
Biddeford
The Spring melt brings flooding to Gooch street, in Biddeford.
1860 -
Biddeford's City Theater Opens
Big-City Culture comes to the city of Biddeford.
1863 - Pavilion Congregational
Church Opens
The building that literally everyone in Biddeford knows - and probably
has been in - opens for the first time.
1866 - Deering
Lumber Opens
Still open today, the Deering family expands beyond its restaurant business,
which also is still open, and opens a lumber mill. The mill even
remains on the same property.
1870 - St Joseph
Parish Church Built
In 1864, the Catholic Church establishes a parish in Biddeford, and builds
the St Joseph Parish Church. The large Church on Elm Street Dominates
the view as you drive up the hill.
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1851-1875 |
1852 - The Founding of Seattle
Seattle started with a letter "...come at once... there's room for
thousands...", and a half-built cabin.
1852 - First
Sawmill on Puget Sound
Seattle's coup in taking Yesler's mill from Tumwater ensured the success of
the new settlement.
1852 - Tacoma Settled
Originally called Commencement City, Tacoma started with the building of a
very plain-looking cabin.
1852 - First Tacoma Sawmill
Yesler may have been first, but he quickly had competition
1852 - First
Post Office In Seattle Opens
Seattle comes to the BIG TIME...
1853 -
Washington Territory Created
Enough people had moved into the area, and enough social differences
with those in Oregon (south of the Columbia) that petition was sent to
Congress. Several were sent, finally this one got approved.
1853 - Governor Stevens Arrives
Bad weather and poor travel conditions prompt Gov. Stevens to stop short,
and Olympia's place in Washington History is established.
1855 - Point
Elliot Treaty Signed
Even with only a few hundred white settlers in the Puget Sound area, forward
thinking Native American leaders, led by Chief Seattle, sign a deal with the
Territory. Unfortunately, peace doesn't last long.
1855 - Tourists
visit Snoqualmie Falls
A group from Olympia make the trek to the
Falls, guided by 14 Native Americans, and travelling in "first class
canoes".
1856 -
Seattle Attacked by Native Americans
Nisqually Indian Chief Leschi leads a band of warriors north against the
city of Seattle. Olympia was considered too large and too well
guarded, and Seattle's 50 residents were a much easier target.
1861 - Crosby
Flouring Mill
One of Tumwater's early businesses, the flouring mill helped shape the
Tumwater/Olympia area as a center of manufacturing.
1865 - Carr Resettles
Tacoma
The area had been settled earlier, in 1855, but the claims were abandoned
after the Indian Wars in 1856. He named it Eureka, then Commencement
City, then it was called Old Tacoma.
1866 - Chief Seattle
Dies
Chief Seath, Chief of the Duwamish and Suqamish Tribes, was instrumental in
Seattle's early formative period. He is honored in the legacy of the
city that bears his name.
1867 -
First road through Snoqualmie Pass Opens
Farmers on the East side of the Cascades needed a way to get through to the
markets in the towns to the west, so they built a road.
1870 - North
Bend's Post Office Opens
Here in the Pacific Northwest, a town becomes 'real' when the post office
opens an office there. North Bend started out as Snoqualmie, then it
changed to Mountain View, then finally to North Bend.
May 1870 -
Squak Post Office Opens
Squak was the "white man's" pronunciation
of "Is-Qu-Ah", meaning Snake. 25 year later, the towns name is
changed to Issaquah.
1872 - First
Rail Road on Puget Sound Starts Running
The coal industry needed a way to move heavy loads, and at the time, a
train was the only way to do it.
1873 - Doc Maynard Dies
One of Seattle's more colorful founders dies at 65.
1873 -
Great Northern Chooses Tacoma
Great Northern, to save money, picks a small village south of Seattle as its
Terminus.
1873 - Mt Rainier Erupts
The massive volcano shakes and smokes for a couple of days... the last time
it it has done so.
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1880 - Biddeford & Saco
Telephone Exchange
Biddeford was an early adopter, oddly enough.
1884 - Biddeford Completes Water Plant
Biddeford pushes the edge of municipal drinking water technology with a new
treatment plant that ensured the fine quality of water within the city's pipes.
1886 - Annie
Maguire Wrecks
In a light rain, in full view of Portland Head Light, the Annie Maguire
runs aground 100 feet from the tower. |
1876-1900 |
1879 - The last old growth tree is
cut in Seattle
Tree-huggers everywhere mourn this day, I'm sure.
