Traveler: Dawn Fritz
Destination: Kennebunkport, Maine

On an impromptu trip to visit her sister, Dawn quickly found how charming Kennebunkport is and just how much her camera was drawn to some of the grander structures in and around the town.

A few weeks ago I took an impromptu trip to Maine, spending a few days with my sister who was vacationing there with her family. She’d rented a house in Kennebunkport and that was our home base for sightseeing. Meandering around Dock Square with its charming wood-framed storefronts was a delight, but my camera was drawn to some of the grander structures in and around Kennebunkport.

One of our first stops was St. Ann’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, consecrated in 1892 and designed by architect Henry Paston Clark of Boston. Situated overlooking the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean, this summer chapel exemplifies the spirit of Yankee ingenuity, built from sea-worn stones gathered on the site.

The stone carries to the interior, which also features pine hammer beam trusses and a cleft slate floor. Polished Italian marble originally highlighted the altar and altar steps, but harsh Maine winters took their toll and the original marble was replaced in 1959 with light pink granite quarried nearby.

Photo: White Columns, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Another highlight of my getaway was a tour of Kennebunkport’s White Columns, a Greek Revival mansion built by a wealthy merchant, Eliphalet Perkins, in the 1850s and gifted to his son and new bride. Now known as the Richard A. Nott House, the home sits on a prominent site in the historic district, “holding court” one might say as it terminates the view from Dock Square down Spring Street.

One of the things I found most interesting was that this home incorporated details one might not expect to find in the region, like oversized floor-to-ceiling windows and wrapping porches engaged with the two-story columns – elements more common on Southern Greek Revival homes.

The home is a wonderful time capsule, owned by the same family for 130 years with minimal interventions or updates by successive generations. In fact, much of the house was closed off for 100 years, thus preserving most of the fine furniture, artwork, antiques and decorative elements that were collected during travels around the world.

I was particularly taken by some of the original hand painted wallpaper and the antique lighting and plumbing fixtures.

I wrapped up my trip with a stop at The Old House Parts Company, an architectural salvage store in Kennebunk. I’ve been following them on Instagram for a while and was so excited when I realized that it was right down the street from where we were staying.

The building itself is a freight house dating to 1872, so exploring it and the many treasures it holds was a treat. If you are renovating an old house, or just trying to bring some vintage charm to a new one, this is the place to start. While I wasn’t hunting for anything in particular, above are a few things that caught my eye.

I hope you enjoyed this quick spin through Kennebunkport. Thanks for joining!