:Kennebunkport, Maine

Archeological evidence exists of activity in the area now known as Cape Porpoise 7000 years ago.https://brickstoremuseum.org/visit/exhibits/onlineexhibits/native-people/ In 1602, the time of contact with Europeans, it was occupied by communities of the Almouchiquois people, who referred to the area as Nampscoscock.{{cite journal | url=https://doi.org/10.1215/00141801-51-1-73 | doi=10.1215/00141801-51-1-73 | title=Finding the Almouchiquois: Native American Families, Territories, and Land Sales in Southern Maine | date=2004 | last1=Baker | first1=Emerson W. | journal=Ethnohistory | volume=51 | pages=73–100 }} According to 1640 land records, a sagamore of that community was "Thomas" Chabinock.{{cite web | url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/me-supreme-judicial-court/1373441.html | title=EATON v. TOWN OF WELLS (2000) }}

Kennebunkport was first incorporated in 1653 as Cape Porpus, subject to the government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820 as part of the Missouri Compromise). Due to Abenaki Indian resistance to colonial expansion, European settlers abandoned the town by 1689 and did not return for at least ten years. The Wabanaki Confederacy again expelled English from the area from 1703 to 1717, and continued violent resistance to colonization until the end of King George's War in 1748.{{Cite book |last1=Coolidge |first1=A. J. (Austin Jacobs) |url=http://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ |title=A history and description of New England, general and local |last2=Mansfield |first2=J. B. (John Brainard) |date=1859 |publisher=Boston, A. J. Coolidge. 1859 |others=University of Virginia |pages=176–181}}

The town was renamed Arundel in 1701, and the town center located inland at Burbank Hill.

On August 8, 1782 Arundel was under attack by two loyalist vessels: the 16 gun brig "Miriam" [Richard Pomroy] and the schooner "Hammond" [Doty] captured two unnamed vessels from Newbury Massachusetts (a schooner and a sloop). The sloop was burned after it went aground on Goat Island. A battle took place between the vessels and the militia ashore. The Patriot casualties were Captain James Burnham killed in action; civilian Samuel Wildes was wounded when he demanded the Loyalists return the vessels they had taken.[https://www.mykennebunks.com/revolution.htm Kennebunks.com revolution] In 1821 the town was renamed again, this time to Kennebunkport in reflection to its economy becoming one of shipbuilding and trade along the Kennebunk River.{{Cite book | last = Coolidge | first = Austin J.|author2=John B. Mansfield | title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge | year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| pages = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n210 176]–181| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859. }}

By the 1870s the town had developed as a popular summer destination, with both hotels and homes constructed along its coastline. Cape Arundel, Cape Porpoise, and Beachwood (now called Goose Rocks) were some of the early summer colonies; although Cape Porpoise was, and still is, a working fishing harbor. Since 1939, Kennebunkport has been home to the Seashore Trolley Museum.

The Great Fires of 1947, which devastated much of York County, affected Kennebunkport and especially the area near Goose Rocks Beach. Much of the housing near Goose Rocks Beach was destroyed by the fire, but the area has since recovered and been rebuilt.{{cite web |url=http://www.kporthistory.org/histortext.htm |title= History of Kennebunkport - Text|website=www.kporthistory.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100707002112/http://www.kporthistory.org/histortext.htm |archive-date=July 7, 2010}}

Like much of the northeast coast, the geography of the southern Maine coast was largely directed by the retreat of the Laurentide ice cap about 23,000 years ago.{{cite web|url=http://www.landscope.org/explore/natural_geographies/ecoregions/North%20Atlantic%20Coast/ |title=North Atlantic Coast Ecoregion // LandScope America |publisher=Landscope.org |access-date=January 10, 2013}} The coast is framed by bedrock, left during the formation of the Appalachian mountains, and the irregular shape of the coast (characteristic of much of the New England coast, with the exception of Cape Cod and the islands) is attributed to differential erosion of the underlying rock layer.

