Conclusion

     Although settlement in the area started at Richmond Island, the initial geographic advantages of the Neck soon won out.  The waters surrounding the Neck were sheltered and protected from storms, and the water was deep enough for ships to pull into.  This set the stage for Portland to become the business center of the region, competing with large cities like Boston.

     When settlers first came to the area the only mode of transportation was by water.  In the late 1600s roads began to emerge, radiating outward from the waterfront area.  Thus, the waterfront not only held the key to Portland's initial success, it also was the driving force behind the development of the infrastructure we still use today.

  By far the most critical factor in Portland's initial success was it's geographic location.  First with the local physical surroundings (the harbor) followed by it's regional location.  From England, Portland was a full day closer than New York, and a half day closer than Boston.  Although the winters in Maine can be harsh, Casco Bay remains mostly ice free, which opened the door for Portland to act as a winter port to the iced in Montreal.

     The establishment of the rail system first acted in a beneficial way to Portland, giving them an efficient way to move goods up to Montreal.  However, it later proved a detriment to Portland as well.  The new advancement in shipping made geographic location a far less critical factor in the success of a city, and Portland lost it's initial edge.  Cities like Saint John and Halifax began to pick up the slack, and eventually took over Portland's role.  Lack of investment on the part of Portland city officials led to less than adequate facilities for ships to pull into.  By the time the city realized their crucial mistake it was too late.  Portland Harbor's glory days were gone.

    With advancing modes of transportation, businesses no longer needed to be located close to the cities waterfront.  The center for commerce thus shifted to areas around Congress Street and Forest Avenue.  The waterfront area initially suffered, but was soon revitalized by small artisans and business owners who attracted people from outside the city.  In addition, Portland has experienced yet another economic shift.  The service sector has really picked up, with restaurants, movie houses and an array of entertainment opportunity.  Helping feed this service sector is the growing tourist industry that has become a major part of Portland's economy.

     True to it's symbol the Phoenix, Portland has proved time and time again that it is able to pick itself up out of the ashes and turn itself into an economically stable city.