East End in Portland in Cumberland County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)
The poet & the view
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Portland native Longfellow (1807-1882) often walked up Munjoy Hill to this park from his home nearby on Congress Street. The poet, like countless others over the centuries, stood here relishing the timeless — and to him — inspiring view.
Longfellow was the most widely known and best-loved American poet of his time famous for poems memorized by generations of school children including Paul Revere's Ride, Evangeline, and Hiawatha. Lesser known, his radial Poems on Slavery.
I remember the black wharves and the slips,
And the sea-tides tossing free; ....
And the voice of that wayward song
Is singing and saying still: "A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."
I remember the builwarks by the shore,
And the fort upon the hill; ....
[excerpt from Longfellow's poem, My Lost Youth]
How different is today's view from this photo c. 1910?
Examine this historic image to discover what has — or has not — cahnged over the last century. In 1989, preservationists placed Fort Allen Park on the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring future generations will be able to enjoy this panoramic
this page online
Erected by Friends of the Eastern Promenade.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • Arts, Letters, Music • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1989.
Location. 43° 39.912′ N, 70° 14.401′ W. Marker is in Portland, Maine, in Cumberland County. It is in East End. Marker is at the intersection of Eastern Promenade and Morning Street, on the right when traveling north on Eastern Promenade. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 49 Eastern Promenade, Portland ME 04101, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Defending this vital harbor (a few steps from this marker); 1893 Bandstand (within shouting distance of this marker); Boxer and Enterprise (within shouting distance of this marker); Remember the Maine (within shouting distance of this marker); Portland Maine Fort Allen Park USS Maine Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); 20,000 Civil War veterans tent here (within shouting distance of this marker); Arctic Campaign Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); 9/11 Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portland.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 21, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 170 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 21, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
