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85-538: Middle Street is a downtown street in Portland, Maine , United States. Dating to 1724 (although part of it was a path established by ancient settlers), it runs for around 0.46 miles (0.74 km), from an intersection with Union Street, Spring Street and Temple Street in the southwest, to Hancock Street, at the foot of Munjoy Hill , in the northeast. It formerly originated at what was then known as Market Square (today's Monument Square ), but 20th-century redevelopment saw

170-526: 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, 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

255-642: A 2011 survey, and 14 more nests that were deemed potentially active. After 30 years of monitoring produced no evidence of bald eagles in Casco Bay, a nesting pair was spotted in Freeport in 1992, followed by bald eagle pairs in Brunswick and Harpswell in 1994 and 1995. As of 2018, fifteen bald eagle pairs were observed in Casco Bay communities, nine of them in Harpswell. At the time of European contact in

340-622: A Wabanaki attack. Louis de Buade de Frontenac , the Governor General of New France , launched a campaign to drive the English from the settlements east of Falmouth. On May 16, 1690, the fortified settlement on Casco Bay was attacked by a war party of 50 French-Canadian soldiers led by Castin, about 50 Abenaki warriors from Canada, a contingent of French militia led by Joseph-François Hertel de la Fresnière , and 300 to 400 additional natives from Maine, including some Penobscots under

425-696: 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

510-429: 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

595-509: 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

680-559: A fur-trading business. In 1632, Gorges awarded Arthur Mackworth the island that became known as Mackworth Island , just off the mouth of the Presumpscot River, in what came to be called Casco, renamed Falmouth in 1658 under the governance of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . Historic Falmouth was split into two municipalities in 1786, creating Portland. In 1632, Thomas Purchase and George Way received

765-656: A grant for Harpswell Neck , a few years after Purchase had established a farm, trading post, and fish salting operation on the Androscoggin River north of Casco Bay. William Royall and his wife, Phoebe, moved in 1636 from Salem, Massachusetts , to present-day Yarmouth, building a homestead and farm along what came to be known as the Royal River . That year, George Jewell purchased the Casco Bay island that became known as Jewell Island . In 1640, John Sears moved from Boston to live on Long Island. Little

850-617: A leadership role. In 1626, John Cousins established a homestead in Casco. In 1635, he moved several miles east to a waterway that became known as the Cousins River . Cousins Island and Littlejohn Island are also named for him. Walter Bagnall settled in 1628 on Richmond Island , south of Cape Elizabeth and Casco Bay, and initiated trade with the Wabanaki. Bagnall was deemed an unscrupulous trader, and in 1631 Scitterygusset led

935-678: 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 ,

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1020-696: 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

1105-477: A number of smaller bays and tidal embayments, including Harpswell Sound, Maquoit Bay , Middle Bay, Quahog Bay and New Meadows River , where depths exceed 150 feet in a narrow channel just south of Cundy's Harbor. Casco Bay's topography produces a tidal range of about nine feet on average. Seawater circulates counterclockwise into Casco Bay via the Gulf of Maine Gyre, which is formed from cold water that passes over

1190-990: A number of whale sightings in Casco Bay over the years, including the North Atlantic right whale and the humpback whale . The number of water birds in Casco Bay varies by season and migratory cycles, with studies having shown anywhere from less than 5,000 to 32,000 or more across as many as 150 species, and significant nesting areas on 17 islands. Surveys of seabird populations in 1979 and 1980 identified nearly 5,400 nesting pairs of herring gulls across 56 colonies; close to 4,000 pairs of double-crested cormorants in 15 colonies; almost 3,000 pairs of eider ducks in 45 colonies; more than 2,100 pairs of great black-backed gulls in 37 colonies; and about 560 nesting pairs of common terns in nine colonies. Smaller numbers of horned grebes , common loons , ring-billed gulls , Bonaparte's gulls and laughing gulls have been observed. A 1975 survey determined that Upper Goose Island had

