17th Century | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century
For the first two thirds of the 1800’s, York struggled economically. The trade embargoes of the War of 1812 damaged the economy of the port in York. The move of the Court House to Alfred in 1832, shifted the shire town status (seat of government) away from York.
York was economically poor entering the Civil War. In the social readjustments following the Civil War, the usual development of unemployment, resulting from the demobilization of the Northern men, presented new problems for the people in the last quarter of this century. Economic fads of all types were offered for the solution of this situation, many of which found followers in this state as the business depression continued. There was a large number of soldiers out of wrk after the Civil War.
The countryside gradually became the highway for wandering men out of work who soon developed into a menace to the safety of the residential population. “Tramps,” the word used to describe them, first appears in 1875 in the town records when 133 of them were accommodated with lodgings that year and furnished with 264 meals. In 1877 the town furnished lodgings for 215 tramps and 430 meals, and in the next year the peak was reached when 421 of the fraternity were given shelter with 842 meals. From that date onward there was a large drop to 50 in 1879 with but 90 meals furnished, and thenceforward the visits of these unfortunates were only casual. The spectacle was new to the people here and became the occasion of numberless jokes and caricatures in the periodicals of that period. The recipients of this emergency assistance were given only a night’s lodging and breakfast and were required to saw wood or to perform some other useful job as recompense for their bed and board.
The economic boost that York so badly needed came in the form of tourists. The first hotel in York Harbor was the Marshall House, built in 1871 by Nathaniel Grant Marshall, on what is now Stage Neck. It was a grand hotel built to attract wealthy tourists and marked the beginning of a hotel development era in the area.
The Industrial Revolution led to the development of railroads, making travel to coastal Maine much easier and more accessible for summer visitors. Victorian-era wealthy tourists traveled to York and enjoyed classic summer vacation activities like visiting the beaches, which were popular even then, and staying in grand Victorian-style homes like those built in the 1800s. Visitors to the area during the 19th century would have been drawn to the same coastal scenery that attracts tourists today, while experiencing the burgeoning tourism industry of the era.
Tourists have been enjoying York's beaches for a long time, with the late1800s being the start of its popularity as a summer resort town. Visitors would have relaxed on the shores, gone for swims, and enjoyed the coastal scenery.
The town's growing popularity led to the construction of many beautiful Victorian homes, some of which were later converted into inns or vacation rentals. Guests stayed in these grand houses to experience the "Old New England" elegance. Wealthy tourists frequently came from large cities to experience a more rustic way of life. They developed the nickname, “Rusticators”.
The area had already established its place in history, with sites like the Old York Gaol attracting visitors who were interested in local history.