History

York Beach History:

The first bed and breakfast boarders arrived at York Beach in 1857. The Sea Cottage circa 1869 was the first of many guest houses. Soon after, hotels and grand hotels were established including: The Ocean House, Rockaway, Union Bluff, Atlantic House, Hiawatha, Kearsage, Bald Head Cliff House, and the Passaconaway Inn. Sadly, most of these have burned down or been demolished. The Cliff House, The Atlantic Hotel, and the Union Bluff were all rebuilt relatively faithful to the original designs and are still operating today. The Ocean House, after a disastrous fire, was rebuilt as condominiums. Steam railroads arrived in the 1890’s (Railroad Avenue) and within a few years the beach was forever changed by the arrival the motor car. In 1896, Edward and Mattie Talpey established The Goldenrod on the very site where it stands today.

Short Sands Beach, the northern area of the two York beaches, has always been the center of entertainment for adults and children alike. The bandstand, located near Short Sands Beach in Ellis park, is a replica of an original bandstand built for the Ocean House Hotel. The land around it is now Ellis Park through the generosity of the Ellis family. Today, the bandstand features free outdoor concerts all summer long.

Our premier tourist attraction, The Nubble lighthouse, was approved by congress in 1876 and first lit in July of 1879. It is now one of the most photographed lighthouses in America. The Boon Island light which can be seen in the distance from Long Sands, was first built in 1811 and rebuilt following storm damage a few years later. There have been several historic ship wrecks on the island and survivors in at least one case were rescued by local Native Americans who saw their fire and smoke signal.

Southern Maine is alive with early history including the first settlers and Native American attacks. At the direction of George Washington, the development of Post Road was ordered as well as a heritage of shipbuilding along the Maine coast. Early transportation on the primitive road was done by freight wagon. It took nearly four or five days for Boston travelers to reach the York Beach area. Many travelers carried their own meals, often in the infamous bean pots. For those interested, there are many fine museums in the area that document our rich history.

Click here for a slide show of early postcards from York Beach. These images are generously donated from the 100 year collection of the Boston Family and the Goldenrod Restaurant.

Enjoy.