1275-521: 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

1360-549: A small band to the island to kill him and torch the island homestead. In 1630, George Cleeve obtained a patent from the Council for New England on Richmond Island, and established a homestead there alongside his business partner Richard Tucker. After other British investors challenged the patent, Cleeve and Tucker relocated in 1633 to the mainland and began farming land on Casco Neck. Within four years, Cleeve and Tucker had obtained 1,500 acres of land on Casco Neck and established

1445-547: 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

1530-454: 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

1615-636: Is believed that Martin Pring made landfall in Casco Bay as part of a 1603 expedition, with Samuel de Champlain and Pierre Dugua de Mons exploring it in 1605 from a base in Nova Scotia. In establishing the Popham Colony settlement near the mouth of the Kennebec River , George Popham landed in Casco Bay in 1607 while exploring the wider region. After Henry Hudson 's ship Half Moon

1700-475: Is known about Sears. In 1642, Cleeve, Tucker, Mackworth, Royall and Smith were among 30 signers of a petition to the British House of Commons asking for relief from administrators assigned by Gorges to the region who were exercising "unlawful and arbitrary power and jurisdiction over the persons and estate of your petitioners and the said other planters to their great oppression utter impoverishment and

1785-425: 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

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1870-618: 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. Casco Bay Casco Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the coast of Maine in the United States . The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 's chart for Casco Bay marks

1955-992: 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

2040-572: The 16th century , Abenaki peoples inhabited the region of present-day Casco Bay, including members of the Almouchiquois or Aucocisco group in the vicinity of the Presumpscot River. Some Casco Bay islands have archaeological evidence of Native American visits and camps extending back 4,000 years, including shell middens and harpoon points. It is uncertain whether early European explorers Giovanni da Verrazzano , John Cabot , Estêvão Gomes , or Bartholomew Gosnold entered Casco Bay. It

2125-689: The Battle of Fort Loyal (1690). On October 18, 1775, Falmouth was burned in 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

2210-589: 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

2295-459: 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 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

2380-614: 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

2465-621: The Isle of Portland off the coast of Dorset , England. Portland's economy was greatly stressed by 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

2550-727: The Piscataqua River . The first colonial settlement in Casco Bay was that of Christopher Levett , an English explorer and agent of Gorges, who built a house on House Island in 1623–24. His initial settlement, called Machigonne and made up of veterans of the Wessagusset Colony on Massachusetts Bay, failed. At the time, the sachem of the Almouchiquois along the Presumscot was Scitterygusset, also known as Skitterygusset and other alternate spellings in historic records. Scitterygusset's sister Warrabitta also had

2635-547: The Scotian Shelf off Nova Scotia , then in and out of the Bay of Fundy . In Casco Bay, tidal currents are stronger between island channels and weaker in smaller bays in the eastern section. The Presumpscot River is the largest single source of non-saline water emptying directly into Casco Bay, flowing south from its headwaters at Sebago Lake , Maine's second-largest lake. In addition to freshwater entering Casco Bay from

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2720-570: 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

2805-657: The Treaty of Casco at Fort Loyal , in present-day Portland, on April 12, 1678, binding the Wabanaki Confederacy to ending King Philip's War. After the Treaty of Casco, settlers began returning to Maine, in some instances setting up farms and homesteads near protective stockades as a fallback option in case of any renewed tensions. In 1700, a stockade that also served as a trading post was built in Falmouth east of

2890-542: The creative economy , which is also bringing gentrification . The original Algonquin-speaking Eastern Abenaki residents called the Portland peninsula Machigonne ("great neck"). It 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

2975-567: 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, 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

3060-577: The 20,000 Wabanaki in Maine and part of present-day New Brunswick survived epidemics that broke out through 1619. On August 10, 1622, King James I of England awarded a land patent to Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason for coastal lands and interiors extending from the Merrimack River to the Kennebec. Gorges and Mason eventually split the patent, with Gorges getting land patent rights north of

