City of Portland

Our last day in Maine.
We joined a walking tour to explore the largest city in the state.

Portland was created in 1786 even if there were settlements in the bay as early as 1632. It was made state capital in 1820 when Maine was established as a state.

First thing to note are extortionate, sky high parking charges despite seemingly lots of parking being available. It gives the impression that the city wants to keep cars out and instead have more cruise ship visitors. Having a big cruise ship in town, the area around the old port is just jam-packed with people queueing for boat excursions, city tours on funny looking vehicles or 'Holy Donuts'. Imagine more of them 🫣

Portland's motto is "Resurgam" ("I will rise again" as the Phoenix from the Ashes), reflecting the city's resilience after four catastrophic fires from 1690 to 1886. No surprise that the city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes.

The last fire destroyed 2,000 buildings and left 75% of the population homeless. Hence Portland has been rebuilt in sturdy stone Victorian style houses.

With lots of the historic houses being destroyed since, Portland feels like a mismatch of styles.

All in all, we didn't think much of Portland. However, I picked up a few interesting titbits
👆Holy Donut - it's a craze!!
The Holy Donut is a modern-day Maine phenomenon — donuts made from genuine Maine potatoes. Basically, it's a creative used of mashed potatoes. And the queues outside the store are phenomenal too.
👆Lobsters - are big business in Maine and the biggest export item handled by the Portland Customs House. Everybody can obtain a license to fish for lobsters - permit costs about 500 dollars per year and one can't have more than one crew to protect family businesses.
There are stringent regulations which size of lobster can be kept and which has to be thrown back.
Any lobster with eggs under its belly has to be marked (as reproducing) and thrown back.
It's only after WWII that lobster became a delicacy
👆 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.
👆Portland Rum Riot - In May 1855, rumors began to spread that Portland Mayor Neal Dow, an outspoken prohibitionist was keeping a large supply of alcohol in the city. Portland’s large Irish immigrant population were particularly vocal critics of the Maine Law, seeing it as thinly veiled racist attack on their culture (the Irish were known or suspected to be drunkards).
On the afternoon of June 2, a crowd began to gather outside the building where the spirits were being held. The crowd numbered about 200 by 5:00 p.m. and grew larger and more agitated as the day progressed as it became evident that the police had no immediate plans to seize or destroy the liquor.
Police were unable to deal with the growing mob, and Dow called out the militia. The exact details of the climax of the riot have been hotly debated. What is known is that after ordering the protesters to disperse, the militia detachment fired into the crowd on Dow's orders. One man, John Robbins, an immigrant and mate of a Maine sailing vessel from Deer Isle, was killed, and seven others were wounded. In a twist of irony, Dow was later prosecuted for violation of the Maine Law for improperly acquiring the alcohol. Dow was acquitted, but the event was a major contributing factor to the repeal of the Maine law in 1856.

So all of that in the attempt to stop people enjoying themselves. It's rather ironic that Portland today, has more breweries per capita than any other city of the US.Read more