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EspañolPORTLAND, MAINE
(Redirected from Portland (Maine))
'Portland' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine, with a 2004 population of 63,882. Portland is Maine's cultural, social and economic capital. Tourists are drawn to Portland's historic Old Port district along Portland Harbor, which is at the mouth of the Fore River and part of Casco Bay. Portland Head Light in nearby Cape Elizabeth is also a popular tourist draw.
The city seal depicts a phoenix rising out of ashes, which goes with its motto, ''Resurgam'', Latin for "I will rise again", in reference to Portland's recoveries from four devastating fires.[1] The city of Portland, Oregon, was named for Portland, Maine.[2]
The Portland Public School District is the largest school system in Maine. The city is also the county seat of Cumberland County.
Portland was originally called "'Machigonne'" by the native people who first lived there. It was settled by the English in 1632 as a fishing and trading settlement and renamed Casco. In 1658 its name was changed again, this time to "Falmouth." A monument at the end of Congress Street where it meets the Eastern Promenade is a tribute to the four historical names for Portland.
In 1675, the village was completely destroyed by the Wampanoag people during King Philip's War. The community was rebuilt, to be destroyed by the same natives again several years later. On October 18, 1775, the community was destroyed yet again, bombarded during the American Revolutionary War by the Royal Navy under command of Captain Henry Mowat.[3]
Following the war, a section of Falmouth called "The Neck" developed as a commercial port and began to grow rapidly as a shipping center. In 1786, the citizens of Falmouth formed a separate town in Falmouth Neck and named it "Portland." Portland's economy was greatly stressed by the Embargo Act of 1807 (prohibition of trade with the British) and the War of 1812. In 1820 Maine became a state and Portland was selected as its capital. By this time both the Embargo Act and the war had ended, and Portland's economy began to recover. In 1832 the capital was moved to Augusta.
Portland was a center for protests concerning the Maine law of 1851 culminating in the Portland Rum Riot on June 2, 1855.
The Great Fire of July 4, 1866, ignited during the Independence Day celebration, destroyed most of the commercial buildings in the city, half the churches and hundreds of homes. More than 10,000 people were left homeless. After this fire, Portland was rebuilt with brick and took on a Victorian appearance. Citizens began building huge Victorian mansions along the city's Western Promenade.
The quality and style of architecture in Portland is in large part due to the succession of well-known 19th-century architects who worked in the city. Alexander Parris (1780–1852) arrived about 1800 and left Portland with numerous Federal style buildings, although some would be lost in the 1866 fire. Charles A. Alexander (1822–1882) provided many designs for Victorian mansions. Henry Rowe (1810–1870) specialized in Gothic cottages. George M. Harding (1827–1910) designed many of the commercial buildings in Portland's Old Port, as well as many of Portland's ornate residential buildings. Around the turn of the century Frederick A. Tompson (1857–1906) designed many of Portland's residential buildings.
But by far the most influential and prolific architects of the Western Promenade area were Francis Fassett (1823–1906) and John Calvin Stevens (1855–1940). He was commissioned to build the Maine General Building (now a wing of the Maine Medical Center) and the Williston West Church as well as several schools and his own home. From the early 1880s to the 1930s Stevens worked in a wide range of styles from the Queen Anne and Romanesque popular at the beginning of his career, to the Mission Revival Style of the 1920s, but the architect is best known for his pioneering efforts in the Shingle and Colonial Revival styles, examples of which abound in this area.
The Victorian style architecture, which was popular during Portland's rebuilding, has been preserved very well by an emphasis on preservation on the part of the city government. In 1982 the area was entered on the National Register of Historic Places. In modern lifestyle surveys, it is often cited as one of America's best small cities to live in.
The erection of the Maine Mall, an indoor shopping center established in the suburb of South Portland during the 1970s, had a significant effect on Portland's downtown. Department stores and other major franchises, many from Congress Street or Free Street, either moved to the nearby mall or went out of business. This was a mixed blessing for locals, protecting the city's character (chain stores are often uninterested in it now) but led to a number of empty storefronts. Residents had to venture out of town for certain products and services no longer available on the peninsula.
Since the mid-1990s, Maine College of Art has been a revitalizing force in the downtown area, bringing in students from around the country, and restoring the historic Porteous building on Congress Street as its main facility. The school has also maintained the Baxter Building, once home to the city's public library, as a computer lab and photography studio.
Portland is currently experiencing a building boom, though much more controlled and conservative than a previous building boom during the 1980s. In recent years, Congress Street has become home to more stores and eateries, spurred on by the expanding Maine College of Art and the conversion of office buildings to high-end condos. Rapid development is occurring in the city's historically industrial Bayside neighborhood, as well as the emerging harborside Ocean Gateway neighborhood at the base of Munjoy Hill.[4][5][6]
★ Ranked #6 on Relocate America's Top 10 Places to Live in 2007.[7]
★ Ranked #12 in the world by Frommer's in its list of Top Travel Destinations for 2007.[8]
★ Ranked #20 in ''Inc. Magazine'' 2006 ''Boom Town List of Hottest Cities for Entrepreneurs''.
★ Ranked #7 on the 2005 list of the ''100 Best Art Towns in America''. (The Countryman Press, April 2005)
★ Named #15 in medium sized ''Top U.S. Cities for Doing Business''. In the overall category of small, medium and large cities combined, out of 25,000 cities examined, Portland ranked #32. (''INC. Magazine'', May 2005)
★ Named #1 ''Top Market in Small Business Vitality''. The study suggests Portland to be the strongest small-business sector of any large metropolitan area in the United States and ranked it as the hottest small business market in which to develop a company. (''American City Business Journals'', January 2005)
★ Named #14 in ''Best Performing Cities'' index, for its economic vitality based on measures that include employment and salary growth, with an emphasis on high-tech industries. (Milken Institute, California, November 2004).
