Welcome to Ogunquit

Tracing its roots back to 1641 with a land grant to Colonel Thomas Gorges, Ogunquit was part of an original 5,000 acre tract on the southeast side of the Ogunquit River.  In 1686, John Littlefield, the first white settler, built a sawmill on the site.  Other early families that settled in the area included the Jacobs, the Perkinses, the Maxwells and the Winns.

In 1888 a bridge was constructed over the Ogunquit River giving access to its beautiful beach.  With the advent of the railroad system, came the vacationers.  

But Ogunquit's future was to be built around the many famous artists that called Ogunquit home.  In 1928, the Ogunquit Art Association was founded and in 1952 Henry Strater founded the Ogunquit Museum of American Art.

Along with the visual arts came the performing arts.  Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hoyt opened the Village Studio on Hoyt's Lane and in 1933 Mr. and Mrs. Walter Hartwig founded the Manhattan Repertoire Company which developed over the years to the Ogunquit Playhouse on U.S. Route 1, America's foremost summer theatre.  Purchased in 1954 by and run under the stewardship of Mr. John Lane, this famous theatre was donated in 1997 by Mr. Lane to the Ogunquit Playhouse Foundation.

The arts continue to draw vacationers and tourists to Ogunquit along with the charming Perkins Cove, the spectacular Marginal Way - a one mile cliff walk along the edge of the pounding surf of the great Atlantic, many fine restaurants and shops and great golfing.

Annual events that continue to delight visitors and the locals include the 4th of July fireworks, the sidewalk art sale, the Tube Race, Capriccio - a celebration of the arts, and Christmas-by-the-Sea.

Ogunquit, only 4 square miles, is special as it is one of the very few "walking communities" in the state, with a charming downtown village area, miles of beautiful sandy beaches, Beach Plum Farm, Perkins Cove - a year-round working fishing village and lovely shops, fine restaurants and great theatre - all within an easy walk of each other.

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