Smith & Broe Druggists, Portland, ca. 1912
Item 11155 info
Maine Historical Society
New technology, influenced by electricity and the automobile, allowed the scale of buildings and the pace of life to expand even more.
Tourism introduced a new dimension to the economy. Automobile owners required new accommodations for their vehicles and driving habits.
Soon the city was changing to meet these needs with gas stations, parking lots, and office towers for companies and workers.
Tenements and downtown residences were demolished and replaced with retail and commercial businesses that catered to drivers and office workers.
By 1920, almost 70,000 people lived in Portland. In the midst of a bustling street that reflects the new city, the Wadsworth Longfellow house stands in the shadows to the right.
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