Portland's Past: Stories from the City by the Sea

Portland's Past

Stories from the City by the Sea

Luann Yetter

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized Portland, Maine, as the "beautiful town that is seated by the sea." In this volume, Maine author Luann Yetter presents the stories from its past that not only showcase this exquisiteness but also illuminate its diverse and exciting history. The founding members of the Forest City braved the harsh winters, but not without scandals and struggles. One man raised a navy to fight the Barbary pirates threatening ships that sailed from Casco Bay, and privateers brought rum onboard and ashore. And while one Portlander traded slaves, many others worked the Underground Railroad as staunch antislavery crusaders. Discover Portland from its beginning as uncharted territory through to its development into the quintessential New England city it is today.

Luann Yetter teaches writing classes at the University of Maine at Farmington. Her first book, Remembering Franklin County, was published by The History Press in 2009.