Biddeford in York County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)
The Laconia Co.
⎯⎯⎯
La Compagnie Laconia
Biddeford, Maine
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Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 12, 2021
1. The Laconia Co. / La Compagnie Laconia Marker
The first mill in Biddeford was the Laconia Compny founded by Samuel Batchelder in 1841. Production of cloth began in 1845. Some twelve million bricks were used in the construction. A large machine shop and foundry were constructed to build the machinery for the mills. Building dams and digging power canals through solid rock provided hundreds of jobs and tremendous growth. Cotton mill employees were mostly local farm girls who lived in the company's boardinghouses. Four rows of such housing were built for the Laconia. The bottom photograph shows boardinghouses and the entrance to mill #3. Cloth was inspected in the cloth halls" as the women are doing in the large photograph.
Erected 2006
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels • Women. In addition, it is included in the The Museum in the Streets: Biddeford, Maine series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1841.
Location. 43° 29.561′ N, 70° 27.21′ W. Marker is in Biddeford, Maine, in York County. It is at the intersection of Main Street and Laconia Street, on the right when traveling west on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 110 Laconia St, Biddeford ME 04005, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Southern Maine Coast. It is also in the American Northeast and in New England. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Alfred Street / La Rue Alfred (within shouting distance of this marker); Biddeford's La Justice / La Justice de Biddeford (within shouting distance
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 12, 2021
2. The Laconia Co. / La Compagnie Laconia Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 18, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 549 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 18, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