3145-633: The Casco Bay area occurred on September 10, 1675, at a farm north of Falmouth. Native American warriors killed six people and three more went missing. After another attack at Falmouth in October, heavy snow discouraged further action by either side for the rest of the year. Despite concurrent peace talks by tribes to the east, in August 1676 Wabanaki Confederacy warriors raided several farms in Falmouth, killing or capturing 34 people. Settler Thaddeus Clark reported that survivors fled to Cushing Island, known at

3230-567: 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

3315-581: The New England coast and inland areas beginning in June 1675, including in the Casco Bay region. If prodded into action by Metacom's militant contemporaries drumming up support in northern New England, many local tribes followed their own counsel in planning attacks in the regional conflict that some historians dub the First Abenaki War , or chose not to initiate hostilities. The first attack in

3400-526: 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

3485-472: 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

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3570-508: The Presumpscot River and called New Casco, with two cairns built to commemorate friendship between the Abenaki people and settlers. The Brothers islands just off present-day Falmouth are thought to have been named for the cairns. The 1678 treaty did little to address simmering disagreements and discord throughout the region between local tribes and settlers, laying the foundation for a renewal of hostilities in 1688. Historians came to consider

3655-522: The Presumpscot River and smaller streams along its length, lower-salinity seawater outside the mouth of the Kennebec River circulates west into Casco Bay. Scientists have defined a distinct Casco Bay Coast Biophysical Region as part of the larger Northeastern Mixed Forest Province. The 2015 Maine Forest Inventory & Analysis determined that the Casco Bay Coast Biophysical Region was 73 percent forested, with red maple

3740-570: 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

3825-419: 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

3910-459: 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

3995-480: 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

4080-865: The bay "Bahía de Cascos", translated as "Bay of Helmets", based on its shape. Colonel Wolfgang William Römer , an English military engineer , reported in 1700 that the bay had "as many islands as there are days in the year", leading to the bay's islands being called the Calendar Islands, based on the popular myth there are 365 of them. The United States Coast Pilot lists 136 islands; former Maine state historian Robert M. York said there are "little more than two hundred". Casco Bay spans about 229 square miles, with its shore stretching 578 miles. In addition to Portland, Cape Elizabeth, and Phippsburg, municipalities with shorelines fronting Casco Bay include Brunswick , Cumberland , Falmouth , Freeport , Harpswell , South Portland , West Bath , Yarmouth , and

4165-471: 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

4250-471: 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

4335-484: 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

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4420-541: 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

4505-723: The coastline, including a portion of the northern shore of Casco Bay. The Flying Point Fault in Casco Bay is considered part of the Norumbega Fault system, dividing bedrock formations that have distinct geological characteristics. Around 14,000 BCE during the Wisconsin glaciation period at the end of the last glacial cycle , the Laurentide ice sheet covering the Casco Bay region began to recede, according to radiocarbon dating on marine shells and other materials. The glacier's retreat stripped bare underlying bedrock to form

4590-747: The dividing line between the bay and the Gulf of Maine as running from Bald Head on Cape Small in Phippsburg west-southwest to Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth . The city of Portland and the Port of Portland are on Casco Bay's western edge. There are multiple theories about the origin of the name "Casco Bay". Aucocisco , an Anglicisation of the Abenaki name for the bay, means "place of herons", "marshy place", or "place of slimy mud". The explorer Estêvão Gomes mapped Maine's coast in 1525 and named

4675-779: The first state law prohibiting the sale of alcohol except for "medicinal, mechanical or manufacturing purposes." The law subsequently became known as 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

4760-569: 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 )

4845-590: The guise of parley. In 1677, Gorges's grandson sold his land rights in Maine to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As Wabanaki peoples got word of colonial authorities reaching out to leaders of the Mohawk people for assistance in Maine, they became more amenable to a truce, though significant attacks continued on Maine coastal settlements west of Casco Bay. Leaders of the Penobscot people signed