A complete list of honors can be found at the City of Portland Economic Developement Center website.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 136.2 km² (52.6 mi²). 54.9 km² (21.2 mi²) of it is land and 81.2 km² (31.4 mi²) of it (59.65%) is water. Portland is located on a peninsula beside Casco Bay on the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean.
Portland borders South Portland, Westbrook and Falmouth. The city is located at 43.66713 N, 70.20717 W.
[9]
Portland is organized into neighborhoods that are generally recognized by residents, but have no legal or political significance. City signage does, in many cases, name various neighborhoods or intersections (which are often called corners). Some city neighborhoods have a local neighborhood association whose self-appointed responsibility is to liaise with the city government on issues affecting the neighborhood.
Several neighborhoods incorporate the name "Deering" in some way. This is a result of the 1899 merger of Portland with the neighboring city of Deering, which comprised the northern and eastern sections of the city prior to the merger. Deering High School is also so named as it was formerly the public high school for Deering.
★ Bayside
★ Bradley's Corner
★ Cushing's Island
★ Deering Center
★ Downtown
★ East Deering
★ East Bayside
★ East End
★ Eastern Cemetery
★ Great Diamond Island
★ Highlands
★ Kennedy Park
★ Libbytown
★ Lunt's Corner
★ Morrill's Corner
★ Munjoy Hill
★ North Deering
★ Oakdale
★ Old Port
★ Parkside
★ Peaks Island
★ Riverton
★ Rosemont
★ Stroudwater
★ West End
★ Woodford's Corner
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,250 people, 29,714 households, and 13,549 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,169.6/km² (3,029.2/mi²). There were 31,862 housing units at an average density of 580.0/km² (1,502.2/mi²).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Portland's immediate metropolitan area ranked 147th in the nation in 2000 with a population of 243,537, while the Portland/South Portland/Biddeford greater metropolitan area included 489,343 total inhabitants. This has increased to an estimated 510,791 inhabitants as of 2004. Much of this increase in population has been due to growth in the city's southern and western suburbs.
The racial makeup of the city was 91.27% White, 3.08% Asian, 2.59% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.
There were 29,714 households out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.4% were non-families. 40.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 36.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,650, and the median income for a family was $48,763. Males had a median income of $31,828 versus $27,173 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,698. About 21.7% of families and 34.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.0% of those under age 18 and 21.9% of those age 65 or over.
Due to being Maine's largest city, its proximity to Boston and having the state's largest port, Portland has become Maine's economic capital. The local economy has shifted over the years from relying primarily on fishing, manufacturing and agriculture towards a much more service-based economy. Most national financial services organizations with significant operations in the state have their Maine base here, such as Bank of America, Key Bank, Fidelity Investments, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and Aetna. Several notable companies headquartered or partially headquartered here include: Unum, TD Banknorth, Maine Bank & Trust, ImmuCell Corp, and Pioneer Telephone. Several other notable companies that have an impact on the Greater Portland economy are located in the suburbs of South Portland, Westbrook and Scarborough.
Portland has a low unemployment level when compared to national averages and the state average. Portland and surrounding communities also have higher median incomes than most other Maine communities.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2005 Annual Table Report, the Port of Portland ranked as:
★ The largest foreign inbound tonnage transit port in the United States;
★ the largest tonnage port in New England;
★ The 25th largest port in the United States; and
★ The largest oil port on the US East Coast.
The ''Portland Pipeline'', a crude oil pipeline that stretches from Portland to Montreal, was a major contributing factor in these rankings.
The spire of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception has been a notable feature of the Portland skyline since its completion in 1854. In 1859, Ammi B. Young designed the Marine Hospital, the first of three local works by Supervising Architects of the U.S. Treasury Department. Although the city lost to redevelopment the 1868 Greek Revival Portland Post Office by Isaiah Rogers, it retains the equally monumental 1873 Italianate Portland Custom House by Alfred B. Mullett. Another significant structure is at 477 Congress Street, a 14-story commercial building completed in 1924, and known to locals as the Time & Temperature Building due to a large electronic sign on the top of the building that has flashed that data for decades.
A more recent building of note is Franklin Towers, a 17-story residential tower completed in 1969 and regarded as Portland's tallest building. During the building boom of the 1980s, several new buildings rose on the peninsula, including the 1983 Charles Shipman Payson Building by Henry R. Cobb of I.M. Pei at the Portland Museum of Art, and the Back Bay Tower, a 15-story residential building completed in 1990.[10]
''See also''
★ Portland Public Schools
★ List of Portland, ME schools
★ Andover College
★ Maine College of Art
★ University of Maine School of Law
★ University of New England (Westbrook College Campus)
★ University of Southern Maine
★ Casco Bay High School (public-expeditionary)
★ Catherine McAuley High School (private)
★ Cheverus High School (private)
★ Deering High School (public)
★ Portland Arts & Technology High School (public-vocational)
★ Portland High School (public)
★ Waynflete School (private)
Downtown Arts District, centered around Congress Street, is home to the Portland Museum of Art, Portland Stage Company, Maine College of Art, Children's Museum of Maine, SPACE Gallery, Merrill Auditorium, and Portland Symphony Orchestra, as well as many smaller art galleries and studios.
Baxter Boulevard around Back Cove, Deering Oaks Park, the Eastern Promenade, Lincoln Park, Riverton Park and the Western Promenade are all historical parks within the city. Other parks and natural spaces include Payson Park, Post Office Park, Baxter Woods, Evergreen Cemetery and the Fore River Sanctuary. The non-profit organization Portland Trails also maintains an expansive network of walking and hiking trails throughout the city and neighboring communities.
