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Annual Meeting Notice
An Annual Meeting of the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society & Election of Officers will be held at the Harmon Museum on Tuesday, December 4th, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
Thank You for a Great Summer Season!
The Harmon Museum had visitors from near and far in the summer of 2018. If you were one of them, thank you for taking the time to visit and explore all that we offer! If you didn't get an opportunity to visit us, or simply haven't been to the museum in some time, we'd love to see you when we reopen next year for the Summer 2019 season. Our knowledgeable museum docents are always on hand to guide visitors as they explore our exhibits. Learn the story of Old Orchard Beach and its people through exhibits focusing on amusements; horse, motorcycle, and automobile racing; early aviation (including a beach landing visit by Charles Lindbergh in 1927); famous summer visitors such as comedian Fred Allen and a turn-of-the century whistle stop visit by Theodore Roosevelt; destructive fires of 1907, 1948, 1969, and 1972; the history of the police and fire departments, schools, sports, recreation and, of course, the world-famous seven-miles long beach along the Atlantic Ocean. Get museum hours, directions and more by checking out our Visit Us page. Still have questions? Contact us.
Local Properties Then & Now
(Left) "Springhurst," the 1896 estate built by John C. Miles, Esq., originally covered 22-acres extending from Portland Avenue, behind what is today the location of the Post Office, back to the railroad tracks on East Grand Avenue. The estate's land and gardens furnished spring water and fresh vegetables to summer cottagers and many of the areas grand hotels. See what it looks like today.
A Curious Case of Two Ebenezers
Adapted by Stanley J. Quinlan (for the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society)
Adapted by Stanley J. Quinlan (for the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society)
My name is Ebenezer C. Staples, not to be confused with that other Ebenezer fella - you know, the one nobody likes, especially around Christmas time. On the other hand, I must confess that I do enjoy seeing my last name in big red letters up on the sign at those big-box business supplies stores.
Most folks know me as the guy who built the Old Orchard Beach Inn (originally known as the Staples Inn) back in 1837, but that's not why I'm here. The real reason is to tell folks about my 1875 dust-up with still another Ebenezer, one who went by the last name of Seavey.
Now, this Seavey fella and I didn't like each other a whole lot, especially after we battled over a parcel of God's green Earth in the heart of what you folks know as "Old Orchard Beach," but what we called "Saco" or "Pepperellborough" way back when . . . (Read full article)
Lucky Lindy Goes to Old Orchard
By Stanley J. Quinlan (for the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society)
By Stanley J. Quinlan (for the Old Orchard Beach Historical Society)
You probably know me as the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone. You may know me as "the Lone Eagle." And, of course, you might know me as "Lucky Lindy." The story I'm about to tell you pertains to the "Lucky Lindy" nickname. You might say that if I had my druthers, I'd rather be "Lucky" than good.
The story starts out well. It begins on Tuesday, July 20, 1927. I started the Spirit of St. Louis on a cross-country flying tour from Mitchell Field on Long Island, New York, to publicize the Daniel Guggenheim Fund for the Promotion of Aeronautics. This tour was to take about two-hundred sixty hours of flight time, covering about 22,000 miles of America. (Read full article)
ABOVE: Charles Lindbergh lands on Old Orchard Beach on July 26, 1927 as part of his celebratory flight around the country after his historic transatlantic flight. Harry Jones, operator of an airport and flying service in Old Orchard from 1919-1933, is pointing something out to Lindbergh. On the right is reporter Philip Payne of the New York Daily Mirror, and on the left is a local police officer.
LEFT: Lindbergh in front of his plane, The Spirit of St. Louis.
Please bookmark our website and return often to learn more about Old Orchard Beach's bright future and golden past!