“I have been to Portland since the fire; Desolation, Desolation, it reminds me of Pompeii, the sepulture city.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1866

It began on a beautiful sunny Fourth of July, Independence Day 1866, and ended in one of the most devastating, bleakest days in Portland’s history, long to be remembered as the Great Fire of 1866, which almost destroyed an entire seaport industry, hundreds of independent businesses and thousands of homes, primarily on Munjoy Hill.

Bounded by Congress, Franklin, Federal and Pearl streets, Lincoln Park in Portland was originally named Phoenix Square, changed the next year in honor of the slain president. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Immediately following the fire, the city councilors gathered and raised $80,000 to purchase approximately 2½ acres of land at the entrance to Munjoy Hill. Its purpose was to create the first public park in Portland, as well as provide a firebreak in the event of another fast-moving fire. It was to stand as a symbol of courage and fortitude, our phoenix rising from the ashes.

Ergo, it was named Phoenix Square, changed the following year to Lincoln Park, in honor of our slain president, Abraham Lincoln.

The land was bounded by Congress, Franklin, Federal and Pearl streets. Mayor Augustus Stevens immediately acted to have the area graded and enclosed with an iron fence and granite piers. The latter job was awarded to The Portland Co., and that very fence and its granite piers still stand today after enduring 150 Maine winters. The Friends of Lincoln Park and the city have been working together for 10 years to completely restore this historic treasure. After all, it was the first park to blaze a trail into the future of Portland’s splendid 68 parks, and to that end may very well regain about half an acre of park space cut off when Franklin Street was constructed in the early 1970s; “urban renewal,” if you’ll excuse the expression.

Lincoln Park was designated a promenade park with a display of beautiful gardens, elm trees and a magnificent fountain from France, a place where people could walk in the open air, stroll around the perimeter, sit on any one of numerous benches to read or just relax. At the time it was referred to as “the top of the city” and the entrance to the busy and thriving family neighborhood of Munjoy Hill. Who knows, it’s not unlikely that neighbor Longfellow didn’t create some historic prose sitting on one of those benches under an elm tree.

Well, all this splendor exists today, not only in Lincoln Park but also in 67 other well-kept parks, e.g., Deering Oaks, with 55 acres of majestic oak trees, paths to everywhere; Baxter Woods, meandering trails of natural beauty; Western and Eastern promenades, with lofty views into the distance; Riverton Trolley, a 19-acre turn-of-the-century amusement attraction now being rehabilitated; Payson Park, 48 acres in the Back Cove area with sports fields aplenty, etc. Yes, and there’s more to come, stay tuned!

It seems appropriate to write this essay on parks and trees in the year when the nation is celebrating the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of landscape architecture and creator of Central Park in New York City, as well as about 500 other parks of all sizes throughout the country. We in Portland have been honoring this occasion with various functions in our parks through the year.

Now don’t wait for spring to blaze a trail to any one of Portland’s 68 parks – start now, put on your L.L. Beans and puffers and get out there before Mother Nature punishes you for ignoring her.

Your journey along the blazing trails to Portland’s glorious parks begins now. See you there, enjoy!