Kennebunk, Maine
Encyclopedia
Kennebunk is a town in York County
, Maine
, United States. The population was 1,075 people at the 2000 census. Including Kennebunkport
(a separate, but adjoining, and often associated town), the population totals 14,196 people. Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders' homes, and the Nature Conservancy Blueberry Barrens, (known locally as the Blueberry Plains) with 1,500 acres (6 km²) of nature trails and blueberry
fields.
and, later, shipbuilding
and shipping
center with light manufacturing. It was part of the town of Wells
until 1820, when it incorporated as a separate town. "Kennebunk, the only village in the world so named," was featured on a large locally famous sign attached to the Kesslen Shoe Mill on Route One. To the Abenaki Indians
, Kennebunk meant "the long cut bank," presumably the long bank behind Kennebunk Beach. Kennebunk's coastline is divided into three major sections. Mother's Beach, Middle Beach or Rocky Beach, and Gooches Beach or Long Beach. Separate from Kennebunk Beach is secluded Parson's Beach, a quiet alternative to the summer crowds.
The town is a popular summer tourist destination. Kennebunk contains fine examples of early architecture
, the most noted of which is the Wedding Cake House, a Federal-style dwelling extensively decorated with scroll saw
Gothic
trim. This was added to the house for his wife of many years by George Washington Bourne late in his life, and not as legend has it by a ship captain for a young bride lost at sea. Local economy is tourism
based. The headquarters for the natural health-care product manufacturer Tom's of Maine
is located in Kennebunk. The town's archives are located at the local history and art center, the Brick Store Museum
, on Main Street. Many residents commute
to Portland
, to New Hampshire
, and Massachusetts
.
The Lafayette Elm
was a tree which was planted to commemorate General Lafayette's 1825 visit to Kennebunk. It became famous for its age, size, and survival of the Dutch elm disease
that destroyed the hundreds of the other elms that once lined Kennebunk's streets. The elm is featured on the town seal. The restored Kesslen Shoe Mill has been renamed the Lafayette Center. Kennebunk is home to two of the state's oldest banks—Ocean Bank (1854) and Kennebunk Savings Bank (1871). Only Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution (1827) and Bangor Savings Bank (1852) are older. Summer Street was Maine's first Historic District
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, the town has a total area of 35.5 square miles (92.0 km²), of which 35.1 square miles (90.9 km²) land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) (1.18%) is water. Kennebunk is drained by the Kennebunk River
and Mousam River
.
Transportation links are:
Amtrak
also goes through Kennebunk, but does not stop have a station stop. The closest Amtrak station to Kennebunk is in Wells
, towards Boston
, and Saco
, towards Portland
.
, Maine
and West Kennebunk
, Maine
At the 2000 census
, there were 10,476 people, 4,229 households and 2,901 families residing in the town. The population density
was 298.5 per square mile (115.3/km²). There were 4,985 housing units at an average density of 142.1 per square mile (54.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.04% White, 0.18% Black or African American
, 0.11% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.
There were 4,229 households, of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples
living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.
Age distribution was 25.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.
The median household income
was $50,914, and the median family income was $59,712. Males had a median income of $42,417 versus $25,788 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $26,181. About 2.9% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
comprise Regional School Unit 21.
The schools in MSAD 71 are Consolidated School, Kennebunk Elementary School, Sea Road School, Middle School of the Kennebunks, and Kennebunk High School. The Middle School of the Kennebunks is part of Maine's project that gives laptops to all of the 7th and 8th graders in the school called MLTI, or Maine Learning Technology Initiative.
In 2000, a group of students teamed up with parents and local community members to found The New School, a small alternative high school, with students coming from as close as Kennebunk and Wells
and as far away as Portland
and Somersworth. The school is accredited by the State of Maine and the first group of students graduated in June 2001. The New School has a focus on community-based learning.
As of late, Maine Regional School Unit 21 (MRSU21)(RSU21) has taken over MSAD71 serving these schools: Kennebunk High School, Middle School of the Kennebunks, Sea Road School, Mildred L. Day School, Kennebunkport Consolidated School, and Kennebunk Elementary School
York County, Maine
York County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, the population was 197,131. Its county seat is Alfred.Founded in 1636, it is the oldest county in Maine and one of the oldest in the United States....
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, United States. The population was 1,075 people at the 2000 census. Including Kennebunkport
Kennebunkport, Maine
Kennebunkport is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,720 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford metropolitan statistical area....
(a separate, but adjoining, and often associated town), the population totals 14,196 people. Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge made up of several parcels of land along of Maine's southern coast...
, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders' homes, and the Nature Conservancy Blueberry Barrens, (known locally as the Blueberry Plains) with 1,500 acres (6 km²) of nature trails and blueberry
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
fields.
History
First settled in 1621, the town developed as a tradingTrade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
and, later, shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
center with light manufacturing. It was part of the town of Wells
Wells, Maine
Wells is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 9,400 at the 2000 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.-History:...
until 1820, when it incorporated as a separate town. "Kennebunk, the only village in the world so named," was featured on a large locally famous sign attached to the Kesslen Shoe Mill on Route One. To the Abenaki Indians
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, Kennebunk meant "the long cut bank," presumably the long bank behind Kennebunk Beach. Kennebunk's coastline is divided into three major sections. Mother's Beach, Middle Beach or Rocky Beach, and Gooches Beach or Long Beach. Separate from Kennebunk Beach is secluded Parson's Beach, a quiet alternative to the summer crowds.
The town is a popular summer tourist destination. Kennebunk contains fine examples of early architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, the most noted of which is the Wedding Cake House, a Federal-style dwelling extensively decorated with scroll saw
Scroll saw
A scroll saw is a small electric or pedal-operated saw that is useful for cutting intricate curves in cases where a jigsaw or coping saw is not appropriate. It is capable of creating curves with edges...
Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
trim. This was added to the house for his wife of many years by George Washington Bourne late in his life, and not as legend has it by a ship captain for a young bride lost at sea. Local economy is tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
based. The headquarters for the natural health-care product manufacturer Tom's of Maine
Tom's of Maine
Tom's of Maine is a brandname and manufacturer of natural-ingredients-only personal care products, a partially owned subsidiary of Colgate-Palmolive since 2006. The company's products are intentionally made without ingredients that are either chemically derived, have a negative environmental...
is located in Kennebunk. The town's archives are located at the local history and art center, the Brick Store Museum
Brick Store Museum
The Brick Store Museum, located at 117 Main Street, in the town of Kennebunk, Maine, is one of only a few museums that opened during the Great Depression in the United States...
, on Main Street. Many residents commute
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
to Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, to New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The Lafayette Elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
was a tree which was planted to commemorate General Lafayette's 1825 visit to Kennebunk. It became famous for its age, size, and survival of the Dutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease
Dutch elm disease is a disease caused by a member of the sac fungi category, affecting elm trees which is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native...
that destroyed the hundreds of the other elms that once lined Kennebunk's streets. The elm is featured on the town seal. The restored Kesslen Shoe Mill has been renamed the Lafayette Center. Kennebunk is home to two of the state's oldest banks—Ocean Bank (1854) and Kennebunk Savings Bank (1871). Only Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution (1827) and Bangor Savings Bank (1852) are older. Summer Street was Maine's first Historic District
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 35.5 square miles (92.0 km²), of which 35.1 square miles (90.9 km²) land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) (1.18%) is water. Kennebunk is drained by the Kennebunk River
Kennebunk River
The Kennebunk River is a river in southern Maine in the United States. It drains a settled rural area southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean....
and Mousam River
Mousam River
The Mousam River is a river in Maine in the United States. Its source is Mousam Lake in York County, and it flows into the Atlantic Ocean just west of Kennebunk Beach. It flows through the towns of Sanford and Kennebunk.-External links:...
.
Transportation links are:
- Interstate 95Interstate 95 in MaineIn the U.S. state of Maine, Interstate 95 is a long highway running from the New Hampshire border near Kittery, to the Canadian border near Houlton. It is the only two-digit Interstate Highway in Maine...
- U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 in MaineIn the U.S. state of Maine, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway serving the eastern part of the state. It parallels the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire north through Portland, Brunswick, and Belfast to Calais, and then the St. Croix River and the rest of the Canadian border...
which goes through the center of Kennebunk and is part of the main street. - Route 9A
- Route 35Maine State Route 35Maine State Route 35 runs the course of western Maine, from Bethel to Kennebunk. It passes through Oxford, Cumberland and York Counties. It is known in its lower sections for both its unusually windy course as well as its notoriously poor paving, as a result of winter frost heaves. Its northern...
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
also goes through Kennebunk, but does not stop have a station stop. The closest Amtrak station to Kennebunk is in Wells
Wells, Maine
Wells is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 9,400 at the 2000 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.-History:...
, towards Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and Saco
Saco, Maine
Saco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
, towards Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
.
Adjacent towns
- AlfredAlfred, MaineAlfred is a town in York County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,497. Alfred is the county seat of York County and home to part of the Massabesic Experimental Forest...
- ArundelArundel, MaineArundel is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,571 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- KennebunkportKennebunkport, MaineKennebunkport is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,720 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford metropolitan statistical area....
