Before & After: Grand Trunk Railroad

The Grand Trunk Railroad used to have quite a presence along the Eastern Waterfront back in the day. The main terminal, pictured to the  right, was at the corner of India and Fore Streets. Most of this site is now a dirt lot that may someday be home to a residential and/or hotel development. 

[Image source]

Pictured below is the site as of today. There is some sort of water/sewer pumping station where the terminal once stood.

Bayside Reflecting Pool

Despite the lack of financial or other resources, I have decided to boldly propose the construction of a reflecting pool in Portland's Bayside neighborhood. This spot, at the  corner of Somerset and Chestnut  Streets, is where the city in recent years has stored snow that has been cleared from roads and sidewalks downtown during the winter months. It is also right next to the newly christened Bayside Trail. Since there is an almost perpetual puddle here, why not make it into something better? I envision something like the pool at the Christian Science Center in Boston or maybe the big one in the Washington, D.C. It would lure new development to the area and provide a peaceful retreat for anyone passing by this happening area.

Skyline peeking over some buildings in the area:

*The bit about the reflecting pool was sarcasm, but I do like reflecting pools. Portland could use more fountains and other water fixtures I think.

Sidewalk Art Festival & Picnic Music and Arts Festival

In the category of upcoming events, the 45th annual Sidewalk Art Festival will take place this Saturday along Congress Street from Monument Square all the way to Park Street. Also happening close by in Lincoln Park will be the 3rd annual Picnic Music & Arts Festival. Be sure to visit these events if you are in town. It's supposed to be nice and rain free on Saturday.

Below is a photo of Portland High School,  just because school is starting  again soon (if it has not already).

Apologies for the lack of top-notch posts lately, I'm in the process of moving. I will still be on the peninsula, a street over from my current place, so the photos will start pouring in again shortly. 

3G's

The GGG garage, at the corner of Anderson and Fox Streets in Bayside (East Bayside?)

Not much new at the old Jordan's factory / new Hampton Inn site, but here's recent photos

Monday Again

A bike on Fore Street, in front of 'Fore Street.' 

Street of misfit toys

I approve of flower boxes

Where It's At

Thanks for the comments to yesterday's post, the answer to the "where is this?" segment is indeed the Clapp House at 97 Spring Street. Once part of the Maine College of Art, it became property of the Portland Museum of Art in 2008. It was built as a private residence for businessman Charles Q. Clapp.

Part of the Museum of Art sign

Across the street, our beautiful Holiday Inn. This property could be reborn with a fancy new facade.

Still of the Night

The sun goes down on Bayside -

Piers at night - 

A new addition to the "Where is This?" series below. Answer will be posted tomorrow or feel  free to guess/answer in the form of a comment:

Federal Street

The Corner Room restaurant is at the corner of Exchange and Federal Streets. It's owned by the same individual, Harding Lee Smith, who owns the Front Room and the Grill Room. Some restaurant workers were suing Mr. Smith not long ago for back-wages, not sure how that case ended up. Anyhow, the Corner Room isn't doing too great with the Portland Urban Spoon crowd but  I had a meal there during Restaurant Week last year that was two thumbs up. 

And just a bit East of the first photo, this is in Lincoln Park, where the 3rd annual (where does the time go?) Picnic Festival will be held on Saturday, August 28th.

Today's Portland volunteer opportunity:

• The Portland Trails 10K 'trail to ale' race is coming up on September 19th. They are still looking for volunteers for various race related tasks. Visit here for more info.

Summer Still

Nothing is free...except cardboard.

Doggy in the window

Fly by Night

Bike Sharrow

Local readers may have been seeing some fresh new symbols painted on the roads around town. These markings are bike sharrows and they raise awareness among motorists that bicycles are entitled to share the road. Instead of bike lanes, which require more paint and lead the the false assumption that bicycles have to stay within the bike lane at all times, the bike sharrows seem to be more appropriate and get the message across concisely.

Weekend Stuff

The weekend is usually a good time to post random photos such as these

Wild West End

Victoria Mansion:

A charming house:

Brick triple-decker, minus the decks

Bayside Trail - August 2010

The Bayside Trail looks better each time I see it. The grand opening is August 19th from 4-6pm at the Elm Street Plaza off Marginal Way. Here's some shots from last weekend:

Baseball at Deering Oaks

Around the Cove

A couple of exquisite houses lining Back Cove:

A section of Baxter Boulevard was closed to auto traffic on Sunday for the Back Cove Block Party:

Looking back across the Cove:

The Streets Don't Change but Maybe the Name

West End Deli - after dark:

House on Newbury Street - I liked the cardboard Elvis in the 2nd floor window

The Triple-Deckers

The Parkside Neighborhood has some good examples of a variety of triple-deckers. Sometimes these are referred to as three-deckers. Posted below are two examples of pretty traditional looking ones. Wikipedia has some good info about triple deckers, if you want to learn more about them and their New England origins. To sum it up, this type of building is:

"...a three-story apartment building, typically of light-framed, wood construction, where each floor usually consists of a single apartment; although two apartments per floor is not uncommon."

And not far away from Parkside, here is a one-decker (similar to a bridge), designed for use by trains:

Eastern Cemetery /Spirits Alive

Spirits Alive formed in 2006 and is a group dedicated to the preservation and beautification of the Eastern Cemetery .Check out the Spirits Alive website here. 

A photo of just two of the headstones:

Per Spirits Alive:

"The incredible Eastern Cemetery, Portland’s oldest historic landscape, was officially founded almost several hundred years ago and offers a deep connection to our shared past. Within its six acres are buried over 4,000 citizens including many of the area’s first English settlers, renowned military heroes, politicians, and even Portland’s first bank robber. The cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1973)."

Miss Portland Diner

Miss Portland Diner has been at its current location on Marginal Way, in Bayside, since 2008 (check out its illustrious history on their website). It's not my top choice for local diners, but it's not a bad place either. Here is the urbanspoon page for the place. This is more of a snapshot that a photo, but I liked the colors in it:

Around the Peninsula - August 2, 2010

I haven't done one of these little posts in a long while. Here we go...

• Keen observers and geography nerds such as myself may have noticed that Google released updated satellite views of Portland and the surrounding areas. Based on the half-demolished Jordan's factory and the first stages of the Jetport expansion in the imagery, I estimate the images to be a couple months old. Check it out on Google Maps or Google Earth before they get old.

• Unseen Portland has taken off since my last "Around the Peninsula" posting. This site posts photographs taken around town by many different photographers, and anyone (even you!) can submit your shots. As the author describes the site: "My goal is simply to show Portland in it’s most raw and beautiful state." You might even spy one of my photos in the archives. 

• Live Work Portland has an up-and-coming blog, called Portland Now. They are always looking  for  contributors, too. Also check out their Creative Portland People.org site: 

• Hillytown.com was redesigned not long ago, look sharp! Still the go-to site  for music happenings around town and the place to go for info about the remaining music festivals around the state taking place this summer.

• Portland Food Coma goes on a Maine BBQ Pilgrimage

• "Top 10 Under $10" cheap eats list by Broke 207. This will come in handy.

• And as always, be sure to check out the blogs listed on the right-hand column. Want your blog added? Just let me know.

Street Ends / Kill Your Television

Out in Bayside: