Cape Arundel Summer Colony Historic District, Historic district in Kennebunkport, United States.
Cape Arundel Summer Colony Historic District covers large summer estates on the coast of Kennebunkport, Maine, just east of the Kennebunk River mouth. Most properties line Ocean Avenue on the inland side, running along the river's southernmost stretch and around the cape to just east of Walkers Point. Many buildings were designed by John Calvin Stevens, William Ralph Emerson and Henry Paston Clark, largely in the Shingle style.
The area was developed in the 1870s when a company acquired the land and built the Ocean Bluff Hotel after a railroad connection was completed. This infrastructure enabled wealthy families to travel easily and construct their summer homes in what became an exclusive coastal destination.
The Kennebunk River Club, built in 1889, served as the colony's main social venue, and the Sea Shore Company shaped the resort from the 1870s. Many estates were designed by John Calvin Stevens, William Ralph Emerson and Henry Paston Clark, whose firm alone designed at least 29 houses here.
The district is best explored on foot since the estates and their grounds are visible from the road and most sit on spacious properties. Many houses remain privately owned, so visitors should stay on public paths and appreciate the architecture from outside.
Walkers Point was sold by the Sea Shore Company to George Herbert Walker in 1902, and two Shingle-style houses went up there the following year. One was later demolished; the survivor serves as the summer home of former President George H. W. Bush.
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