The Battle of Falmouth (also known as the Battle of Fort Loyal ) (May 16–20, 1690) involved Joseph-François Hertel de la Fresnière and Baron de St Castin leading troops as well as the Wabanaki Confederacy ( Mi'kmaq and Maliseet from Fort Meductic ) in New Brunswick to capture and destroy Fort Loyal and the English settlement on the Falmouth neck (site of present-day Portland, Maine ), then part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . The commander of the fort was Captain Sylvanus Davis . After two days of siege, the settlement's fort, called Fort Loyal (sometimes spelled "Loyall"), surrendered. The community's buildings were burned, including the wooden stockade fort, and its people were either killed or taken prisoner. The fall of Fort Loyal (Casco) led to the near depopulation of Europeans in Maine. Native forces were then able to attack the New Hampshire frontier without reprisal.
52-591: The Fore River Sanctuary is an 85-acre (34 ha) protected area in Portland, Maine . Located in the Stroudwater neighborhood, the sanctuary is home of Jewell Falls, Portland's only natural waterfall and the former home of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal . It also includes a salt water marsh which attracts a number of different species of birds and small mammals. It is named after the nearby Fore River and
104-492: A book about his voyage to bolster support for the settlement. Ultimately, the settlement was a failure and the fate of Levett's colonists is unknown. The explorer sailed from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony to meet John Winthrop in 1630, but never returned to Maine. Fort Levett in the harbor is named for him. The peninsula was settled in 1632 as a fishing and trading village named Casco. When
156-696: A concert venue, ice rink, hotels, restaurants, wineries, and breweries. 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 its 1867 Greek Revival post office, which
208-429: A female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 56.6% were non-families. 40.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age in the city was 36.7 years. 17.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.4% were between
260-509: A foot. Annual liquid precipitation (rain) averages 47.2 in (1,200 mm) and is plentiful year-round, but with a slightly drier summer. Annual frozen precipitation (snow) averages 69 in (175 cm) in the city. However, this number can fluctuate seasonally from as little as 30 inches to as much as 150 inches, depending on a multitude of factors. In Southern Maine, snowstorms can be intense from November through early April, while warm-season thunderstorms are somewhat less frequent than in
312-401: A group of English settlers trying to establish themselves at Falmouth, Maine (present-day Portland, Maine ). Natives killed 21 of his men; however, he was successful and the natives retreated. Church then returned to Boston, leaving the small group of English settlers unprotected. Hertel was chosen by Governor Frontenac to lead an expedition in 1690 that successfully raided Salmon Falls on
364-444: A large heap a few paces from what is now the south end of India Street. One source says that only 10 or 12 survived and were taken into captivity. Davis was taken prisoner to Quebec. A relief expedition under command of Shadrach Walton came too late to save the people from the massacre. When Church returned to the village later that summer, he buried the dead. James Alexander was taken captive along with 100 other prisoners. He
416-678: A monthly First Friday Art Walk event which attracts more than 3,000 visitors. The Arts District, centered on Congress Street, is home to the Portland Museum of Art , Portland Stage Company , Maine Historical Society & Museum , Portland Public Library , Maine College of Art , SPACE Gallery, Children's Museum of Maine , Merrill Auditorium , the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ , and Portland Symphony Orchestra , as well as many smaller art galleries and studios. Baxter Boulevard around Back Cove , Deering Oaks Park ,
468-696: A more service-based economy . Most national bank institutions and other related financial organizations, such as Bank of America and Key Bank , base their Maine operations in Portland. Unum , Covetrus , TruChoice Federal Credit Union , M&T Bank , ImmuCell Corp, and Pioneer Telephone have headquarters here, and Portland's neighboring cities of South Portland, Westbrook and Scarborough , provide homes for other corporations including IDEXX and WEX Inc . Between 1867 and 2021, Burnham & Morrill Company, maker of B&M Baked Beans, had its main plant in Portland (the B&M Baked Beans factory ). The city's port
520-521: A revitalizing force downtown, attracting students from around the country. The historic Porteous Building on Congress Street was restored by the college. Universities operating in the city are expanding. The University of Southern Maine is improving its Portland campus with a 580-bed dormitory, student center, and an arts center. The University of New England intends to move its medical school from its Biddeford campus to its Portland campus. Northeastern University 's Roux Institute plans to build on
572-547: A time, the city's largest employer and many of its employees were immigrants from Canada, Ireland and Italy. Portland became a 20th-century rail hub as five additional rail lines merged into Portland Terminal Company in 1911. These rail lines also facilitated movement of returning Canadian troops from the First World War in 1919. Following nationalization of the Grand Trunk system in 1923, Canadian export traffic
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#1732772082209624-478: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Portland, Maine Portland ( / ˈ p ɔːr t l ə n d / PORT -lənd ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County . Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area has a population of approximately 550,000 people. Historically tied to commercial shipping,
