History
Fort Casco, Portland, Maine constructed by Wolfgang William Romer; map by Cyprian Southwick. Native Americans who originally called the “Great Neck” of the Portland peninsula Machigonne (“Great Neck”).
Portland was named after Portland, which is the English Isle of Portland, and the city of Portland, Oregon, was later named after Portland, Maine.
The first European settler was named Capt.
Christopher Levett, an English naval captain, was granted an area of 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) in 1623, to establish a settlement in Casco Bay. He was a participant in the Council for New England and agent for Ferdinando Gorges, Levett built a stone home where he resigned the group of ten men returning to England to create a book on his journey to increase the support for the settlement.
The settlement ultimately was not successful The fate of the colonists of Levett’s is not known. Levett sailed through England towards John Winthrop in the Massachusetts Bay Colony John Winthrop in 1630. He never came back to Maine.
Fort Levett in the harbor is named after him.
The peninsula was first settled in 1632, as a trading and fishing village dubbed Casco.
Massachusetts Bay Colony took over Casco Bay in 1658. Casco Bay’s name was changed to Falmouth. The town was destroyed in 1676. town was destroyed by Abenaki the King’s war. The village was restored. It was rebuilt during the time of King William’s War, a raiding group comprised of French and their allies from their homeland targeted and destroyed the fort yet again during its final battle. Battle of Fort Loyal
Geography
Deering Oaks Park with fountain and castle pavilion is situated in the area where Interstate 295 meets State Street, Park Avenue, and Deering Avenue.
Based on the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a surface that is 69.44 sq miles (179.85 km2), and of that, 21.31 square miles (55.19 km2)) island, and 48.13 sq miles (124.66 km2)) are water.
Portland is located on a peninsula located in Casco Bay, which is located on the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean.
Westbrook Falmouth
. The city is situated on 43.66713 North, 70.20717 W.
Climate
Portland is a humid continental climate (Koppen: Dfb), with cold snowy, often extended winters, and mild, short summers. The average temperature for the month is between 30 and 40 degrees (-1 degree Celsius) in January to 70 degF (27 degrees Celsius) during July. The temperature of the day can reach or surpass 90 degF (32 degC) on just 4 days in a year, typically, while lows in cold weather of 0 degrees (-18 degrees Celsius) or less are recorded every 10 nights on average.
The region is prone to be impacted by extreme nor’easters during the winter months, with winds that are extremely strong and snowfalls that often measure more than afoot. The annual rainfall that’s liquid (rain) typically measures 47.2 inches (1,200 millimeters) and is abundant all year, however, with a dry summer. The annual freezing precipitation (snow) is about 69 in (175 millimeters) within the urban. But, areas that aren’t near the coast’s immediate vicinity average more, since the warmer ocean water and the onshore flow may make snow transition into rain or sleet in the coastal areas. For Southern Maine, winter-season snowstorms can be quite intense between November and the middle of April. Warm-season thunderstorms are less frequent as compared to regions like the Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeastern U.S. Direct attacks by tropical storms or hurricanes are not common, in part due to the typically cooler Atlantic waters that lie off on the Maine coast (which tend to weaken tropical systems) however, the main reason is that the majority of tropical storms that are approaching or exceeding 40 degrees North latitudes are recurving (due to Coriolis Force) and then track east towards the ocean to the away from the Portland region. Extreme temperatures can range between -39 deg F (-39 degrees Celsius) at the time of February 16, 1943, to 103 degrees F (39 degrees Celsius) on July 4th, 1911, and August 2, 1975.
zones of hardiness are 5b as well as 6a.
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record-breaking record high degF (degC) Average max degF (degC) 52 Average high degF (degC) 32.4 Daily average degF (degC) 24.0 Average low degF (degC) 15.6 Minimum degF (degC) record low degF (degC) 26 inches of precipitation (mm) 3.50 average snowfall inches (cm) 18.6
Average precipitation days (>= 0.01 in) 11.2 10.2 11.3 11.1 12.5 11.7 10.8 9.4 9.3 10.9 10.7 12.3 131.4
Averaging snowy days (> 0.1 per) 7.6 7.0 5.1 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 1.5 6.0 28.6 average sun hours of sunshine possible ultraviolet index NOAA
The temperature of the water
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Neighborhoods
Portland is divided into areas that are generally accepted by residents, however, they do not have any legal or political power. In many instances, the city’s signs designate areas or intersections (which are commonly referred to as corners). Many cities have a local group that typically maintains regular relationships to varying degrees with the city’s government on issues that affect the neighborhood.
