Kennebunk in York County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)

The Wedding Cake House / La maison du 'Gâteau de Mariage'

Kennebunk, Maine

— The Museum in the Streets® —

The Wedding Cake House / La maison du 'Gâteau de Mariage' Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 14, 2021

1. The Wedding Cake House / La maison du 'Gâteau de Mariage' Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Originally this Federal style, brick home was undadorned when built by George Washington Bourne in 1826. The main structure is brick. Following a fire in 1852 which destroyed the original barn, Bourne decided to rebuild it. He added the decorative embellishments which were inpired by those on Italy's Milan Cathedral. He and his carenter's apprentice, Thomas Durrell, designed and carved all of the wooden trim that decorates this home. The name "Wedding Cake House" was invented by a postcard maker in the early 1900s and came with a fanciful tail aobut a ship's captain sailing before he was able to cut his wedding cake, which was totally fictitious.... but sold many postcards. Information about all of the homes in Kennebunk's Historic District may be found at the Brick Store Museum.

À son origine en 1926, lorsque George Washington Bourne construit cette maison en brique dans le style fédéral, l'architecture en ets très sobre. Mais en 1852, aprè la destruction de la grange par un incendie, Bourne décide de la reconstruire en y ajoutant des fioritures inspirées par la Cathédral de Milan.

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Avec l'aide de l'apprenti charpentier Thoams Durrell, il conçoit de sculpte toutes le boiseries qui décorent la maoson. Le nom de Wedding Cake (gâteau de mariage) est inventé par un fabricant de cartes postales du début des années 1900 qui brode une histoire fantaisiste sur un capitaine de bateau et sa promise, une pure fiction qui vend boucoup de cartes postales. Vou trouvarez des informations sur toutes le demeures du District Historique de Kennebunk au Brick House Museum.

Erected by The Museum in the Streets®. (Marker Number 19.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Postal Mail and Philately, and the The Museum in the Streets®: Kennebunk, Maine series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1826.

Location. 43° 22.883′ N, 70° 31.025′ W. Marker is in Kennebunk, Maine, in York County. Marker is on Summer Street (Route 9A/35) just east of Gilpatrick Shiphard Lane, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 107 Summer St, Kennebunk ME 04043, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Landing / The Landing (le quai) (approx. 0.3 miles away); Hugh McCulloch Home / La demeure Hugh McCulloch

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 14, 2021

2. The Wedding Cake House / La maison du 'Gâteau de Mariage' Marker

(approx. half a mile away); The McCulloch House (approx. half a mile away); The George Wise Home / La demeure George Wise (approx. half a mile away); The James Hubbard Home / La demeure James Hubbard (approx. 0.6 miles away); Boston & Maine R.R. Depot / La gare du Boston & Maine (approx. 0.6 miles away); Zion's Hill / Zion's Hill (La Colline Dorée) (approx. 0.9 miles away); Park Street School / L'École Secondaire de Park Street (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kennebunk.

The famed Wedding Cake House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 14, 2021

3. The famed Wedding Cake House

Credits. This page was last revised on November 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 153 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 21, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.