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Past Articles
Backstage at the Ogunquit Playhouse
Ogunquit Museum of American Art
Experience a Maine Delicacy: Wild Blueberries
FREE (and almost free) Things To Do - Part 1
FREE (and almost free) Things To Do - Part 2
Historical Society of Wells & Ogunquit
To The Cliff House Spa... And Beyond
Antique Shops in Southern Maine - Part 1
Antique Shops in Southern Maine - Part 2
Antique Shops in Southern Maine - Part 3
Antique Shops in Southern Maine - Part 4
Explore the Shore: Ogunquit Beach Buggy and Beyond
What to do when you get here — An insider’s guide to interests and attractions in the area surrounding The Cliff House Resort & Spa.
Old York Historical Society
I decided to visit Old York. I had already had the fun of York Beach and York Harbor, and visited the shops and antique malls along Route One in York. Today my destination was the Museums of Old York. Here you can explore nine historical buildings! You might want to start as I did at www.oldyork.org. I made my list of WHAT TO DO and headed south.
I started at the Gaol built in 1656. There were dreadful tiny cells and dungeons for felons, debtors, petty thieves and even drunks. It would be a pretty crowded Gaol today!
You might also like to visit the Elizabeth Perkins House, remembering that the founder of The Cliff House was her relative, Elsie Jane Perkins Weare. The collections and furnishings housed here are stunning examples of the Colonial Revival, a movement that was quite popular in New England in the late 1800s. There is so much to see here: Jefferd’s Tavern, which Miss Perkins had dismantled and brought in from Wells, and the Old Schoolhouse built in 1745 and moved to its present location by — yup — Miss Perkins.
My final stop was the Remick Barn. It is now a museum and educational center. My mission was to see In the Eye of the Beholder, a folk art exhibit showcasing the museum’s splendid collection. There are so many pieces; mostly hand-made and unique to Maine. It is part of the Maine Folk Art Trail that involves Maine museums concurrently exhibiting their collections through November. Parts of these collections have been shown but not the entire collections — and never at all eleven museums at once. Plan your trip on the Maine Folk Art Trail. You can print the map there showing the name and location of each museum. You could start in York and travel up the coast and inland. You could be gone for days!
The Museums of Old York are on Route 1A and Lindsay Road, within walking distance to charming York Village shops, restaurants, and art galleries. A walking tour through the historic district leads to the sparkling tidal waters of the York River and a 17-acre nature preserve. From the center of York Village it is a short drive to beautiful sandy beaches and the famous Nubble Lighthouse. And best of all, you are only a few miles away from your lovely room at The Cliff House.