York Cliffs Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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York Cliffs Historic District
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Bird's-eye view c. 1906
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Agamenticus Avenue, York, Maine |
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| Area | 95 acres (38 ha) |
| Built | 1892 |
| Architect | Goodwin, Everett |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001560 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1984 |
The York Cliffs Historic District is a special place in York, Maine. It's a collection of eight amazing old summer houses built a long time ago. These houses were part of a fancy vacation spot created between 1890 and 1902. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1984. This means it's an important historical area that needs to be protected.
Discovering York Cliffs' Old Houses
The York Cliffs Historic District is found along Agamenticus Avenue. This road sits on a high piece of land, like a small cliff, that looks out over the Gulf of Maine. This is the ocean just north of where the Cape Neddick River meets the sea.
What Makes These Houses Special?
The district includes six houses on one side of the road and two more on the other. All these homes are on big, beautiful plots of land with gardens. Six of them are built in the Shingle style. This was a popular way to build vacation homes back then. One house is in the more detailed Queen Anne style. The oldest house here was built around 1800 and later got some new parts added in 1895.
A Look Back: The Resort's Story
The York Cliffs Development Company started this area to create a fancy resort for wealthy people. They built thirteen summer houses, a golf course, and a big hotel called the Passaconway Inn. A local architect named Edward Blaisdell designed the hotel.
Sadly, the Passaconway Inn was taken down in the 1930s. Only eight of the company's original houses are still standing today. When these houses were first built, they had clear, amazing views of the ocean. Over time, trees grew taller and other buildings were added, so some of those views might be blocked now. These homes were very modern for their time, with things like running water and sewer systems.
