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Walker's Point Estate (or the Bush compound) is the summer retreat of the Bush family, in the town of Kennebunkport, Maine. It lies along the Atlantic Ocean in the northeastern United States, on Walker's Point. The estate served as the Summer White House of George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States.

Walker's Point juts out into the ocean in southern Maine approximately midway between the cities of Portland, Maine, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The property was previously known as Point Vesuvius and was home to a Kennebunkport city park called "Damon Park", but has been a Bush retreat for more than a century, starting with Bush's maternal grandfather and great-grandfather, George Herbert Walker and David Davis Walker.

History

The estate was purchased in the late 19th century jointly by Bush's great-grandfather David Davis Walker, and his son, St. Louis banker George Herbert "Bert" Walker. Both built mansions on the point in 1902. D. D. Walker's mansion has since been torn down. In 1921, Dorothy Walker and Prescott Bush were married, and Bert Walker built a "bungalow" on the Point and gave it to them as a wedding present. When Bert died in 1953, his son, George Herbert Walker Jr. ("Herbie"), purchased the property from his father's estate. It was not willed to him. Upon the death of Herbie in 1977, the property again went up for sale and was purchased by his nephew, George H. W. Bush. The estate has since remained in the Bush family.

President Bush spent much of his childhood at the Kennebunkport estate. As an adult, Bush, his wife Barbara, and their children George W., Jeb, Marvin, Neil, Dorothy, and Robin spent most summers at the estate. The estate has been a backdrop of family weddings, holidays, and receptions. While at the "Summer White House," Bush hosted world leaders including Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev for informal and private meetings. As a young man, Bush relocated to Houston, Texas; eventually the Bushes maintained a working residence in Tanglewood, where they spent most of their time.

George H. W. wrote of his memories there to Portland Magazine in 1997 after reading the article "Inventing the Campbells". The Campbells were the heirs to the Palm Beach clothing fortune and had a home in the Kennebunks. "I really enjoyed that article about the Campbells by Colin Sargent, July/August 1997). I remember Connie, Babs, and Bill—remember them well and very favorably. Connie was the glamour girl, all right. When she would flash by in that neat little Chris Craft, blonde hair flying, all us little guys, who were madly in love with her—from afar, that is—used to sigh and dream. We would hang around hoping that this the most glamorous of women would give us a ride in that flashy boat. Barbara was a wonderful girl, too. Just my age—so my friends and I were not quite as intimidated by her as we were by the slightly older Connie. Anyway, your story brought back many happy memories ... President George Bush, Houston, Texas"

Bush's son, the 43rd President, George W. Bush, visited with family in Kennebunkport several times a year during his presidency. His "Summer White House" (also known as the "Western White House") was the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

House and grounds

The estate is situated on a promontory of land called Walker's Point which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. The large central house, built in the New England shingle style, has nine bedrooms, four sitting rooms, an office, a den, a library, a dining room, a kitchen, and various patios and decks. Next to the main house are a four-car garage, a pool, tennis court, dock, boathouse, and guesthouse. There are spacious lawns on either side of the house, on which there is a small sportsfield.

The entrance is gated and guarded by Secret Service officers, though visitors can see the driveway leading up to the main house and a circular driveway, in the middle of which is a large flagpole flying the American flag. When either presidents Bush were present at the compound while in office, the presidential flag was hoisted below the national colors; the flagpole was a popular backdrop for television journalists during the elder Bush's presidency.

The home and contents were substantially damaged by a strong series of storms in late October 1991. The damage was estimated at $300,000–$400,000. The president did receive an undisclosed amount in flood insurance, but he chose not to take a deduction for storm damage on his 1991 tax return to avoid a conflict of interest as he was the one responsible for declaring Maine as a disaster area.

In 2015, it was reported that Jeb Bush was building a home on Walker's Point.

See also

• List of residences of presidents of the United States

References

1. "Inventing the Campbells | PORTLAND MAGAZINE".
2. Direct family sources.
3. "3-Story Waves Heavily Damage Bush Vacation Compound in Southern Maine". The New York Times. November 1, 1991. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
4. Jehl, Douglas (April 16, 1992). "'Millie's Book' Sends Bushes' Income Soaring". Los Angeles Times.
5. "New cottage at Maine compound for Jeb Bush". The Boston Globe. May 23, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2015.

