Hype for the Future 64K: City of Portland, Maine

Introduction

The City of Portland is the county seat of Cumberland County, the largest city in the State of Maine, and the namesake of the City of Portland, Oregon, nearer the Pacific Coast of the United States. While the City of Portland is often identified as along the Atlantic, the community is largely identified by the Casco Bay in particular, and the Casco Bay is home to several of the city’s islands, including Ram, Cushing, and Peaks Islands, all of which maintain cultural and city attractions for the greater community.

Island Attractions

On Ram Island, the Ram Island Ledge Light Station is the principal attraction; with Cushing and Peaks Islands, the attractions include Battery Kendrick, Battery Foote, and the Watch Tower on Cushing; and Battery Steele, the Whaleback Ledge, the Ocean Rock Viewpoint, and the seasonal Fifth Maine Museum on Peaks.

Mainland Attractions

The City of Portland is a university city home to the University of Southern Maine in the UMaine system centered in the Town of Orono, north of Bangor, in Penobscot County. However, for the general population of the City and for potential tourists to the region, the International Cryptozoology Museum and the Tate House Museum are located immediately to the north of the Fore River, while the central city area, home to the Maine College of Art and Design for higher education, is also home to the Portland Fire Museum, the Portland Museum of Art, the Centre Civic arena/museum, Mainely Frames & Gallery, the Wadsworth-Longfellow House of the Maine Historical Society, the Maine Jewish Museum, and the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad. One of the numerous signature places to stay within the inner City of Portland is the Press Hotel of the Autograph Collection.

Hype for the Future 64I: Cumberland County, Maine (Portland Vicinity)

Disclaimer

The following content in the post will refer to the vicinity of the City of Portland, excluding the city proper as well as the Town of Brunswick and Bowdoin College covered in separate articles.

Introduction

Cumberland County, Maine, is located near the southern tip of the State of Maine, bordering on Casco Bay at the Atlantic Ocean and largely identified by being home to the largest city in the State, Portland, as well as the potential northern terminus of the Northeast Megalopolis. However, outside the Portland city proper, numerous suburban areas and more distant towns and village areas dominate the cultural traits of the county.

Town of Bridgton

Bridgton is a town located at the northwestern end of Cumberland County, Maine. The community is primarily served by Route 302 from northwest to southeast and by Route 117 toward the northeast. Within the Town of Bridgton, Route 302 serves the role of Main Street and is home to the Aperto and Factor Fine Art Galleries, Gallery 302, the Rufus Porter Museum of Art and Ingenuity, and Music on Main. Music on Main is a live music festival and is only active in the summer months along Route 302 in the town.

Town of Standish

The Town of Standish is located relatively centrally within Cumberland County, Maine, though relatively nearer the York County line. The town contains the southern portion of Sebago Lake within the community, with Saint Joseph’s College of Maine located directly on the lake and the central village area containing the Historic New England Marrett House.

Town of Gorham

The Town of Gorham is located relatively shortly to the west of the City of Portland, though the Gorham area is slightly isolated by rural territory along Route 25 west of Westbrook. The PineCrest Inn Bed and Breakfast represents the signature place to stay, and the town is home to the University of Southern Maine, with additional campuses located at Portland and Lewiston. The town is primarily traversed by U.S. Route 202 and by State Routes 25, 112, and 114, with Route 202 skirting around the Portland area.

Town of Freeport

The Town of Freeport is located along Interstate 295 and Route 1 north of Portland and south of Brunswick in Cumberland County, Maine. Though not as large as either of the aforementioned communities, the community is home to the Old Town Meeting House in the central village with the Sidle House Gallery located further southeast. The east side is home to the historic Pettengill Farm, with an additional art gallery located at Ack Me Arts even further east. Back to the central village area, the northwest side (west of Route 1) is notable for the famous L.L. Bean Boot. Even further west is the supposed “Desert of Maine” attraction, even though the State of Maine does not technically contain any desert climate(s).

Town of Yarmouth

The Town of Yarmouth is located along Interstate 295 and Route 1 southwest of Freeport and northeast of Portland within Cumberland County, home to the Eartha Globe representing the largest spinning globe model in the world located in an office building as well as the obvious Yarmouth History Center.

Town of Scarborough

At the southern end of the coast of Cumberland County in Maine is the Town of Scarborough, containing the historic Hunnewell House in the primary settlement as well as a reasonably-sized village area named Dunstan, home to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument and the Scarborough Historical Society representative of the entire town. Moore’s Brook and the Winslow Homer Studio are each located further east in the area of the town, with the Studio located at the peninsula known as Prouts Neck.