Other sites of interest include:
★ Casco Bay Islands, including the Casco Bay Lines
★ Cumberland County Civic Center, home of the Portland Pirates.
★ Eastland Park Hotel
★ East End Beach
★ Exchange Street (the "Old Port" area)
★ Hadlock Field, home to the Portland Sea Dogs.
★ Longfellow Arboretum
★ Maine Mall
★ Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad
★ Martin's Point
★ Old Port Exchange
★ The Portland Club
★ Portland Conservatory of Music
★ Portland Financial District
★ Portland Head Light Lighthouse
★ Portland Observatory
★ University of Southern Maine (USM)
★ Victoria Mansion (Morse-Libby House)
★ Wadsworth-Longfellow House
★ Shaarey Tphiloh Synagogue
Portland is home to a concentration of broadcast and publishing companies, advertising agencies, web designers and commercial photography studios.
The city is served by a daily newspaper, the ''The Portland Press Herald'', every day except for Sunday when the ''Maine Sunday Telegram'' is printed. The ''Maine Sunday Telegram'' is published by Blethen Maine Newspapers, which publishes the ''Portland Press Herald'' and the free weekly lifestyle magazine ''The Maine SWITCH''.
Portland is also home to ''The Portland Phoenix'', a weekly alternative newspaper, published by the Phoenix Media/Communications Group which is distributed free every Wednesday throughout greater Portland. ''The Phoenix'' also publishes the quarterly lifestyle magazine, ''Portland {STYLE}''.
Other publications include ''The Portland Forecaster'', a community newspaper published by the Sun Journal, ''The Bollard '', ''The West End News'', ''Portland {STYLE}'' ''The Blue Room'', ''The Munjoy Hill Observer'', ''The Baysider'', ''The Waterfront'' and ''The Companion'', a ''GLBT'' publication.
The Portland broadcast media market is the largest one in Maine in both radio and television. A whole host of radio options are available in Portland, including WFNK (Classic Hits), WJAB (Sports), WTHT (Country), WBQW (Classical), WHXR (Rock), WHOM (Adult Contemporary), WJBQ (Top 40), 98.9 WCLZ (Adult Album Alternative), WBLM (Classic Rock), and WCYY (Modern Rock). WMPG is a local non-commercial radio station, run by community members and the University of Southern Maine.
The area is served by local television stations representing most of the television networks. These stations include WCSH 6 (NBC), WMTW 8 (ABC), WGME 13 (CBS), WPFO 23 (FOX), WPME 35 (MyNetworkTV), and WPXT 51 (The CW). There is no PBS affiliate licensed to the city of Portland but the market is served by WCBB Channel 10 in Augusta and WMEA Channel 26 Biddeford.
Portland and its suburbs are the subjects of two monthly lifestyle magazines ''Portland'' and ''Port City Life''.
The city is home to two minor league teams. The AA Portland Sea Dogs, a farm team of the Boston Red Sox, play at Hadlock Field. Additionally, there are the American Hockey League Portland Pirates. Skating at the Cumberland County Civic Center, they are an affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.
The Portland Sports Complex, located off of Park Ave. and Brighton Ave. near I-295 and Deering Oaks park, houses several of the city's stadiums and arenas, including:
★ Hadlock Field - baseball (Capacity 7,368)
★ Fitzpatrick Stadium - football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, and outdoor track (Capacity 6,000+ seated)
★ Portland Exposition Building - basketball, indoor track, concerts and trade shows (Capacity 2,000)
★ Portland Ice Arena - hockey and figure skating (Capacity 400)
The Portland area has eleven professional golf courses, 124 tennis courts, and 95 playgrounds. There are also over 100 miles (160 km) of nature trails.
The downtown and Old Port districts have a high concentration of eating and drinking establishments, with many more to be found throughout the rest of the peninsula, outlying neighborhoods, and neighboring communities. Local lore holds that Portland ranks among the top U.S. cities in restaurants and bars per capita. According to the Maine Restaurant Association, Portland is currently home to about 230 restaurants.[11]
Portland has also developed a national reputation for the quality of its restaurants and eateries. In the spring of 2007, Portland was nominated as one of three finalists for "Delicious Destination of the Year" at the 2007 Food Network Awards.[12] Many local chefs have also gained national notoriety over the past few years.[13] [14]
The city and outlying region played host to Rachael Ray in an episode of her Food Network Series $40 A Day.
Portland is home to a number of microbreweries and brewpubs, including the D. L. Geary Brewing Company, Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company, Shipyard Brewing Company, Casco Bay Brewing Co. and Allagash Brewing Company.
Portland is the birthplace of the "Italian sandwich." Southern Maine’s signature sandwich, it is called simply "an Italian" by locals. Italian sandwiches are available at many stores, but most famously at Amato's delicatessens, which claims to have originated the sandwich (hence the name).[1]
Maine Medical Center is the largest hospital in Maine and is continuing to expand its campus and services. Mercy Hospital, a faith-based hospital, is the fourth-largest hospital in the state and began construction on its new campus along the Fore River in late 2006. The project is expected to be constructed in several phases, with completion of the first phase scheduled for 2008.[2]
Two formerly independent hospitals within the city are now being utilized in a different manner. The former Brighton Medical Center is now owned by Maine Medical Center, housing a minor emergency room and care center under the name Brighton First Care. The former Portland General Hospital is now home to the Barron Center nursing facility.
Portland is accessible from I-95 (the Maine Turnpike), I-295, and U.S. Route 1. U.S. Route 302, a major travel route and scenic highway between Maine and Vermont, has its eastern terminus in Portland.
Concord Trailways bus service connects Portland to 14 other communtities in Maine as well as Boston's South Station and Logan Airport. Amtrak's Downeaster train service connects the city with Boston via coastal New Hampshire. Both bus and train can be found at the Portland Transportation Center on Thompson Point Road.
