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Saco ( ) is a city in
York County, Maine York County is both the southernmost and the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Maine, along the state of New Hampshire's eastern border. It is divided from Strafford County, New Hampshire, by the Salmon Falls River and the connected ti ...
, United States. The population was 20,381 at the 2020 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park,
Funtown Splashtown USA Funtown Splashtown USA, commonly referred to as Funtown is a family-owned amusement park located in Saco, Maine, in the United States. History In 1960, Ken Cormier (October 8, 1932January 8, 2013) and his wife Violet Cormier opened Marvel Drive- ...
,
Thornton Academy Thornton Academy (often abbreviated as TA) is a co-educational, independent boarding and day school serving grades 9–12 located in Saco, Maine. Thornton Academy also opened a full-time, private junior high school on its campus, named Thornton A ...
, as well as Saco Valley Shopping Center. General Dynamics Armament Systems (also known by its former name, Saco Defense), a subsidiary of the defense contractor
General Dynamics General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales and fifth largest in the Unit ...
. Saco sees much tourism during summer months due to its amusement parks, Camp Ellis Beach and Pier, Ferry Beach State Park, and proximity to Old Orchard Beach. Saco is part of the
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area The city of Portland, Maine, is the hub city of a metropolitan area in southern Maine. The region is commonly known as Greater Portland or the Portland metropolitan area. For statistical purposes, the U.S. federal government defines three differ ...
. Saco's twin-city is
Biddeford Biddeford ( ) is a city in York County, Maine, United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. Its population was 22,552 at the 2020 census. The twin cities of Saco and Biddeford include the resort communities of Biddefo ...
.


