To the lagoon and back: Secret Spaces, Historic Places tour in Biddeford

There are places in Biddeford that you'd never have the chance to see. At least not without a breaking and entering charge filed against you.

But Heart of Biddeford's Secret Spaces, Historic Places tour is back for the third year, giving tour goers a peek into some of the city's under-lock-and-key locations.

The self-guided tour takes place on Saturday, June 4 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 and interested folks are encouraged to register in advance at www.heartofbiddeford.org.

But you're a sensible person. You don't want to spend the money without knowing what you're going to get for it. You've got budgets to think about. You've got to weigh your options.

So to help you out, here's a sneak peek at the top-secret tour stops:

Under the #10 Mill - a place once flooded by cotton and Vellux blankets - is a hidden lagoon. Redirected water from the Saco River flowed through the underground tunnels beneath the building and the space was kept under tight wraps - mill workers rarely even saw it.

The water stopped flowing decades ago when that newfangled electricity took over, but the huge subterranean room still exists. The space is still and quiet now, aside from the echoing trickle of ground water and, possibly, a pirate skeleton and Chunk from Goonies hiding out in one of the dark tunnels.

In the floors above the now-vacant space once occupied by Reny's (aka, the O.H. Staples building) is a large and dormant theater. The dancing of dust particles seems to be the only theatrics these walls have seen in decades. It's rumored that the space may have been used for boxing matches and also served as a movie theater.

It's a mystery what rituals took place in the Laconia Building when the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) were there. The fraternal organization was dedicated to altruistic and charitable acts. Or, if you have a devious imagination and/or read books by Dan Brown, they may also be the keeper of centuries-old secrets and religious relics.

Alternating and incongruous staircases lead the way up to the the City Hall clock tower where the historic clock is on "sleep status" until funds are raised to repair it. Until then, it's 1 p.m. all the time.

The clock was built in 1895 by Howard Clock in Boston, but was mechanized in the 1980s. The bell stopped ringing a while back but the clock itself went caput just last year. The city is hoping to return it to its original state when they're able to raise the money to do so.

There's also some entertaining writing on the walls up there, including:

"O.J. Simpson 1982
I didn't do it"

In addition to the tour, attendees can take part in the Taste of the Town event happening simultaneously. Free samples from a dozen or so local eateries will be available to ticket holders. And the Grand Finale livens things up in Mechanic's Park from 4 to 6 p.m., where Capt'n Eli's Soda and music from Ameranouche will keep folks content. Funds raised help support Heart of Biddeford.

Now that's worth $25, wouldn't you say?

FMI: Secret Spaces, Historic Places: 1:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 4 | $25 | www.heartofbiddeford.org or 286-8520.

From clock towers to the tunnel, explore the secret spaces of Biddeford

Maine is old.

Not paleolithic old, or even Roman Empire old.

But in relation to US history, Maine's got some ancient numbers. Most of our towns have done a stellar job maintaining buildings that are 100 or 200 years old - or older. We walk the same halls as our friends from "back in the day." Those brick walls lining our apartment or office building were stacked by men whose names our grandfathers don't even remember.

My meaning: There's history all over the place. Some of it's been modernized into fashionable boutique space or couch-lined coffee shops. But some of it rests quietly behind doors we regular folk aren't permitted to open.

Heart of Biddeford - a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing downtown Biddeford - is opening some of those doors to history during its upcoming "Secret Spaces, Historic Places" event taking place on Saturday, June 6.

I had the happy opportunity to join a "trial tour" alongside Heart of Biddeford board members and volunteers on Tuesday - and was able to get a glimpse of some of the downtown's secret spots.

We started at the City Hall clock tower. Alternating and incongruous staircases led the way (where, I suspect, Escher got his inspiration) to the roof of the building.

A small window below the clock face was open - and another tour-goer waved from inside.

We followed another set or two of stairs to the inside of the clock tower - the machinery clicking away the minutes. The bell, I was told, no longer works. It still sits patiently at the top of the tower, awaiting the day when funds pull through and it can fulfill it's bell purpose ringing the hour, every hour, for another hundred years.

Until then, the sturdy fella has taken to writing solemn haikus on the clock tower wall.

I took a peek out the small window myself. It's historically used by workers to climb out and access the outside of the tower for maintenance and restoration. For those of us with zero intention of squeezing out of its slender aperture, it offers a fine clock tower view of the town.

Next we entered a vacant downtown storefront (I'm told Reny's was its most recent occupant) and took the stairs to the upper floors. Here, original wallpaper still accents the walls, albeit faded and peeling.

There's also a large theater space - though the dancing of dust particles seems to be the only theatrics these walls have seen in decades. One volunteer mentioned that the space may have been used for boxing matches and also served as a movie theater.

But by far the tour highlight is its lowest stop: the thirty-foot tunnel running beneath the Lincoln Mill complex. Tons of water onced flooded this tunnel. Now, it lies empty and dry (which, by lucky coincidence, makes it easier to walk through). Unfortunately the guide who planned on showing us around here wasn't able to make it, so I wasn't able to get inside.

But Vicki Lane graciously shared a stellar photo she took of the tunnel (it's the same one used on all the publicity posters).

[Photo courtesy Vicki Lane www.thephotodocs.com]

To experience the full tour yourself - and afterward dance the eve away at North Dam Mill - check out the Secret Spaces, Historic Places tour on June 6.

Event info: Secret Spaces, Historic Places on June 6

To register ($25), see the Heart of Biddeford website