Mathew's

I have yet to find anything verifying that Mathew's Pub on Free Street is the oldest pub in Portland, but until I hear otherwise I will assume that their sign is true.

Site Updates!

• I've tweaked the blog layout a little bit and and am working on making new header images every few weeks or for special events.

• I also changed from the traditional blogger label system to a 'label cloud,' which I think works very well as it takes up much less space and is easy on the eyes.
  

• Please feel free to comment about any aspect of the new look! Both good and bad reviews are appreciated. I want this blog to be as reader-friendly as possible (without spending any money of course!).

Spring

Spring has sprung on the sidewalk in front of my apartment, a welcome sight.

78

Click to view full-size. Taken from the Washington Ave off-ramp.

Graffiti Box

I missed last month's theme day, but here's a graffiti shot anyhow. It didn't look that bad originally, but I like the new, more unique, look.

Warm Welcome

A warm welcome to the Peninsula, via the Washington Avenue exit while heading south of I-295.

Lancaster Block

The Lancaster Block, at 474 Congress Street is a real beauty in my eyes.

From the Portland Landmarks website...

Curvilinear terra cotta panels and rondels, features of the sculptural
Queen Anne style, enliven the well-ordered facade of this commercial building.
The original four stories were designed by the firm of Fassett and Stevens for
J. B. Brown in 1881. Brown was born in Lancaster, New Hampshire in 1805; hence
the name of the building.

The upper two stories, distinguished by the slightly lighter colored
brick and the Colonial Revival detail, were added before 1924. Additional
stories are fairly common on Congress Street buildings, the two on the Lancaster
Block blend unusually well with the original structure.

I'm a big fan of this terra cotta look. It adds a little extra to a city dominated by brick.

Angela Adams

The Angela Adams storefront on Congress Street. A very neat looking building. I imagine the upper floors are very cool apartments.

The Cannery

Wage Peace

A positive message from a local church. Most church websites have limited information on the history of the building, but their site is well done.

Vespa

I believe this is one of those Vespa things I've been hearing about. Certainly a fun way to get around town. Spotted in the West End.

Postcards from Portland #1

Portland's largest public park is named so because of the abundance of Oak trees on the premises. It has a large pond (also used in the winter as skating rink), an amphitheater, baseball diamonds, playgrounds, tennis courts, and things of that sort.

Some Wikipedia info on Portland's Deering Oaks Park....

The area was the site of a September 1869 battle between the British, French, and Native Americans. The City of Portland largely acquired the land from the Deering, Preble, and Fessenden families in 1879 as part of the rebuilding following the devastating 1866 fire. The pond in Deering Oaks at one time filled and drained with the ocean tides; it was naturally connected to Back Cove until altered to suit roadways in the late 19th Century. Deering Oaks also hosts the city's monument to the Spanish-American War. .

Good to know!

Park Ave.

An impromptu shot of the Portland Exposition Building (The Expo) and a portion of Hadlock Field, home to the AA Boston Red Sox affiliate the Portland Sea Dogs. Also prominent in the picture are a lot of power lines which would look better underground.

The expo is 'the 2nd oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States,' and opened in 1915 according to their website. Pretty neat stuff. They have a lot of high school basketball games and things like that there now, as most bigger events need the space of the civic center.