History of Portland, Maine, USA

1786 - Portland, Maine founded

wikipedia.org

1839 - Portland
Portland, Maine
Chief town, Cumberland county. This beautiful city lies upon a peninsula at the western extremity of Casco bay; its length is three miles from east to west, and the average width is three quarters of a mile; containing about two thousand two hundred acres of land. The settlement of this neck of land was commenced as early as 1632 by two individuals from England, George Cleaves and Richard Tucker, who purchased the whole tract in 1637, of Gorges, the proprietor. For the first 40 years the settlement made but little progress, and it was entirely destroyed in the Indian war of 1675. In 1680, it was revived under more favorable auspices, the government of Massachusetts having some years previous to that time extended her sovereignty over this part of Maine. It had scarcely begun to gather the fruits of prosperity, before it was again doomed to a second entire overthrow, in 1690, by the remorseless enemy, who spared neither dwellings nor their inhabitants.

Portland was... Read MORE...

1854 - Portland
Portland, a city,- port of entry, and seat of justice of Cumberland county, Maine, 60 miles S. S. W. from Augusta, and 105 miles N. E. from Boston. Lat. 43° 4' 26" N. Ion., 70° 45' 50" W. It is pleasantly situated on a narrow peninsula or tongue of land projecting from the W. shore of Casco bay. This peninsula is about 3 miles in length from E. to W., and rises at each extremity into considerable elevations, giving the city a beautiful appearance as it is approached from the sea. Its breadth averages about three quarters of a mile, though it is much wider than this at its eastern termination, and also at its junction with the mainland. The harbor is one of the best on the Atlantic coast, the anchorage being protected on every side by land, the communication with the ocean easy and direct, and the depth sufficient for the largest ships. Although in a northern latitude, it is never closed by ice except in the most extreme cold weather, and then only for a few days. The principal... Read MORE...

1866 - Terrible Conflagration in Portland, Me. Half of the City Destroyed by Fire!
A TRACK ONE MILE AND A HALF LONG SWEPT BY THE FLAMES!
ALL THE BANKS GONE!
PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN RUINS - A MAJORITY OF THE BUSINESS HOUSES BURNED -FIFTY HOUSES BLOWN UP - THE PEOPLE FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES - IMMENSE LOSS OF PROPERTY - THE FIRE STILL RAGING.
PORTLAND, July 4. - A terrible fire is here, having destroyed Brown's sugar house, and is sweeping through the city before a strong southerly wind.

SECOND DESPATCH[sic].
8 P. M.---The fire caught in the building above the sugar house on Commercial street, and has swept northerly through Fore street into the wooden buildings between Center and Cross streets, consuming everything as it goes. J. B. Brown & Sons from $600,000 to $700,000. Insured $20,000. Staples & Son, machine shop and R. P. Richardson & Co.'s stove foundry are completely destroyed. One steam engine had come from Saco.

THIRD DISPATCH.
PORTLAND, July 5. - The fire has swept completely through the city from the foot of High street to North street on Munjoy Hill, ... Read MORE...

1870 - Train Accident
Thursday afternoon as the five o'clock train on the Portland & Rochester road was making up at the depot in Portland, Walter Mace, a lad eight years old, and son of Mr. John Mace, baggage master, on the Portland & Kennebec railroad, attempted to get on a baggage car, when he slipped and fell upon the track, and the engine and tender ran over the hip, and also cutting off an arm. He was taken up and conveyed to his home on Lincoln street, and a physician called who amputated both legs and the arm. He lingered till nine o'clock when he died in intense agony.
Bangor Daily Whig and Courier
Bangor, Maine
November 28, 1870

1876 - Summer Snow Storm
July 4 freak snowstorm struck Portland

1886 - Portland
Portland, eminent for its business facilities, for the healthfulness and beauty of its situation, and for the enterprise and urbanity of its citizens, occupies the chief harbor on Casco Bay, in the southern part of Cumberland County. Being the nearest port on the Atlantic coast to the cities of the St. Lawrence, and having a harbor safe and Convenient for the largest ocean-steamers, and open at all seasons, it has naturally become the chief seaport of the Canadas, as well as of Western Maine, and the northern parts of New Hampshire and Vermont. From the city proceed the Boston and Maine, the Eastern and the Portland and Rochester railways, traversing New Hampshire and Massachusetts business centres, and connecting with the roads to all parts of the continent. The Grand Trunk of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad comes down through the northern parts of Vermont and New Hampshire to the wharves of the ocean steamships in Portland Harbor. The Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, passing ... Read MORE...

1893 - Knights Templar Christmas Toast
This really was published in the New York Times in December of 1893! How times have changed...

Toast to the Grand Master

Knights Templars to Drink it at High Noon To-Day

One Hundred Thousand Men Send Christmas Greeting to Their Chief - The Grand Master Makes a Reply in Which He Dwells Upon the Significance of the Birth of Christ - He Offers a Toast to the "Valiant Sir Knights."

PORTLAND, Me., Dec. 24. - The following toast was prepared for Christmas by the Grand Encampment Knights Templars:

To Our Most Eminent Grand Master, Hugh McCurdy:

A hundred thousand Knights Templars send greetings, wishing him a merry Christmas, with peace, health, and happiness.

The following is the full text of the response of the Grand Master:

Headquarters of the Grand Master of Knights Templars, United States of America.

CORUNNA, Mich., Dec. 25, 1893.

