Welcome to the first Current Insider guide for the communities of Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough and South Portland. We hope those new to these communities will use this guide to learn about some of the great recreational opportunities and services available locally, and those who have been living and working in one of these communities for a long time will find this a handy resource full of useful phone numbers, Web sites and information.

Each of these neighboring communities has a unique character, history and landscape. Those who live and work in one of them should consider themselves lucky because they all offer a quality of life not found in many other places in the country. They share a magnificent coastline with beautiful beaches and historic lighthouses. They have good schools and safe neighborhoods. And, all of them are a short distance from the employment and entertainment opportunities in Portland.

Spread out across more than 50 square miles, Scarborough is a large town geographically when compared to Cape Elizabeth and South Portland. It’s home to the largest saltwater marsh in the state, the 3,100-acre Scarborough Marsh. The town was also once home to the painter Winslow Homer, whose cottage still stands on Prouts Neck. Maine’s first governor, William King, was born in Scarborough.

In the 2000 Census, it was one of the fastest growing towns in the state. The town’s good schools and proximity to Portland have made it a popular place to live. In recent years, town officials have worked to manage that residential growth and maintain the unique character of many of the small communities within the town. Scarborough is a community made up of distinct smaller communities. Pine Point, Dunstan, North Scarborough, Oak Hill, Pleasant Hill, Higgins Beach and Prouts Neck all have unique qualities and histories.

Cape Elizabeth and South Portland have always been closely linked, due in part to geography and in part to history. The two communities were once a single town. They agreed to split in 1895, with the industrial northern section becoming what we now know as South Portland and the rural southern section becoming Cape Elizabeth. The two communities have continued along those paths.

Although small in size with only 15 square miles, Cape Elizabeth has more parks and dedicated open space than any other town in the county. That land includes Crescent Beach State Park, Two Lights State Park and Fort Williams, which attracts more than one million visitors a year, according to some estimates. Fort Williams is home to the oldest lighthouse in the state, Portland Head Light, which was commissioned by George Washington.

South Portland, on the other hand, has become home to some of Maine’s largest employers and retailers. It is home to Fairchild Semiconductor, National Semiconductor and the state’s largest shopping center, the Maine Mall. It’s also a regional transportation hub with the state’s largest airport, The Portland International Jetport.

Each of these communities has a lot to offer anyone who lives or works here, and we hope this guide will help readers take advantage of all that’s available to them.