Old Orchard Beach, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Old Orchard Beach
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| Nickname(s):
Garden by the Sea, after Thomas Rogers' town
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 Old Orchard Beach
Location in Maine
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | York |
| Settled | 1653 |
| Incorporated | February 20, 1883 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 22.53 sq mi (58.35 km2) |
| • Land | 7.43 sq mi (19.24 km2) |
| • Water | 15.10 sq mi (39.11 km2) |
| Elevation | 80 ft (31 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,960 |
| • Density | 1,206/sq mi (465.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Code |
04064
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| Area code(s) | Area code 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-55085 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582647 |
| Website | www.oobmaine.com |
Old Orchard Beach is a fun resort town located in York County, Maine, United States. In 2020, about 8,960 people lived there. It is part of the larger Portland area.
This town sits right on the Atlantic Ocean in Saco Bay. It's a very popular place for people to visit, especially in summer! The main part of town has many shops and places to eat, like clam shacks. A long wooden pier stretches out into the ocean, filled with even more shops. The town's beach is super long, about seven miles (11 km), and has many places to stay like motels and bed and breakfasts.
Contents
A Look Back: Old Orchard Beach History
People of the Abenaki nation lived in this area long before Europeans arrived. The first European to visit was a British explorer named Martin Pring in 1603.
Old Orchard Beach started showing up in history books around 1653. The first official settler was Thomas Rogers in 1657. He called the area "The Garden By The Sea." The town got its unique name from an apple orchard that Thomas Rogers had. His family later left the area after an attack, but the apple orchard stayed for about 150 years. It was even a helpful landmark for sailors on the ocean!
In 1881, a historic religious camp called Ocean Park, Maine was built nearby. It was meant to be a summer spot for religious and educational meetings. This community is still active today.
Old Orchard Beach as a Tourist Spot
Old Orchard Beach became a major tourist destination over time. The first public guesthouse opened in 1829. By 1837, visitors were paying to stay at local farms. In 1942, people could even take trains from Boston to Portland to reach the beach!
In the past, planes could land on the beach, and cars would even race on the sand. Sadly, a big fire in 1907 destroyed most of the large hotels. The oldest hotel still standing on the beachfront today is The Ocean House Hotel & Motel, built around 1895.
An important place for Black visitors was the Cummings' Guest House, which opened in 1923. It offered rooms to Black musicians and guests when other hotels would not. Famous musicians like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong stayed there. The guest house was open until 1993.
Fun Things to Do: Attractions
Palace Playland is a seaside amusement park right in Old Orchard Beach. It opened in 1902 and covers four acres right on the beach. It's one of the last old-fashioned oceanside amusement parks in New England.
Old Orchard Beach was once home to the first carousel in the United States! In the past, it had two carousels with amazing hand-carved animals. There was also "Noah's Ark," a boat-shaped funhouse for kids. It would rock back and forth, and had cool lights and sounds. Another ride was the Jack and Jill slide, where you'd slide down a tall tower on a mat.
Today, Palace Playland has a new Ferris wheel, a huge arcade, and 25 rides for all ages. The new Ferris wheel is modern and replaced an older one. A new roller coaster called the "Sea Viper" opened in 2018.
Every Thursday during the summer, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, you can watch a fantastic firework show at the pier at night!
The Famous Pier
The Pier has been built and rebuilt several times. The first one, made of steel, was built in 1898. It was an amazing 1,825 feet long, making it the longest steel pier in the world at the time! It even had a huge ballroom at the end for 5,000 dancers. Storms damaged it over the years, making it shorter.
In the 1900s, famous musicians like Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra performed at the Pier's ballroom. In 1969, a fire destroyed many attractions, including Noah's Ark and the carousels. The ballroom was taken down in 1970.
The pier you see today was built in 1980 after a big snowstorm destroyed the previous one in 1978. This current pier stretches 500 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. It's lined with souvenir shops, carnival food stands, and a nightclub at the very end.
Sports in Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach has been home to several baseball teams. The Maine Guides played at The Ballpark from 1984 to 1988. This team was connected to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Ballpark opened in 1984 and was updated in 2009 with a lot of volunteer help.
More recently, the Old Orchard Beach Surge baseball team played here. They later moved to New York. From 2012 to 2014, the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide also played at the ballpark.
Location and Getting Around
Old Orchard Beach is located on the southern coast of Maine. It's next to Saco Bay to the east, and surrounded by the towns of Scarborough and Saco.
The town covers about 22.53 square miles (58.35 square kilometers). Most of this area is water, with about 7.43 square miles (19.24 square kilometers) being land.
During the summer, you can take the Amtrak Downeaster train to Old Orchard Beach station. This train connects to Portland and Boston.
Sister City
Old Orchard Beach has a "sister city" in France called Mimizan. This connection remembers a historic airplane flight in 1929 by Assollant, Lefèvre, and Lotti, who flew across the Atlantic Ocean.
Visitors from Around the World
During the busy summer season, Old Orchard Beach welcomes many international visitors. You'll often see students from countries like Lithuania, Latvia, Turkey, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Russia who come to work for the summer. Many French Canadians, especially from Quebec, also visit for their summer vacations. It's very common to hear people speaking French in town!
Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 887 | — | |
| 1900 | 964 | 8.7% | |
| 1910 | 961 | −0.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,164 | 21.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,620 | 39.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,557 | 57.8% | |
| 1950 | 4,707 | 84.1% | |
| 1960 | 4,580 | −2.7% | |
| 1970 | 5,404 | 18.0% | |
| 1980 | 6,291 | 16.4% | |
| 1990 | 7,789 | 23.8% | |
| 2000 | 8,856 | 13.7% | |
| 2010 | 8,624 | −2.6% | |
| 2020 | 8,960 | 3.9% | |
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Images for kids
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Ferris wheel seen from the beach in Old Orchard Beach
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Leavitt House, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, around 1870
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"Takadip" Bath House in 1914, Old Orchard Beach, ME
See also
In Spanish: Old Orchard Beach para niños