- LymanLyman, MaineLyman is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,795 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
- SanfordSanford, MaineSanford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,798 in the 2010 census, the highest of the York County towns, and the 8th largest in the state. Situated on the Mousam River, Sanford includes the village of Springvale...
- WellsWells, MaineWells is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 9,400 at the 2000 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.-History:...
Demographics
See also: Kennebunk (CDP)Kennebunk (CDP), Maine
Kennebunk is a census-designated place in the town of Kennebunk in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,804 at the 2000 census...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and West Kennebunk
West Kennebunk, Maine
West Kennebunk, often referred to as "West K" by locals, is a census-designated place in the town of Kennebunk in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 809 at the 2000 census...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
At the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 10,476 people, 4,229 households and 2,901 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 298.5 per square mile (115.3/km²). There were 4,985 housing units at an average density of 142.1 per square mile (54.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.04% White, 0.18% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.11% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.
There were 4,229 households, of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.
Age distribution was 25.6% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.
The median household income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
was $50,914, and the median family income was $59,712. Males had a median income of $42,417 versus $25,788 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $26,181. About 2.9% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Kennebunk and neighboring KennebunkportKennebunkport, Maine
Kennebunkport is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,720 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford metropolitan statistical area....
comprise Regional School Unit 21.
The schools in MSAD 71 are Consolidated School, Kennebunk Elementary School, Sea Road School, Middle School of the Kennebunks, and Kennebunk High School. The Middle School of the Kennebunks is part of Maine's project that gives laptops to all of the 7th and 8th graders in the school called MLTI, or Maine Learning Technology Initiative.
In 2000, a group of students teamed up with parents and local community members to found The New School, a small alternative high school, with students coming from as close as Kennebunk and Wells
Wells, Maine
Wells is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 9,400 at the 2000 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.-History:...
and as far away as Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
and Somersworth. The school is accredited by the State of Maine and the first group of students graduated in June 2001. The New School has a focus on community-based learning.
As of late, Maine Regional School Unit 21 (MRSU21)(RSU21) has taken over MSAD71 serving these schools: Kennebunk High School, Middle School of the Kennebunks, Sea Road School, Mildred L. Day School, Kennebunkport Consolidated School, and Kennebunk Elementary School
Sites of interest
Notable people
- Kate ChappellKate ChappellKate Cheney Chappell is an American businesswoman, manufacturer, and co-founder of Tom's of Maine in 1970.Chappell is a 1963 graduate of Oxford School in West Hartford, Connecticut. She attended Chatham College and Sarah Lawrence College before she and her husband, cofounder Tom Chappell, moved to...
, businesswoman - Tom ChappellTom ChappellThomas Matthew "Tom" Chappell is an American businessman and manufacturer and co-founder of Tom's of Maine in 1970.Chappell graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut with a B.A. in English in 1966. Chappell and his wife, cofounder Kate Chappell, moved to Kennebunk, Maine in 1968 to...
, businessman - Joseph DaneJoseph DaneJoseph Dane was a United States Representative from Maine. He was born in Beverly, Massachusetts on October 25, 1778. He received his early education in Beverly, attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard University in 1799....
, congressman - Judith HuntJudith HuntJudith A. Hunt, originally from Washington State, is an illustrator/painter/cartoonist/designer who has produced a diverse array of artwork for books, magazines, television, comics, videos, and toys. She has worked as an art director and staff illustrator/designer for magazine companies...
, illustrator - Hugh McCullochHugh McCullochHugh McCulloch was an American statesman who served two non-consecutive terms as U.S. Treasury Secretary, serving under three presidents.-Biography:...
, secretary of the U.S. Treasury - Erik NedeauErik NedeauErik Nedeau born August 30, 1971, is a former international class middle-distance runner.At the 5th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics, held in Barcelona, Spain in March 1995, Erik Nedeau won the Bronze Medal in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:44.91...
, runner - Aydan Strachan, professional bull rider
- Jeff OlsonJeff Olson (Musician)Jeff Olson is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, radio show host, and the original drummer for the legendary doom/rock band, Trouble...
, musician - Kenneth Roberts, author
- Clement StorerClement StorerClement Storer was a United States Representative and Senator from New Hampshire. Born in Kennebunk, Maine, he completed preparatory studies, studied medicine in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and in Europe, engaged in the practice of medicine in Portsmouth, and was captain of militia and held...
, congressman, senator - Pinkerton ThugsPinkerton ThugsThe Pinkerton Thugs are a punk band from Kennebunk, Maine. While the band officially became the Pinkerton Thugs in March 1996 , the band has been together since July 1994 under a number of different names...
, musicians - Darrin Weigle, former supply chain guru