Future of Wedding Cake House in residents’ hands

To the editor,

July 24, Shirley and I attended the Kennebunk Planning Board’s public hearing on whether a Contract Zone zoning change should be given to the owners of the Wedding Cake House.

We’re 47-year residents of the historic Kennebunk Landing neighborhood, the first 27 years as an upriver direct abutter of the House. I had also written the history of the House, its builder, and The Landing’s preeminent role in Maine shipbuilding and maritime commerce.

George W. Bourne built the late-Federal brick house in late 1824 and then later in the 1850s “decorated” the House in the then popular Gothic Revival style, inspired by the Cathedral of Milan.

I told the board that the, “hearing had as its backdrop, the recent loss (collapse) of one of our earliest antique houses (Barnard Tavern) causing me to shudder when I pass that now almost empty site.”

I shared the insights gained over the past 47 years from three former owners and by witnessing up close the ups, downs, and almost fatal near misses the famed house has experienced. Up to 1983, the House’s “icing” – battlements, turrets, and pinnacles – was 80 percent rotted wood, attached to the house by ship’s ropes tied to the chimneys. Each month, rotten pieces and often parts of whole sections would ooze off, fall, and hit the ground with a loud splat.

In 1983, Mary Burnett came to town on, I believe, a white horse and saved the House: a selfless act done with her own personal funds. I don’t believe she heard many thank yous from us for this rescue.

The next owner, Jimmy Barker, was in love with the House and wanted to share it with the public. He hosted three fundraising tours — Katrina relief and two for our local food banks. The month-long Katrina drive brought in over $70,000, while drawing an estimated 2,000 or more first-time want-to-see-ers.

Events conspired against Jimmy: a devastating Florida fire, a years-long re-permitting process, and his failing health. His death and a multi-year probate left the House empty and defenseless against the elements. Without the deep pockets maintenance, history began repeating itself. Signs of major disrepair and rot reappeared. The iconic Wedding Cake House sign rotted away over a year in three distinct steps. We locals feared the house “icing” was nearing its final end.

We had come to believe that there weren’t any more white horses left out there to bring in a new savior and no buyers who would undertake the exorbitant upkeep of the House. This historic structure continues each year to experience Maine snow and recent destructive ice storms, constant salt-infused high coastal winds, insect infestations, and annual 100-degree temperature swings impacting the fragile wood “icing.”

Despite the condition of the House and the annual challenges, three years ago, Jimmy Barker’s heir, Hunt Edwards and his wife Katie, undertook the daunting rescue project for the House. They could have sold the “as is” House, taken the cash, and walked away, but they didn’t.

The House couldn’t be lived in for the first year. Crucial major structural repairs were first needed to guarantee the survival of the main house, carriage house, and barn. Interior and exterior restoration work on the back and sides took two years, all at a to-date-cost of $750,000.

The restoration work is now coming around to the front and will be dramatically visible to the public, especially the removal of the rotted woodwork and the reconstruction of the corner pinnacles and their new bases. Now directly attached to the house itself, they’re pulling the house apart.

This second phase has an additional estimated cost of $500,000, bringing the renovation costs up to an estimated $1,250,000 figure. Does it make sense now why the owners are asking for the Contract Zone change, so they can properly maintain this Crown Jewel property, which graces the town’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan? The House’s “maintenance, its repair, and its protection” are noted no less than five times in that Comprehensive Plan. This priority was stated less than two years ago. Did those planners foresee this crucial upcoming crossroad’s decision on the future of the Wedding Cake House?

The House has become Hunt and Katie’s Maine home. They will soon be presenting the Kennebunk Planning Board with their comprehensive, highly detailed business plan of operations, which will be a public document. It will be vigorously vetted and voted on by four town boards, and by you, the Kennebunk voters in a town referendum.

It will come to your yes or no vote, which will determine a decade from now, which house will be standing on the 104 Summer St. property: a plain Federal 1824 brick house or the iconic, one-of-kind Wedding Cake House?

Tom and Shirley Murphy

Kennebunk Landing

Library road race a ‘smashing success’

To the editor,

Kennebunk Free Library’s 26th Edition 5K was held on July 14, and it was a smashing success. Among participants, volunteers, sponsors, and community members, we had over 500 people contributing to and enjoying our fundraiser that raised over $55,000.

As a 501c3 nonprofit, each year Kennebunk Free Library needs to raise approximately $200,000 and none of this would be possible without the support of our community members, sponsors, donors, partners, staff, and volunteers.

Thank you for your ongoing support that keeps us a thriving and valuable resource for the community.

Michelle K. Conners, director

Kennebunk Free Library

Public services deserves respect

To the editor,

To begin, thank you to Jameson Davis for her work on the RSU 21 board. Those that take up public office and serve the community deserve our respect and appreciation.

In her resignation letter, Ms. Davis expresses feelings of having been disrespected and her negative perceptions of the board as a whole. It didn’t pass my notice, though, that she makes the case for “open discussion and inclusion” and questions the “diversity of categories” of board members while demeaning DEI. It sounds like she feels that – because of her views – she is now a part of a minority group and is making the case for inclusion. Ms. Davis is a college-educated woman who ran and – was elected – with other college-educated candidates who ran for office.

Her letter notes the makeup of the board being mostly women and, with all caps emphasis, she tells us “everyone has at least one college degree.” Is she suggesting this is a problematic thing for a school board? Does she consider herself part of a problem? Who and what is this observation for? Ms. Davis also presents statistics which include non votes that she co-opts for their potential to be supportive of her argument.

Because it’s impossible to know why certain voters left ballot items blank, her attempt to include those absent votes to bolster her case is not convincing. The letter is a list of resentments that includes reference to district policies that address DEI as chipping away at “the foundation of our society.” I find that to be a vague and fear-evoking assertion of a polarizing culture war sort. Ms. Davis seems to indicate that she has been excluded because of her views. However, by resigning, she has actually excluded herself and thus has deprived those that voted for her the representation that they sought.

No doubt, public service can be difficult, and anyone who serves deserves our respect whether they are women, men, college educated, trade-school graduates or neither. Despite critiques included here, that respect extends to Jameson Davis along with all the other women and men serving on our school board.

Gail Lynde

Kennebunk

 

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