Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 105th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The Port of Portland is the largest tonnage seaport in New England.
About Portland, Maine in brief
Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 105th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The Port of Portland is the largest tonnage seaport in New England. Portland was named for the English Isle of Portland, and the city of Portland,. Oregon, was in turn named for Portland, Maine. The Old Port district is known for its 19th-century architecture and nightlife. Marine industry still plays an important role in the city’s economy, with an active waterfront that supports fishing and commercial shipping. The city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, a reference to recovery from four devastating fires. The first European settler was Capt. Christopher Levett, an English naval captain granted 6,000 acres in 1623 to found a settlement in Casco Bay. 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 the Maine law, as 18 states quickly followed. 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. By act of the Maine Legislature in 1899, Portland was annexed by the state of Deering, despite a vote by residents rejecting the annexation. The Great Fire of Portland on July 4, 1866, ignited during the Independence Day celebration, destroyed most of the commercial buildings, and left more than 10,000 people homeless.
In 1786, the citizens of Falmouth formed a separate town in Falmouth Neck and named it Portland, after the isle off the coast of Dorset, England. The name Portland itself comes from the Old English word Portlanda, which means \”land surrounding a harbor\”. Native Americans, originally called the Portland peninsula Machigonne. Portland became a rail hub as five additional rail lines merged into Portland Terminal Company in 1911. Following nationalization of the Grand Trunk system in 1923, Canadian traffic was diverted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, resulting in marked local economic decline. In the 20th century, 20th- century ice ships later enabled Portland’s role as a winter port for Canada to drastically reduce export ships to reach Montreal, reducing the port’s role in winter, reducing Portland’s importance as a shipping center. The Portland Company, located on Fore Street, manufactured more than 600 19-century steam locomotives, as well as engines for trains and boats, fire engines and other railroad transportation equipment. In 1820, Maine was established as a state with Portland as its capital, in 1832, the capital was moved north and East to Augusta. 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.
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This page is based on the article Portland, Maine published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 09, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