Commercial air service is provided by Portland International Jetport, which is located west of the city's downtown district.
Ferry service is available year-round to many destinations in Casco Bay. Since May 22, 2006, ''The Cat'' high speed ferry has offered car ferry service to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, making the trip in five hours. Until 2005, Scotia Prince Cruises had offered service that took eleven hours.
The Portland Explorer is a service that connects various transportation centers within the city. METRO provides public bus transit throughout Portland and the surrounding area.
★ Edville Gerhardt Abbott (1871-1938), surgeon
★ James Alden, Jr., former Rear Admiral in the United States Navy[15]
★ Bebe Buell, model, actress, musician, & mother of Liv Tyler
★ Cyrus Curtis, publisher & philanthropist
★ Nik Caner-Medley, basketball player
★ Howie Carr, radio personality (born at Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary)
★ Joshua Chamberlain, civil war hero, governor, served later in life as Surveyor of the Port, Portland. Maintained a house on Back Bay
★ Charles Codman, early American painter
★ Ian Crocker, Olympic swimmer
★ Patrick Dempsey, actor
★ Neal S. Dow, Mayor of Portland, Union Army general, Temperance Movement leader
★ Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
★ John Eder, Politician and Green Party organizer
★ William Pitt Fessenden, senator
★ Frank Fixaris, sportscaster
★ John Ford, director
★ Jeremiah Hacker, journalist & reformer
★ Fletcher Hale, United States Representative from New Hampshire.
★ B.E. Hart, comic artist & painter
★ Daniel Lee James, extreme travel writer
★ Stephen King, writer (born here, now lives in Bangor, Maine)
★ Linda Lavin, actress
★ Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, Jr., architect
★ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet
★ Bob Ludwig, Grammy Award winning audio mastering engineer
★ John Lynch, U.S. Representative
★ John MacVane, news correspondent
★ Bob Marley, comedian
★ Andrea Martin, actress
★ Holman S. Melcher, mayor, Civil War hero
★ George Mitchell, US Senate Majority Leader, ex-chairman of Walt Disney. Practiced law in Portland 1965–1977, Assistant County Attorney; Cumberland County 1971
★ Doug Morton, musician/producer
★ John Neal, author & critic
★ Judd Nelson, actor
★ Alexander Parris, architect
★ Lincoln Peirce, comic strip creator - ''Big Nate''
★ Quinton Porter, NFL quarterback, Houston Texans
★ Thomas Brackett Reed -- "Czar Reed," U.S. Representative and Speaker of the House
★ Victoria Rowell, actress
★ Joan Benoit Samuelson Olympic marathon gold medalist
★ Stuart Saunders Smith, composer and percussionist
★ Ronald Speirs, Easy Company, 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment officer
★ Liv Tyler, actress
★ Peleg Wadsworth, Revolutionary War general
★ Charles W. Walton, was a United States Representative from Maine
★ Jonathan Woodward, actor
★ ''The Preacher's Wife''
★ ''The Man Without a Face''
★ ''Message in a Bottle (film)''
★ ''Thinner''
★ ''Shawshank Redemption''
★ ''Sixteen Stories''
★ ''Hero for a Day''
Portland has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
★ Shinagawa, Japan
★ Arkhangelsk, Russia
★ Cap-Haïtien, Haiti
★ Mytilene, Greece
★ List of mayors of Portland, Maine
1. http://www.mainehistory.org/pdf/Falmouth_Fire.pdf
2. Portland: The Town that was Almost Boston
3. Jedediah Preble letter on Mowat kidnapping, 1775
4. Bayside is a journey of many 'next steps'
5. Riverwalk: Parking garage due to rise; luxury condos to follow Kelley Bouchard
6. An urban vision rises in Bayside Tux Turkel
7. http://top100.relocate-america.com/
8. Frommer's Top Travel Destinations for 2007
9. Monthly Averages for Portland, ME, Retrieved December 20, 2006.
10. Greater Portland Area 2006 Office Market Survey CB Richard Ellis/The Boulos Company
11. Portland diners keep fast-food urges under control Josie Huang
12. Portland has taste of food fame, but the other Portland is served Meredith Goad
13. Food could put Portland on the map Meredith Goad
14. Where chefs come to shine Meredith Goad
15. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896, , , , Marquis Who's Who, ,
★ City of Portland
★ History of Portland
★ Portland Public Schools
★ Greater Portland Casco Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau
★ Portland's Downtown District
★ MaineToday.com - Local information, blogs, entertainment, breaking news
★ myMaineToday.com - Portland news and photos posted by local people
★ Port of Portland
★ Portland, Maine Transportation Page
★ Portland Museum of Art
★ Portland Public Library
★ Portland Symphony Orchestra
★ Movies filmed in Maine
★ Portland travel guide at Wikitravel
'Portland' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine, with a 2004 population of 63,882. Portland is Maine's cultural, social and economic capital. Tourists are drawn to Portland's historic Old Port district along Portland Harbor, which is at the mouth of the Fore River and part of Casco Bay. Portland Head Light in nearby Cape Elizabeth is also a popular tourist draw.
The city seal depicts a phoenix rising out of ashes, which goes with its motto, ''Resurgam'', Latin for "I will rise again", in reference to Portland's recoveries from four devastating fires.[1] The city of Portland, Oregon, was named for Portland, Maine.[2]
The Portland Public School District is the largest school system in Maine. The city is also the county seat of Cumberland County.
History
City Hall c. 1910
Portland was originally called "'Machigonne'" by the native people who first lived there. It was settled by the English in 1632 as a fishing and trading settlement and renamed Casco. In 1658 its name was changed again, this time to "Falmouth." A monument at the end of Congress Street where it meets the Eastern Promenade is a tribute to the four historical names for Portland.
