Day four was a visit to Portland, Maine - after dropping Gary off at the airport (he had to go home early), so we kept touring with Jeff. Our first stop was the Portland Observatory (which was only open for school kids, but we snuck in). Since 1807, the Portland Observatory has offered spectacular views of Portland’s busy harbor and served as a beloved symbol of the city’s rich maritime heritage. Named a National Historic Landmark in 2006, the Portland Observatory is the only known remaining historic maritime signal tower in the United States. The Observatory is located at 138 Congress Street, on Munjoy Hill in the East End of Portland.
Rob and Tom outside the Portland Observatory... We also found a nearby Dunkin' Donuts, and a comic book shop for me! :)
We next toured the Victoria Mansion, also known as the Morse-Libby House. It was called the finest example of residential design from the pre-Civil War era in America. It was very dark inside (period colors) and although I didn't sense any spirits, I was very uncomfortable as soon as we got in the house. It was built between 1858 and 1860 for Ruggles Sylvester Morse and his wife, Olive Ring Merrill Morse. A native of Maine, Morse made his fortune as the proprietor of luxury hotels in New Orleans during the 1850s. His experience as a hotelier shaped his taste in design, and when the time came to build a summer home, he sought out some of the nation’s leading designers.
SAW RAM ISLAND LEDGE LIGHT - from the shore. This 72 foot granite tower was built in 1905 on a narrow ledge of rocks that threatened the entrance to Portland Harbor. It is nearly a twin of the Graves Light in Boston Harbor, which was built around the same time. A total of 699 4-ton granite blocks were cut from the quarry in Vinalhaven and carefully shaped and numbered before being shipped to Ram Island.
Ram Island Ledge can be easily seen from Portland Head Light (which is where I took this photo from!). The light now shines through a 300mm plastic optic, powered by a long underwater cable from Portland Head.
LUNCH OUTSIDE THE PORTLAND HEADLIGHT- LIGHTHOUSE - Despite wind gusts to 35 mph, and temps near 60F, we were determined to eat outside there! Portland Head Light Station is a lighthouse located in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA. It has been called the "Most photographed lighthouse in North America." The lighthouse is visited by nearly one million people per year. Construction began in 1787 at the directive of George Washington, and was completed on January 10, 1791. Whale oil lamps were originally used for illumination.
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