The McDonald's that got Katrinka's attention actually has a pretty nice story behind it. When the fast-food chain was looking to expand to the town of Freeport, they ran into a problem: the Freeport building design restrictions were strict, and the authorities wanted the fast-food giant to maintain the area's aesthetic. To put it simply: no golden arches.
So, McDonald's chose the Gore House that was built by a wealthy local merchant, William Gore, around 1850. At first, the town couldn't decide whether to allow this, but ultimately gave the go-ahead, and it opened in December of 1984. The restaurant retained its style, which the Freeport Historical Society describes as "a mix of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture."
One could walk in and think that this was just another local posh tavern similar to the one across the street. But this restaurant doesn't offer fine steak and craft beer; only Big Macs and Coca-Cola.