676-567: Is also called Məkíhkanək ("at the fish hook") in Penobscot. The first European settler was Christopher Levett , an English naval captain granted 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) in 1623 to found a settlement in Casco Bay . A member of the Council for New England and agent for Ferdinando Gorges , Levett built a stone house where he left a company of ten men, then returned to England to write
728-454: Is also undergoing a revival, and the first-ever container train departed from the new International Marine Terminal with fifteen containers of locally produced bottled tap water in early 2016. In January 2020, Portland was announced to be the location of a new research institute that will focus on the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Northeastern University was selected by technology entrepreneur David Roux to lead
780-425: Is organized into neighborhoods generally recognized by residents, but they have no legal or political authority. In many cases, city signs identify neighborhoods or intersections (which are often called corners). Most city neighborhoods have a local association which usually maintains ongoing relations of varying degrees with the city government on issues affecting the neighborhood. On March 8, 1899, Portland annexed
832-649: Is published Monday through Saturday and The Maine Sunday Telegram is published on Sundays. Both are published by MaineToday Media Inc., which also operates an entertainment website, MaineToday.com and owns papers in Augusta, Waterville, and Bath. Battle of Fort Loyal The earliest garrison at Falmouth was Fort Loyal (1678) in what was then the center of town, the foot of India Street. During King William's War , on Major Benjamin Church's first expedition into Acadia, on September 21, 1689, he and 250 troops defended
884-1099: Is water. Portland is situated on a peninsula in Casco Bay on the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean. Portland borders South Portland , Westbrook and Falmouth . Portland has a humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfb , closely bordering on Dfa ), with cold, snowy, and often prolonged winters, and warm to hot, yet relatively short summers. The monthly average high temperature ranges from roughly 30 °F (−1 °C) in January to around 80 °F (27 °C) in July. Daily high temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) on only four days per year on average, while cold-season lows of 0 °F (−18 °C) or below are reached on 10 nights per year on average. The area can be affected by severe nor'easters during winter, with high winds and snowfall totals often measuring over
936-589: The Civil War . The 1866 Great Fire of Portland, Maine , on 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. By act of the Maine Legislature in 1899, Portland annexed the city of Deering , despite a vote by Deering residents rejecting
988-614: The Eastern Promenade , Western Promenade , Lincoln Park and Riverton Park are all historical parks within the city. Other parks and natural spaces include Payson Park , Post Office Park, Baxter Woods , Evergreen Cemetery , Western Cemetery and the Fore River Sanctuary . Thompson's Point , in the Libbytown neighborhood, has been a focus of renovation and redevelopment since the 2010s. The location hosts
1040-619: The Embargo Act of 1807 (prohibition of trade with the British), which ended in 1809, and the War of 1812 , which ended in 1815. In 1820, Maine was established as a state with Portland as its capital. In 1832, the capital was moved north and east to Augusta . In 1851, Maine led the nation by passing the first state law prohibiting the sale of alcohol except for "medicinal, mechanical or manufacturing purposes." The law subsequently became known as
1092-628: The Maine Law , as eighteen other states quickly followed. The Portland Rum Riot occurred on June 2, 1855. In 1853, upon completion of the Grand Trunk Railway to Montreal , Portland became the primary ice-free winter seaport for Canadian exports. The Portland Company , located on Fore Street , manufactured more than six hundred 19th-century steam locomotives , as well as engines for trains and boats, fire engines and other railroad transportation equipment. The Portland Company was, for
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#17327720822091144-707: The Revolution by the Royal Navy under command of Captain Henry Mowat . 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, after the Isle of Portland off the coast of Dorset , England. Portland's economy was greatly stressed by
1196-570: The Time and Temperature Building ) is situated near Monument Square in the Arts District and is a major landmark: the 14-story building features a large electronic sign on its roof that flashes time and temperature data, as well as parking-ban information in the winter. The building is home to several radio stations. The Press Herald Building , at 390 Congress Street, is strategically located across Congress Street from Portland City Hall and
1248-510: The Maine-New Hampshire border, and then moved on to destroy Fort Loyal on Falmouth Neck (site of present-day Portland, Maine ). In May 1690, four hundred to five hundred French and Indian troops under the command of Joseph-François Hertel de la Fresnière and Baron de St Castin attacked the settlement. Grossly outnumbered, the settlers held out for four days before surrendering. Eventually two hundred were murdered and left in
1300-583: The Massachusetts Bay Colony took over Casco Bay in 1658, the town's name changed again to Falmouth. In 1676, the village was destroyed by the Abenaki during King Philip's War . It was rebuilt. During King William's War , a raiding party of French and their native allies attacked and largely destroyed it again in the Battle of Fort Loyal (1690). On October 18, 1775, Falmouth was burned in