The coast along Kennebunkport differs sharply from the Maine coast north and east of Portland due to differences in the composition of this rock layer. Beyond Portland, the layer is a largely metamorphic rock, but here the coast is a mixture of igneous rock, and embayments of more deeply eroded sedimentary and metamorphic rock. These embayments result in the sandy beaches that can be found in southern Maine (such as Goose Rocks Beach, Colony Beach, and nearby Kennebunk Beach) but are uncommon north of Portland. Likewise, the geology here differs from that of the outer lands (Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, Block Island in Rhode Island, and Long Island in New York), which were formed as terminal and recessional moraines, and do not contain much in the way of a bedrock skeleton.{{cite web|url=http://www.gulfofmaine.org/kb/files/9162/Kelley_Coastal%20bluffs%20of%20New%20England.pdf |title=Coastal Bluffs of New England |publisher=gulfofmaine.org |first=Joseph T. |last=Kelley |access-date=January 10, 2013}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|49.35|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|20.52|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|28.83|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer2010.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220032143/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer2010.html|archive-date=December 20, 2012|url-status=dead}}

The town has several distinct areas, each developed during a phase of the town's history. The original town center was at Cape Porpoise, which today has a small village center, is both a summer colony and year-round community, and hosts a working fishing harbor. Inland from Cape Porpoise is a mix of forest and agricultural land, punctuated by a historic town center at Burbank Hill (there are a few historic buildings of interest here, including a schoolhouse and jail). Heading west, towards the mouth of the Kennebunk River is Dock Square, the current town center.{{cite web |url=http://www.kporthistory.org/history.htm |title= Kennebunkport Historical Society -- History|website=www.kporthistory.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090518082951/http://www.kporthistory.org/history.htm |archive-date=May 18, 2009}}

In the late 19th and early 20th century, Kennebunkport, and especially Cape Arundel (also known as Point Arundel), developed as a summer colony for the wealthy. Traveling from Dock Square along Ocean Avenue is the Cape Arundel Summer Colony Historic District.{{cite web|url=http://www.state.me.us/mhpc/national_register/historic_district_list.html |title=Maine Historic Preservation Commission: National Register of Historic Places: Historic Properties: Historic District List |publisher=State.me.us |access-date=January 10, 2013}} This district of many well-preserved examples of early-20th-century shingle-style cottages begins at Chick's Creek and ends at Walker's Point.{{cite web|url=http://www.mykennebunks.com/national_register_of_historic_places.htm |title=National Register of Historic Places |publisher=mykennebunks.com |access-date=January 10, 2013}}

• Biddeford (north)
• Kennebunk (southwest)
• Arundel (west)

The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge has a significant portion of lands in Kennebunkport, northeast of Cape Porpoise and through Goose Rocks.{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson/pdf/carsonbro.pdf |title=National Wildlife Refuge |publisher=United States Fish and Wildlife Service |first=Rachel |last=Carson |access-date=January 10, 2013}} Within Kennebunkport, much of this protected land is salt-water marsh.

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Kennebunkport has a humid continental climate, abbreviated Dfb on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=593607&cityname=Kennebunkport%2C+Maine%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Kennebunkport, Maine]

{{Weather box

|location = Kennebunkport, Maine (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1989–present)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 63

