Baxter Boulevard/Back Cove - Portland, ME - Olmsted Designed Parks on Waymarking.com

Back Cove in Portland may appear to be a wholly natural landscape, but, in fact, the Olmsted Brothers designed this park and Baxter Boulevard that runs halfway around it.

It is located north of the center of the city, on the north side of I-295. Parking is available in a couple places. The larger lot is off Preble Street Extension. However, the smaller lot within Payson Park on the northern side of Back Cove is closer to where the waymark is located.

Back Cove is a thin green space that surrounds a circular inlet. Baxter Boulevard runs along a bit over half of the bay north east to south west. By the parking lot, the road turns away and I-295 round along the south and east edges.

The path circling the cove is about 3.5 miles around. There are mile posts all along the paved path. Along the way, enjoy the view of the bay and the Portland skyline. The southern part of the park are athletic fields and a fitness trail - this part is not part of the park that was finished according to the Olmsted design.

The park was designed in 1895 by the Olmsted Brothers but completed in 1917. The park was commissioned by Mayor James Baxter, who was trying to resolve the situation of Back Cove, which had become an open sewer. At the time, there was no road around the cove and the land was privately owned. The original design was done by the firm, Olmsted, Olmsted, and Eliot. The plan included a parkway and relandscaped shoreline.

The mayor lost the election in 1897, but regained it in 1905. Work on the park didn't start until 1916, and the road was open to the public in 1917. Approximately half of the then Olmsted Brothers design was executed, which was between Bedford Street at the southwest side of the cove to Washington Ave. on the northeast part of the cove. Also built were brick observation areas providing views of the bay. In 1925, a memorial was built and dedicated to Mayor James Baxter, who died in 1921.

Sources:

NPS - National Register of Historic Places (Application Form - Baxter Boulevard):
(visit link)

Wikipedia (Back Cove):
(visit link)

Portland Maine Government (Back Cove):
(visit link)

Type of Public Space: Park and parkway Job Number: 01861 Architect: John C. Olmsted (likely)

Visit Instructions:
There are no specific visit requirements, however telling about your visit is strongly encouraged. Additional photos of the park to add to the gallery are also nice, but not required. Pictures with a GPS or you in them is highly discouraged.

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