Lyric Theater // 1919

One of the more identifiable buildings in Dock Square in Kennebunkport Village is one of the first you typically see when arriving from neighboring Kennebunk. The wood-frame building perched on stilts at the edge of the Kennebunk River features a prominent pyramidal roof and stunning windows. Through some digging, it appears the building was built in 1919 as the Lyric Theater, a 350-seat motion-picture cinema, that catered to the summer residents. Sometime after the 1970s, the theater was converted to retail use and now is home to Saxony Imports a place where you can pick up some presidential swag, gag gifts, or touristy clothing.

Gideon Walker Farmhouse // 1745

One of the older extant homes in Kennebunkport is the Gideon Walker Farmhouse, built in 1745. The home once sat on a larger parcel of land, on the outside of the village, which at the time, only had a handful of other homes nearby. At the time, the town was named Arundel, and was later renamed Kennebunkport, in reflection to its economy becoming one of shipbuilding and trade along the Kennebunk River. As the village population grew, the Walker land was sold off and developed for other large estates. The Georgian house featured a small, one-story projecting entry, typical of the period. In 1910, owner Anson McKim of Montreal, hired Portland architect John Calvin Stevens to update the home, which included the addition of the front entry’s second story and a large side addition approximating the size and location of the former barn which once stood there. The home has since been renovated a few more times on the interior and exterior, yet it still retains its historic integrity.

John Hovey Perkins House // c.1850

This large house in Kennebunkport Village was built in the 19th century for John Hovey Perkins (1804-1859). The Federal home was constructed sometime in the early 19th century, and by 1857, it was updated by the local master-builder, Bernard Littlefield, who likely added the two-story columned side porch and other detailing. The home was originally located at the corner of Green and Pleasant Streets, across from the Captain Lord Mansion, and was moved in 1900 to its present location on South Street. The house was converted to a bed & breakfast, known as The Inn on South Street, and it has seemingly been converted back to a single-family home.