|Feb record high F = 68

|Mar record high F = 77

|Apr record high F = 91

|May record high F = 92

|Jun record high F = 97

|Jul record high F = 99

|Aug record high F = 96

|Sep record high F = 93

|Oct record high F = 84

|Nov record high F = 75

|Dec record high F = 75

|Jan avg record high F = 51

|Feb avg record high F = 52

|Mar avg record high F = 60

|Apr avg record high F = 73

|May avg record high F = 82

|Jun avg record high F = 88

|Jul avg record high F = 91

|Aug avg record high F = 88

|Sep avg record high F = 83

|Oct avg record high F = 74

|Nov avg record high F = 64

|Dec avg record high F = 56

|year avg record high F= 93

|Jan high F = 32.7

|Feb high F = 34.9

|Mar high F = 41.2

|Apr high F = 52.0

|May high F = 61.6

|Jun high F = 70.8

|Jul high F = 76.9

|Aug high F = 76.0

|Sep high F = 69.3

|Oct high F = 58.6

|Nov high F = 48.3

|Dec high F = 38.8

|year high F=

|Jan mean F = 22.9

|Feb mean F = 24.7

|Mar mean F = 32.0

|Apr mean F = 42.1

|May mean F = 52.1

|Jun mean F = 61.5

|Jul mean F = 67.3

|Aug mean F = 66.2

|Sep mean F = 59.1

|Oct mean F = 48.1

|Nov mean F = 38.7

|Dec mean F = 29.4

|year mean F=

|Jan low F = 13.1

|Feb low F = 14.4

|Mar low F = 22.7

|Apr low F = 32.3

|May low F = 42.7

|Jun low F = 52.3

|Jul low F = 57.8

|Aug low F = 56.5

|Sep low F = 48.9

|Oct low F = 37.5

|Nov low F = 29.2

|Dec low F = 20.0

|year low F=

|Jan avg record low F = -6

|Feb avg record low F = -4

|Mar avg record low F = 4

|Apr avg record low F = 21

|May avg record low F = 29

|Jun avg record low F = 40

|Jul avg record low F = 46

|Aug avg record low F = 44

|Sep avg record low F = 33

|Oct avg record low F = 24

|Nov avg record low F = 14

|Dec avg record low F = 3

|year avg record low F= -9

|Jan record low F = -20

|Feb record low F = -19

|Mar record low F = -10

|Apr record low F = 13

|May record low F = 16

|Jun record low F = 34

|Jul record low F = 35

|Aug record low F = 29

|Sep record low F = 19

|Oct record low F = 12

|Nov record low F = -3

|Dec record low F = -15

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.65

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.71

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.68

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.73

|May precipitation inch = 4.21

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.69

|Jul precipitation inch = 3.90

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.88

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.93

|Oct precipitation inch = 5.63

|Nov precipitation inch = 4.17

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.82

|Jan snow inch = 13.3

|Feb snow inch = 13.3

|Mar snow inch = 9.8

|Apr snow inch = 1.3

|May snow inch = 0

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 0.1

|Nov snow inch = 0.7

|Dec snow inch = 10.4

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan precipitation days = 11

|Feb precipitation days = 9

|Mar precipitation days = 11

|Apr precipitation days = 12

|May precipitation days = 13

|Jun precipitation days = 13

|Jul precipitation days = 11

|Aug precipitation days = 10

|Sep precipitation days = 10

|Oct precipitation days = 12

|Nov precipitation days = 11

|Dec precipitation days = 12

|year precipitation days= 135

|Jan snow days = 6

|Feb snow days = 5

|Mar snow days = 3

|Apr snow days = 1

|May snow days = 0

|Jun snow days = 0

|Jul snow days = 0

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0

|Oct snow days = 0

|Nov snow days = 1

|Dec snow days = 4

|year snow days= 18

|Jan snow depth inch = 12

|Feb snow depth inch = 13

|Mar snow depth inch = 12

|Apr snow depth inch = 2

|May snow depth inch = 0

|Jun snow depth inch = 0

|Jul snow depth inch = 0

|Aug snow depth inch = 0

|Sep snow depth inch = 0

|Oct snow depth inch = 0

|Nov snow depth inch = 1

|Dec snow depth inch = 7

|year snow depth inch= 18

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web |url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=box |title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = May 20, 2022}}

}}

{{main|Bush compound}}

Kennebunkport was also the summer home of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, father of former U.S. President George W. Bush. First built by Bush's maternal grandfather George Herbert Walker, it has been a family home ever since, and has been owned by the Bush family since sometime in the early 1980s.{{Cite news|last=Bacic|first=Ryan|date=|title=Vacationer-in-chief: A history of presidential getaways|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/07/02/biden-trump-president-vacation-history/|newspaper=Washington Post}} The Bushes' ancestry is distinct from the Walker family that settled York County, Maine. Some of this family's Walker relatives are buried in the Kennebunkport area ancient cemeteries. During his presidency, George H.W. Bush often invited world leaders, from Margaret Thatcher to Mikhail Gorbachev, to Kennebunkport. In 2007, his son George W. Bush invited Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Sarkozy. The Bush compound is on Walkers Point, called Point Vesuvius prior to the Walker family's acquisition.

{{US Census population

|1830= 2763

|1840= 2768

|1850= 2706

|1860= 2668

|1870= 2372

|1880= 2405

|1890= 2196

|1900= 2123

|1910= 2130

|1920= 1431

|1930= 1284

|1940= 1448

|1950= 1522

|1960= 1851

|1970= 2160

|1980= 2952

|1990= 3356

|2000= 3720

|2010= 3474

|2020= 3629

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=Census of Population and Housing |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=June 4, 2015 }}

}}

{{see also|Kennebunkport (CDP), Maine}}

As of 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $54,219, and the median income for a family was $66,505. Males had a median income of $43,125 versus $34,028 for females. The per capita income for the town was $36,707. About 1.7% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over. {{Citation needed|date=March 2025}}

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 16, 2012}} of 2010, there were 3,474 people, 1,578 households, and 1,039 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|169.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 2,897 housing units at an average density of {{convert|141.2|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 99.0% White, 0.2% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.

