Maine Places to Love: Old Orchard Beach

In southern Maine, few things say “summer” as eloquently as the words “Old Orchard Beach.” Who can resist the walkable town’s gorgeous expanse of sandy oceanfront, or its seasonal attractions such as the Pier, Palace Playland and Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf? Old Orchard Beach has a rich history, too. Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Frank Sinatra were drawn to perform here; Charles Lindbergh landed here. When visitors discover “OOB,” they return. Residents happily stay put.

On June 26: The Harmon Museum and Old Orchard Beach Historical Society at 4 Portland Ave. opens for the season. Admission is free. (www.harmonmuseum.org)
Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood: The town is named after the apple orchard of Thomas Rogers, who came to the Goosefare Brook area in 1636. (wikipedia.org)
‘Lucky Lindy’ alights: On July 24, 1927, flying Spirit of St. Louis, Charles Lindbergh made an unscheduled landing on Old Orchard Beach, “only two months after his historic solo flight across the Atlantic.” (mainememory.net)
Without peer: The historic Pier opened to the public on July 2, 1898. The original 1,825-foot structure was built with three pavilions and cost $38,000. (oobpier.com/history)
15:07, 16:51: Ethan Hemphill’s and Kristin Barry’s 2008 course records at the “Run for Cash” Memorial 5K. This year’s event, honoring the late Capt. Christopher S. Cash and benefiting Veterans Count Maine, is Saturday, June 23. (runforcash.org)
Zombies!: And Beach Boys, Spanky and Our Gang, Tommy James and the Shondells, Kingsmen. Supremes, Searchers, Herman’s Hermits, Swingin’ Medallions. All are among bands who played the Palace Ballroom in the 1960s. (Disc jockey/music historian Bill O’Neil)
Seats for 6,000: The Ball Park, now home to the pro baseball Surge and host to concerts, dog shows, a farmer’s market and more, was built in 1984. (www.oobballpark.com)
Dave the Guesser: The late David Glovsky ran a guessing booth at Palace Playland (founded 1902) from 1945 to 1997. He guessed peoples’ ages, weights, cigarette brands, auto makes and more. (www.mainememory.net)
Founded in 1881: Ocean Park, a Chautauqua community on Saco Bay, includes buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. (oceanpark.org)
Celebrated in song: “Old Orchard Beach” is on the Magnetic Fields’ 1992 album “The Wayward Bus.”
15.10: of the town’s total 22.53 square miles are water, according to U.S. Census Bureau information. (wikipedia.org)

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