Ice House

Not sure why I put this in black and white, but I enjoy the slightly tacky touch of a plane flying into the tavern. What'll they think of next?

Read About It

This picture is from the archives, taken about a year go. It is the backside of the Portland Press Herald's downtown office building. The fact that someone sprayed 'read about it' on a newspaper's building still makes me wonder what they were trying to say. Oh well!

Don't Walk

A pedestrian quietly waits to cross State Street on a chilly evening.

Brrr.

Full House?

From The Northern tip of Munjoy Hill.

And from a Hill on the other coast...

(image source)

Soaring

Work continues on the Intermed building and the Bayside Student Housing building on Marginal Way. A favorite site for keeping up with local projects is the Archboston forum, here's the thread for the Intermed project. A quick hello to the fine visitors from that site.

Sunday Sunset #1

Tonight's sunset looking West across Back Cove. Perhaps every few Sundays I'll do this sunset (or maybe sunrise) theme because "Sunday Sunset" sounds catchy.

Before and After #1

The Portland U.S. Custom House from last century and last Sunday:

1880 - From Commercial Street

(From Mainememory.net)

2008, from the other side. The building looks about the same from both front and back, and I think the view I chose looks better due to the elevation.

From wikipedia...

Although the city lost to redevelopment the 1868 Greek Revival Portland Post Office by Isaiah Rogers, it retains the equally monumental 1873 Italianate Portland Custom House by Alfred B. Mullett.

Such a fine building. I wish they still build them like this! Thank for viewing and have a nice Friday.

Remember when?

A few postcards from last summer. (Click for larger versions)

I went in and updated my photomap, link in upper-right corner, the other day. I had been slacking awhile due to not being able to remember how to use the application. But it's all set now.

Just a quick hello to members of the City Daily Photo community, whose members are a majority of my visitors here. I am still trying to 'get out' more and visit all of your blogs as often as possible, there is some great talent out there!

March 5

Part of the Maine Court System, the Edward T. Gignoux courthouse has a prominent location in Portland. To the immediate right of the building is a similary historic court building. From the Maine.Gov site....

The District of Maine was one of the original thirteen district courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. A district court was created in each of the eleven states that had ratified the Constitution by September, 1789, as well as in Maine (then part of Massachusetts) and Kentucky (then still part of Virginia)

Thus concludees today's brief history lesson.

Fence

Just a fence today. Location: North Street.

Room with a View

I bet that little room in the center of the picture has quite a view. Certainly a good deck for entertaining.

Observe

Portland Observatory is one of the city's most unique landmarks and became a certified national landmark two years ago. It was built in 1807 and is the only remaining (seized operations in 1923 though) maritime signal station in the United States. High atop Munjoy Hill, it is visible from sea and as boats approached harbor, the people running the tower would (for a fee) fly a flag indicating what boat and what goods were coming into town as to help speed up the shipping process. Pretty neat stuff. FMI.

I had the pleasure of going to the top of the structure last summer for the first time, which would be a preferable time to do so!






(click these images for bigger versions)