Kennebunkport

Kennebunkport was a shipbuilding and trading port before it was a resort, and the Federal and Greek Revival houses along Maine Street were built by captains and merchants on that money. Dock Square at the centre is now shops and restaurants around the river bridge. Walker's Point, a headland east of town, has been the Bush family compound since the 1900s and is visible from Ocean Avenue, which is why a slow line of cars passes it in season. The Seashore Trolley Museum nearby holds a large collection of streetcars, several running on a demonstration line. Goose Rocks Beach is the long sand beach; parking there is permit-controlled.

Background

Traces of human activity at Cape Porpoise go back 7000 years, and in 1602 Almouchiquois communities lived in the area, which they called Nampscoscock. The town was first incorporated in 1653 as Cape Porpus, took the name Arundel in 1701 with its centre inland at Burbank Hill, and became Kennebunkport in 1821, a name that reflected its shipbuilding and trade on the Kennebunk River. By the 1870s hotels and homes lined the coast for summer visitors. The Great Fires of 1947 reached the town, especially near Goose Rocks Beach. Cape Porpoise still works as a fishing harbor with a small village. The 2020 census counted 3,629 residents.

Source: Wikipedia, "Kennebunkport, Maine"

What to look for

• Captains' houses on Maine Street - Federal and Greek Revival.
• Dock Square - the shops and restaurants at the bridge.
• Walker's Point from Ocean Avenue - the compound seen from the road.
• The trolley museum - streetcars, some running.

When to go

June to October; foliage in early October. Half a day.

Good to know

Summer traffic through Dock Square is slow and parking is hard and paid. Beach parking needs permits. Prices are resort-level. Much of the town closes down in winter.

Nearby

Ogunquit is south; Portland is north.

Key facts