Welcome!  

Join me in researching the history of the Kennebunks.  

Source material and links to additional web resources for the Old News column in the York County Coast Star can be found here as well as for selected local history articles previously published in the Kennebunk Post, the Kennebunkport Historical Society and elsewhere.

I use every historical research resource available to verify my facts; conventional sources at town offices, libraries, historical societies, deed registries, probate registries, state archives, etc. I also use internet research databases. Internet research makes some historians uncomfortable but many rare old newspapers, documents and books have recently been scanned into Internet databases. The information contained in photographic reproductions of original documents is no less valid than the information our town historians were able to glean from the originals while wearing white gloves. Global Keyword Search has revolutionized research and anyone who dismisses that fact has their head deeply buried in the sand. I’m not talking about citing opinions of amateur webmasters like myself but lets not throw the baby out with the bathwater.  I love old books. Nothing thrills me more than to hold one in my hands and savor its bounty.  But, given the choice between searching the contents of millions of books and newspapers, one at a time or letting Google do it for me all at once, I will pick the automated search every time.

All text, photos, graphics, artwork and other material on the www.someoldnews.com site and www.mykennebunks.com are copyrighted and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

 Sharon Cummins