2014 Visitor's Guide - page 31

CONVENTION + VISITORS BUREAU / 29
EASTERN CEMETERY, EST. 1668
Several notables are buried in Portland’s
oldest cemetery, including the first person
killed in the Civil War, five Congressmen,
and two captains who were killed fighting
against each other in a decisive naval
battle during the War of 1812. Over time,
the entrance was moved to Congress
Street, at what was originally the back of
the cemetery where the less fortunate were
laid to rest, instead of beside the graves of
more prominent citizens located at the
original entrance.
TATE HOUSE, 1755
Built for Captain George Tate, a mast agent
for the British Royal Navy, this is the only
pre-revolutionary home in Greater Portland
open to the public. Captain Tate oversaw
the cutting and shipping of white pines
fromMaine to England. The trees, which
were deemed the property of the King,
were marked with the sign of a broad arrow
(three axe slashes), a sign that came
to symbolize the tyranny of the Crown
and its policies of eminent domain that
helped foment revolution in the Province
of Maine.
LONGFELLOW HOUSE, 1785-86
Boyhood home of beloved poet Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow, the residence
housed three generations of one remark-
able family. The house is the oldest
structure standing on the Portland
peninsula and the only single-family
residence to survive from the time when
Congress Street was a neighborhood on
the edge of town. Most of the household
items and artifacts are original to the
Wadsworth and Longfellow families.
PORTLAND OBSERVATORY, 1807
In 1807, ships entering the harbor could not
be seen from Portland’s docks, a problem
for merchants needing to prepare to
unload their cargos. Sea captain turned
entrepreneur, Lemuel Moody, solved the
problem by building an 86’ tower from
which he could signal the arrival of
commercial ships whose owners paid to
have their flags hoisted up flagstaffs when
their ships were sighted entering Portland
Harbor. Climb the tower stairs for spectac-
ular views from the last surviving maritime
signal tower in the US.
FIRST PARISH CHURCH, 1825
Old Jerusalem, Portland’s oldest house of
worship, was built in 1740 and stood until
1825 when it was replaced by the current
church. The wood steeple is original.
First Parish retains a cannonball in its
chandelier that was lodged in the church
walls during the British destruction of
Portland in 1775.
FORT GORGES, 1865
The octagonal fort off Portland’s eastern
shore was built just as the Civil War ended.
Modern explosives made the fort obsolete
before it was even completed and no
shots were ever fired from this outpost.
The island fort is open to the public as a
park, accessible only by private boat.
VICTORIA MANSION, 1858-60
The Italian villa-style home built for
Ruggles Sylvester More, a Maine native
who made his fortune as the proprietor of
luxury hotels, is an unparalleled example
of pre-Civil War grandeur. The elaborate
interiors designed by Gustave Herter are
his only commission to survive intact.
About 90% of the original furnishings
remain in the mansion.
PORTLAND FREEDOM TRAIL
16 marked sites recognize people associ-
ated with the Underground Railroad and
the anti-slavery movement in Portland.
Eastern Cemetery was chosen as the first
site to be unveiled on the trail in honor of
the final resting place of many of Portland’s
abolitionist leaders. Download a walking
tour map from PortlandFreedomTrail.org.
IRISH HERITAGE CENTER
Formerly Saint Dominic’s, this restored
landmark promotes Irish culture and
heritage by telling the story of the vibrant
immigrant community in Maine in the
1800s and 1900s. The famous Hollywood
director John Ford (née Feeney) was born
into this community and the Irish watering
hole Bull Feeney’s on Fore Street bears
his nickname. The Center contains a
museum and archives located in the former
sanctuary and also houses Maine’s Irish
Genealogical Center.
ARCHITECTURAL WALKING TOURS
Join Greater Portland Landmarks on a
walking tour to examine the homes of
Portland’s golden age or explore on your
own with self-guided tours of four neighbor-
hoods: Congress Street, State Street, West-
ern Promenade and the Old Port. Interactive
maps available at portlandlandmarks.org or
purchase printed tours at the Ocean Gate-
way Visitor Information Center.
START EXPLORING GREATER P ORTLAND’S R ICH HISTORY HERE !
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