Scan courtesy of Sturgis
Sturgis writes:
I can see SONOGEE across the bay from my house. It sure ain't what it used to be. An early owner was Frederick Vanderbilt. Though the mansion's second floor was removed, the very large garage is intact - best known, perhaps, for its turntable. Mr. Kent was legandary for his lavish parties, at least one of which featured orchestras in the house, on the lawn and aboard his large yacht. (An elderly summer resident, now deceased, once told me about her visits to the Atwater Kents. She and her husband were always fetched by boat from across the bay.)
Atwater Kent had successive wives, one of which bought an adjoining mansion; now razed and a large hotel complex substituted. The Kents also kept a summer house away from their summer house - several lakeside cottages on one of the larger Island ponds. I attended a party at one about 5 years ago. It was given by Mr. Kent's gay son. I remember he showed me trunks of Kent stuff - most off large yachts as I recall. (Some of this stuff I subsequently arranged to be given to one or two local historical societies.)
Papa Kent eventually sold his Bar Harbor house and moved to Northeast Harbor. When his house there was so it was noted in Maine papers as the highest price ever for a Maine residential property.
I seem to think Atwater Kent summered earlier in Kennebunkport in the house now owned by George Bush, Sr. ??
Jack writes:
The house was built by George Walker in 1903, father of Dorothy Bush, but he could of been a guest there. When I was a kid the Sonogee was just a deserted mansion, of the many back then. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_compound
Laura writes:
In 1910 the Kent family bought The Nesmith Cottage beside St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and drolly named it AtWater’s Edge. ...Atwater’s Edge at Cape Arundel was finally sold to the Horace Liversidge family in 1946 and the house eventually became the rectory for St. Ann’s by the Sea but ask anyone in Kennebunkport, they will tell you its the Atwater Kent’s House.
This article was originally published in The Log, Kennebunkport Historical Society's quarterly publication. Copyright 2001-2006 Sharon Cummins http://kennebunks.tripod.com/atwater%27s_edge.htm
Here's an article with some beautiful photos and a complete history.