1352-619: The Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeastern U.S. (although their frequency has increased in recent years). Direct strikes by hurricanes or tropical storms are rare, partially due to the normally cooler Atlantic waters off the Maine coast (which usually weaken tropical systems), but primarily because most tropical systems approaching or reaching 40 degrees North latitude recurve (due to the Coriolis force) and track east out to sea well south of
1404-526: The Old Port, Parkside, Peaks Island , Riverton Park, Rosemont, Stroudwater, West End , and Woodfords Corner . From the early 2000s onward, many of Portland's neighborhoods have faced gentrification , causing many local residents to be "priced out" of their neighborhoods. In 2015, the Portland Press Herald published a series of articles documenting the "super-tight apartment market" and
1456-472: The Portland area. Extreme temperatures range from −39 °F (−39 °C) on February 16, 1943, to 103 °F (39 °C) on July 4, 1911, and August 2, 1975. The hardiness zones are 5b and 6a. See or edit raw graph data . Portland is becoming increasingly affected by global warming and the rise of sea levels. The coast is one of the fastest-warming saltwater bodies, and is predicted to see an increase to about 10–17 inches by 2030, in comparison to
1508-570: 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 metropolitan area included 487,568 total inhabitants. This has increased to an estimated 513,102 inhabitants (and the largest metro area in Northern New England) as of 2007 . Much of this increase in population has been due to growth in
1560-419: 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
1612-459: 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
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1664-480: The ages of 18 and 24; 33.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female. 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 3,029.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,169.6/km ). There were 31,862 housing units at an average density of 1,502.2 per square mile (580.0/km ). According to
1716-471: The building boom of the 1980s, several new buildings rose on the peninsula, including the 1983 Charles Shipman Payson Building by Henry N. Cobb of Pei, Cobb, Freed & Partners at the Portland Museum of Art complex (a component of which is the 1801 McLellan-Sweat Mansion ), and the Back Bay Tower, a fifteen-story residential building completed in 1990. 477 Congress Street (known locally as
1768-494: The city of Portland, Oregon , was named after Portland, Maine. The word Portland is derived from the Old English word Portlanda , which means "land surrounding a harbor". The Greater Portland area has emerged as an important center for the creative economy , which is also bringing gentrification . The original Algonquin-speaking Eastern Abenaki residents called the Portland peninsula Machigonne ("great neck"). It
1820-471: The city was $ 22,698. About 9.7% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over. Race/ethnicity composition Portland has become Maine's economic capital because the city has Maine's largest port, largest population, and is close to Boston (105 miles to the southwest). Over the years, the local economy has shifted from fishing, manufacturing , and agriculture towards
1872-484: The city was 85.0% White (83.6% non-Hispanic White alone), down from 96.6% in 1990, 7.1% African American , 0.5% Native American , 3.5% Asian , 1.2% from other races , and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.0% of the population. 40.7% of the population had a bachelor's degree or higher. There were 30,725 households, of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.7% were married couples living together, 10.1% had
1924-541: The city's southern and western suburbs. The racial makeup of the city was 91.27% White , 2.59% African American , 0.47% Native American , 3.08% Asian , 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. The largest ancestries include: British (including Scottish, Welsh, and English) (21.2%), Irish (19.2%), French (10.8%), Italian (10.5%), and German (6.9%). There were 29,714 households, out of which 21.4% had children under
1976-569: The former B&M Baked Beans factory campus in East Deering. Portland is known as a walkable city, offering many opportunities for walking tours which feature its maritime and architectural history. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 69.44 sq mi (179.85 km ), of which 21.31 sq mi (55.19 km ) is land and 48.13 sq mi (124.66 km )
2028-645: The hair and beat them - sometimes with an axe - and did this all day, compelling them also to dance and sing, until at night they were thrown out exhausted. Alexander, after a second torture, ran to the woods, but hunger drove him back to his tormentors. His fate is unknown. Captain Davis spent four months as a prisoner in Canada. Both Falmouth and Arrowsic remained uninhabited until 1714 and 1716 respectively. One captive, Hannah Swarton , returned to New England in 1695 and published an account of her captivity. The fort
2080-467: The institute that will include programs that will allow graduate student research. Portland also has a large subsidized housing industry, with several large real estate companies in the business. The city is described as one of the "best places to live" in the United States. Portland has a long history of prominence in the arts, peaking the first time in the early 19th century, when the city
