17th Century | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century
The Cliff House in York, Maine, is a historic oceanfront resort that began as a seaside inn in 1872, founded by Elsie Jane Weare. Originally a family-owned property for generations, it was modernized throughout the years, served as a U.S. Army radar station during World War II, and was sold to new owners in 2014. Today, it is a luxury resort on a 70-acre property overlooking Bald Head Cliff.
The hotel opened in 1872, after Elsie Jane Weare, wife of Captain Theodore Weare, saw the opportunity to capitalize on the upcoming Boston and Maine Railroad spur to York and purchased Bald Head Cliff. Elsie Jane's formula was simple: clean rooms, fine food (provided from the adjacent Weare farm), fresh air, personal hospitality, all in an incomparable scenic location atop of Bald Head Cliff. Elsie planned the hotel, hiring her brother, Captain Charles Perkins, to build it using wood cut from nearby family land and milled in their sawmill on Beach Street in Ogunquit. When the hotel first opened, rates were $6 a night, including three meals. The inn soon came to attract many wealthy families, and guests partook in leisurely activities such as croquet, horseshoe pitching, and card parties. Soon, the Cliff House became a favorite of the era's leading families: the Biddles of Philadelphia, the Havermeyers of New York, and the Cabots and Lodges of Boston. Its reputation spread across the Atlantic, attracting guests from as far away as England and the Continent. The property remained under the Weare family’s ownership for four generations until its sale in 2014.
In the early 1900’s, Elsie’s son, Charles, modernized the hotel, adding features like indoor plumbing, electricity, a gas pump, a theater and a bowling alley. Also, the Oceanview Annex and Colonial Annex were added and included the first private baths in the area.
In the 1940’s, the hotel was closed and used by the Army Corps of Engineers as a radar station and to look for Nazi submarines during World War II.
After the new owners purchased the property in 2014, a significant renovation took place form 2016-2017.