History

This was territory of the
Abenaki The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pred ...
tribe whose fortified village was located up the Sokokis Trail at Pequawket (now Fryeburg). There was a settlement at the mouth of the Saco river, with homes and permanent cultivation, at the time of contact with Europeans in the early 1600s. In July 1607, 500 warriors led by ''sakmow'' ( Grand Chief) of the
Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Mi'kmaw'' or ''Mi'gmaw''; ; , and formerly Micmac) are an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces, primarily Nova Scotia, New Bru ...
First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...
Henri Membertou Chief Henri Membertou ( – 18 September 1611) was the ''sakmow'' ( grand chief) of the Mi'kmaq First Nations tribe situated near Port Royal, site of the first French settlement in Acadia, present-day Nova Scotia, Canada. Originally ''sakmow' ...
attacked the village at present-day Saco, killing 20 of their braves, including two of their leaders, Onmechin and Marchin, leading to conflict that lasted until 1615. In 1630 the
Plymouth Company The Plymouth Company, officially known as the Virginia Company of Plymouth, was a company chartered by King James in 1606 along with the Virginia Company of London with responsibility for colonizing the east coast of America between latitud ...
granted Thomas Lewis and Richard Bonython a charter to establish a town at Saco, with a deed that extended along the sea, by inland. Settled in 1631 as part of Winter Harbor (as
Biddeford Pool Biddeford Pool is a neighborhood within the city of Biddeford, Maine, named for a large tidal pool located off Saco Bay (Maine), Saco Bay south of the mouth of the Saco River. It is approximately southeast of downtown Biddeford, Maine, Biddeford ...
was first known). The government of Maine, under
Ferdinando Gorges Sir Ferdinando Gorges ( – 24 May 1647) was a naval and military commander and governor of the important port of Plymouth in England. He was involved in Essex's Rebellion against the Queen, but escaped punishment by testifying against the ma ...
, was based in the town from 1636 to 1653. It would be reorganized in 1653 by the
Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. Th ...
as Saco, which would be renamed
Biddeford Biddeford ( ) is a city in York County, Maine, United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. Its population was 22,552 at the 2020 census. The twin cities of Saco and Biddeford include the resort communities of Biddefo ...
in 1718. The settlement was attacked by Indians in 1675 during
King Philip's War King Philip's War (sometimes called the First Indian War, Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, Pometacomet's Rebellion, or Metacom's Rebellion) was an armed conflict in 1675–1678 between a group of indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodland ...
. Settlers moved to the mouth of the river, and the houses and mills they left behind were burned. Saco lay in contested territory between
New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
and
New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...
, which recruited the Indians as allies. In 1689 during
King William's War King William's War (also known as the Second Indian War, Father Baudoin's War, Castin's War, or the First Intercolonial War in French) was the North American theater of the Nine Years' War (1688–1697), also known as the War of the Grand Allian ...
, it was again attacked, with some residents taken captive. Hostilities intensified from 1702 until 1709, then ceased in 1713 with the
Treaty of Portsmouth The Treaty of Portsmouth is a treaty that formally ended the 1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War. It was signed on September 5, 1905, after negotiations from August 6 to 30, at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, United States. U.S. P ...
. The community was rebuilt and in 1718 incorporated as Biddeford. Peace would not last, however, and the town was again attacked in 1723 during
Dummer's War Dummer's War (1722–1725) (also known as Father Rale's War, Lovewell's War, Greylock's War, the Three Years War, the Wabanaki-New England War, or the Fourth Anglo-Abenaki War) was a series of battles between the New England Colonies and the Wab ...
, when it contained 14
garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...
s. In August and September 1723, there were Indian raids on Saco, Maine and
Dover, New Hampshire Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 32,741 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the most populous city in the New Hampshire Seacoast Region (New Hampshire), Seacoast region and ...
.William Williamson, p. 123 But in 1724, a
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
destroyed
Norridgewock Norridgewock (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Nanrantsouak'') was the name of both an Indigenous village and a Band society, band of the Abenaki ("People of the Dawn") Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans/First Nations in Canada, ...
, an Abenaki stronghold on the
Kennebec River The Kennebec River (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Kinəpékʷihtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 30, 2011 natural river within the U.S. state of Ma ...
organizing raids on English settlements. The region became less dangerous, especially after the
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
defeat in 1745 at the Battle of Louisburg. The
French and Indian Wars The French and Indian Wars were a series of conflicts that occurred in North America between 1688 and 1763, some of which indirectly were related to the European dynastic wars. The title ''French and Indian War'' in the singular is used in the U ...
