By:
Daniel E. Blaney

In 1638, Thomas Rogers came to Old Orchard Beach and he planted a large orchard down near the ocean. In October of 1675, the Indians of Maine decimated York county, including all of Old Orchard. All of the residents and the settlers of Old Orchard left this community and went down to Kittery Maine and stayed down there until the Indians uprising was subsided. In that period of 44 years, the apple orchard that Thomas planted was abandoned. And that’s how the name Old Orchard became. In 1929, because of the famous beach that we have here in Old Orchard we, the people of Old Orchard, went to the state legislature and asked them if they would officially change our name to Old Orchard Beach.