Seaside Inn
The Seaside Inn (formerly the Seaside Inn & Cottages) is an Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine which has been in continuous operation under the same family since 1667, making it one of the oldest companies in the United States.
Seaside Inn | |
---|---|
General information | |
Location | Kennebunkport, Maine |
Address | 80 Beach Avenue, Kennebunk Beach |
Coordinates | 43°20′55″N 70°28′45″W |
Opening | 1667 |
Owner | Trish and Ken Mason |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 2 |
Design and construction | |
Developer | John Gooch |
Other information | |
Number of rooms | 22 |
Parking | none |
Website | |
www.kennebunkbeachmaine.com |
History
Seaside Inn was established sometime before 1667 by John Gooch, who was commissioned by Ferdinando Gorges, an agent of King Charles II, to "reside on the ocean-front peninsula at the mouth of the Kennebunk River and ferry travellers across the River."[1][2][3] John Gooch was the first settler in the Cape Neddick area, arriving in 1637.[4]
The inn has been in continuous operation by the Gooch family since its inception and, as of 2018, was owned by the twelfth-generation descendants.[1][2][5]
Literature
The early Gooch family history was chronicled in the 1929 novel Arundel by American author Kenneth Roberts.[3][4][6] Additionally, current owner Trish Mason has written a work of non-fiction entitled The Seaside House: Maine Innkeepers which tells the complete history of the family and running of the inn.[4][6]
Awards
The inn was recognized by New England's Yankee Magazine as the Maine lodging with the "Best Family Ties" in 2009.[7]
References
- "7 Companies Older Than America - number 4". Inc. July 3, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- Crotty, Liam (January 1, 2004). "FACES of the Kennebunks Online Exhibition". Brick Store Museum. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- Amatulli, Jodi (July 11, 2004). "Kennebunkport is a logical halfway stop". New Haven Register. HighBeam Research. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2013.(subscription required)
- Wigglesworth, Shelley (October 1, 2009). "Inside the Seaside". The Portsmouth Herald. SeacoastOnline.com. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- Olson, Karen E. "At the Seaside: Where Gooch first began to greet on the coast of Maine". New Haven Register. Seaside Inn official. Archived from the original on April 16, 2018.
- Bodwell, Joshua (January 19, 2012). "Innkeeper of local history, too". The Portsmouth Herald. SeacoastOnline.com. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- "Maine Lodging 2009". Yankee Magazine. May 28, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2013.