Item 70048 - St. Margaret's Church and Old Orchard House, Old Orchard Beach, ca. 1938

Item 70048 - St. Margaret's Church and Old Orchard House, Old Orchard Beach, ca. 1938
Contributed by Boston Public Library
Item 70048
St. Margaret's Church and Old Orchard House, Old Orchard Beach, ca. 1938
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St. Margaret’s Church in Old Orchard, Maine is pictured in this postcard in the foreground with the Old Orchard House hotel further along the road.

St. Margaret’s Church opened as a chapel at the corner of Old Orchard Street and Saco Avenue when a Biddeford pastor determined that Old Orchard Beach needed its own church. It was named in honor of the 11th century Queen Margaret of Scotland, patron saint of the poor. As tourism expanded, the chapel was cut in half in 1915, the sanctuary was moved toward Staple Street, and a new middle section was constructed, more than doubling the capacity. St. Margaret’s officially separated from St. Mary’s Church in Biddeford in 1921, becoming a ward of the Cathedral of Portland. With further renovations and the addition of heating, St. Margaret’s opened as a year-round parish in 1926. The first pastor, Father James J. Mullen, served from 1926 to 1954 as the parish continued to grow to serve both local families and increasing numbers of summer tourists.

The caption reads, "St. Margaret's Church and Old Orchard House, Old Orchard Beach, Maine."

The Tichnor Brothers printing company published this type of postcard circa 1938.

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