Archived Articles
The following articles were taken from past issues of our municipal newsletter, Portland... On the Move, and are listed according to dates of publication. The original monthly column was called Portland History, Carved in Stone.
- Portland Quarries. An introduction to the Brownstone Quarries of earlier times, written by Jack Dillon. Jack discusses some of his own discoveries, studying a ledger book from way back then. Some of the notations are priceless!
- Portland Water Company. David Kuzminski gives us an overview of Portland's water supply, going back to the 1880s.
- Which Town Center do you mean? This is the first of many contributions from Doris Sherrow. This one reveals that Portland has shifted its Town Center on more than one occasion.
- Portland's First European Settler. Doris Sherrow introduces us to James Stanclift.
- A Burial Back in 1879. Doris Sherrow describes what it was like.
- Walking Tour. Our good friend Doris talks about a walking tour of downtown Portland that she sponsored, and some of the historical sites she pointed out.
- Portland Country Market. Every building has its history, and this one is a real connection to the past! We still shop there! Check out the history of Portland Country Market. By Doris Sherrow.
- Who were the Wangunk?
- What happened to the Wangunks? Part 1 of a two part series on the Wangunk Indians, by Doris Sherrow.
- What happened to the Wangunks? Part 2 continues the short series that discusses Portland's indigenous people.
- Was Stanclift Really First? Doris explores the possibility that James Stanclift was not the first European to settle in what is today Portland.
- Portland's Jewish Cemetery. Portland has a Jewish Cemetery just off of William Street. Doris uses this as a vehicle to share her insight on this ethnic community in the late 1800s.
- Ship Wreck on the Connecticut River. Doris quotes extensively from Sylvester Gildersleeve regarding a ship wreck. Rescue attempts were made more hazardous by broken ice.
- Riot On Main Street? (220 years ago...). Portland is usually such a quiet place. What's this about a riot on Main Street? Doris Sherrow tells all!
- The Old Town Hall. When moving to the new Town Hall (formerly Central School), we wanted some information about the old Town Hall. What we found was that Portland had quite a few sites from where municipal services were managed.
- Do-It-Yourself Walking Tour. You can use this article to take your own walking tour of Indian Hill Avenue.
- Portland's Town Seal. Yes, there is a story behind the Town Seal. Check it out.
- Calendar Photos. Doris Sherrow examines the photos published in the Portland Historical Society's calendar.
- Center Cemetery. Doris led a walking tour of Center Cemetery. Here she discusses some little known facts about it.
- A Portland Revolutionary War Veteran. Another fascinating 2 part series. This one is about Samuel Cooper, a soldier from the Revolutionary War. Doris gives us a look into his personal life, and the difficulties of the times.
- A Portland Revolutionary War Veteran. Part 2 of Samuel Cooper's story.
- Becoming Portland. "What's in a name? Portland, by any other name, would smell as sweet..." Well, Portland was known by several other names prior to 1841. Will those in charge please make up their mind?
- Buck Library. How did the old Buck Library get its name? Who "passed the Buck?" as they say. Thanks to Doris' crystal ball, we get the inside scoop.
- Old Betty. Old Betty was purported to be the last Wangunk Indian living in Portland. Learn what Doris found out about this notable figure form the past.
- Historic Site Markers (Part 2). Bill and Chris Sullivan complete their report on Historic Site Markers.
- Historic Site Markers (part1). Bill and Chris Sullivan gave us this summary of some Historic Site Markers around town. A terrific help in finding where they are.
- Cato Freeman. Doris Sherrow shares some insight on the life of a black slave who once lived in Portland. As his name suggests, he was eventually emancipated, having served in the Revolutionary War.
- Alfred Allen's Creations. How an old photo of a Federal style house leads Doris into a somewhat vivid experience of the past.
- Meet John Elsworth, the man responsible for the "Meadows" section of Main Street.
- Doris gives another tour of historical Portland - but this time she does it through the Historical Society's Calendar.Learn the scoop about the houses portrayed.
- Doris Sherrow explores the lives of Job Bates (the man who built her house in the 18th century) and some of his children. A fascinating look at real people who were impacted by the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.
- While relating the tragic tale of the unexpected demise of Mr. Charles Williams, Doris paints a picture in words describing what a familiar section of Portland looked like in the early to mid-nineteenth century.
- Want to see a section of Main Street that still portrays what Portland looked like in the 1890s? This article describes where to look, and some of the history behind the buildings and sites.
- Doris focuses in on one Stephen Tom of Chatham, a local Indian who served in the Revolutionary War. Stephen Tom Road, in Portland, was named after him.
- Two Curious Ministers. Doris wonders why two ministers of the 18th century chose to build their houses where they did.
- Want to do some research on the history of your house? Doris shows you how.
- Building 584 Main Street. Fascinating insight into the building of a house in the 1770s.
- Doris examines three families who lived in the John Worthington House. A sailing pilot, a fatal car crash, and one of the mechanical innovators of the Indian Motorcycle.
- Gary O'Neil, a descendant of the Wangunk tribe, describes his Native American ancestors as a ghost people, fast fading into history.