Made in Kennebunk explored the rich manufacturing heritage along Kennebunk’s Mousam River corridor. The exhibition was made possible by a grant from the National Park Service and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, with sponsorship from Kennebunk Savings Bank.

Rosalind Magnuson, The Brick Store Museum’s archivist, was the curator for the Made in Kennebunk project, which included an accompanying book.

This groundbreaking exhibition relied upon archival photographs and newspaper accounts to reconstruct the early manufacturing landscape’s iron works, mills and tanneries. Visitors to the exhibition were surprised to learn the diversity of products made in Kennebunk over the past 200 years: everything from textiles, paper and Leatheroid traveling trunks to potato chips, Kesslen shoes and Keuffel and Esser slide rules. Locals recognized many of the original factory buildings still in existence, and visitors saw —and were even able to touch—selected samples of products made in Kennebunk. Several area residents loaned artifacts for the exhibition and contributed oral histories to augment the historical research. The exhibition concluded with Kennebunk’s modern manufacturing legacy, and visitors learned about two present-day Kennebunk companies: Tom’s of Maine, Inc., manufacturer of natural personal care products; and William Arthur, Inc., manufacturer of fine stationery. In addition to seeing the original electric mixer that Tom’s of Maine, Inc. used in making the first experimental batches of its now-famous natural toothpaste, visitors also followed William Arthur, Inc.’s fascinating design process from concept to beautifully finished card.