September 12, 2018

The port we visited today was Portland, Maine on the shores of Casco Bay. This morning the temperature was 19°C and only rose to 21°C. The sky was overcast in the morning. By midafternoon, there was a bit less cloud, but a sprinkle of drizzle fell which was hardly noticed.

On the other side of the pier was a small 175 passenger ship sporting balconies on five decks, the American Cruise Lines Constitution. When googled at the Visitor Center, I found out that it was on its maiden voyage and according to its website, had not yet been christened, which seemed strange.

We left our ship to wander through the historic streets of Maine’s largest city.The original name of Portland was Falmouth until 1786. Casco Bay contains more than 300 islands many too small for buildings. The larger islands have summer resident communities that are served by a seasonal ferry service.

As we walked along the pier, we noticed a fishing boat, Lady Catherine, just a few meters away, setting lobster traps into the water. Behind the boat were hundreds of old wooden piles partly submerged in the water, reminiscent of a wharf. It was later confirmed by Debbie, the docent at the Portland Observatory Museum, that grain elevators used to stand on those piles. At the Visitor Center we connected to complimentary Wi-Fi to post some blog text and photos. The speed was acceptable, the 51 photos took a little over 25 minutes to post.

Next, we walked north and east to visit the Portland Observatory Museum Signal Tower, crossing the narrow-gauge train tracks of Narrow-Gauge Railway Company & Museum. On our route up Montfort Street, we noticed a pillar by a two-storey colonial house describing the home of an Abyssinian Meeting House minister, Amos Noë, and his wife Christianna Williams, who were African-American freemen that assisted southern states slaves escape via the Underground Railway to Nova Scotia. We passed the old Eastern Cemetery. It was here that the Great Fire of July 4 and 5,1866 stopped its easterly rampage, only 100 meters from the, then 60 year-old, Portland Observatory and Signal Tower.

It was an educational visit, learning about the signal tower, which looks like a lighthouse. Mr. Moody bought the land at the top of Munjoy Hill in 1806 and to raise money for the construction of the signal tower, he established the Portland Ground Monument Association selling 100 shares at $50 each. Then charged an annual $5 subscription for his signal service. The tower remained in the family until 1937. From his perch at the top of the 87 tower stairs he could see, on a clear day, ships arriving at the horizon – 18 miles away and with his powerful 65 times telescope, he could identify if ships were friendly, neutral or enemy and the type of vessel. He would raise flags in a code he invented to allow a merchant to know if cargo was coming for him or if the militia was needed to fend off an attack. From the top of Portland Observatory, you got a great view of Casco Bay and all the many islands. From the top of the Observatory we could see a cruise ship approaching and watched for 20 minutes of the Aida luna (about the same size as the Celebrity Summit) proceeded into the harbour and docked not far from our ship. In 2016, the Portland Observatory and Signal Tower was recognized as a National Historic Landmark. From the top we were able to take pictures of Casco Bay and some of its lighthouses, such as the squat Bug Light, the Spring Point Lodge Lighthouse and the distant Portland Head Light, at Fort Williams Park, Maine's oldest lighthouse, it was commissioned by George Washington in the late 1700s,

We continued walking along Congress Street to the eastern end and turned onto the Eastern Promenade, which included a path created from an old railroad line. It is now is a 68-acre waterfront park between the Fore River and Back Cove. We followed the path which took us to the Old Port historic district. On the way we passed large Victorian houses on one side and park on the other. We stopped at Fort Allen Park to view, the old cannons and the earthen wall remnants of Fort Allen, a quickly constructed fortification, built in 20 days, during the War of 1812-14 that was added to the existing five forts that protected Portland from British naval attacks. The British Navy thought better of attacking fortified Portland. The fort was named after William Henry Allen, a 27 year-old American Navy ship captain of one of only 20 navy ships in the American Navy who disguised his ship as a British ship and in one month destroyed 18 British ships. Allen was admired by naval officers on both sides. He died in 1813 after being hit by a 32 pound ball fired by a British ship. He was buried by the British Navy with full military honours. Also visible was Fort Gorges built out in Casco Bay on Hog Island Ledge. It was a hexagon shape fort constructed between 1858 and 1864. Due to improvement in explosives and invention of iron clad ships during the American Civil War, the fort was obsolete even before it was finished. No troops were ever stationed there.

Continuing to Fore Street, we saw a horse drawn carriage, carrying some tourists and passed the gray granite United States Customs House in the Old Port district. We followed some cobbled streets and saw a series of buildings most over 100 years old, which were former warehouses for the merchants. We took photos of buildings as we walked up Market Street including the Court House before turning at Congress Street and seeing City Hall with its ship topped weathervane. Next was the old 1825 First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church that had formed in 1674. We passed Monument Square and its statue “to the sons who died for the Union“. Then we arrived at the Maine Historical Society building and its neighbouring Wadsworth-Longfellow House, the childhood home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It is the oldest standing structure on the Portland peninsula, built during 1785 and 1786 and contains the family’s original furnishings. It remained in the Longfellow family until 1901 when Henry’s sister deeded the house to the Maine Historical Society. It is a National Historic Landmark.

As we walked along, we passed many cafés looking for a place for lunch. We saw the granite Willistone Immanuel United Church built in the late 1920s, then spotted the red brick Baxter Building built in 1888 as the first public lending library in Portland. Near it we found the café, Coffee by Design and sat down to enjoy cappuccinos and cookies. It was then that I realized that I had forgotten to activate my hand-held GPS to track our route. The GPS unit was activated for the last 30 minutes of our wanderings. Steps 10,267

Our last place to see was the Victorian Mansion Historical House Museum, in the West End, on Danforth Street, built from1858 to 1860 just a five minute walk away. There were two tour buses in front of the brownstone. The unique house was built as a summer home for wealthy hotelier, Ruggles Sylvester Morse. It is a stunning example pre-Civil War opulence. It has been a museum for 77 years and holds most of the original custom designed furnishings designed by Gustave Herter and fresco-style wall paintings. Through the front door can be seen a beautiful stained glass window.

Having been away from the ship for over five hours, we made our way back along Danforth Street and Commercial Street, which ran along the waterfront edge of the Old Pot district. We browsed a few souvenir stores but exited empty handed.

Once onboard, we opened a bottle of Fratelli Wines Sauvignon Blanc, a product of India, which we had purchased in Elizabeth, New Jersey. It was surprising good. We joined Audrey and David for dinner and were joined by Shelby and Sue. We had a lively discussion over the braised lamb in phyllo pastry entrée and Tiramisu dessert. The performer for tonight’s show was comic juggler, Adam Kario. In the Revelation Lounge on Deck 11 the house dance band, Dance Town was playing ballroom music after the show and about ten couples participated. Total steps for the day 20,571.