In 1899, on March 8 Portland joined the neighboring Deering city. Deering.
Deering neighborhoods are now part of the eastern and northern parts of the city prior to the amalgamation. In Portland, Deering High School was formerly the only public high school in Deering.
The neighborhoods of Portland include neighborhoods like the Arts District; Bayside; Bradley’s Corner; Cliff Island; Cushing’s Island; Deering Center; Deering Highlands; Downtown;
East Deering; East Bayside; East End;
Great Diamond Island Kennedy Park
Little Diamond Island; Lunt’s Corner; Morrill’s Corner;
Munjoy Hill; Nason’s Corner;
North Deering; Oakdale; the Old Port; Parkside;
Peaks Island; Riverton Park; Rosemont; Stroudwater;
West End; and Woodford’s Corner.
In recent years, a lot of the neighborhoods in Portland have been subject to increasing gentrification that has caused many residents to feel “priced out” of their neighborhoods. In 2015 The Portland Press Herald published a series of stories about how the “super-tight apartment market” and the stress caused by evictions and huge increases in rent per month.
In addition city, landlords hiked rents an average of 17.4 percent, which is the second-highest increase across the nation.
Historical Landmarks
CULTURE, HISTORY, AND Community Originally referred to as Machigonne (Great Neck) by the Native Americans who first inhabited the area The Portland peninsula was first established by the British in 1632, as an area for fishing and trading. The economy grew and the waterfront was a popular destination for trade and shipping firms. Names were changed in 1658 to Casco and in 1658, it was changed to Falmouth.
The town was renamed by local residents Portland in 1786. Later, in 1820, Maine has declared a state with Portland being its initial capital.
Fort Road, Southern Maine Technical College. It was used in the past to guard the entrance towards Portland Harbor.
The Civil War Fort located on House Island is an interesting tour and clambake location. Around the turn century, House Island served as a hospital for immigrants, with thousands of immigrants arriving in America.
The fort, which is octagonal in shape, can be seen in Portland’s Eastern Promenade can be visited via private boat. It was designed in 1858 to accommodate short-range guns but the fort was dismantled by the advent of long-range guns. It was never fired on.
Portland Observatory View | Photo Credit: CFW Photography Portland Observatory Museum National Historic Landmark in Portland’s East End. The last left-standing signal towers in America. Views of lighthouses, cruise ships as well as Western Mountains.
Deering Oaks Park 51-acre park was the site of the 1690 conflict among colonists French and Indians. Old oak trees line the park, Rose Garden, playground, and a duck pond. Tennis courts. Saturday Farmers Market during the season.
Neighborhood with breathtaking panoramic views over Casco Bay. The vast grassy area is a wonderful location to read an e-book, enjoy an outdoor picnic, or play Frisbee or enjoy boating in the water. There is a beach which is open to all visitors.
The European-style cathedral was the center of Irish culture for more than 150 years. It is now home to Maine’s Irish genealogical center as well as a library, which tells the history of Irish culture in Maine.
Custom House Wharf | Alan Lavalle The city’s historic center the city’s first settlement is situated around its port of commerce. It was destroyed in 1866 by an utterly destructive fire. It was quickly rebuilt in a grand Victorian style, which demonstrates the city’s resilience to economic hardship.
U.S. Customs House Built 1868-1871. Built out of New Hampshire granite. Its elaborate interior has ceilings painted and gilded and finely crafted woodwork and marble flooring. Still in use by Customs Service and the Coast Guard.
Charles Shipman Payson wing constructed 1979-83. Henry N. Cobb of I.M. Pei, architect. The contemporary Post- Modern, reflects the traditional architectural vocabulary. Made of locally-made brick and the use of granite strings.
City Hall | Photo Credit: Chris Lawrence Portland City Hall Second Renaissance Revival, 1909-1912. Designed by Carrere and Hastings of New York.
Incredible views of 175 feet over the sea level The and Portland’s Western Promenade dates from the beginning of the century. It showcases the city’s well-preserved Victorian homes.
Portland Head Light
Photograph Credit: Chris Lawrence Portland Head Light Lighthouse located at Portland Head, located on the southernmost point of the peninsula. It was constructed in 1846. The lighthouse was replaced by one that was destroyed during the Revolutionary War. The current light station was completed in 1859.
Portland Breakwater Light Station
Image Credits: Chris Lawrence Portland Breakwater Lighthouse was constructed in 1882. It is the oldest lighthouse that is still in use in Maine.