My grandmother Jessie Macfarlane first went to Maine in 1879 when she was 2 years old. She was sent to spend the summer with her grandmother because her own mother had just had twins. They travelled by stagecoach from Montreal.
My first recollection of Maine was when I was about 6 years old when we went to stay with my grandmother at the Seaside Inn at Kennebunk Beach. Many times over the next 20 years we returned to Maine for summer vacations, often to different beaches and sometimes to camp grounds.
When my third daughter was born in 1972 we decided to find a place that could easily accommodate an expanding family. It was before the days of internet, so we contacted the Seaside Inn and they very kindly forwarded a brochure of the Kennebunks to us. After a few false starts and a number of phone calls, we spoke to Doris Reando who owned the Reando/Cummings Cottages. She had just the perfect set-up for us and thus started our 38 years of continuous summer holidays at Goose Rocks Beach. Not only did my nuclear family go to Goose Rocks, but my mother accompanied us yearly until her death in 1990 and my brother and his family spent many years with his young family in various cottages at the beach.
Doris’ mother Mrs. Cummings used to do the rounds with Doris when she checked in every weekend to see that everything was going well. We got to know both wonderful ladies quite well over the years. Mrs. Cummings did the rounds until she passed away at the age of 104!
As anyone who has spent time at Goose Rocks knows, the beach is absolutely perfect for small children. As children often do, they were ice-breakers with other families on the beach. We got to know many of the families who were lucky enough to spend their whole summers there or who were there at the same time as our family. Lifetime friendships have grown out of those contacts. Now my grandchildren are getting to know my friends’ grandchildren.
One of the most exciting days of my life was the day that I received a letter from Doris saying that she was selling the Pretty Penny and that it was mine if I wanted it! That was January 2, 1995. Since owning the Pretty Penny I have had the extreme pleasure of introducing some of my very close friends to the beauty of the beach and the area. After many, many years, my brother and his children returned to the Pretty Penny last summer and renewed their ties to this great beach. My children, all of whom are in the attached pictures, have been to the beach with their children, making it 6 generations of my family who have used this wonderful beach.
I think that Doris Reando and Mrs. Cummings would be absolutely horrified if they knew that a few selfish, self-serving individuals are trying to restrict access to this wonderful beach. These two ladies wanted nothing more than to share their little piece of heaven with people who felt the same way about the beach. Long may their memories live and their wishes be honoured.