East Bayside in Portland in Cumberland County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)
Baxter Trail: Discover the Baxters' legacy in Portland
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 15, 2021
1. Baxter Trail: Discover the Baxters' legacy in Portland Marker
Explore Baxter Trail, a 3.25 mile walking trail from here to Evergreen Cemetery. Discover how the many contributions of two wealthy visionaries, Mayor James Phinney Baxter and his son Governor Percival Proctor Baxter, continue to enhance our quality of life.
In 1894, Mayor Baxter took Portland City Council members to Boston's Back Bay Fens to see the restoration efforts by the landscape architects Olmsted, Olmsted, and Eliot. He said, "We may see what Boston has done in transforming similar vile places into beauty spots." Baxter then hired the Olmsted firm to create a preliminary plan (right) to improve health and sanitation, and tax-generating developable land, and create a scenic drive with open space for recreational activities.
Despite opposition, Baxter pushed ahead. He convinced land owners to donate a 100-foot strip of land along the shore. Opponents called the plan overly extravagant and it cost Baxter his bid for re-election. That stalled the project until he was re-elected. After 23 years, Back Cove Boulevard opened on November 13, 1917 with Baxter riding in the first car. It was later renamed Baxter Boulevard.
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Construction of the boulevard began in 1911 and finished in 1917; the road graded, bridges onstructed, pedestrian paths built, the Bedford Street entrance graded, and the esplanade laid out.
This 1896 plan, the first of many, included an earthen dike to create a saltwater pond, a "Pleasure Basin."
,br> The plans evolved and changed over the decades it took to complete the boulevard. The final version was part of a city-wide Parks Plan by the Olmsted firm.
Erected by Baxter Trail. (Marker Number 1.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is November 13, 1917.
Location. 43° 39.937′ N, 70° 16.173′ W. Marker is in Portland, Maine, in Cumberland County. It is in East Bayside. It is on Back Cove Trail 0.1 miles east of Baxter Boulevard
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 15, 2021
2. Baxter Trail: Discover the Baxters' legacy in Portland Marker
Regionally, this marker is in the American Northeast, in New England, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Welcome to Back Cove Trail: An urban ecosystem / Explore: Portland's Magic Spaces (a few steps from this marker); Back Cove Trail (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Spanish-American War Memorial (approx. half a mile away); First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist (approx. Ύ mile away); Portland Maine World War II Memorial (approx. Ύ mile away); Portland Maine Spanish War / World War I Memorial (approx. Ύ mile away); Asa Clapp / Asa William Henry Clapp / Mary Jane Emerson Clapp (approx. Ύ mile away); Portland Maine World War I Marker (approx. Ύ mile away). 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 22, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 455 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 22, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
