Grand Times

Grand Times. The Cape Cottage Neighborhood. , In the mid 1800’s, Cape Elizabeth became a haven for vacationers seeking warm sunshine, cool summer breezes, rocky coasts, fresh produce, and shore dinners. It was then (1853) that John Goddard purchased 25 acres which included the Grand Cape Cottage Hotel. Goddard commissioned Portland architect Charles A. Alexander to design this imposing stone mansion which was completed in 1858 next to his hotel., During this same period, several prominent hotels, including Goddard’s Cape Cottage Hotel, Cliff Cottage, Ocean House, Cloyester, The Grand View, and Owl’s Nest began to grace the sandy beaches and rocky cliffs not far from Goddard’s home., In 1898, renowned architect John Calvin Stevens designed Cape Cottage Park which included the Cape Cottage Casino (hotel and dining but not gambling). The spectacular Casino was perched on the bluff just north of Goddard’s mansion overlooking the entrance to Portland harbor and was surrounded by a 1024-seat theater, lush gardens, an aviary and Maiden Cove Beach. Access was by trolley or ferry from Portland, After such jubilant beginnings, the turn of the century brought changing priorities, devastation fires and the advent of the automobile, all of which took their toll on these great attractions. Cape Cottage Park struggled until its closure in 1923.