Ogunquit today is a bustling and colorful beach town, known as much for being northern New England’s LGBT+ center as its sweeping beach. We know how the beach got there, but how and when did York’s northern neighbor become an exceptionally accepting place? The answer lies in history.
Just like York, Ogunquit flourished in the late 19th century and early 20th century with the introduction of the electric trolley network — making the sleepy fishing village more closely connected with nearby Boston.
According to “A Century of Color, 1886-1986: Ogunquit Maine’s Art Colony” by Louise Tragard, which you can find and purchase at Ogunquit Museum of American Art, artists were immediately enthralled with the seacoast’s beauty, Some of America’s most well-known artists, from Charles Woodbury to Edward Hopper, painted from the rocky shores of Ogunquit — making the region the center of plein air painting in early 20th century New England.
Ogunquit earned a reputation for attracting bohemian tourists. While galleries and multiple painting schools spread across the village, Ogunquit Playhouse opened in the 1930s drawing an even more interesting cast of characters. A significant portion of this crowd were LGBTQ+ people, interested in relaxation by the beach and taking in the arts.
However, as Gillian Graham writes, this set the stage for a confrontation with less accepting portions of society. In 1975, a group of gay people were thrown out of Valerie’s bar for dancing with their partners. Days later, two dozen protestors gathered outside of the bar to fight for their rights — while anti-gay counter-protestors gathered across the street. Although these protest ended peacefully, they were a pivotal moment in LGBT+ people demanding equality under the law, coming six years after the landmark Stonewall Riots.
Later in the 1980s, a group called “Integrity for Ogunquit” was created to preserve the character of the town. In practice, the group specifically targeted LGBT+ venues and business owners.
While the Ogunquit of today, and the surrounding seacoast area including York, is more more tolerant and accepting, this history from the not-so-distant past reminds us why Pride Month in Maine is important.