finally ended with the 1763 Treaty of Paris. In 1762, the northeastern bank of Biddeford separated as the District of Pepperrellborough, named for Sir William Pepperrell, hero of the Battle of Louisburg and late proprietor of the town.
Amos Chase Amos Chase (1718–1818) was the first deacon of the first Congregational Church and one of the founders of Pepperellborough, Maine (which is now Saco, Maine).Chase, Lonnie, “Chase-L Archives,” (http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/CHASE/200 ...
was one of the pioneers of Pepperrellborough. He was chosen as a selectman at the first town meeting, and served as the first deacon of the Congregational Church. Dea. Chase was one of the area's largest taxpayers, and was prominent in civic affairs during the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, serving on the town's
Committee of Correspondence The committees of correspondence were a collection of American political organizations that sought to coordinate opposition to British Parliament and, later, support for American independence during the American Revolution. The brainchild of S ...
and Committee of Inspection. The district was incorporated as the Town of Pepperellborough in 1775. Inhabitants found the name to be cumbersome, so in 1805 it was renamed Saco. It would be incorporated as a city in 1867. Saco became a center for
lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
ing, with log drives down the river from Little Falls Plantation (now
Dayton Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...
, Lyman, Hollis and part of
Limington Limington, also archaically Lymington, is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Yeovilton and District, in Somerset, England, situated north of Yeovil. The parish has a population of 199. The parish included the Hamlet (place ...
). At Saco Falls, the timber was cut by 17
sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...
s. In 1827, the community produced of sawn lumber, some of which was used for
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...
. On Factory Island, the Saco Iron Works began operation in 1811. The Saco Manufacturing Company established a
cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
mill in 1826, and a
canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
was dug through rock to provide
water power Hydropower (from Ancient Greek -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kin ...
. The mill burned in 1830, but was replaced in 1831 by the York Manufacturing Company. With the arrival of the Portland, Saco and Portsmouth Railroad in 1842, Factory Island developed into a major
textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...
manufacturing center, with extensive brick mills dominating the Saco and Biddeford waterfronts. Other businesses included
foundries A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...
, belting and harnessmaking, and
machine shop A machine shop or engineering workshop is a room, building, or company where machining, a form of subtractive manufacturing, is done. In a machine shop, machinists use machine tools and cutting tool (machining), cutting tools to make parts, usua ...
s. But the New England textile industry faded in the 20th century, and the York Manufacturing Company would close in 1958. The prosperous
mill town A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more List of types of mill#Manufacturing facilities, mills or factories, often cotton mills or factories producing textiles. Europe ...
era, however, left behind much fine
architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
in the Georgian, Federal,
Greek Revival Greek Revival architecture is a architectural style, style that began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe, the United States, and Canada, ...
and
Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...
styles. Many buildings are now listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. In 1844,
Laurel Hill Cemetery Laurel Hill Cemetery, also called Laurel Hill East to distinguish it from the affiliated West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, Bala Cynwyd, is a historic rural cemetery in the East Falls, Philadelphia, East Falls neighborhood ...
was established on of land. Still in operation, it is one of the earliest examples of the
Rural cemetery A rural cemetery or garden cemetery is a style of cemetery that became popular in the United States and Europe in the mid-19th century due to the overcrowding and health concerns of urban cemeteries, which tended to be churchyards. Rural cemeter ...
movement. Saco has taken steps to make the city more environmentally friendly. In early 2007 a
small wind turbine Small wind turbines, also known as micro wind turbines or urban wind turbines, are wind turbines that generate electricity for Microgeneration, small-scale use. These turbines are typically smaller than those found in wind farms. Small wind tur ...
was erected near the water treatment plant at the foot of Front street. Another larger wind turbine was erected on the top of York Hill in December 2007, and was expected to generate power for the new train station for Amtrak's '' Downeaster'', although this was torn down in 2018 as the wind turbine never came close to generating the amount of energy promised. Saco also has two growing business parks. File:Amos Chase house, 144 Ferry Road, Saco, ME.JPG,
Amos Chase Amos Chase (1718–1818) was the first deacon of the first Congregational Church and one of the founders of Pepperellborough, Maine (which is now Saco, Maine).Chase, Lonnie, “Chase-L Archives,” (http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/CHASE/200 ...
house on Ferry Road; built File:York Mills, Saco, ME.jpg, York Manufacturing Co. in 1916 File:Eastman_Park,_Saco_Maine.jpg, Civil War memorial in Eastman Park File:Saco_Maine_City_Hall.jpg, Saco City Hall File:Masonic_Hall_Saco_Maine.jpg, Masonic Hall


