2017 Visitor's Guide

PUTTING A NAME TO THE PLACE What's in a name? In Greater Portland, it's no less than America's history.

FORT GORGES, 1858 Named after Ferdinand Gorges who was deeded by Britain as the original land- holder of the Casco Bay area in 1622. FIRST PARISH CHURCH, 1728 The Longfellow family pews are still reserved, and a canon ball from a Revolutionary War attack is mounted in the chandelier. WADSWORTH-LONGFELLOW HOUSE, 1786 Famed poet HenryWadsworth Longfellow grew up in downtown Portland's oldest building, and its easy to find local inspiration in much of his work. The family home was preserved by his sister. PORTLAND HEAD LIGHT, 1791 While not named after our first President, GeorgeWashington commissioned this first U.S. lighthouse in 1786. The Keeper's quarters were approved byGov. JohnHancock. PORTLAND, OREGON, 1845 Of the two founders of this western city, Portland, Maine native Francis Pettygrove won the coin toss deciding after whose home the fledgling town would be named. Asa Lovejoy of Boston lost. BULL FEENEY'S, 1866 Charles Q. Clapp Building (rebuilt after the Great Fire) houses this pub named for film direcor John Ford—born John Feeney. The Maine native was nicknamed "Bull" for his tenacity on Portland High School's football team. He masked his sur- name with that of the popular car because of hostility toward the Irish in Hollywood. LINCOLN PARK, 1866 Lincoln Park, named after the recently slain President, was created as a firebreak after the Great Fire that destroyed the city a third time. The fire was started when Fourth of July fireworks ignited the blaze celebrating the end of the Civil War.

PHOTOS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: LARRY EMERSON; ROBERT WITKOWSKI/VISIT PORTLAND; CFW PHOTOGRAPHY; ROBERT WITKOWSKI/VISIT PORTLAND; COREY TEMPLETON

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