Kennebunk River Club, Social club in Kennebunkport, Maine, US.
The Kennebunk River Club is a private establishment built on wooden pilings over the river with a broad gabled roof and symmetrical windows. Its structure is defined by its position on Ocean Avenue, overlooking the water and housing various facilities for members.
A group of 13 summer residents founded the club in 1888 as a Lobster, Boat, and Canoe Club to support water-based leisure activities. Architect Frederick W. Stickney designed the main building, which has maintained its original structure to the present day.
The building reflects how the local community has long connected with waterfront life, serving as a gathering place for those interested in boating and river pursuits. It shows how wealthy summer visitors in the late 1800s spent their leisure time along Maine's coast.
Access is limited to members only, so visitors can only view the exterior from Ocean Avenue and surrounding public areas. The best views of the building and river come from public pathways along the waterfront nearby.
Members of the Penobscot Nation built and rented canoes to club participants during the summer season as a longstanding tradition. This collaboration reveals a lesser-known historical connection between the club and the region's Indigenous community.
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