Kennebunk, Maine

, Welcome to Kennebunk , The Native American word “Kennebunk” means “long cut bank” and likely refers to Great Hill at the mouth of the Mousam River which would have been an important landmark to those traveling the coast in their ocean going canoes. Archaeological excavations indicate that PaleoIndian hunters traveled here seasonally from as early as 11,000 years ago., It is not certain when the first Europeans began visiting the shores of Southern Maine. It is known that a number of European fishermen did arrive here during the sixteenth century but did not settle here., In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold, an English lawyer, explorer, and privateer, made landfall on the coast of Maine. Other explorers began arriving soon after. In 1603, Martin Pring, an explorer from Bristol England, made his own voyage and explored the mouth of the Kennebunk River. In 1604, Samuel de Champlain explored the coast of Maine and visited Cape Porpoise harbor, naming it “Le Port aux Isles” (Island Harbor). A map drawn in 1610 for London’s Virginia Company clearly shows Cape Porpoise. One of the first, permanent settlers in Wells (of which Kennebunk was a part until 1820) was John Sanders who built a home near the mouth of the Mousam River circa 1640., Hostilities between the indigenous Abenaki people and the European settlers began and by 1690 most settlers were temporarily driven out. These uprisings continued until 1760. By 1750, a large permanent settlement was finally established on the Mousam River at the Larrabee Garrison. Development of other areas, including the Kennebunk Landing and Alewive, soon followed. , As local timber was abundant, sawmills and shipyards sprang up on both the Mousam and Kennebunk Rivers. Between 1755 and 1918, shipbuilding was the principal industry in Kennebunk. Many of the homes on the Museum in the Streets, Kennebunk installation, were owned by those involved in the shipping industry. Additionally, during this period, the Mousam River was used for grist mills, papermills, twine manufacture, leather-board manufacture, matting factories, shoe factories and more., Tourism became the secondary industry near the turn of the last century as hotels and railroads were built. It is now the largest industry of the Kennebunks., It is our hope that you will enjoy this self-guided tour through our charming community.,