In 1675, the village was completely destroyed by the Wampanoag people during King Philip's War. The community was rebuilt, to be destroyed by the same natives again several years later. On October 18, 1775, the community was destroyed yet again, bombarded during the American Revolutionary War by the Royal Navy under command of Captain Henry Mowat.[3]
Following the war, a section of Falmouth called "The Neck" developed as a commercial port and began to grow rapidly as a shipping center. In 1786, the citizens of Falmouth formed a separate town in Falmouth Neck and named it "Portland." Portland's economy was greatly stressed by the Embargo Act of 1807 (prohibition of trade with the British) and the War of 1812. In 1820 Maine became a state and Portland was selected as its capital. By this time both the Embargo Act and the war had ended, and Portland's economy began to recover. In 1832 the capital was moved to Augusta.
Portland was a center for protests concerning the Maine law of 1851 culminating in the Portland Rum Riot on June 2, 1855.
The Great Fire of July 4, 1866, ignited during the Independence Day celebration, destroyed most of the commercial buildings in the city, half the churches and hundreds of homes. More than 10,000 people were left homeless. After this fire, Portland was rebuilt with brick and took on a Victorian appearance. Citizens began building huge Victorian mansions along the city's Western Promenade.
First National Bank, Middle and Exchange Streets, c. 1910
The quality and style of architecture in Portland is in large part due to the succession of well-known 19th-century architects who worked in the city. Alexander Parris (1780–1852) arrived about 1800 and left Portland with numerous Federal style buildings, although some would be lost in the 1866 fire. Charles A. Alexander (1822–1882) provided many designs for Victorian mansions. Henry Rowe (1810–1870) specialized in Gothic cottages. George M. Harding (1827–1910) designed many of the commercial buildings in Portland's Old Port, as well as many of Portland's ornate residential buildings. Around the turn of the century Frederick A. Tompson (1857–1906) designed many of Portland's residential buildings.
But by far the most influential and prolific architects of the Western Promenade area were Francis Fassett (1823–1906) and John Calvin Stevens (1855–1940). He was commissioned to build the Maine General Building (now a wing of the Maine Medical Center) and the Williston West Church as well as several schools and his own home. From the early 1880s to the 1930s Stevens worked in a wide range of styles from the Queen Anne and Romanesque popular at the beginning of his career, to the Mission Revival Style of the 1920s, but the architect is best known for his pioneering efforts in the Shingle and Colonial Revival styles, examples of which abound in this area.
The Victorian style architecture, which was popular during Portland's rebuilding, has been preserved very well by an emphasis on preservation on the part of the city government. In 1982 the area was entered on the National Register of Historic Places. In modern lifestyle surveys, it is often cited as one of America's best small cities to live in.
The erection of the Maine Mall, an indoor shopping center established in the suburb of South Portland during the 1970s, had a significant effect on Portland's downtown. Department stores and other major franchises, many from Congress Street or Free Street, either moved to the nearby mall or went out of business. This was a mixed blessing for locals, protecting the city's character (chain stores are often uninterested in it now) but led to a number of empty storefronts. Residents had to venture out of town for certain products and services no longer available on the peninsula.
Since the mid-1990s, Maine College of Art has been a revitalizing force in the downtown area, bringing in students from around the country, and restoring the historic Porteous building on Congress Street as its main facility. The school has also maintained the Baxter Building, once home to the city's public library, as a computer lab and photography studio.
Portland is currently experiencing a building boom, though much more controlled and conservative than a previous building boom during the 1980s. In recent years, Congress Street has become home to more stores and eateries, spurred on by the expanding Maine College of Art and the conversion of office buildings to high-end condos. Rapid development is occurring in the city's historically industrial Bayside neighborhood, as well as the emerging harborside Ocean Gateway neighborhood at the base of Munjoy Hill.[4][5][6]
Honors
★ Ranked #6 on Relocate America's Top 10 Places to Live in 2007.[7]
★ Ranked #12 in the world by Frommer's in its list of Top Travel Destinations for 2007.[8]
★ Ranked #20 in ''Inc. Magazine'' 2006 ''Boom Town List of Hottest Cities for Entrepreneurs''.
★ Ranked #7 on the 2005 list of the ''100 Best Art Towns in America''. (The Countryman Press, April 2005)
★ Named #15 in medium sized ''Top U.S. Cities for Doing Business''. In the overall category of small, medium and large cities combined, out of 25,000 cities examined, Portland ranked #32. (''INC. Magazine'', May 2005)
★ Named #1 ''Top Market in Small Business Vitality''. The study suggests Portland to be the strongest small-business sector of any large metropolitan area in the United States and ranked it as the hottest small business market in which to develop a company. (''American City Business Journals'', January 2005)
★ Named #14 in ''Best Performing Cities'' index, for its economic vitality based on measures that include employment and salary growth, with an emphasis on high-tech industries. (Milken Institute, California, November 2004).
A complete list of honors can be found at the City of Portland Economic Developement Center website.
Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 136.2 km² (52.6 mi²). 54.9 km² (21.2 mi²) of it is land and 81.2 km² (31.4 mi²) of it (59.65%) is water. Portland is located on a peninsula beside Casco Bay on the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean.
