Portland, Maine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Portland, Maine
Munjoy Hill neighborhood, looking toward Eastern Promenade
Munjoy Hill neighborhood, looking toward Eastern Promenade
Official flag of Portland, Maine
Flag
Nickname: The Forest City
Motto: Resurgam (Latin for "I will rise again")
Country United States
State Maine
County Cumberland
Settled 1632
Incorporated 1786
Government
 - Mayor Nicholas M. Mavodones, Jr
Area
 - City  52.6 sq mi (136.2 km²)
 - Land  21.2 sq mi (54.9 km²)
 - Water  31.4 sq mi (81.2 km²)
Population (2000)
 - City 64,249
 - Density 3,029.2/sq mi (1,169.6/km²)
 - Urban 243,537
 - Metro 489,343
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Website: http://www.portlandmaine.gov/

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.

Contents

[edit] History

City Hall c. 1910
City Hall c. 1910

Portland was originally called "Machigonne" by the native people who first lived there. It was settled by the British 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
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]

Northeast from City Hall c. 1910

Western Promenade c. 1908

Soldiers' Monument c. 1908

Old Library c. 1905 (now Baxter Building)

Congress & Free Streets c. 1940

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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)

[9]

[edit] Neighborhoods

Eastern Promenade Park, overlooking Casco Bay
Eastern Promenade Park, overlooking Casco Bay
Waterfront
Waterfront
East End
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

[edit] Demographics

Gun recovered from the USS Maine on Munjoy Hill
Gun recovered from the USS Maine on Munjoy Hill

As of the censusGR2 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.

[edit] Economy

Fishing Vessels c. 1908
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.

[edit] Notable buildings

Old Post Office c. 1905
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]

[edit] Education

See also Portland Public Schools

[edit] Colleges and universities

[edit] High schools

[edit] Culture

[edit] Sites of interest

Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad c. 2004
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad c. 2004
Riverton Park c. 1910
Riverton Park c. 1910
Wadsworth-Longfellow House 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:

[edit] 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.

Two free weeklies cover the Portland area, The Portland Phoenix, an alternative newspaper published by the Phoenix Media/Communications Group, and The Portland Forecaster, a community newspaper published by the Sun Journal. Other publications include 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 94.9 WHOM (Light Rock), 97.9 WJBQ (Top 40), 98.9 WCLZ (Adult Album Alternative), 102.9 WBLM (Classic Rock), and 94.3 WCYY/93.9 WCYY (Simulcast - Alternative Rock). WMPG is a local non-commercial radio station.

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.

[edit] Sports and recreation

Portland Sea Dogs, in May 2007, with the Portland Exposition Building in the background
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:

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.

[edit] Food and beverage

Boiled Maine lobster dish served in Portland
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]

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]

[edit] Infrastructure

[edit] 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.

[edit] Transportation

See also: Portland, Maine (Amtrak station)
Amtrak's Downeaster service from Portland to Boston.
Amtrak's Downeaster service from Portland to Boston.

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.

Amtrak's Downeaster train service connects the city with Boston via coastal New Hampshire.

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.

[edit] Notable residents

Birthplace of Thomas B. Reed c. 1915
Birthplace of Thomas B. Reed c. 1915

[edit] Movies filmed in Portland

[edit] Sister cities

Portland has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.mainehistory.org/pdf/Falmouth_Fire.pdf
  2. ^ Portland: The Town that was Almost Boston. Portland Oregon Visitors Association. Retrieved on 2006-11-18.
  3. ^ Jedediah Preble letter on Mowat kidnapping, 1775. Retrieved on 2007-04-01.
  4. ^ "Bayside is a journey of many 'next steps'", Portland Press Herald (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.), 2006-10-16. Retrieved on 2006-11-13. 
  5. ^ Bouchard, Kelley. "Riverwalk: Parking garage due to rise; luxury condos to follow", Portland Press Herald (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.), 2006-10-6. Retrieved on 2006-11-13. 
  6. ^ Turkel, Tux. "An urban vision rises in Bayside", Portland Press Herald (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.), 2007-2-6. Retrieved on 2007-2-27. 
  7. ^ http://top100.relocate-america.com/
  8. ^ "Frommer's Top Travel Destinations for 2007", Frommer's (Wiley Publishing, Inc.), 2006-11-21. Retrieved on 2006-11-29. 
  9. ^ Monthly Averages for Portland, ME, Retrieved December 20, 2006.
  10. ^ CB Richard Ellis/The Boulos Company. Greater Portland Area 2006 Office Market Survey. Retrieved on August 10, 2006.
  11. ^ Huang, Josie. "Portland diners keep fast-food urges under control", Portland Press Herald (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.), 2007-4-23. Retrieved on 2007-4-23. 
  12. ^ Goad, Meredith. "Portland has taste of food fame, but the other Portland is served", Portland Press Herald (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.), 2007-4-16. Retrieved on 2007-4-16. 
  13. ^ Goad, Meredith. "Food could put Portland on the map", Portland Press Herald (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.), 2007-4-5. Retrieved on 2007-4-5. 
  14. ^ Goad, Meredith. "Where chefs come to shine", Portland Press Herald (Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.), 2007-4-11. Retrieved on 2007-4-11. 
  15. ^ (1967) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Marquis Who's Who. 

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Flag of Maine
v • d • e
State of Maine
Augusta (capital)
Topics

Culture | Geography | Government | History | Images
Regions

Down East | Highlands | Lake Country | Mid Coast | North Woods | Penobscot Bay | Southern Coast | Western Mountains
Counties

Androscoggin | Aroostook | Cumberland | Franklin | Hancock | Kennebec | Knox | Lincoln | Oxford | Penobscot | Piscataquis | Sagadahoc | Somerset | Waldo | Washington | York
Cities

Auburn | Augusta | Bangor | Bath | Belfast | Biddeford | Brewer | Calais | Caribou | Eastport | Ellsworth | Gardiner | Hallowell | Lewiston | Old Town | Portland | Presque Isle | Rockland | Saco | South Portland | Waterville | Westbrook
Largest towns

Brunswick | Cape Elizabeth | Falmouth | Gorham | Kennebunk | Kittery | Lisbon | Orono | Sanford | Scarborough | Skowhegan | Standish | Topsham | Wells | Windham | Winslow | York
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland%2C_Maine"
Personal tools