There were 1,578 households, of which 22.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.68.

The median age in the town was 51.8 years. 17.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15.2% were from 25 to 44; 36.5% were from 45 to 64, and 24.7% were 65 years of age or older. The sex makeup of the town was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

It is in the Regional School Unit 21.{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st23_me/schooldistrict_maps/c23031_york/DC20SD_C23031.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: York County, ME|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=January 14, 2021|access-date=2025-04-12}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st23_me/schooldistrict_maps/c23031_york/DC20SD_C23031_SD2MS.txt Text list]

File:Kennebunkport South Congregational Church 2004-12-03.jpg|South Congregational Church

File:Kennebunkport ME harbor.jpg|The harbor

File:Boats on the Kennebunk River at Kennebunkport, Maine.jpg|Boats on the Kennebunk River

File:Ocean Ave, K'port 1.jpg|Businesses on Ocean Avenue

File:Dock-square-1.jpg|View of Dock Square

File:Kennebunkport Public Library.jpg|Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library

File:Kennebunkport Lithuanian monument.jpg|Monument dedicated to Lithuanians who died fighting for Lithuania's freedom

File:Walkers-point.aug2008.jpg|Protestors on Ocean Ave. near the Bush Compound, in 2008

File:Kennebunkport Welcome Sign.jpg|Kennebunkport welcome sign and town line, in 2008

File:Kennebunkport.jpg

• Margaret Deland, novelist
• Patrick Dempsey, actor
• Dan Goodwin, building, rock, and sports climber
• Frank Handlen, painter
• Garnet Hathaway, professional ice hockey player
• Joshua Herrick, US congressman
• Dick McCabe, racing driver and champion
• Wiley Miller, cartoonist
• Jane Morgan, singer, actress
• Russell Nype, actor
• Shiloh Pepin, Sirenomelia patient with legs fused
• George Clement Perkins, 14th governor of California
• Kenneth Roberts, author
• Rex Smith, American singer and actor
• Booth Tarkington, novelist and dramatist
• George Herbert Walker, banker, businessman, grandfather of US President George H. W. Bush, and great-grandfather of George W. Bush
• Bentley Warren, racecar driver
• Neil Clark Warren, online dating service chairman

Kennebunkport was featured in the 2003 filming of the film Empire Falls by Maine author Richard Russo, with a downtown book shop making a notable appearance. Robin Wright appeared on set in Kennebunkport.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bookweb.org/news/hbos-empire-falls-transforms-kennebunk-book-port|title = HBO's Empire Falls Transforms Kennebunk Book Port|date = October 29, 2003}}

Other films with scenes shot in Kennebunkport include Lost Boundaries (1949), The Man Who Knew Bush (2004 documentary), The Living Wake (2007), 41 (2012 documentary) and US Route 1-ME (2012). My Husband's Double Life was partially set in the town, but filmed in Toronto.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/search/title?locations=Kennebunkport%2C%20Maine%2C%20USA&ref_=ttloc_loc_2|title = Filming Location Matching "Kennebunkport%2C%20Maine%2C%20USA" (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)|website = IMDb}}{{Cite web|last=writer|first=Nancy Nussbaum, Associated Press|title=Lifetime's 'Familiar Stranger' shares family's experience|url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20010311/News/303119908|access-date=July 27, 2021|website=southcoasttoday.com|language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Kennebunkport, Maine}}

{{wikivoyage|Kennebunkport}}

• [http://www.kennebunkportme.gov/ Town of Kennebunkport website]
• [http://www.graveslibrary.org/ Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library]
• [http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=19421 Cape Porpoise Library]
• [https://kporths.com/ Kennebunkport Historical Society]
• [http://www.city-data.com/city/Kennebunkport-Maine.html City Data Profile]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150101231721/http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=2181 Epodunk Town Profile]
• [http://www.someoldnews.com/ History and old maps of Kennebunkport Maine]
• [http://www.mainegenealogy.net/individual_place_record.asp?place=kennebunkport Maine Genealogy: Kennebunkport, York County, Maine]

{{York County, Maine}}

{{authority control}}

{{coord|43|21|42|N|70|28|36|W|type:city_region:US-ME|display=title}}

Category:Populated places established in 1653

Category:Portland metropolitan area, Maine

Category:Towns in York County, Maine

Category:Towns in Maine

Category:Populated coastal places in Maine

Category:1653 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies

Category:Resort towns