Things to do in

West End, Portland

Get to know the historic women of Portland on this guided walking tour through the Arts District and West End. Stop at iconic landmarks and hear about the hidden past from a local guide. Learn about Portland's important women and their contribution to the city. Your tour starts where Maine's first women's suffrage meeting was held. Stroll down Congress Street in Portland's Arts District. Visit the places where working-class women earned economic independence and wealthy female philanthropists saved landmarks and founded the city's most cherished museums. In the West End neighborhood, you'll see 19th-century row houses and churches connected to significant woman-led political and social movements. During your tour visit a woman-run underground railroad station and hear of the most daring escape from slavery it supported. Also, enjoy interactive storytelling about the Chinese laundress who won American mother of the year and the enslaved maid who abolished slavery in Maine. Additionally, see the halls and meet the courageous women involved with Maine's multi-generational fight for women's suffrage. Conclude your tour at the headquarters of the movement's final campaign.

Take a walk through one of Portland's most famous neighborhoods, the West End.  Expand your knowledge about the history of the West End that dates back to the beginning of the 19th century and has shaped the city of Portland into what is today.  Learn from your local, expert guide that will take you on a 2-hour history-filled walk. Stop at churches and cathedrals, museums, squares and statues, and the beautiful residential areas along the Western Promenade.  Throughout the tour, you will learn about Irish immigration and its contribution to the growth of the city, the history of the marvelous Victoria Mansion, the life and literature of Henry David Longfellow, and the famous architecture of John Calvin Stephens. The tour will end with a sweet treat from a local spot and lasting memories.