The Pier, Playland and Miles of Sand

Vacationers from Boston to Portland know Old Orchard Beach for The Pier and miles of sand. They've been coming here since the mid-1800s. The admission-free Palace Playland is an amusement park that's been operating right on the beach since 1902. Partly old-fashioned (with fortune tellers and nightly fireworks) and modern (with up-to-the-minute games and rides), it's a powerful draw in Old Orchard Beach. 

Why is it called Old Orchard Beach?

This little spit of land in Saco Bay appeared on navigational maps in the 1600s. Its seven-mile beach stood out to seafarers but that doesn't explain the name. Early on, the favorable site attracted Thomas Rogers who settled here in 1657. He planted apple trees and grape vines, which could be seen from passing ships. At first the area was called Roger's Garden but, after the gardens were abandoned, the name switched to Old Orchard Beach.

How about that sand?

The wide, smooth beach attracted more than sun seakers. In the early days of aviation, there were planes but not many runways. At low tide, the hard packed sand of Old Orchard Beach was suitable for take-off and landing. In fact, in 1921 the town officially established a runway on the beach. Harry Jones, who owned a hangar at the airfield, offered tourists thrilling sightseeing flights over Saco Bay.

Serious aviators sometimes used the airfield at OOB to attempt trans-Atlantic flights. Most failed; some were aborted, some ended in the ocean but a few made it to Europe.

Charles Lindberg didn't start his famous trans-Atlantic flight from here but he stop here once - accidently. On a multi-city tour in 1927, he was headed to Portland, ME but the town was socked in with fog. Old Orchard Beach served as an emergency landing strip for Lindberg.