Once upon a time, I described one of author Kate Morton’s historical novels as a piece of knitting that the reader picks at until it is fully unraveled. I feel the same way about the wonderful history questions we get at the reference desk. We often start with a tiny fragment of information: the date of an incident, the last name of a person, a street address — ultimately we keep pulling at the threads until a picture emerges. And those fragments can take us to places we had explored before.

If you love historical fiction and need recommendations, please feel free to stop by for suggestions. Or if you have any questions you have always wanted answered, please reach out. We can get you started on our free genealogy site Heritage Quest, which is available from home. We can also help you delve into the history of your home.

Access to many of our collections are now available online. When you visit www.biddefordhistory.com you will have access to thousands of images, newspapers, books and more. These collections have been many, many years in the making and are the work of our wonderful archivist.

What did our local coast look like in bygone eras? How did people get to the shore before cars were prevalent? And how did those past times impact Biddeford today? On Wednesday, March 29, at 6:30 p.m. we will be hosting Peter McPheeters. McPheeters has been exploring local history for a long time and we have asked him to share some of the fascinating stories of local inns and rooming houses. The talk will be illustrated with many beautiful historical images.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Melanie at McArthur Library by phone at 207-284-4181 or email at mtcoombs@mcarthurlibrary.org

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