2132-528: The levels in 2000. This is a major threat to the residents and ocean life around the area. In 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a report that showed sea level in Portland could rise by six inches by 2050, two feet by 2060 and two to six feet by 2100. In January 2024, Portland experienced a record-high tide of 14.57 feet (4.44 m). Combined with heavy rainfall and strong winds, it caused severe flooding. Portland
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2184-521: The marine economy, and light industry, Portland's economy in the 21st century relies mostly on the service sector. The Port of Portland is the second-largest tonnage seaport in the New England area as of 2019. The city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, a reference to Portland's recovery from four devastating fires. Portland was named after the English Isle of Portland . In turn,
2236-765: The motion, thereby greatly increasing the size of the city and opening areas for development beyond the peninsula. In 1967, the city began the controversial razing of Franklin Street to construct a limited-access highway to improve access in and out of the city for non-residents. The reconstruction of the street demolished 130 homes and businesses and caused an unknown number of families to be relocated or displaced. The construction of The Maine Mall , an indoor shopping center established in South Portland in 1971, economically depressed downtown Portland. The trend reversed when tourists and new businesses started revitalizing
2288-615: The neighboring city of Deering. Deering neighborhoods now comprise the northern and eastern sections of the city before the merger. Portland's Deering High School was formerly the public high school for Deering. Portland's neighborhoods include the Arts District , Bayside, Bradley's Corner, Cliff Island, Cushing's Island, Deering Center, Deering Highlands, Downtown, East Deering , East Bayside, East End, Eastern Cemetery , Great Diamond Island , Highlands, Kennedy Park , Libbytown , Little Diamond Island , Lunt's Corner, Morrill's Corner, Munjoy Hill , Nason's Corner, North Deering , Oakdale,
2340-701: The old seaport, a part of which is known locally as the Old Port . Since the 1990s, the historically industrial Bayside neighborhood has seen rapid development, including attracting a Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's grocery stores, as well as Baxter Academy for Technology and Science , a charter school . Other developing neighborhoods include the India Street neighborhood, near the Ocean Gateway, and Munjoy Hill , where many modern condominiums have been built. The Maine College of Art has been
2392-482: The trauma caused by evictions and steep jumps in monthly rent. Also in that year, city landlords raised rents by an average of 17.4%, which was the second-largest jump in the country. As of the census of 2010, there were 66,194 people, 30,725 households, and 13,324 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,106.2/sq mi (1,199.3/km ). There were 33,836 housing units at an average density of 1,587.8/sq mi (613.1/km ). The racial makeup of
2444-786: Was "a rival, and not a satellite of either Boston or New York." In that period, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow got his start as a poet and John Neal held a central position in leading American literature toward its great renaissance , having founded Maine's first literary periodical, The Yankee , in 1828. Other notable literary or artistic figures who were contemporaries include Grenville Mellen , Nathaniel Parker Willis , Seba Smith , Elizabeth Oakes Smith , Benjamin Paul Akers , Charles Codman , Franklin Simmons , John Rollin Tilton , and Harrison Bird Brown . Since 2000, Portland has hosted
2496-621: Was built in 1923. It was expanded in 1948 for use as the newspaper's headquarters. The Westin Portland Harborview , completed in 1927, is a prominent hotel located downtown on High Street . Photographer Todd Webb lived in Portland during his later years and took many pictures of the city. Some of Webb's pictures can be found at the Evans Gallery. The city is home to one daily newspaper, The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram , founded in 1862. The Press Herald
2548-467: Was designed by Alfred B. Mullett of white Vermont marble and featured a Corinthian portico , Portland retains his 1868 United States Custom House on Fore Street . Franklin Towers is a 16-story residential tower. Between 1969 and 2023, at 175 feet (53 meters), it was Maine's tallest residential building. It was surpassed by 201 Federal Street , which is 29.5 feet (9.0 m) taller. During
2600-464: Was diverted from Portland to Halifax , resulting in marked local economic decline. Icebreakers later enabled ships to reach Montreal in winter, drastically reducing Portland's role as a winter port for Canada. On June 26, 1863, a Confederate raiding party led by Captain Charles Read entered the harbor at Portland leading to the Battle of Portland Harbor , one of the northernmost battles of
2652-481: Was protected by the National Audubon Society prior to being given to Portland Trails. The land was donated to Portland Trails by Tom Jewell, one of the founders of Portland Trails, a non-profit urban land trust preserving lands throughout Greater Portland. 43°39′58″N 70°19′01″W / 43.666°N 70.317°W / 43.666; -70.317 This Maine state location article
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#17327720822092704-570: Was taken back to the Maliseet headquarters on the Saint John River at Meductic , New Brunswick . "James Alexander, a Jersey man," was, with John Gyles , tortured at an Indian village on the Saint John River. Two Mi'kmaq families whose friends were killed by New England fishermen travelled many miles to avenge themselves on the captives. They were reported to have yelled and danced around their victims; tossed and threw them; held them by
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