Portland borders South Portland, Westbrook and Falmouth. The city is located at 43.66713 N, 70.20717 W.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F (°C) | 31 (-1) | 34 (1) | 42 (6) | 53 (12) | 63 (17) | 73 (23) | 79 (26) | 77 (25) | 69 (21) | 58 (14) | 47 (8) | 36 (2) | 55 (13) |
| Avg low °F (°C) | 12 (-11) | 16 (-9) | 25 (-4) | 35 (2) | 44 (7) | 53 (12) | 59 (15) | 57 (14) | 49 (9) | 37 (3) | 30 (-1) | 19 (-7) | 36 (3) |
| Rainfall in inches (millimeters) | 4.09 (103.9) | 3.14 (79.8) | 4.14 (105.2) | 4.26 (108.2) | 3.82 (97.0) | 3.28 (83.3) | 3.32 (84.3) | 3.05 (77.5) | 3.37 (85.6) | 4.40 (111.8) | 4.72 (119.9) | 4.24 (107.7) | 45.83 (1164.2) |
Neighborhoods
Eastern Promenade Park, overlooking Casco Bay
Waterfront
East End
Portland is organized into neighborhoods that are generally recognized by residents, but have no legal or political significance. City signage does, in many cases, name various neighborhoods or intersections (which are often called corners). Some city neighborhoods have a local neighborhood association whose self-appointed responsibility is to liaise with the city government on issues affecting the neighborhood.
Several neighborhoods incorporate the name "Deering" in some way. This is a result of the 1899 merger of Portland with the neighboring city of Deering, which comprised the northern and eastern sections of the city prior to the merger. Deering High School is also so named as it was formerly the public high school for Deering.
★ Bayside
★ Bradley's Corner
★ Cushing's Island
★ Deering Center
★ Downtown
★ East Deering
★ East Bayside
★ East End
★ Eastern Cemetery
★ Great Diamond Island
★ Highlands
★ Kennedy Park
★ Libbytown
★ Lunt's Corner
★ Morrill's Corner
★ Munjoy Hill
★ North Deering
★ Oakdale
★ Old Port
★ Parkside
★ Peaks Island
★ Riverton
★ Rosemont
★ Stroudwater
★ West End
★ Woodford's Corner
Demographics
Gun recovered from the USS Maine on Munjoy Hill
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,250 people, 29,714 households, and 13,549 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,169.6/km² (3,029.2/mi²). There were 31,862 housing units at an average density of 580.0/km² (1,502.2/mi²).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Portland's immediate metropolitan area ranked 147th in the nation in 2000 with a population of 243,537, while the Portland/South Portland/Biddeford greater metropolitan area included 489,343 total inhabitants. This has increased to an estimated 510,791 inhabitants as of 2004. Much of this increase in population has been due to growth in the city's southern and western suburbs.
The racial makeup of the city was 91.27% White, 3.08% Asian, 2.59% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.
There were 29,714 households out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.4% were non-families. 40.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 36.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,650, and the median income for a family was $48,763. Males had a median income of $31,828 versus $27,173 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,698. About 21.7% of families and 34.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.0% of those under age 18 and 21.9% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Fishing Vessels c. 1908
Due to being Maine's largest city, its proximity to Boston and having the state's largest port, Portland has become Maine's economic capital. The local economy has shifted over the years from relying primarily on fishing, manufacturing and agriculture towards a much more service-based economy. Most national financial services organizations with significant operations in the state have their Maine base here, such as Bank of America, Key Bank, Fidelity Investments, Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and Aetna. Several notable companies headquartered or partially headquartered here include: Unum, TD Banknorth, Maine Bank & Trust, ImmuCell Corp, and Pioneer Telephone. Several other notable companies that have an impact on the Greater Portland economy are located in the suburbs of South Portland, Westbrook and Scarborough.
Portland has a low unemployment level when compared to national averages and the state average. Portland and surrounding communities also have higher median incomes than most other Maine communities.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2005 Annual Table Report, the Port of Portland ranked as:
★ The largest foreign inbound tonnage transit port in the United States;
★ the largest tonnage port in New England;
★ The 25th largest port in the United States; and
★ The largest oil port on the US East Coast.
The ''Portland Pipeline'', a crude oil pipeline that stretches from Portland to Montreal, was a major contributing factor in these rankings.
Notable buildings
Old Post Office c. 1905
The spire of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception has been a notable feature of the Portland skyline since its completion in 1854. In 1859, Ammi B. Young designed the Marine Hospital, the first of three local works by Supervising Architects of the U.S. Treasury Department. Although the city lost to redevelopment the 1868 Greek Revival Portland Post Office by Isaiah Rogers, it retains the equally monumental 1873 Italianate Portland Custom House by Alfred B. Mullett. Another significant structure is at 477 Congress Street, a 14-story commercial building completed in 1924, and known to locals as the Time & Temperature Building due to a large electronic sign on the top of the building that has flashed that data for decades.
A more recent building of note is Franklin Towers, a 17-story residential tower completed in 1969 and regarded as Portland's tallest building. During the building boom of the 1980s, several new buildings rose on the peninsula, including the 1983 Charles Shipman Payson Building by Henry R. Cobb of I.M. Pei at the Portland Museum of Art, and the Back Bay Tower, a 15-story residential building completed in 1990.[10]
Education
''See also''
★ Portland Public Schools
★ List of Portland, ME schools
Colleges and universities
★ Andover College
★ Maine College of Art
★ University of Maine School of Law
★ University of New England (Westbrook College Campus)
★ University of Southern Maine
High schools
★ Casco Bay High School (public-expeditionary)
★ Catherine McAuley High School (private)
★ Cheverus High School (private)
★ Deering High School (public)
★ Portland Arts & Technology High School (public-vocational)
★ Portland High School (public)
★ Waynflete School (private)
Culture
Sites of interest
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad c. 2004
Riverton Park c. 1910
Wadsworth-Longfellow House c. 1910
Downtown Arts District, centered around Congress Street, is home to the Portland Museum of Art, Portland Stage Company, Maine College of Art, Children's Museum of Maine, SPACE Gallery, Merrill Auditorium, and Portland Symphony Orchestra, as well as many smaller art galleries and studios.
