Franco-American connection to a historic icon needs restoration

BIDDEFORD, Maine – A community effort to save, and preserve the stately Lincoln Mill Clock Tower in Biddeford is under way. This ambitious effort is possible thanks to the leadership of civic groups and Louise Merriman, a local historian who has served on many of the city’s municipal committees.

Restoration sought for Lincoln Mill Clock and Tower

Lincoln Mill Clock in Biddeford

Merriman is a Biddeford resident. She has a History of Religion degree from Bowdoin College in Brunswick. She is knowledgeable about history, culture and religion.

Louise Merriman of Biddeford Maine

Louie Merriman is a Maine native and Biddeford resident who is helping to lead the restoration of the Lincoln Mill Clock Tower.

Support for the historic clock’s restoration is significant to the large Franco-American communities who reside in York County’s industrial region, and near the cavernous buildings where thousands of their ancestors worked in the textile and shoe manufacturing mills.

Franco-Americans, and all Biddeford residents, and visitors were familiar with the clock, when it stood on the roof of the Lincoln Mill building, located on the corner of  Lincoln Street and Main Street. The history of the Lincoln Mill began in 1853-54, when the Saco Water and Power Company built the Lincoln Mill.  In 1853, the clock was constructed. In the 1870’s the tower and clock were moved to the top of the stairwell of the Lincoln Mill.

Merriman says the 166 year history of the clock tower is inter woven with Biddeford’s industrialization and the region’s preeminence as a manufacturing leader, a position it held during the 19th and into the 20th centuries. Thousands of Franco-Americans were the workers in those mills. She  and local citizens want to restore the clock to working condition because the history of the clock tower is connected to Biddeford’s proud industrial past and the city’s resurgence as a lovely Southern York County coastal community. “This is a valuable piece of Biddeford’s history and we can’t let it deteriorate,” she said.

Although the clock tower is in need of restoration, Merriman says she also knows where the innards of the original working clock are located. In fact, the owner who purchased the clock, when the tower was removed from its perch on the Lincoln Mill, has agreed to give it back, when a restoration of the tower is accomplished.

As a Maine native who grew up in Harpswell and a Bowdoin College alumna, Merriman says her passion for organizing the community preservation and restoration effort for the Lincoln Mill Clock Tower is rooted in her family’s experiences. In fact, in 1961, her father, Jay Merriman and her recently deceased  uncle,  Jack Merriman, protested the proposal to tear down the Union Station building in Portland, ME.  “It means a lot to me and my cousins to participate in the preservation of  historical buildings and landmarks,” she said.

“It pains me to see what happened to the clock tower, but it going to be truly powerful to see what a group of committed citizens can do to change its trajectory.”

Here is a video link to watch, filmed when the old clock tower was removed.

This magnificent clock tower was a communications icon for Biddeford, when it was fully operational. City leaders, and every average person benefited from reading the time on any one of its four 7 foot dials or hear it strike the hour.  “Every morning, noon and at the end of the work days, a mill employee would ascend the tower and ring the 4,000 pound bell by tugging on a huge rope. Once a week, a mill employee would climb into the clock room to raise its 1,000 pound weights, needed to keep the timing operations current.  Another feature was a 20-foot spire weather vane that sprouted from the dome of the clock.  Inside the clock tower were the carvings of names, written there by people in the past generations. They obviously wanted to keep the importance of their support for the clock preserved, by inscribing their names for future generations to read and appreciate.

Nevertheless, in 2007, the beautiful clock was removed from its location. Its weather vane and bell were sold for over six figures, said Merriman.

Fortunately, the clock can be fully restored. “We know where all the parts are,” said Merriman. “We need to resurrect this irreplaceable piece of Biddeford history and restore it to its rightful place in our hearts,” she said.

Merriman appreciates the ground swell of support she has seen to support the clock tower’s restoration.  Community leaders are still receiving estimates about how much the total repairs and re-installation will cost, but she is confident they will collectively raise the resources needed. “Let’s restore this beautiful clock for the benefit of future generations,” she said.

A link to pictures showing the clock tower are at this Maine Preservation site here.

 

 

 

Juliana L'Heureux

About Juliana L'Heureux

Juliana L’Heureux is a free lance writer who publishes news, blogs and articles about Franco-Americans and the French culture. She has written about the culture in weekly and bi-weekly articles, for the past 30 years.