4930-435: The harbor is named for him. The peninsula was settled in 1632 as a fishing and trading village named Casco. When 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

5015-553: The highest elevation of any Casco Bay island at 201 feet on a hill called Long Reach Mountain, followed by Chebeague Island at 176 feet. In Casco Bay's western reaches, a line of islands extends west from Chebeague to Cushing Island to create protected anchorages for vessels, as do the narrow peninsulas that jut into the bay's eastern section. A number of deep-water channels lead into the bay's inner sections, including Cushing Island Reach, Hussey Sound, Luckse Sound , Broad Sound , and Merriconeag Sound Casco Bay's shoreline creates

5100-430: The hindrance of the plantation in these parts". As settlers built out farms in the Casco Bay region, more commercial fishermen who were familiar with Casco Bay began making it their home port in the second half of the 1630s. Artisan craftsmen also moved to Casco and other towns on Casco Bay in the following decade, as a growing population supported commerce along with existing trade opportunities with indigenous peoples in

5185-404: 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

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5270-439: The island municipalities of Chebeague Island and Long Island . Researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey have dated volcanic material embedded in exposed bedrock in Casco Bay to the Ordovician period roughly 470 million years ago, predating the formation of the Atlantic Ocean by some 320 million years. The Norumbega Fault developed just inland from the Maine coast, with the geologic fault running roughly parallel to

5355-647: The largest number of nesting great blue herons in Maine. Other wading birds in Casco Bay include snowy egrets , black-crowned night herons and the glossy ibis . In addition to eider, other waterfowl in Casco Bay depending on seasons include Canada geese , snow geese , black ducks , goldeneyes , buffleheads , greater scaup , scoters , long-tailed ducks and harlequin ducks . Migratory shorebirds that pass through Casco Bay include sandpipers , plovers , turnstones , dowitchers and greater yellowlegs . Raptor populations on Casco Bay islands and shorelines include osprey , with 86 nesting pairs observed in

5440-460: The leadership of Madockawando . Fort Loyal was attacked at the same time. About 75 men in the Casco settlement fought for four days before surrendering on May 20 on condition of safe passage. Instead, most of the men, including John Swarton, were killed, and the survivors, including Hannah Swarton and her children, were captured. Swarton was ransomed in 1695. Cotton Mather published her story. Church returned to Casco Bay in September 1690 with

5525-462: 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

5610-527: The most widespread tree species in the region, followed by eastern white pine , eastern hemlock , northern red oak , red spruce and paper birch . Water temperatures in Casco Bay rose by 3 degrees Fahrenheit over a three-decade period through 2022, with some scientists linking the change to shifting mixes of organisms and wildlife in the bay. In a 2019 study of invasive species threatening Casco Bay eelgrass and kelp beds that other organisms and wildlife depend on, researchers found abundant evidence of

5695-649: 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

5780-537: The mouths of the Harraseeket and Royal Rivers, while James Lane acquired nearby Lanes Island. By 1660, John Bustion had obtained a deed on today's Bustins Island . Will Black Jr. relocated his family from Berwick in 1718 to the island that would become known as Will's Island, and later Bailey Island after its acquisition by Timothy Bailey of Massachusetts. Spurred by the Wampanoag chief Metacom in what came to be known as King Philip's War , Native American warriors attacked colonial farms and settlements along

5865-615: 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,

5950-628: The new conflict in Maine part of the larger King William's War , which in turn marked the first installment of an extended proxy war between England and France that came to be known as the French and Indian Wars , with sporadic raids and atrocities on both sides. In August 1688, in response to an English colonial raid of Penobscot Bay settlements, French officer Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin led counter-raids by Acadian militia and Wabanaki Confederacy warriors, including at Yarmouth. In September 1689, English colonial officer Benjamin Church arrived in Falmouth to defend settlers there, fending off