Town of Cape Elizabeth

Incorporated separately from the Town of Scarborough is the Town of Cape Elizabeth to the east, home to the Old Barn in Hillside attraction in the west and the more easterly Battery Commanders Tower, Holly Ready Gallery, Bowery Beach School, and Trundy Point Military Reservation sites. The military reservation at Trundy Point continues to maintain a steel observation tower overlooking the area.

City of South Portland

Located immediately to the south of the largest city in the State of Maine, Portland, the fourth-largest city in the State of Maine is home to the Maine Military Museum and Learning Center near the geographical center and the lighthouses at Bug Light and Spring Point Ledge overlooking the Casco Bay, the latter being located along with Fort Preble.

Hype for the Future 64G: Town of Brunswick, Maine

Introduction

The Town of Brunswick effectively represents the northern end of Cumberland County, Maine, directly across the Androscoggin River from the Town of Topsham in Sagadahoc County. Located near the Atlantic Ocean, the community of Brunswick is most notable for hosting Bowdoin College, part of the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium with Colby in Waterville and Bates in Lewiston.

Bowdoin College

Along with Colby and Bates Colleges in Waterville and Lewiston, respectively, Bowdoin College represents a significant private institution located within the State of Maine. Though each of the colleges are fairly similar in relatively suburban campus form, with historic features similarly associated with the three clearly distinct institutions, only Bowdoin is included within the Six Colleges, along with five other significant elite private institutions: Amherst, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams. Though Bowdoin hosts the Bowdoin College Museum of Art on campus, as is the case with Colby and Bates Colleges further north, Bowdoin College also hosts the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum.

Off Campus

Just outside the official Bowdoin College campus limits is the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum for his Civil War service at Gettysburg and his association with the college as well as the historic Brunswick Hotel directly opposite Noble Street. The Pejepscot History Center is also of significance within the community, and the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge to the northwest intends to separate the community from the Town of Topsham in Sagadahoc County over the river.

Geography

The Town of Brunswick is located near the northern end of the Casco Bay, with associated islands being home to the East Brown Cow, the Halfway Rock Lighthouse, the Eagle Island State Historic Site, and associated attractions. Also located relatively nearby within Casco Bay are the Little Whaleboat and Pettingill Islands, as well as Battery 202; South Point and Griffin’s Cove on Cliff Island; and the seasonal Museum of Chebeague History on Chebeague Island.

Hype for the Future 64E: Sagadahoc County, Maine

Introduction

Sagadahoc County is the smallest county in the State of Maine by land area, with the largest community at Topsham and the county seat at Bath. Within the county, the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge is a recreational swinging bridge located along the river between the communities of Topsham to the north and Brunswick to the south. Topsham is located in Sagadahoc County, though the City of Brunswick, home to Bowdoin College and the associated Bowdoin College Museum of Art and Perry-MacMillan Arctic Museum, is located within the northernmost portion of Cumberland County along U.S. Route 1, still a significant distance north of Portland.

Sagadahoc Attractions

Though Sagadahoc has no significant urban attractions nor amenities as the community of Topsham is primarily residential, the southern part of the City of Bath is home to the Maine Maritime Museum while the even more southern Town of Arrowsic is home to Squirrel Point Light and the Town of Phippsburg is home to a notable historic site related to the old Popham Colony related to modern Maine. From the Fort Popham State Historic Site, ferry service may occasionally provide access to the Pond Island Lighthouse and, more directly, to the Seguin Island Light Station. The East Brown Cow is located within Cumberland County, and as such, the island attraction shall not be identified as part of Sagadahoc.

Hype for the Future 63M: Town of New Gloucester, Maine

Overview

The Town of New Gloucester is located within Cumberland County, Maine, and is home to the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, the last remaining active Shaker village in the United States of America with an associated museum on site. While Interstate 95 cuts through the town, there are no highway exits directly within. However, on the surface roads, such as Route 202, access can also be provided in both the Portland and Bangor directions, as well. Route 26 through the western side of the town leads south toward Gray, a suburban area associated with the City of Portland, the largest city in the State of Maine and the county seat of Cumberland County.

Sabbathday Lake

The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village is located at the northwestern edge of the Town of New Gloucester and the Poland Town line. The Town of Poland claims the northern side of the Shaker village, while the remainder of the community is identified with the aforementioned town area. Outlet Beach, located on Outlet Road off Route 26, is a public beach associated with the Shaker community in the State of Maine, and the beach area is located at the northern edge of Sabbathday Lake itself.