KENNEBUNK — Maine Department of Transportation officials are looking for input from area  residents about an upcoming project to rehabilitate a portion of Summer Street in Kennebunk.

The town of Kennebunk has received a $500,000 Municipal Partnership Initiative grant for the rehabilitation of Summer Street between Sea Road and Heath Road. 

In October, the Kennebunk Board of Selectmen received a letter from Julie Senk, historic coordinator in MDOT’s environmental office, asking for resident input regarding the impact the project may have within the project area.

In her letter, Senk said MDOT is attempting to compile data to assess any historic impacts within the project area and along that corridor and within 100 feet of either side of the roadway.

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires agency officials to consider the effects of their actions on historic properties.

A number of homes and properties along the proposed highway rehabilitation route date back to the 18th century, including what is now Bibber Memorial Chapel at the corner of Summer Street and Sea Road.

That site originally fell within the old Kennebunk District of Wells and was part of an early grant made to Thomas Muzzey by the town and then later purchased by early Kennebunk settler Waldo Emerson. 

In 1773, Emerson sold the property to Joseph Churchill, who built a store there for early settlers of the region.

Churchill sold the site to Moses Hubbard in 1776, and 11 years later Hubbard sold five acres with buildings on the site to Daniel Wise in 1787. 

Wise built a home on the property and upon his death in 1843 it was passed on to his wife Hannah and then in 1848 to the couple’s son, George Wise. He extensively remodeled the home in 1868 and it eventually became Bibber Memorial Chapel.

Another historic home along the proposed highway project route is the Hugh McCullough House, which was built in the Georgian architectural style in 1782.

The McCulloch House is situated within the Kennebunk Historic District and was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

The Waldo Emerson Inn also is adjacent to the Summer Street project and is a former colonial inn  containing 265-year-old hand-sewn oak timbers and was built in 1753.

Kennebunk residents are encouraged to send any information, comments or concerns in regards to historic properties along the highway rehabilitation route to julie.senk@maine.gov or by contacting Kyle Hall of the MDOT at kyle.hall@maine.gov.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.