What is The Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, Maine?

The Brick Store Museum is a wonderful history museum located in downtown Kennebunk on Route 1. It is dedicated to preserving the cultural and artistic heritage of the Kennebunks. We at The Captain Lord Mansion invite you to visit their distinctive buildings at the heart of Kennebunk's National Register Historic District. The museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums. We have discount admission coupons for our guests.


Wild Things, the current exhibit at the museum reflects the personal collection of Kate Manko, a dealer and collector of American folk art in Moody, Maine, who has assembled the wildlife objects over a twenty-year period. The exhibition is a visual delight of nearly 100 objects of animal life folk art, including bears, moose, elk, deer, squirrels, snakes, turtles, fish, frogs, and a wide variety of birds. Bev and I attended the opening of this exhibit and had fun seeing these wonderfully creative objects. It was good to see so many young people in the Museum; obviously the exhibit appeals to all ages!

The Museum has another interesting exhibit set to open this summer:

Kennebunk's Big Leaguers

The Brick Store Museum hits a home run with this exhibition on the two major league baseball players who have called Kennebunk home: "Colby Jack" Coombs (1882-1957) and his nephew Bobby Coombs (1908-1991).

Bev and I enjoy these exhibits at the Brick Store Museum and encourage our guests to avail themselves of the offerings of this wonderful small local history museum. Rick Litchfield, your Innkeeper

4 Reasons to take a Scenic Sailing Trip on the Schooner Eleanor in Kennebunkport

1. The Schooner Eleanor, launched in May 1999, was built in Kennebunkport by Captain Rich Woodman and a crew of local craftsmen to the lines of L. F. Herreschoff's 1935 Mobjack design. You'll experience local craftsmanship!
   
2. Although her hull was constructed using modern techniques, Eleanor is in every other way a traditional gaff rigged schooner. Spruce spars, mahogany transom, locust rails and hand carved trail boards all contribute to the beauty of this vessel. Flying four sails, with a large teak cockpit and spacious cushioned cabin tops to stretch out on, Eleanor will give you the feel of yachting in the 1930's. You'll have an authentic "Maine Wind-Jammer" experience!
   
3. My trips on the Eleanor have been some of the most relaxing and enjoyable times spent on the waters off Kennebunkport. Fortunately, the trips leave from The Arundel Wharf Restaurant which is located only a block away from The Captain Lord Mansion. You'll experience relaxation and convenience!
   
4. This is one of my favorite summertime experiences. I know you will enjoy it also. Rick Litchfield

Intimate Weddings at The Captain Lord Mansion

Allison looks pretty as a picture in this recent photo taken in the Captain Lord Mansion cupola. Couples choose the Mansion for small intimate weddings and to renew vows.

Michelle, our wedding coordinator, helps couples secure the "Justice of the Peace", flowers, cakes, music, photographers and can arrange for a romantic carriage ride after the ceremony to travel to dinner. The ceremony is usually held in our large "Gathering Room" in front of a crackling fire. As you personal coordinator, Michelle arranges the room with select flowers, candelabra and a silver service and glasses for the champagne toast. If this sounds like the kind of small service you desire, please give Michelle a call at 800-522-3141. There is a minimum charge of $250.00 for coordination services.

The photographer for Allison and Mark's pictures was Sea Glass Photography. Also, I was priviledged to offer the toast for this young couple, wishing them much happiness. Small weddings are a chance for us to show the special attention to personal service for which we are known. Personally, I find it fun to do something out of the ordinary at the inn! Rick Litchfield, your innkeeper

Captain Lord Mansion goes Green! What does that mean?

For some time we at The Captain Lord Mansion and our companion property, The Captain's Garden House, have been very concerned about the chemicals we use for cleaning. This month, after thoughtful research, we switched to "Green Cleaning". The term "Green Cleaning" is often misunderstood. Our effort is composed of environmentally-preferable or reduced risk products combined with our regular, exacting cleaning and maintenance schedule. We believe that we have implemented a properly designed "green" cleaning program and that it will have a positive impact on the health of the employees and guests. The "green" products we are using have the following characteristics:

• No persistent, bioaccummulative or toxic chemicals
• No ozone-depleting compounds
• No or low volatile organic compound content
• No hazardous waste characteristics
• No phosphate or phosphates
• No carcinogens, mutagens or antigens

The benefits of our "Green Cleaning" program using chemicals from the Spartan Chemical Company:

• Improved air quality
• Healthier inn for employees and guests
• Minimized exposure to adverse chemicals
• Reduced water and air pollution
• Reduced packaging waste

Also, we've had an extensive recycling program in effect at the inn for many years. There are small refrigerators in each guest room with complimentary bottled water, sodas and juices. Additionally, we sell wine and champagne. We encourage guests to recycle bottles and cans by placing small, blue recycling containers in each guest room. In addition to material from guest rooms, we collect plastic, glass, cardboard and newspapers from other inn operations for weekly disposal at our local recycling center in Kennebunk. We seem to grow cardboard and newspapers like they were grass! I am amazed at how much waste we produce and recycle each week and the effort required by staff to sort the various materials and haul them to the recycle center. Then, I think positively about how much waste we prevent from being dumped into landfill or being burned!

Additionally, we have converted to low energy use fluorescent light bulbs throughout the inn. However, low energy does not mean you don't have decent light to read by. Every room has plenty of lights and adequate wattage too!

What is Kennebunkport Arts in the Inns?

KENNEBUNKPORT, June 2007 - Artists from Kennebunk and Kennebunkport are partnering with seventeen local area Inns to present the 3nd Annual Art in the Inns, June 1-3, 2007. The Kennebunkport area is famous for its art community and Inns and the combination results in a unique venue for the artists in the beautiful setting of some the finest Inns in Maine.

The award winning artists' portfolios on display in the Inns include oil, watercolor, and acrylic paintings, relief sculptures as well as driftwood sculptures and multi media. The Inns are making a cash contribution to the Brick Store Museum and the Kennebunkport Historical Society and public donations are welcome during the event.

The weekend schedule at the Inns is as follows:

• Saturday June 1: 1-5pm with artist receptions from 3-5m
• Sunday June 2: 12-3pm

The public is invited anytime during the exhibition hours to see the art displays and enjoy the hospitality of the inns. To meet the artist, be sure to attend the receptions in each inn on Saturday afternoon. In most cases, the art is available for purchase. In addition, many of the Inns are offering special rates and packages for this event.

The participating Inns are: Captain Fairfield Inn, Captain Jefferds Inn, Captain Lord Mansion, English Meadows Inn, Kennebunkport Inn, Maine Stay Inn and Cottages, Nonantum Resort, Waldo Emerson Inn.

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28 Reasons to Trust Reservations at The Captain Lord Mansion

Thursday night, May 30, 2007, in a ceremony at The Ivy Manor Inn in Bar Harbor, my wife, Bev Davis and I were pleased and honored to accept our 28th consecutive AAA Four Diamond Award for The Captain Lord Mansion.

The AAA Diamond rating system was first adopted by the Auto Club in 1977. Maine held its first Four Diamond Award ceremony in 1987 at the Black Point Inn in Scarborough. The 1988 award winners were all lodging properties.

The property with the longest history of winning the prestigious Four Diamond Award is the Stage Neck Inn in York Harbor, being awarded the honor for 31 consecutive years. The 28 consecutive years for the Captain Lord Mansion is the second longest period for AAA establishments in Maine.

Also, only about 3% of lodging properties and restaurants in the United States rated by AAA receive the Four Diamond Award. As the rating criteria have strengthened over the years, we've made many many improvements to the inn which help maintain the Captain Lord Mansion in that top 3%.

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