1881_Hayes makes first
ever Presidential Visit to PNW
President Hayes visits Seattle, Tacoma, marking the first time a president
ever visited the city. Its also the first time a president traveled
west of the Rockies.
1883 -
Melrose changes its name to Redmond
The future home of Microsoft names itself after the pioneer who founded the
town.
1883 - Tacoma
formed by Merge
Tacoma City merges with New Tacoma to become Tacoma. The railroad, to
save money, terminated its line outside of city limits, and of course, a
city sprung up at the Terminus.
1886 - First
Electric Lightbulb in the west lights in Seattle
Edison arrives, and
demonstrates his new invention, franchising the Seattle Electric Company to
local investors.
1889 - Snoqualmie's Post
Office Opens
The opening of a post office is an important marker
of the beginning of a community.
1899 - The Great
Seattle Fire
A majority of downtown Seattle burns, mostly due to inadequate municipal
water supply... most of which was still being provided in wooden pipes!
1900 - First automobile
in Seattle
A relatively new invention makes the trek from Chicago
to the West Coast, and its owner showed it off the best he could!
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1902- McArthur Public Library moves to present location
New life for an old building...
1907 - Fire Department
Moves into new station
The station I remember as a kid got its
start early in the century.1910 - St Andre Parish
Church Built
In 1899, Biddeford was deemed too large for one parish. A second
church, grander than the first, was added to the bustling community.
1915 - The Great Mill Fire
The Pepperell Cotton mill building catches on fire, causing more than a half
million dollars in damage.
1916 - Mill Repair
Taking advantage of government money, the Mill Rebuilds and expands, adding
several floors to the main mill house along Main Street.
1924
- Biddeford FD purchases first Motorized Engine
Biddeford's Fire
Department enters the Modern Age. It would keep the first engine
in service until 1963. I remember seeing it in parades.
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1901-1925 |
1901 - Nordstrom Opens his first
Store
Starting out with a humble shoe store, the Nordstrom's build a high-end
nation-wide department store.
1905 - First Automobile crosses Snoqualmie Pass
Travelling from
Indianapolis to Seattle, the first car takes two days to reach the pass
from the Kittitas Valley, which now takes less than an hour.
1917 - Boeing
Incorporates
The company that would be the largest aircraft manufacturer of all time
started rather modestly, in an old shipyard.
1918 - The "Boxley Burst"
A dam burst forever changes the lives of the folks in Edgewick, a mill town
located near North Bend.
1923- Fresno Barge
Burns
The Bath, Maine-built barge meets its end under unusual circumstances
1923 - H. Kent and E.
Worthington start Kenworth Corp
The well-known truck manufacturer still calls Seattle home. The city
of Kent, WA gets its name from the family of one of the founders. |
1935 -
Biddeford upgrades its water plant
City Management officials, facing a water shortage situation, build a new
facility that far outpaces the need, allowing the facility to last, largely
unmodified, to this day. |
1926-1950 |
1940 - The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Fails
Fondly known as "Galloping Gertie", the worst engineering failure of the
20th century caught many by surprise, and almost ruined the economy of
Tacoma.
1945 - Earthquake
hits Puget Sound Area
In the Spring, a sizable
Earthquake strikes near North Bend, causing damage to chimneys,
homes, and a large landslide on Mt Si. The quake is felt
over a wide area of Washington, and parts of Idaho and Oregon.
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1951-1975 |
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1976-2000 |
1999 - WTO Riots Rake
Seattle
Riots tear through downtown Seattle during a meeting of the World Trade
Organization. For the entire meeting, which spanned several days,
police battle thugs in the streets of Seattle, which basically shut down the
city. |
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2001+ |
2001 -
Mag 6.8 earthquake strikes PNW
The 'Nisqually Quake', the largest quake I've felt so far, struck just
before lunch on the last day of February.
2003 - Green
River Killer Pleads Guilty
Gary Ridgeway became the Nation's worst serial killer before he ended more
than 20 years of terror in the King/Pierce/Thurston County areas.
2003 - New
4th Ave. bridge opens in Olympia
The 2001 Nisqually quake took down the old bridge, which had spanned Budd
Inlet for nearly 80 years. |
There's LOTS more on the way, I promise!!!
I think I've found something to occupy my time for quite some time to come! J
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