6035-523: 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

6120-842: The presence of several types of tunicates , bryozoa , Japanese skeleton shrimp and at one location European green crabs . Casco Bay has an estimated 16,655 acres of intertidal habitats to include mudflats , marshes, beaches and rock formations according to the National Wetlands Inventory, supporting a range of biota and wildlife. Among more than three dozen species of fish found commonly in Casco Bay are bluefin tuna , bluefish , cod , herring , mackerel , menhaden , sharks , smelt , striped bass , and winter flounder . Shellfish include lobsters , crabs , mussels , clams , oysters , scallops and periwinkles . Harbor seal populations have been observed to number between 400 and 500 seals in Casco Bay. There have been

6205-423: The region. In 1659, George Munjoy moved to Casco and built a fortified house on today's Munjoy Hill , which overlooks Casco Bay. In 1666, Munjoy acquired additional land along the Presumpscot River via a deed co-signed by Warrabitta. Islands continued to come under individual settler ownership during the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1658, Hugh Moshier purchased what became Moshier and Little Moshier Islands near

6290-411: The rocky coast of Casco Bay's shore and islands. According to NOAA's soundings, the bay's deepest point is about 204 feet, southwest of Halfway Rock . A Phippsburg hill called Fuller Mountain has the bay's highest elevation along the immediate shoreline, estimated at 269 feet above sea level by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1980, and 277 feet on more recent topographical maps. Sebascodegan Island has

6375-567: The section between Monument Square and Free Street pedestrianized, and the remaining section—around The Maine Lobsterman monument on Temple Street—erased. Near its midsection, Middle Street crosses Franklin Street . In 1756, when Franklin Street was laid out between Middle Street and Back Street (today's Congress Street), it was known as Fiddle Street. In the early 1950s, the newly created Slum Clearance and Redevelopment Authority Vine-Deer-Chatham project demolished Portland's Little Italy, which

6460-597: The time as Andrews Island for settler James Andrews. On Peaks Island that year, seven were killed in a Wabanaki attack after coming over from Cushing Island in search of food. After colonial militia leader Richard Waldron laid a trap under the guise of peace talks to capture several Wabanaki warriors who were then executed or enslaved, tribes intensified attacks on settlements throughout Maine, causing most settlers to flee south. After talks failed at Maquoit Bay in February 1677, Waldron again ambushed Native Americans under

6545-482: 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

6630-786: 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

6715-516: Was bounded by Franklin Street to the east, Fore Street to the south, Pearl Street to the west and Middle Street to the north. The head of Deer Street was opposite the Thompson Block at 117–125 Middle Street. Middle Street, which is named for its position between Congress Street and Fore Street, passes through Portland's Old Port district. From northeast to southwest: At the time of his death in 1807, 46-year-old Commodore Edward Preble

6800-621: 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

6885-447: Was damaged in 1608 while attempting to discover a northwest passage to India, Hudson landed in Casco Bay for repairs. In 1616, John Smith published a map of New England that included a depiction of Casco Bay based on his exploration of the region two years earlier. Contact with Europeans exposed Wabanaki peoples to new diseases, with epidemics striking starting in 1616 that produced high mortality rates. By one estimate, just 5,500 of

6970-467: 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

7055-464: 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

7140-479: Was living on Middle Street. The Samuel Freeman House, built in the late 18th century, formerly stood on Middle Street. The Second Parish Congregational Church stood at the corner of Middle Street and Deer Street. Deer Street, now a parking lot, was opposite the Thompson Block, just northeast of Pearl Street. The 240-room, six-story Falmouth Hotel stood at 212 Middle Street between 1868 and 1963, when it

7225-477: Was torn down for being a fire hazard. It was replaced by today's Canal Bank Plaza in 1971. Sanitary Meat Market (established in 1914) formerly occupied the southern corner of the Middle Street and India Street intersection. It is now a parking lot. 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

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