Proposal would rename bridge after former Biddeford mayor

Plans are moving forward to name the Main Street bridge in Biddeford after General Wallace Nutting. 

Nutting served as the mayor of Biddeford from 2003-2007. He died in 2023 at the age of 95.

He served in the Maine National Guard from 1942-1944 and served 35 years in the U.S. Army after graduating from United States Military Academy at West Point in 1950.

Nutting was a four-star general. He earned a Silver Star and Purple Heart for his service in Korea for directing an attack on an enemy force that was about to attack friendly forces, according to information from the City of Biddeford. His action resulted in the destruction of 350 enemy forces, and he personally supervised the rescue of wounded friendly forces. He also earned a Soldier’s Medal in Korea for rescuing a wounded Korean woman from a minefield.

The City of Biddeford’s Veterans Committee came up with a proposal to rename some of the city’s bridges in honor of veterans, said Councilor Roger Beaupre at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Beaupre was chief of police when Nutting was mayor, and described Nutting as a “scholar” and a gentleman,” and “very astute.”

Beaupre said Nutting preferred using a pencil instead of a pen.

“He wrote everything with pencil. The rationale behind that was ‘In case I change my mind, I can erase it, and write over it, and with a pen you can’t do that,” he said.

The City Council voted unanimously in renaming the bridge that connects the two Main streets of Biddeford and Saco over the Saco River. The Saco City Council last week voiced approval, and the change needs to be finalized by the state legislature.

“I whole-heartedly support that we rename this bridge, send it to the legislature for their approval, and have a formal dedication of the bridge in recognition of General Nutting,” said Beaupre.

Mayor Marty Grohman said State Rep. Marc Malon had submitted legislation to get the bridge renamed, and a dedication ceremony was planned for Memorial Day.

“I have every hope that it will sail through the legislature as it did here, because it’s such a good idea,” said Grohman.

Nutting’s daughter Sally Somes attended Tuesday night’s meeting. She said the communities of Biddeford and Saco meant a lot to her parents, and the family was very touched and honored that they wanted to name a bridge after her father.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.