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Situated beside
Saco Bay Saco Bay ( ) is a small curved embayment of the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of Maine in the United States. Saco Bay is approximately wide, running from the Fletcher Neck (the Biddeford Pool peninsula) and the mouth of ...
on the
Gulf of Maine The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America. It is bounded by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and by Cape Sable Island at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northea ...
, Saco is drained by the
Saco River The Saco River ( , Abenaki: ''Sαkóhki'') is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic O ...
. Saco borders the city of
Biddeford Biddeford ( ) is a city in York County, Maine, United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. Its population was 22,552 at the 2020 census. The twin cities of Saco and Biddeford include the resort communities of Biddefo ...
, as well as the towns of
Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, sub ...
,
Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Alston, Cumbria also claims this, but lacks a regu ...
,
Dayton Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...
and
Old Orchard Beach Old Orchard Beach is a resort town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,960 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Located on the inner side of Saco Bay on the Atlantic ...
.


Terrain

Saco contains a wide variety of landforms, including beaches, fields, forests, bogs, and urban areas. The beachfront Camp Ellis section of the city has been eroding since the Army Corps of Engineers built a jetty in the 1860s at the mouth of the Saco River that stopped sediment from feeding the Camp Ellis beaches. This has been exacerbated by rising sea levels and
climate change in Maine Climate change in Maine encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides, in the U.S. state of Maine. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports ...
. This is a
archive of documents
related to erosion issues in the Camp Ellis section of Saco.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 18,482 people, 7,623 households, and 4,925 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 8,508 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.7%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.7%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.2% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population. There were 7,623 households, of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.4% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 30.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 16,822 people, 6,801 households, and 4,590 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 7,424 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.91%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.32%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.15% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.09%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.10% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 0.58% of the population. There were 6,801 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $45,105, and the median income for a family was $52,724. Males had a median income of $35,446 versus $25,585 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $20,444. About 7.1% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.


Government and politics

Saco is divided into 7 voting wards, represented by: Ward 1 Councilor Douglas Edwards, Ward 2 Councilor Joshua Parks, Ward 3 Councilor Joseph Gunn, Ward 4 Councilor Michael Burman, Ward 5 Councilor Phil Hatch, Ward 6 Councilor Tricia Huot, and Ward 7 Councilor Nathan Johnston. On November 7, 2023, Saco Elected former city councilor Jodi MacPhail as its first female Mayor. Mayor MacPhail was sworn in at a historic inauguration ceremony held on December 4, 2023, at Saco City Hall. Voter registration


Education


List of schools

* Governor John Fairfield School (K–2) * Young School (K–2) * C.K. Burns School (3–5) * Saco Middle School (6–8) *
Thornton Academy Thornton Academy (often abbreviated as TA) is a co-educational, independent boarding and day school serving grades 9–12 located in Saco, Maine. Thornton Academy also opened a full-time, private junior high school on its campus, named Thornton A ...
(9–12) * Saco Transition Program (6–12) * Elsie. J Parquette School (K-12) * Saco Island School (9–12)


Previous schools

* Notre Dame de Lourdes School (K–8) – Closed in 2009 due to budget constraints and lack of students.


Higher education

* University College has a campus located in Saco.


Infrastructure


Transportation

The Saco Transportation Center provides transportation between
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
and
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
via the '' Downeaster'' passenger train. Saco is accessible from
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
,
U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, ...
and Interstate 195. State routes 5, 9, 112, and 117 also serve the city. Taxis serve the Tri-City Area (Saco,
Biddeford Biddeford ( ) is a city in York County, Maine, United States. It is the principal commercial center of York County. Its population was 22,552 at the 2020 census. The twin cities of Saco and Biddeford include the resort communities of Biddefo ...
, and
Old Orchard Beach Old Orchard Beach is a resort town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,960 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Located on the inner side of Saco Bay on the Atlantic ...
). The
Portland International Jetport Portland International Jetport , locally known as the Jetport, is a public airport two miles (3 km) west of downtown Portland, Maine, Portland, Maine, United States. It is owned and operated by the City of Portland. A portion of the Jetpo ...
is about north of Saco. The ShuttleBus and Zoom Bus provide local transportation.


Environmental contamination

Since 1960, the City of Saco has owned and operated the Saco Municipal Landfill . The site consists of four distinct disposal areas, the fourth of which is a recently closed landfill that accepted household waste and tannery sludge containing
chromium Chromium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6 element, group 6. It is a steely-grey, Luster (mineralogy), lustrous, hard, and brittle transition metal. Chromium ...
and other heavy metals, as well as
volatile organic compound Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. They are common and exist in a variety of settings and products, not limited to Indoor mold, house mold, Upholstery, upholstered furnitur ...
s. In February 1990 the site was placed on the
National Priorities List The National Priorities List (NPL) is the priority list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial investigation and remedial action (cleanup) financed under the federal Superfund program. Environmental Protec ...
. From 1992 to 1994, EPA studied the groundwater contamination. in September 1996, EPA started capping the landfill. In 2000, institutional controls were established, which restrict site uses.