Additional sources

• Bush, George H. W. All the Best
• Kelly, Kitty. Dynasty; the true story of the Bush Family
• George W. Bush White House press reports
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6764809.stm

v t e George H. W. Bush
41st President of the United States (1989–1993) 43rd Vice President of the United States (1981–1989) Director of Central Intelligence (1976–1977) UN Ambassador (1971–1973) U.S. Representative for TX–7 (1967–1971)
Presidency	Transition Inauguration Timeline 1989 1990 1991 1992 January 1993 Environmental policy Soviet Union summits Malta Helsinki Invasion of Panama Chemical Weapons Accord Gulf War 1991 Madrid Conference National Space Council New world order Somali Civil War Unified Task Force Negotiations for the North American Free Trade Agreement Cannabis policy Vomiting incident Broccoli comments White House horseshoe pit Presidential pardons International trips Oval Office desk Cabinet Judicial appointments Thomas Supreme Court candidates controversies Executive orders Presidential proclamations
Life	Presidential Library Bush School of Government and Public Service Walker's Point Estate Post-presidency Death and state funeral
Speeches	Joint session of Congress (1989) State of the Union addresses 1990 1991 1992 Chicken Kiev
Elections	U.S. Senate 1964 1970 U.S. House 1966 1968 Vice Presidential 1980 campaign selection convention election transition 1984 campaign convention election Presidential 1980 campaign primaries 1988 campaign primaries running mate selection convention "a thousand points of light" "Read my lips: no new taxes" debates election 1992 campaign primaries convention debates election Clinton transition
Public image	Saturday Night Live parodies The X-Presidents Presidential Reunion (2010 short film) The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) What It Takes: The Way to the White House (1993) The Silence of the Hams (1994) George Bush: The Life of a Lone Star Yankee (1997) The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty (2004) George H.W. Bush (2008) Bad for Democracy (2008) Family of Secrets (2009) 41: A Portrait of My Father (2014 book) Destiny and Power (2015 book)
Books	A World Transformed (1998) All the Best (1999)
Legacy	Bibliography Presidential Library Medal of Freedom Bush School of Government Reagan Award George Bush Intercontinental Airport USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
Family	Barbara Bush (wife) George W. Bush (son presidency) Pauline Robinson Bush (daughter) Jeb Bush (son) Neil Bush (son) Marvin Bush (son) Dorothy Bush Koch (daughter) Barbara Bush Coyne (granddaughter) Jenna Bush Hager (granddaughter) George P. Bush (grandson) Lauren Bush (granddaughter) Pierce Bush (grandson) Prescott Bush (father) Dorothy Walker Bush (mother) Nancy Walker Bush Ellis (sister) Jonathan Bush (brother) William H. T. Bush (brother) Samuel P. Bush (grandfather) George Herbert Walker (grandfather) James Smith Bush (great-grandfather) Obadiah Bush (great-great-grandfather) Millie (family dog) Sully (service dog)
← Ronald Reagan Bill Clinton → ← Walter Mondale Dan Quayle → Category

v t e George W. Bush
43rd President of the United States (2001–2009) 46th Governor of Texas (1995–2000)
Presidency	Transition 1st inauguration 2nd inauguration Timeline 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 January 2009 Domestic policy Legislation and programs Economic policy Foreign policy International trips Bush Doctrine Russia summits Slovenia Slovakia War in Afghanistan Status of Forces Agreement Patriot Act No Child Left Behind Act Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act USA Freedom Corps Department of Homeland Security Space policy Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty "War on Terror" President's Council on Service and Civic Participation award Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy Email controversy Judicial appointments Supreme Court candidates John Roberts Harriet Miers Samuel Alito controversies Cabinet Pardons Impeachment efforts Executive orders Presidential proclamations Obama transition
Life and legacy	Childhood home Early life and career Presidential library Presidential portrait Military service controversy Killian documents controversy authenticity issues Professional life Governorship of Texas Prairie Chapel Ranch Walker's Point Estate Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
Speeches	Joint session of Congress (Feb 2001) Remarks at the Islamic Center of Washington (2001) Joint session of Congress (September 11 attacks) (2001) Mission Accomplished (2003) State of the Union addresses 2002 ("Axis of evil") 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Elections	U.S. House 1978 Gubernatorial 1994 1998 Presidential 2000 campaign primaries running mate selection convention debates election Bush v. Gore 2004 campaign primaries convention debates election
Public image	Bushisms Nicknames As the subject of books and films Fictionalized portrayals Miss Me Yet? "Yo, Blair"
Books	A Charge to Keep (1999) Decision Points (2010) 41: A Portrait of My Father (2014) Portraits of Courage (2017) Out of Many, One (2021)
Popular culture	Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004 documentary) W. (2008 film)
Family	Laura Bush (wife) Barbara Pierce Bush (daughter) Jenna Bush Hager (daughter) George H. W. Bush (father presidency) Barbara Bush (mother) Robin Bush (sister) Jeb Bush (brother) Neil Bush (brother) Marvin Bush (brother) Dorothy Bush Koch (sister) Barney (dog) Miss Beazley (dog) India (cat) Spot Fetcher (dog)
← Bill Clinton Barack Obama → Category

• Bush family residences
• Houses in York County, Maine
• Presidential homes in the United States
• Buildings and structures in Kennebunkport, Maine
• 1902 establishments in Maine