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1898 Map of Kennebunk

Name: 1898 Topographic Map of Kennebunk
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1909
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1909

About this map

The coastal village of Kennebunk and its industrial satellites define the southern Maine landscape as it appeared in the late nineteenth century. The region's economy is clearly mapped through its reliance on water power and early rail systems, with Littlefield's Mills and the inland hub of Wells Depot serving as vital collection points for local commerce. Along the shoreline, the early development of summer colonies is visible at Kennebunk Beach and Ogunquit, while the tidal marshes at Crescent Surf and Wells Beach mark the natural interface with the Atlantic Ocean.

Transport networks are dominated by the parallel routes of the Boston and Maine Railroad Eastern Division and the Boston and Maine Railroad Western Division, which cut across the drainages of the Mousam River and Kennebunk River. This 1889 survey captures the transition from traditional river-landing commerce at Kennebunk Landing to the railroad-driven growth that reshaped Wells, Alfred, and Sanford in the post-Civil War era.