Moody Beach, Maine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moody Beach, Maine
Area within New England town
Moody U.S. Post Office
Moody Beach, Maine Location in Maine
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	York
Elevation	46 ft (14 m)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	04054

Moody Beach is a lovely coastal neighborhood in Wells, Maine. It is known for its private beach, which has about 100 homes right next to the sand. People live here all year, or come for summer vacations. Many visitors come from other parts of New England and Quebec. The beach stretches for about a mile, connecting Ogunquit Beach to Moody Point.

A view of Moody Beach, showing its long coastline.

History and Naming

Moody Beach got its name from George H. Moody. He owned a famous corner store on Post Road and Kimball Lane. This store also served as the local post office for many years.

The original post office building was replaced in 1975. However, the old building is still standing today. It is now home to the Wells Chamber of Commerce.

Beach Access Debate

Moody Beach is famous for a big debate about who can use the beach. This discussion is about whether the public has the right to access the shore, or if it's mostly private property.

The Moody Beach Case

In March 1989, a very important court case happened. It was called Bell v. Town of Wells, also known as the Moody Beach case. The highest court in Maine, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, made a decision.

The court decided that people who own land next to the beach in Maine have private property rights. These rights extend all the way to the low-water mark, which is where the water is at low tide.

However, there's a special rule called a "public easement." This means the public can still use this private area for certain things. These activities are "fishing, fowling (hunting birds), and navigation (boating)."

What This Means for You

This court case is often used to explain beach access in Maine. It means that the public has very limited rights in the "intertidal zone." This is the area of the beach between where the water is at high tide and where it is at low tide. So, while you can fish or boat, walking or sunbathing might be restricted in certain areas.

Images for kids

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  Withrows on the Beach guest house in 1988

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  Southern boundary of Moody Beach at Ogunquit Beach