Kennebunk

Kennebunk takes its name from an Abenaki expression usually interpreted as “the long cut bank,” perhaps referring to the bank behind the beach. The settlement grew near the coast and the Mousam River, becoming a centre of trade, shipbuilding and shipping. The river also supplied water power for mills, which attracted manufacturing firms during the nineteenth century. Shipbuilding remained an important part of the town's working life for many generations.

English settlement began in 1621. For much of its history Kennebunk formed part of the neighbouring towns of Wells and Arundel, before becoming a separate town in 1820. When General Lafayette visited in 1825, an elm was planted to commemorate the occasion; it would become a familiar landmark of the town and appear on its seal.