Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center to digitize sports archives

The Biddeford Cultural & Heritage Center is embarking on an exciting journey to resurrect and celebrate the vibrant sports history of our community.

Thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Society of American Archivists, supporting their project "Capturing Moments: The Digital Revival of School Sports Heritage," and further funding from the Maine Historical Records Advisory Board, precious archival materials are about to be brought into the digital age. The Society of American Archivists is the oldest and largest archivist association in North America, serving the educational and informational needs of more than 5,000 individual archivist and institutional members. Established in 1936, the organization serves upwards of 6,200 individual and member institutions.

Imagine hearing the roar of the crowd from 1960s St. Louis School sports events. The project’s first phase will achieve this by digitizing approximately nine magnetic audio tapes. The BCHC has partnered with the renowned Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts, to professionally preserve and digitize these recordings. Soon, these sounds of Biddeford's past will be meticulously cataloged and made available to everyone on the BCHC website.

 Three cherished, yet deteriorating, sports scrapbooks are also receiving vital attention. Dr. Anastasia Weigle, a conservation expert, will meticulously assess and stabilize these historical treasures. Then, they'll be digitized, indexed, and cataloged, bringing their stories and images to life online for researchers and the entire community.

Once completed—by the end of summer 2025—the full impact of this project will be realized. This initiative is more than just preservation; it's about igniting community pride and inspiring a new generation to participate in youth sports and extracurricular activities, all while celebrating the remarkable history that shaped our town.

The Biddeford Cultural & Heritage Center has also recently acquired 39 films generously donated by Charles Cote of Biddeford. These films are of the St. Louis High School sporting events, showcasing rivalries against Westbrook, Sanford, South Portland, Portland, and others from the 1950s and 1960s. The BCHC is now setting its sights on securing preservation grants for 2026-2027, ensuring these captivating films are preserved and digitized for future generations to enjoy.