Did you know that in the early 1880s, the Post Office, in an effort to distinguish Kennebunk from the beach, opened an office at the new train depot and named it 'Kennebeach'? The reaction to this combination was so negative that the name was quickly changed to Kennebunk Beach only two months later. The early history of the area was explored at the Brick Store Museum’s exhibition, Kennebunk Beach, 1860-1930, chronicling the development of Kennebunk Beach, from its beginning as a coastal farming community through the era of building summer cottages and hotels. The combination of sandy beaches, convenient transportation provided by a new rail line from Boston, and the growing popularity of summer watering places along the Maine coast provided the perfect ingredients for the development of Kennebunk Beach. Although most of the hotels are long gone, many of the original cottages remain, and each summer, Kennebunk Beach is filled with residents and visitors who continue to enjoy the beach and community that developed over a century ago.

The exhibition featured vintage photographs and objects from the Museum's collections and area residents related to Kennebunk Beach. The histories of individual cottages and the hotels were displayed, as well as items from Kennebunk Beach’s past.

A publication accompanied this exhibition and is available for purchase.