Town of Old Orchard Beach

Old Orchard Beach is a town in York County incorporated on February 20, 1883 as Old Orchard from a portion of the town of Saco. Named for an orchard set out by Thomas Rogers in 1638, it added the word Beach to its name in 1929.

Richard Boynthon settled the area in 1631 and hosted meetings of the councilors governing Sir Fernando Gorges' Province of Maine in the early 17th Century.

The town, with its long beach, carnival atmosphere, and famous Pier on which the big bands played, has been a recreational playground for over a century.

Located on Saco Beach just east of the Biddeford-Saco area, the Beach draws hundreds of thousands of tourists each summer, including many Canadians.

From Maine: An Encyclopedia (www.themaineencyclopedia.com)