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History of the York Harbor Inn
 To more fully understand
the Inn's place in history, it is helpful to learn a bit about
York's rich and remarkable past. The first settlers came to York
in 1623 and settled at the mouth of the York River. Primarily
English and Scot, they were farmers and fishermen. Their efforts
were successful and the area was growing when in 1692, an Indian
massacre occurred, destroying all but a handful of these
pre-colonial buildings. Through strength and determination the
town was rebuilt and prospered.
 The
picturesque York River was a fluid expressway for merchant ships
during the 1700s. Warehouses lined the riverbanks and as many as
fifty multi-masted ships were anchored in the York River at one
time. During this period John Hancock owned and operated a wharf
and business on the York River behind the York Golf and Tennis
Club. The wharf is still there today operated as a museum and
art gallery by the
Old York Historical Society.
 The
Yorks continued to grow through the 1700s and peaked about
1815. The Industrial Revolution had begun. Competition in New
Hampshire and Massachusetts brought about a decline in the
economy. A fishing community living on the Isles of Shoals, ten
miles off the coast, dismantled their homes and brought them to
Stage Neck at the mouth of the York River, hoping for a better
way of life. (The Neck is directly visible from the main dining
room of the Inn-now the site of the Stage Neck Inn). It was
probably at this time that our post and beam fireplaced "Cabin
Room" (circa 1637) was dismantled by its owners and brought by
barge to York Harbor from the Isles of Shoals where it
 had been
used as a sail loft for the refitting of ships sails.
A second economic boom began in 1871 with the building of the
Marshall House on Stage Neck. This was the beginning of an era.
Over a hundred guest houses and hotels were erected throughout
the years that followed, and the harbor area became a summer
haven for literary and cultural notables and the affluent.
Approximately 550 large homes were built as summer residences.
The York Harbor Inn, then known as the Hillcroft Inn, was
operating as an Inn with a handful of guestrooms, a dining room
and a tavern. The popular lounge was and still is known as "The
Cellar", complete with horse stables converted into cocktail
sitting areas and a functional hitching post outside next to the
Cellar door.
 At
the turn of the century, the area rivaled that of Bar Harbor and
Newport. Trolley and train tracks led vacationers from the four
corners of New England to the southern coast of Maine. The
trolley ran right in front of the Inn and original trolley lamps
hang from the beams of our Cabin Room, recalling that grandiose
era of sunny, seaside resorts.
 The Inn changed ownership in the forties, and was operated by the Colligan family until 1979 when, it was purchased by the
current owners/operators the Dominguez family. The Dominguez'
have continued to build the business, adding a major
addition to the rear in 1988 and refurbishing all of the Inn's
major mechanical and electrical systems, as well as adding a
professional kitchen and redecorating all of the Inn's
guestrooms. The historic building adjacent to the inn on the
west side (circa 1783) was purchased in 1983 and became part of
the Inn, housing 11 guestrooms and is known as the Yorkshire
House.
The Inn continues to grow, providing a variety of services to
traveling and local guests, including fine dining and lodging,
banquet and meeting space, conference facilities and the Ship's
Cellar Pub.
Harbor Cliffs History
½
Harbor Crest History
½
1732 - Rules of the Pub
½
Lodging
York Harbor Inn
Coastal Route 1A (P.O. Box 573)
York Harbor ME 03911
Tel: 207-363-5119
• Fax: 207-363-7151
Reservations: 800-343-3869
info@yorkharborinn.com
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