Museum in the Streets is a captivating walking tour in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. It features 29 eye-catching signs strategically placed throughout the town, each offering a glimpse into its rich history. These durable panels showcase both English and French text.
As you explore, you’ll uncover fascinating stories, like how the beloved beach was once a hub for automobile racing, or how poet Robert Frost played tennis in the serene Ocean Park community.
Whether you’re a local or a curious tourist, this historical tour invites you to step back in time and appreciate Old Orchard Beach’s remarkable past.
Museum in the Streets Panel List
PANEL #1: Staples Inn (Sponsored by The Law Office of Guy D. Loranger).
PANEL #2: Josephine Goss Home/Harmon Museum (Sponsored by The Harmon Museum).
PANEL #3: Grand View Inn (Sponsored by Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution).
PANEL #4: Diversity in OOB: Conflict, Connection and Community (Dedicated to Libby Blackman).
PANEL #5: Town Hall (Dedicated to Fire Chief Donald Roy and his wife, Donna).
PANEL #6: Seaside Park (Sponsored by Lafayette Hotels).
PANEL #7: Alberta Hotel (Sponsored by Pier French Fires, Bill’s Pizza, Dairy Queen and Whitehall, Inc.).
PANEL #8: Velvet Hotel (Sponsored by State Senator Justin Chenette for the next generation in Old Orchard Beach).
PANEL #9: 1907 Fire (Sponsored by the Pelletier Family at the Sea Cliff House Motel).
PANEL #10: Noah’s Ark (This panel is sponsored by Linda Cornish Rioux in Honor of Aurora Plourde Cornish)
PANEL #11: The Fiske Hotel (This panel is sponsored by Michael and Linda Mailhot)
PANEL #12: Auto Races (This panel is sponsored by Archie and Paul St. Hilaire and Kenneth Blow)
PANEL #13: The Pier (This panel is sponsored by The Golzbein Family, The Pier)
PANEL #14: Seashore House (This panel is dedicated to the residents and visitors of Old Orchard Beach by Palace Playland Associates, LLC)
PANEL #15: Boston and Maine Train Depot (This panel is sponsored by Michael and Linda Mailhot)
PANEL #16: How “Libby Library” Came to Be… (This panel is sponsored by The Old Orchard Beach Free Public Library Association in support of sharing the rich history of our community.)
PANEL #17: Old Orchard House (This panel is sponsored by Michael and Linda Mailhot)
PANEL #18: Saint Margaret’s Church (This panel is sponsored by The Rev. J.J. Mullen Council Knights of Columbus)
PANEL #19: Everett Hotel (This panel is sponsored by The Salvation Army)
PANEL #20: I.O.O.F. Building (This panel is sponsored by Michael and Linda Mailhot)
PANEL #21: Palace Ballroom (This panel is dedicated to the residents and visitors of Old Orchard Beach by Palace Playland Associates, LLC)
PANEL #22: Montreal House/Beachwood Motel (This panel is sponsored by The Cloutier Family)
PANEL #23: Brunswick Hotel (This panel is sponsored by The Lacasse Family and the Dedicated Staff of the Brunswick)
PANEL #24: The Campgrounds (This panel is sponsored by The Salvation Army)
PANEL #25: Furber Park & Demeritt Square – Ocean Park (This panel was donated by The O’Leary and Baker Families in honor of Roy and Ruth Baker who maintained Furber Park for decades)
PANEL #26: Sleep, Eat, and Play in Ocean Park C. 1900 (This panel was donated in honor of all the Music Makers in Ocean Park by one of them)
PANEL #27: Recreation in Ocean Park (This panel was donated by The Keene, Whitney, and Wilson Families to honor all of those who love playing tennis in Ocean Park)
PANEL #28: Chautauqua-By-The-Sea-Ocean Park (This panel was donated by Ocean Parkers with Happy Memories and in celebration of the history and future of Ocean Park)
Who Created the Museum in the Streets?
The Museum in the Streets was created by Patrick Cardon, an historian and cultural heritage advocate, to connect local communities with stories from their collective past. As he puts it, “the concept was launched in 1995 to bring history into the streets of small towns, that one realized had a lot of history, and you couldn’t find out anything about it.”
The organization works with towns and local historical societies to identify, develop, launch and promote its unique Museum in the Streets exhibits. These outdoor museums are open all day, every day, promoting, preserving, and sharing vital history with visitors and residents alike.
The Old Orchard Beach Museum in the Streets Committee (OOBMITS) has a facebook page promoting their installation.
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