Spirits Alive is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Portland’s historic Eastern Cemetery through a range of activities including promotion and education.
Established in 1668, the Eastern Cemetery is located at 224 Congress Street in Portland, Maine. The oldest historic landscape in the city, the cemetery is home to around 7,000 interred.
More information at spiritsalive.org
Friends of Evergreen’s mission is to preserve and protect Evergreen Cemetery. Dedicated in 1854 the cemetery continues to provide a place of quiet contemplation for visitors strolling along its winding roads and paths no matter what the season. Monuments and mausoleums create the feeling of being in an outdoor museum. With over 60,000 burials, the Friends’ tours provide an introduction to over 160 years of Portland history.
More information at https://www.facebook.com/friendsofevergreen
The Fifth Maine Regiment Memorial Hall was built in 1888 as the "Headquarters" of the Fifth Regiment Maine Volunteer Infantry 1861-1864.
For nearly sixty years the veterans and their families summered here, enjoying the cooling ocean breezes and magnificent view from the verandah of their beloved cottage. Under the stewardship of the Fifth Maine Regiment Community Association, the Hall is maintained as a Civil War and local history museum and a cultural center for our island community.
More information at fifthmainemuseum.org
The Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC) is the hub of all things Irish in Maine, a place where connections to Maine’s Irish history and culture can flourish. For those with an interest in Irish culture and history, we provide a wealth of treasures that remind us of the contributions of the Irish to the very fabric of Maine. To learn about all we have to offer, check out our website at www.maineirish.com
The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company & Museum preserves and operates historic two-foot gauge railroad equipment for the education and enjoyment of the public.
Starting in the latter part of the 19th century, Maine had a unique system of railroads that ran on rail only two feet apart. From the 1870s until the 1940s, some 200 miles of narrow gauge lines served many of Maine’s smaller communities.
More information at mainenarrowgauge.org
Breathtaking views and fascinating history at America's last standing maritime signal tower.
Since 1807, the Portland Observatory has offered spectacular views of Portland's busy harbor and served as a beloved symbol of the city's rich maritime heritage.
More information at portlandlandmarks.org
Southern Maine lighthouses attract thousands of visitors every year, but few of them offer the unique opportunity to Step Into History and actually tour a real working lighthouse. Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse is the only caisson-style light station in the United States that visitors can walk to. Located on the breakwater at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, the lighthouse has been an integral part of the history of Portland harbor and Casco Bay since 1897.
More information at https://springpointledgelight.org/
When it was built in 1755, Tate House was considered a large and elegant home.
The house was constructed for Captain George Tate (1700-1794) and his family who had arrived in the Colonies around 1750.
As the only pre-Revolutionary home in Greater Portland that is open to the public, the impressive period furnishings, beautiful grounds and herb gardens, and unique architecture of Tate House offer an insightful glimpse at the 18th century and life in Colonial Maine.
More information at tatehouse.org
Victoria Mansion is a much-loved Portland landmark but its significance extends far beyond Maine. Distinguished for its architecture and its extraordinary original interiors, it is among the most important historic homes of the nineteenth century anywhere in the nation.
More information at victoriamansion.org
In June 2002, the Maine Historical Society celebrated the centennial of the Wadsworth–Longfellow House as Maine's first house museum open to the public.
Within its walls lived three generations of one remarkable family that made significant contributions to the political, literary, and cultural life of New England and the United States. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882), grew up in the house and went on to become one of the most famous men of his time.
More information at mainehistory.org
Western Cemetery was the primary burial ground for Portland from 1830 to 1852, and is a historic link between the earlier Eastern Cemetery and the later Evergreen. It includes many graves of Irish Catholics who fled the famine of that period, and prominent families, including the Longfellows. It also serves as a quiet public green space. After a long period of neglect, the Stewards of the Western Cemetery are now working at grave restoration, grounds improvement, and guided tours.
For more information about the group, please visit westerncemetery.me
