Our History

For three generations, we have worked hard to create, nurture, and maintain the historic property that has become so much a part of our family’s legacy. It has taken over 80 years for The Dunes to fully develop into what it is today – one of Maine’s oldest and preeminent cottage resorts. We continually strive to carefully retain the original charm of our buildings even as we’ve added more modern comfort and conveniences. Because when all is said and done, The Dunes experience is really about a return to an earlier, simpler time … about being a living, breathing part of our area’s ongoing history. It’s a history we’re eager to share with you below.

The Dunes on the Waterfront originated with 12 acres of riverfront pastureland purchased by Russell and Beatrice Weare Perkins in 1935.
Four cottages were built initially, and the first guests were welcomed in the summer of 1936.
Visitors would often arrive at the old Wells Railroad Station with their trunks and be shuttled by taxi to The Dunes, where the cottages were rented for the entire season.
Additional cottages were added throughout the 1930’s and 40’s, and Russell and Beatrice joined their guests as in-season residents for many years, managing the property from an office in their summer cottage.
Ongoing remodeling and reconfiguring led to the division and renumbering of many cottages, and two of the current buildings were actually moved to the property from alternate Ogunquit locations in the 1950’s.
Richard, the son of Russell and Beatrice, built a house on the property in 1966 with his wife, Cynthia, and they managed the property together until his death in 1977, when she took over.
Aaron Perkins, Richard’s son, and his wife Cindy became the third-generation of the Perkins family to run the resort in 2000.
After building a new laundry and maintenance building in 1993, Aaron built the current office on the site of the original storage barn.
Aaron and Cindy still own and manage the property today.