What You Will Do
Meet Portland and the people—of all backgrounds and identities—whose wit and grit have made Maine's largest city what it is today. Your locally-raised guide will captivate you with extraordinary, exciting, and surprising stories largely left out of the history books. Get ready to broaden your sense of what Portland and Maine have been and could be.
Brick sidewalks beneath your feet and beautiful Victorian-era buildings nestled around you, we'll casually stroll Portland’s lush, historic Old Port toward the sparkling waters of Casco Bay. We’ll see where Indigenous Wabanaki leaders made their earliest relationships with European colonizers and walk together through the centuries.
Enjoy an inclusive, empowering, and surprising constellation of tales that offers a welcome contrast to the more obvious themes you’re likely to experience on other tours. You'll enjoy 2 hours of narration over a 1.5-mile route with owner and guide, Dugan Murphy. He is Portland's top-rated guide on TripAdvisor!
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
Meet at the corner of Middle and Exchange Streets by the small boulders in the park. Your guide will be holding a sign that says "Portland by the Foot." Check-in time is 10 minutes prior to the scheduled tour time. The park is one half mile from the cruise ship terminal.
1
Downtown
45 minutes
You and your guide Dugan will walk the Downtown District, visiting major landmarks and a few hidden gems. Your guide Dugan will highlight unsung heroes and folks too often left out of the history books.
2
Meet the woman who, a century ago, lived as her true self and improved the lives of Mainers around her, against all odds.
3
Portland City Hall
Appreciate the architecture and hear the stories not captured in plaques and statues.
4
The First Parish Portland Unitarian Universalist
Marvel at the resilience of Indigenous communities who survived colonialism and are skillfully navigating diplomatic relationships in the modern day.
5
Our Lady of Victories (The Portland Soldiers and Sailors Monument)
Hidden stories are revealed about the folks not recognized by Portland's largest monument.
6
The Wadsworth-Longfellow House
See the oldest building in downtown Portland and hear a surprising story about its world-famous inhabitant.
7
Old Port
45 minutes
Follow Dugan through Portland's Old Port, uncovering hidden histories of the city and her people. You'll learn about people from all backgrounds and identities whose grit and ingenuity made the city what it is today.
8
John Ford Statue
Find the complicated history of one of Portland's most famous sons.
9
Exchange Street
See beautiful Victorian buildings and learn about the largely forgotten history-makers who once inhabited them.
10
Discover the often complicated relationship between stevedores, captains, shipowners, and common sailors in 19th-century Portland.
11
Commercial Street
30 minutes
You and Dugan will stroll through the waterfront district along Commercial Street, discovering the people and economic forces that forged it. Get ready for an inclusive, empowering, and surprising constellation of tales that offers a welcome contrast to the more obvious themes you’re likely to experience on other tours.
12
Wharf Street
Learn what the other tours aren't telling you about the global implications of Portland's industrial and maritime histories.
13
Custom House Wharf
See the picturesque working waterfront and find out who the female figures are got left out of the history books.
14
United States Custom House
Hear how changing federal policies have impacted life in this port city over the centuries.
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