1944 Map of Old Orchard Beach

About this map

The coastal resort community of Old Orchard Beach and its surrounding marshlands are documented here just after the peak of World War II. The landscape is defined by the transition from the sandy shores of Saco Bay to the expansive wetlands of The Heath and the numerous brooks feeding the Nonesuch River and Goosefare Brook. The commercial and social pulse of the era is evident in the cluster of landmarks near the coast, including Ocean Park, a large Campground, and the Outdoor Theatre along the Portland Road. Inland, the map reveals a decentralized network of rural life, marked by one-room schoolhouses like the Flag Pond School and Beech Ridge School, and small industrial sites such as Milliken Mills. The path of the Boston and Maine RR cuts through the territory, linking the settlement at Dunstan with the growing coastal neighborhoods.