Baxter Boulevard around Back Cove, Deering Oaks Park, the Eastern Promenade, Lincoln Park, Riverton Park and the Western Promenade are all historical parks within the city. Other parks and natural spaces include Payson Park, Post Office Park, Baxter Woods, Evergreen Cemetery and the Fore River Sanctuary. The non-profit organization Portland Trails also maintains an expansive network of walking and hiking trails throughout the city and neighboring communities.
Other sites of interest include:
★ Casco Bay Islands, including the Casco Bay Lines
★ Cumberland County Civic Center, home of the Portland Pirates.
★ Eastland Park Hotel
★ East End Beach
★ Exchange Street (the "Old Port" area)
★ Hadlock Field, home to the Portland Sea Dogs.
★ Longfellow Arboretum
★ Maine Mall
★ Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad
★ Martin's Point
★ Old Port Exchange
★ The Portland Club
★ Portland Conservatory of Music
★ Portland Financial District
★ Portland Head Light Lighthouse
★ Portland Observatory
★ University of Southern Maine (USM)
★ Victoria Mansion (Morse-Libby House)
★ Wadsworth-Longfellow House
★ Shaarey Tphiloh Synagogue
Media
Portland is home to a concentration of broadcast and publishing companies, advertising agencies, web designers and commercial photography studios.
The city is served by a daily newspaper, the ''The Portland Press Herald'', every day except for Sunday when the ''Maine Sunday Telegram'' is printed. The ''Maine Sunday Telegram'' is published by Blethen Maine Newspapers, which publishes the ''Portland Press Herald'' and the free weekly lifestyle magazine ''The Maine SWITCH''.
Portland is also home to ''The Portland Phoenix'', a weekly alternative newspaper, published by the Phoenix Media/Communications Group which is distributed free every Wednesday throughout greater Portland. ''The Phoenix'' also publishes the quarterly lifestyle magazine, ''Portland {STYLE}''.
Other publications include ''The Portland Forecaster'', a community newspaper published by the Sun Journal, ''The Bollard '', ''The West End News'', ''Portland {STYLE}'' ''The Blue Room'', ''The Munjoy Hill Observer'', ''The Baysider'', ''The Waterfront'' and ''The Companion'', a ''GLBT'' publication.
The Portland broadcast media market is the largest one in Maine in both radio and television. A whole host of radio options are available in Portland, including WFNK (Classic Hits), WJAB (Sports), WTHT (Country), WBQW (Classical), WHXR (Rock), WHOM (Adult Contemporary), WJBQ (Top 40), 98.9 WCLZ (Adult Album Alternative), WBLM (Classic Rock), and WCYY (Modern Rock). WMPG is a local non-commercial radio station, run by community members and the University of Southern Maine.
The area is served by local television stations representing most of the television networks. These stations include WCSH 6 (NBC), WMTW 8 (ABC), WGME 13 (CBS), WPFO 23 (FOX), WPME 35 (MyNetworkTV), and WPXT 51 (The CW). There is no PBS affiliate licensed to the city of Portland but the market is served by WCBB Channel 10 in Augusta and WMEA Channel 26 Biddeford.
Portland and its suburbs are the subjects of two monthly lifestyle magazines ''Portland'' and ''Port City Life''.
Sports and recreation
Portland Sea Dogs, in May 2007, with the Portland Exposition Building in the background
The city is home to two minor league teams. The AA Portland Sea Dogs, a farm team of the Boston Red Sox, play at Hadlock Field. Additionally, there are the American Hockey League Portland Pirates. Skating at the Cumberland County Civic Center, they are an affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.
The Portland Sports Complex, located off of Park Ave. and Brighton Ave. near I-295 and Deering Oaks park, houses several of the city's stadiums and arenas, including:
★ Hadlock Field - baseball (Capacity 7,368)
★ Fitzpatrick Stadium - football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, and outdoor track (Capacity 6,000+ seated)
★ Portland Exposition Building - basketball, indoor track, concerts and trade shows (Capacity 2,000)
★ Portland Ice Arena - hockey and figure skating (Capacity 400)
The Portland area has eleven professional golf courses, 124 tennis courts, and 95 playgrounds. There are also over 100 miles (160 km) of nature trails.
Food and beverage
Boiled Maine lobster dish served in Portland
The downtown and Old Port districts have a high concentration of eating and drinking establishments, with many more to be found throughout the rest of the peninsula, outlying neighborhoods, and neighboring communities. Local lore holds that Portland ranks among the top U.S. cities in restaurants and bars per capita. According to the Maine Restaurant Association, Portland is currently home to about 230 restaurants.[11]
Portland has also developed a national reputation for the quality of its restaurants and eateries. In the spring of 2007, Portland was nominated as one of three finalists for "Delicious Destination of the Year" at the 2007 Food Network Awards.[12] Many local chefs have also gained national notoriety over the past few years.[13] [14]
The city and outlying region played host to Rachael Ray in an episode of her Food Network Series $40 A Day.
Portland is home to a number of microbreweries and brewpubs, including the D. L. Geary Brewing Company, Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company, Shipyard Brewing Company, Casco Bay Brewing Co. and Allagash Brewing Company.
Portland is the birthplace of the "Italian sandwich." Southern Maine’s signature sandwich, it is called simply "an Italian" by locals. Italian sandwiches are available at many stores, but most famously at Amato's delicatessens, which claims to have originated the sandwich (hence the name).[1]
Infrastructure
Hospitals
Maine Medical Center is the largest hospital in Maine and is continuing to expand its campus and services. Mercy Hospital, a faith-based hospital, is the fourth-largest hospital in the state and began construction on its new campus along the Fore River in late 2006. The project is expected to be constructed in several phases, with completion of the first phase scheduled for 2008.[2]
Two formerly independent hospitals within the city are now being utilized in a different manner. The former Brighton Medical Center is now owned by Maine Medical Center, housing a minor emergency room and care center under the name Brighton First Care. The former Portland General Hospital is now home to the Barron Center nursing facility.
