Called
the "Jewel by the Sea" by its celebrated native, Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow, greater Portland combines the best of all worlds—the
variety of a big city with the beauty and the quality of life in
Maine. Located on the shores of Casco Bay, near lakes and mountains,
Portland boasts innumerable fine restaurants, shops, and cultural
institutions.
The pace
of Portland is a comfortable one. There are no wild dashes for commuter
trains, no miles of frustrating traffic jams. Instead, there are
rolling hills, picturesque villages and stretches of sandy beaches
within fifteen minutes from the city center. Casco Bay, 20 miles
long and 12 miles wide, is streaked with numerous long, thin peninsulas,
and 136 islands.
The
Portland area provides many high-quality affordable living opportunities,
as well as excellent school systems and the safety of one of the
lowest violent crime rates in the United States. Accessibility, excellence
and affordability are key words in describing the cultural experiences
available in the Portland area.
The nationally
acclaimed Portland Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Toshiyuki
Shimada, performs in the historic City Hall Auditorium. The Portland
Museum of Art, designed by the architectural firm of I.M. Pei, recently
acquired the collection of Joan Whitney Payson, including works by
Picasso, Whistler, Wyeth, and Chagall. The Cumberland County Civic
Center provides a forum for concerts, ice shows, circuses, semi-professional
hockey and basketball. The recently refurbished Hadlock Field is
home to the popular Portland Sea Dogs Double AA League baseball team.
Above
all, however, it is the healthy and invigorating outdoor experiences
that define the Portland area way of life. World-class hiking, sailing,
skiing, and beaches, to name but a few, make this an attractive area
in which to live and work. Combined with a greater Portland area
population of over 200,000 hardworking and friendly people, the Maine
slogan of "The Way Life Should Be" suggests that life in
Portland will be a pleasant and enduring experience. Be sure to check
out the links to the Greater Portland Community.
