Pete looking at the past
Looking back to the old days of Laconia and Pepperell Mills
Largest room in Biddeford???
Start of tour on 2nd floor...largest room in Biddeford
2nd floor above registration
Awesome framing and columns
Door to 36-3
To "connector" walkway to 36-3
Hall to 36-3
View from inside "connector" into 36-3
Storage 1
1st view inside 36-3. Used to store bales of cotton after 1915 fire destroyed old wood storage building.
storage 2
2nd view of storage area. Very little sunlight so as not to yellow the cotton.
storage room for bales of cotton
Pete Lamontagne explaining the fireproof features of the storage area.
Window in 36-3
Small port garrison style windows in storage room. This is not where the "fort" was located.
Elevator 36-3
Elevator from 36-3 to where?
Conveyor chute
Conveyor chute from bale storage.
Conveyor path
Conveyor path to next process
Where are we?
Conveyor exit and stairway down to private offices??
Office safe
Private offices. We came in through the door on the right. The blue glass door goes to Main Street green doors. Note the open door to the safe.
Safe
No more money in the safe!
sign above safe
Safe manufacturer name plate above safe door.
Little closet
Little closet for imported cigars and licquors. Must be why there is a sprinkler head in it.
office fireplace
Fireplace with Pete Lamontagne and Don Guillerault, tour guides...aka "docents".
Exit office
Exit from the office.
Office exit stairway
Looking up upon exiting office into stairway.
Looking down Main Street
Looking down Main Street
Great Wall of Biddeford
"Great Wall of Biddeford"
Looking up Great Wall
Looking up the :Great Wall"
Signage for the "fort"
Signage on the "Wall" explaining where the Fort actually was located....along the banks of the Saco river.
Green Doors
Private entrance, green doors on the "Great Wall" on Main Street.
Up river
Up river view from new foot bridge spanning the Saco River.
Down river from new foot bridge
Down river view from new foot bridge spanning Saco River. Tannery used to be on the left, now is a restaurant.
Connector bridge
Outside view of a "connector" walkway between buildings.
Vellux room
Vellux department
Floor above lagoon
Suspended floor above "lagoon". Note the turnbuckles as this floor needed to be periodically adjusted.
Lagoon 3
Lagoon...canal system for the hydro power at the beginning of the textile era in Biddeford. This is below sea level.
Lagoon 1
Water entered via these 3 canals beginning on the right, from behind Deering Lumber, then powered the Laconia Mills on the left, then exiting out to the Saco River
Lagoon 2
Because this area is below sea level, it is most definately affected by the tides. Often in spring time the eels would jamb the turbines.