Transportation
Portland is accessible from I-95 (the Maine Turnpike), I-295, and U.S. Route 1. U.S. Route 302, a major travel route and scenic highway between Maine and Vermont, has its eastern terminus in Portland.
Concord Trailways bus service connects Portland to 14 other communtities in Maine as well as Boston's South Station and Logan Airport. Amtrak's Downeaster train service connects the city with Boston via coastal New Hampshire. Both bus and train can be found at the Portland Transportation Center on Thompson Point Road.
Commercial air service is provided by Portland International Jetport, which is located west of the city's downtown district.
Ferry service is available year-round to many destinations in Casco Bay. Since May 22, 2006, ''The Cat'' high speed ferry has offered car ferry service to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, making the trip in five hours. Until 2005, Scotia Prince Cruises had offered service that took eleven hours.
The Portland Explorer is a service that connects various transportation centers within the city. METRO provides public bus transit throughout Portland and the surrounding area.
Notable residents
Birthplace of Thomas B. Reed c. 1915
★ Edville Gerhardt Abbott (1871-1938), surgeon
★ James Alden, Jr., former Rear Admiral in the United States Navy[15]
★ Bebe Buell, model, actress, musician, & mother of Liv Tyler
★ Cyrus Curtis, publisher & philanthropist
★ Nik Caner-Medley, basketball player
★ Howie Carr, radio personality (born at Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary)
★ Joshua Chamberlain, civil war hero, governor, served later in life as Surveyor of the Port, Portland. Maintained a house on Back Bay
★ Charles Codman, early American painter
★ Ian Crocker, Olympic swimmer
★ Patrick Dempsey, actor
★ Neal S. Dow, Mayor of Portland, Union Army general, Temperance Movement leader
★ Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
★ John Eder, Politician and Green Party organizer
★ William Pitt Fessenden, senator
★ Frank Fixaris, sportscaster
★ John Ford, director
★ Jeremiah Hacker, journalist & reformer
★ Fletcher Hale, United States Representative from New Hampshire.
★ B.E. Hart, comic artist & painter
★ Daniel Lee James, extreme travel writer
★ Stephen King, writer (born here, now lives in Bangor, Maine)
★ Linda Lavin, actress
★ Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, Jr., architect
★ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet
★ Bob Ludwig, Grammy Award winning audio mastering engineer
★ John Lynch, U.S. Representative
★ John MacVane, news correspondent
★ Bob Marley, comedian
★ Andrea Martin, actress
★ Holman S. Melcher, mayor, Civil War hero
★ George Mitchell, US Senate Majority Leader, ex-chairman of Walt Disney. Practiced law in Portland 1965–1977, Assistant County Attorney; Cumberland County 1971
★ Doug Morton, musician/producer
★ John Neal, author & critic
★ Judd Nelson, actor
★ Alexander Parris, architect
★ Lincoln Peirce, comic strip creator - ''Big Nate''
★ Quinton Porter, NFL quarterback, Houston Texans
★ Thomas Brackett Reed -- "Czar Reed," U.S. Representative and Speaker of the House
★ Victoria Rowell, actress
★ Joan Benoit Samuelson Olympic marathon gold medalist
★ Stuart Saunders Smith, composer and percussionist
★ Ronald Speirs, Easy Company, 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment officer
★ Liv Tyler, actress
★ Peleg Wadsworth, Revolutionary War general
★ Charles W. Walton, was a United States Representative from Maine
★ Jonathan Woodward, actor
Movies filmed in Portland
★ ''The Preacher's Wife''
★ ''The Man Without a Face''
★ ''Message in a Bottle (film)''
★ ''Thinner''
★ ''Shawshank Redemption''
★ ''Sixteen Stories''
★ ''Hero for a Day''
Sister cities
Portland has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):
★ Shinagawa, Japan
★ Arkhangelsk, Russia
★ Cap-Haïtien, Haiti
★ Mytilene, Greece
See also
★ List of mayors of Portland, Maine
References
1. http://www.mainehistory.org/pdf/Falmouth_Fire.pdf
2. Portland: The Town that was Almost Boston
3. Jedediah Preble letter on Mowat kidnapping, 1775
4. Bayside is a journey of many 'next steps'
5. Riverwalk: Parking garage due to rise; luxury condos to follow Kelley Bouchard
6. An urban vision rises in Bayside Tux Turkel
7. http://top100.relocate-america.com/
8. Frommer's Top Travel Destinations for 2007
9. Monthly Averages for Portland, ME, Retrieved December 20, 2006.
10. Greater Portland Area 2006 Office Market Survey CB Richard Ellis/The Boulos Company
11. Portland diners keep fast-food urges under control Josie Huang
12. Portland has taste of food fame, but the other Portland is served Meredith Goad
13. Food could put Portland on the map Meredith Goad
14. Where chefs come to shine Meredith Goad
15. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896, , , , Marquis Who's Who, ,
External links
★ City of Portland
★ History of Portland
★ Portland Public Schools
★ Greater Portland Casco Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau
★ Portland's Downtown District
★ MaineToday.com - Local information, blogs, entertainment, breaking news
★ myMaineToday.com - Portland news and photos posted by local people
★ Port of Portland
★ Portland, Maine Transportation Page
★ Portland Museum of Art
★ Portland Public Library
★ Portland Symphony Orchestra
★ Movies filmed in Maine
★ Portland travel guide at Wikitravel
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