Lesson Plan: Portland Observatory - Maps
This map of Portland is from 1900. Many of the neighborhoods shown on this map had existed for many years, but had been separate towns or communities. Stroudwater, for example, still has many houses dating from before the American Revolution. Other areas, like the one around Baxter Boulevard, developed new neighborhoods at the beginning of the 20th century. In all these cases, the city limits of Portland expanded to accomodate them. Bridges connected the peninsula to these areas, while technology, such as the horse-dawn and electric trolleys, encouraged people to build homes off the peninsula.
How has the topography of the peninsula changed through the years? Find the Observatory. Compare this map with the earlier maps. What has changed on Munjoy Hill? What is the same? How has the waterfront changed? How has it stayed the same? Why do you think the population was moving off the peninsula?