Dating back to 1807 and the only remaining signal tower in North America, the Portland Observatory is one of the most iconic and historic structures in the city. This seven-story red-brick building offers panoramic views of the city, the Portland Harbor and the Atlantic ocean in the distance. Guided tours are conducted every day and give you an insight into the history, culture, and workings of the city in the early days. The Observatory is extremely interesting and a must-visit when in the city.
Maine's largest city has come a long way since its humble origins as a fishing village in 1633. Set on a peninsula that juts out into Casco Bay, it quickly grew to be one of New England's largest ports, a heritage that is still evident to this day. The Old Port is the heart of the city, its lovingly restored brick buildings home to a plethora of shops, cafes and bars. Not too far away, the shipbuilders' Victorian mansions speak of the affluence and wherewithal of its former residents. A small city by most standards, Portland nonetheless wows with its fantastic museums, art galleries and attractions, including the Portland Museum of Art, the Portland Observatory, and the Wadsworth-Longfellow House where the poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, spent his childhood. The Portland Head Light is, however, its most iconic site; dating back to 1791, it is the United States' oldest continuously operating lighthouse. With a craft brew and culinary scene that could rival that of a city twice its size, Portland is a diamond in the rough.
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Located on less than one acre of land, the Henry Wardsworth Longfellow Monument got it's name through the intersection of the statue placed against the Longfellow Square. The monument was a bronze statue of the poet Henry Wardsworth that was placed sitting on a chair on a pedestal. The statue construction began three years after the death of the poet and is a great place to visit especially for poetry lovers and lovers of the poet.
