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1916 Map of Portland

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Portland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

Portland and its neighboring coastal townships are revealed here just before the era of major highway expansion, centered on a dense network of steam and electric railways. The Boston And Maine RR and Maine Central RR converge on the peninsula, while specialized lines like the Portland And Windham Electric RR and Portland And Gorham Electric RR connect the urban core to outlying villages. Industrial activity is prominent at Cumberland Mills and along the Presumpscot River, where waterfalls like Gamba Falls and Little Falls provided early water power.

Southward in Scarboro and Old Orchard, the landscape transitions from the agricultural interior, marked by the Scottow Bog and Nonesuch River, to the burgeoning coastal retreats at Grand Beach and Prouts Neck. Genealogists will find a wealth of local landmarks, from the sprawling Evergreen Cemetery to smaller rural institutions like the Heath Meetinghouse, Spurwink Church, and the State Reform School in South Portland.