Middle Street Explained

Middle Street
Length Mi:	0.46
Location:	Portland, Maine, U.S.
Terminus A:	Hancock Street
Direction A:	Northeast
Terminus B:	Union Street, Spring Street and Temple Street
Direction B:	Southwest

Middle Street is a downtown street in Portland, Maine, United States. Dating to 1724 (although part of it was a path established by ancient settlers),^[1] it runs for around 0.46miles, from an intersection with Union Street, Spring Street and Temple Street in the southwest, to Hancock Street, at the foot of Munjoy Hill, in the northeast. It formerly originated at what was then known as Market Square (today's Monument Square),^{[2] [3]} but 20th-century redevelopment saw the section between Monument Square and Free Street pedestrianized,^[4] and the remaining section—around The Maine Lobsterman monument on Temple Street—erased.^[5]

Near its midsection, Middle Street crosses Franklin Street. In 1756, when Franklin Street was laid out between Middle Street and Back Street (today's Congress Street), it was known as Fiddle Street.^[6]

In the early 1950s, the newly created Slum Clearance and Redevelopment Authority^[7] Vine-Deer-Chatham project demolished Portland's Little Italy, which was bounded by Franklin Street to the east, Fore Street to the south, Pearl Street to the west and Middle Street to the north. The head of Deer Street was opposite the Thompson Block at 117–125 Middle Street.^[8]

Middle Street, which is named for its position between Congress Street and Fore Street, passes through Portland's Old Port district.

Notable addresses

From northeast to southwest:

• Abraham S. Levy Building, 78–88 Middle Street^[9]
• Portland Police Headquarters, 109 Middle Street
• Thompson Block, 117–125 Middle Street (listed on the National Register of Historic Places)
• Rackleff Building, 129–131 Middle Street (listed on the National Register of Historic Places)
• Woodman Building, 133–141 Middle Street (listed on the National Register of Historic Places)
• Post Office Park, Middle Street between Market Street and Exchange Street
• Tommy's Park, Middle Street and Exchange Street
• Canal Bank Building, 188 Middle Street
• The Maine Lobsterman statue, Middle Street and Temple Street

At the time of his death in 1807, 46-year-old Commodore Edward Preble was living on Middle Street.^[10]

Demolished buildings

The Samuel Freeman House, built in the late 18th century, formerly stood on Middle Street.^[11]

The Second Parish Congregational Church stood at the corner of Middle Street and Deer Street.^[12] Deer Street, now a parking lot, was opposite the Thompson Block, just northeast of Pearl Street.^[13] The 240-room, six-story Falmouth Hotel stood at 212 Middle Street between 1868 and 1963, when it was torn down for being a fire hazard. It was replaced by today's Canal Bank Plaza in 1971.^[14]

Sanitary Meat Market (established in 1914) formerly occupied the southern corner of the Middle Street and India Street intersection.^{[15] [16]} It is now a parking lot.

See also

• Portland Railroad Company

Notes and References

1. Book: Willis, William . The History of Portland, from its First Settlement . 1833 . 120 . en.
2. Web site: Middle Street from Monument Square, Portland, ca. 1910 . 2024-03-11 . Maine Memory Network . en.
3. Web site: Middle St. looking towards Monument Square, Portland, Me - Digital Collections - National Library of Medicine . 2024-03-11 . collections.nlm.nih.gov.
4. Book: Ledman, Paul J. . Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot . Next Steps Publishing . 2016 . 978-0-9728587-1-7 . 20.
5. Book: Ledman, Paul J. . Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot . Next Steps Publishing . 2016 . 978-0-9728587-1-7 . 115.
6. https://digitalcommons.portlandlibrary.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=books_documents The Origins of the Street Names of the City of Portland, Maine as of 1995
7. 1959-01-01 . Vine-Deer-Chatham Project: Relocation, A Community Effort. . Individual Documents.
8. Web site: 31-33 Deer Street, Portland, 1924 . 2024-04-22 . Maine Memory Network . en.
9. Web site: 2015-11-03 . Portland City Council creates historic zone for India Street neighborhood . 2024-03-27 . Press Herald.
10. Book: Ledman, Paul J. . Paul J. Ledman . Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot . Next Steps Publishing . 2016 . 978-0-9728587-1-7 . 101.
11. Web site: Goodhue drawing of Samuel Freeman house, 1895 . 2024-04-05 . Maine Memory Network . en.
12. Book: Ledman, Paul J. . Walking Through History: Portland, Maine on Foot . Next Steps Publishing . 2016 . 978-0-9728587-1-7 . 123.
13. Web site: 31-33 Deer Street, Portland, 1924 . 2024-04-18 . Maine Memory Network . en.
14. Web site: Portland Hotels . 2024-03-13 . Maine Memory Network . en.
15. Web site: PFM . 2010-04-19 . Portland's Living Food History . 2024-03-11 . Portland Food Map . en-US.
16. Web site: 2018-10-16 . 2018 Southern & Coastal Maine by Discover Maine Magazine - Issuu . 2024-03-11 . issuu.com . en.