Notable people

* Henry A. Barrows, actor * Liberty Billings, Florida senator *
Samuel Brannan Samuel S. Brannan (March 2, 1819 – May 5, 1889) was an American settler, businessman, journalist, and prominent Mormon who founded the '' California Star'', the first newspaper in San Francisco, California. He is also considered the first to ...
, businessman and pioneer *
Amos Chase Amos Chase (1718–1818) was the first deacon of the first Congregational Church and one of the founders of Pepperellborough, Maine (which is now Saco, Maine).Chase, Lonnie, “Chase-L Archives,” (http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/CHASE/200 ...
, Saco pioneer * Justin Chenette, Maine state representative *
Richard Cutts Richard Cutts (June 28, 1771 – April 7, 1845) was an American merchant and politician. A Democratic-Republican, he was most notable for his service as Second Comptroller of the United States Treasury from 1817 to 1829 and a United States rep ...
, U.S. congressman * Arthur P. Fairfield, naval officer *
John Fairfield John Fairfield (January 30, 1797December 24, 1847) was an attorney and politician from Maine. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, the 13th and 16th governor of Maine and U.S. Senator. Fairfield was born in Pe ...
, U.S. congressman and senator; 16th
governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive. The current governor of Maine is J ...
* Rory Ferreira, musician better known as
Milo Milo may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Milo (magazine), ''Milo'' (magazine), a strength sports magazine * ''Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze'', a 2011 children's novel by Alan Silberberg * Milo (video game), ''Milo'' (video game) * Milo ( ...
*
George Lincoln Goodale George Lincoln Goodale (August 3, 1839 – April 12, 1923) was an American botanist and the first director of Harvard's Botanical Museum (now part of the Harvard Museum of Natural History). It was he who commissioned the making of the univers ...
, botanist * Charles Henry Granger, painter *
Elizabeth Deering Hanscom Elizabeth Deering Hanscom (August 15, 1865 – February 2, 1960) was an American writer and college professor. In 1894, she was in the first group of seven women granted doctoral degrees at Yale University, and she taught English at Smith Colleg ...
, English professor * Bryan Kaenrath, Maine state representative *
Cyrus King Cyrus King (September 6, 1772 – April 25, 1817) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, half-brother of Rufus King. Early life and education Born in Scarborough, Maine, Scarborough in Province ...
, U.S. congressman *
Slugger Labbe Richard "Slugger" Labbe (born June 14, 1968) is an American technical consultant who currently works for Toyota Racing Development. He had previously been employed in NASCAR as a crew chief for Yates Racing, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Richard Petty ...
, crew chief with
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
*
James Felix McKenney James Felix McKenney (born May 27, 1968) is an American writer, director, producer and actor, raised in Saco, Maine. Career He is known for creating non-traditional films in the horror and science fiction genres, produced by his company called ...
, actor * Isaac Lawrence Milliken, 16th mayor of Chicago *
Edith Nourse Rogers Edith Rogers (née Nourse; March 19, 1881 – September 10, 1960) was an American social welfare Volunteering, volunteer and politician who served as a Republican in the United States Congress. She was the first woman elected to Congress fro ...
, U.S. congresswoman * Emery J. San Souci, 53rd
governor of Rhode Island The governor of Rhode Island is the head of government of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and serves as commander-in-chief of the state's Army National Guard and Air National Guard. The current governor is Dan McKee, a member of the Democrati ...
* John Fairfield Scammon, U.S. congressman * Ether Shepley, Maine state congressman, U.S. senator and jurist * George F. Shepley, general in the Union Army and 18th Governor of Louisiana * John Wingate Thornton, lawyer, historian, and author


Sites of interest

*
Dyer Library Dyer Library is a public library in Saco, Maine, United States. Funded by a bequest from Olive Dyer, the first home of the Dyer Library opened in 1881 Events January * January 1– 24 – Siege of Geok Tepe: Russian troops un ...
*
Funtown Splashtown USA Funtown Splashtown USA, commonly referred to as Funtown is a family-owned amusement park located in Saco, Maine, in the United States. History In 1960, Ken Cormier (October 8, 1932January 8, 2013) and his wife Violet Cormier opened Marvel Drive- ...
* Saco Heath Preserve * Ferry Beach State Park


References


External links

*
Biddeford Saco Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control 1631 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies Cities in Maine Cities in York County, Maine Populated coastal places in Maine Populated places established in 1631 Portland metropolitan area, Maine