Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is a public recreation area centered on a mile-long crescent-shaped beach along the Atlantic coast. Swimming, sunbathing, fishing, sea kayaking, hiking, and winter cross-country skiing make it a year-round destination, even as the beach and nearby Kettle Cove face ongoing erosion from wind and water. Since 1961, the state has operated the park through a lease on 100 acres from a private corporation, and changing lease terms became a major public issue. As one of Maine’s largest revenue-generating parks, it figured in debates over privatization, public access, and possible state purchase of the property.