On January 8th, following his nomination by Mayor MacPhail and the unanimous approval by the city council, Peter Scontras was selected as the first-ever official Saco City Historian.
Peter is not just a familiar face here in Saco, but also a cornerstone of our community at large. His devotion to our city is deep-rooted, tracing back beyond his days as a Language Arts Educator at the Saco Middle School where he worked for many years.
He also runs the historic Way Way Store—a local treasure—that has flourished under he and his wife Bridget’s ownership since 2011.
Beyond his working roles here in Saco, Peter has woven himself into the fabric of local initiatives as well. His voice has echoed in rooms where important decisions have been made, whether as a guiding force on the Saco Planning Board or as a member of the Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce board of directors.
He also wrote, “Saco, Then and Now: A Diverse Heritage” in 1994 and is currently working on a five-book series about local history that is supported by Saco and Biddeford Savings.
While the role of City Historian is still being defined, it aligns quite nicely with Peter’s dual passions—preserving Saco’s past and giving back to the community. Throughout his life Peter has had a deep love of history, and through the decades he collected city reports, photographs, directories and other documents such as audio files of interviews.
One of his goals as City Historian is to utilize the collections of Dyer Library and Saco Museum with his own artifacts to conduct presentations to students and community groups. He also hopes to preside over walks around the city in an effort to inspire all generations to get involved and interested in the area’s history.
