The Mousam River is believed to take its name from an Indian word whose true meaning has long been lost, though some speculate that Mousam means moose. The riverfront changed over the years. A small gambrel-styled home at 7 Water Street is one of the oldest structures in Kennebunk and was built sometime before 1790 according to old deeds. Another very old structure, the home at 28 Water Street, was built about 1770 by Theodore Lyman on upper Main Street, moved to Summer Street in 1777, and finally moved to Water Street in 1885.
