PORTLAND HISTORY           (Go To Page 1 | 2)

Portland’s vibrant energy is inextricably tied to the city’s rich and diverse past.

First settled in 1632, Portland’s abundant natural resources and Casco Bay location made it the ideal birth place for a prosperous community. Portland also met its share of challenges. Destroyed by native raids only years after it’s founding and periodically ravaged over the next three centuries by wars and fires, Portland has continually risen from the ashes, each time stronger and more resilient: represented on the city’s shield by the phoenix and the city motto “resurgam,” Latin for “I will rise again.”

Perhaps no area exemplifies Portland’s ability to recreate itself more than the Eastern Waterfront. In 1632, Portland’s founding father, George Cleeve, landed near what is now Fore Street and built the town’s first home. With growth, the neighborhood also saw Portland's first church, island ferry, pub and custom house. The area became the financial and political center of the community. Next >>>