To all Knights Templars. Greeting:

Returning thanks to our Father in Heaven for the privilege which He has vouchsafed to us... Read MORE...

1895 - Portland
Portland, the commercial metropolis of Maine, a port of entry, and seat of justice of Cumberland co, on Casco Bay, 60 miles S.S.W. of Augusta, 105 miles N.E. of Boston, 292 miles S.E. of Montreal, and 317 miles from Quebec. Lat. 43° 39' 27" N.; lon. 70° 15' 40" W. It is pleasantly situated on a narrow peninsula or tongue of land projecting from the W. shore of Casco Bay. This peninsula is about 3 miles in length from E. to W., and rises at each extremity into considerable elevations, giving the city a beautiful appearance as it is approached from the sea. Its breadth averages about three-quarters of a mile, though it is much wider than this at its eastern termination and also at its junction with the mainland. The harbor is one of the best on the Atlantic coast, the anchorage being protected on every side by land, the communication with the ocean easy and direct, and the depth sufficient for the largest ships. Although in a northern latitude, it is never entirely closed by ice, even... Read MORE...

1898 - Portland - The Gem of Casco Bay by Samuel T. Pickard
PORTLAND enjoys a peculiar distinction among New England cities, not only by reason of the natural advantages of her location, but because of the historical events of which she has been the theatre, and the men of mark in literature, art, and statesmanship whom she has produced. Among the indentations of the Atlantic coast there is no bay which presents a greater wealth and variety of charming scenery, in combination with the advantages of a safe and capacious harbor, than that on which Portland is situated. It is thickly studded with islands which are of most picturesque forms, presenting beetling cliffs, sheltered coves, pebbly beaches, wooded heights, and wide, green lawns dotted with summer cottages. It is of the beauty of this bay that Whittier, who was familiar with its scenery, sings in The Ranger:
"Nowhere fairer, sweeter, rarer,
Does the golden-locked fruit-bearer
Through his painted woodlands stray;
Than where hillside oaks and beeches
Overlook the long blue... Read MORE...

1908 - Million Dollar Blaze this Morning at Portland, Maine
Fire Started in the City Hall, Destroying County Records for the Past One Hundred Years - the Fire Chief Badly Hurt.

Portland, Maine, Jan 24. - A conflagration visited this city early this morning and was not under control till ten o'clock this morning. The flames were fanned by a howling northwest storm, and threatened the destruction of the city. The city hall and the Methodist church were the principal buildings destroyed.

Fire Chief Eldridge was badly injured; he was struck by a heavy piece of pipe.

One thousand people attending a dance at the Pythian hall had a narrow escape.

The fire started in the operating room of the city electrician, at the city hall. The loss of the city hall is six hundred thousand dollars, partially insured. The city records were saved but the county records for the past hundred years, were destroyed. The total loss is one million dollars.
Lima Daily News
Lima, Ohio
January 24, 1908

1911 - July 4 - Temperature reached 103°F

The Weather Channel

1912 - FLEE BERTHED SHIPS ABLAZE Captains and Crews Narrowly Escape In Portland Wharf Fire.
PORTLAND, Me., June 30 - Portland's water front, the scene of several big fires, was again seriously threatened by flames early today, when damage of more than $100,000 was caused in a wharf blaze. Two Boston vessels, the barkentine Kremlin and the three-masted schooner Sallie I'On, which had just finished discharging lumber from a Southern port, were burned so badly that they can never go to sea again. The crews of both had narrow escapes.

Beakes's Wharf, where the fire started, and State Street Wharf, near by, both of which are occupied by the Wilson Lumber Company, were badly damaged, and between $60,000 and $70,000 worth of valuable lumber was destroyed. Sturtevant's Wharf was also on fire at one time, but strenuous work by the Fire Department, the fire boat, the revenue cutter Woodbury's crew and several tugboats prevented any further spread of the flames.

The origin of the fire in unknown. The crews of the two burned vessels had little warning, and had to abandon ship in a ... Read MORE...

January 24, 1935 - Snowstorms hit the northeastern U.S. and the Pacific Northwest producing record 24 hour snowfall totals of 23 inches at Portland ME and 52 inches at Winthrop MA.

WeatherForYou.com

February 16, 1943 - Record cold prevailed in the northeastern U.S. The mercury plunged to -39 degrees at Portland ME.

The Weather Channel

1953 - December 1 - WCSH TV channel 6 in Portland, ME (NBC) begins broadcasting

historyorb.com

2023 - Whether you're a foodie, outdoor enthusiast, history buff, or simply looking for a relaxing getaway, Portland has something to offer everyone. Here's a list of places to go and things to do in this delightful New England city:
Old Port District: Start your exploration in the heart of the city, the Old Port. This historic area is filled with cobblestone streets, boutique shops, galleries, and some of the city's best restaurants and cafes. It's a great place for a leisurely stroll and some retail therapy.

Portland Head Light: Visit one of the most iconic lighthouses in the United States, Portland Head Light. Located in Cape Elizabeth just a short drive from downtown, this picturesque lighthouse offers breathtaking views of the rugged coastline.

Casco Bay: Take a scenic cruise around Casco Bay. You can hop on a ferry to visit the nearby islands, like Peaks Island or Great Diamond Island. The bay is also a fantastic spot for kayaking and paddleboarding.

Portland Museum of Art: Explore the city's cultural side at the Portland Museum of Art. It houses an impressive collection of American, European, and contemporary art, including works by Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth.

Eastern Promenade: Enjoy a... Read MORE...