County of town: Callaway County
Location of village: SE border of county (Misssouri River)
County is east-central in state; crossroads of the Katy Trail, Missouri River and MO Hwy 94
Elevation: 761 feet
Population: 416 (2013)
"Portland, Missouri, is a town nestled between bluffs along the wide Missouri River. Before the Lewis and Clark Expedition the area was populated only with Indians and maybe a few fur trappers that had wandered up the river from the East. Evidence of earlier Indian life still exists in their burial mounds along the bluffs and in a large cave near Portland, which when excavated by archaeologists from the University of Missouri, was discovered to have many artifacts and the complete skeleton of an Indian child.
"The first plat of Portland was recorded in 1883. With the emergence of river boats, and later the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, Portland became a booming town. Merchants from all over Callaway County and surrounding areas would drive their wagons to Portland to pick up supplies from the boats and trains; therefore Portland was known as one of the most important towns in Callaway County. Many homes throughout the county and surrounding area are still standing, which were built from materials brought by wagon from Portland.
"Some of the businesses in Portland at the turn of the century were the Callicott General Merchandise, Bra-shears General Merchandise, the Knox Hardware Store, a lumber yard and flour mill owned by R.S. Wilson, the 'Gibson Grainery, and the Ries Jewelry Store. There were two hotels, which contained dance halls; a pool hall; a restaurant for the many travelers passing through by train or riverboat; a drug store; and a box factory. There was also a bank known as the Bank of Portland. Portland had one large stock pen along the railroad tracks in order for the farmers to drive their herds of stock into town and load them on the trains. The only thing left of that is the old well and pump.
"The first church was the Methodist Church. Around 1908 the Episcopal Church was built, a beautiful rock structure still in use. It was one of the first Episcopal churches west of the Missouri River. Later, around 1920, the Baptist Church was built and is still in use. There was an Episcopal School for Boys overlooking the Missouri River. The building that housed the school was separated and moved apart a few hundred feet, making two separate homes that still overlook the river.
"A one-room schoolhouse was built around 1903. The last classes in it were in 1956, before it was consolidated with South Callaway at Mokane. The building is in excellent condition and is being used as the Portland Community Building. Portland had two doctors. Dr. Gilman and Dr. A.D. Bridges were both on the first Board of Directors of the Callaway Memorial Hospital. My mother, Ottilie Holz-hauser, told me that her father would get up in all hours of the night, hitch up his horse and buggy and go treat someone ill regardless of what time or where it was. He usually got paid with whatever produce the patient had at the time.
"One of the most exciting events in town would be the arrival of the "Show Boat." Long before the boat would arrive you could hear the music playing and everyone would go to the landing to meet it.
"One of the oldest and largest families in the Portland area was the Meyer-Holzhauser family. There is a Meyer-Holzhauser cemetery about one and one half miles out of town on a hillside overlooking a valley. The Meyers and Holzhausers settled in Portland around the middle 1800's. Louis and Annie Meyer Holzhauser had nine boys and one girl. About half of the brothers and their sister left Portland at one time or another to make a living but eventually returned. All of the Holzhauser boys were known far and near for their ball playing ability and their love of the game. With so many boys they had a team that consisted mostly of the brothers. Richard "Dick" Holzhauser bought the general merchandise store from his brother Gus and operated it for 30 years before retiring at age 80. There are still several children and grandchildren of the Holzhauser brothers living in Portland.
"With the building of better roads and highway transportation the railroad eventually died out. The steam boats became powerful diesel driven tow boats. Portland was no longer needed as a place to pick up supplies or to take on coal or wood for steam, and therefore became a skeleton of what it once had been.
"Portland is still a nice, quiet and peaceful town, and anyone with a desire to live close to the river and nature will find it relaxing and a very enjoyable place to be and to raise a family." ~ Carolyn Leeper, Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society
PORTLAND, MAINE
County of city: Cumberland County
Location of city: SW portion of county, along Alantic Seaboard< crossroads of I-95, US-1 & US-302
County is in the SW portion od state
Location of city hall:389 Congress St. & Chestnut St., Portland
Elevation: 62 ft (19 m)
Population: 66,318 (2013)
"The Portland peninsula is home to Maine’s largest city. The Native Americans who first inhabited it named it “Machigonne”, meaning Great Neck. In 1623, the first European to arrive was an English naval captain named Christopher Levett, who had been granted the land by the King to found a settlement in Casco Bay.
However, after returning to England, he failed to gain support for the settlement, and never returned. Fort Levett in the harbor is named for him.
"In 1633, the Portland peninsula, then named Casco, was first permanently settled by the British, as a fishing and trading village. It’s waterfront soon became a mecca for shipping and trading companies. It was renamed Falmouth in 1658.
"In 1775, during the Revolutionary War, Falmouth village was bombarded by the British Royal Navy, after being destroyed twice before by the Abenakis, and rebuilt.
"In 1786, the citizens of Falmouth formed a separate town and named it Portland. Prohibition of trade with England, and the War of 1812 created difficult times for Portland, which had developed as a shipping center.
"Maine became a state in 1820. Portland became it’s capital, and remained such until 1832 when Augusta became the capital.
"The Grand Trunk Railway was completed in 1853, making Portland the primary seaport for Canadian exports. Six - hundred 19th century steam locomotives were manufactured by the Portland Company.
"Portland has recovered from four fires, the most devastating having occurred on Independence Day, 1866, when most of the commercial buildings, half of the churches, and hundreds of homes were destroyed. Portland was almost completely rebuilt during the Victorian era, and has maintained much of it’s 19th century architecture, due to constant attention to landmark preservation.
"Visitors can never run out of things to do in Portland. Although a small city, Portland offers the historical, recreational, and cultural activities of a major metropolitan region.
"The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow House is open to the public. Built in 1785, it is the oldest standing structure on the Portland peninsula, and the only family residence to survive in the downtown business district. It was the boyhood home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of the most famous men of his time. Original furnishings reflect the differences in style of the three generations who lived there. The House is preserved as a memorial to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family.
"Visitors throng to the “Old Port”, located along Portland Harbor and Casco Bay. A revitalized warehouse district, this vibrant old seaport has been reconstructed to 19th century Victorian splendor, with cobbled streets and quaint shops and restaurants in restored commercial buildings.
"Portland is home to many cultural sites of interest, including the Portland Museum of Art, Portland Stage Company, and SPACE Gallery, to name a few.
"A wide variety of tours are available, either on land or water. Whether it be a walking tour to Greater Portland landmarks or the many historic parks within the city, or a narrated trolley tour, or a cruise along Casco Bay, Portland has something for everyone.
"Recreational opportunities are many, including whitewater rafting, deep-sea or fresh- water fishing, golfing, mountain climbing, biking, or hiking along any of Portland’s one-hundred miles of nature trails.
"Portland has a national reputation for the quality if it’s restaurants, of which there are 230, offering visitors a wide dining selection." ~ The Maine Resource Guide