The Modern Mile: Forest Ave's Transportation Transformation
Schedule
Thu, 26 Mar, 2026 at 05:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Portland Public Library | Portland, ME
Advertisement
The Modern Mile: Forest Ave's Transportation Transformationwith Phil Morse and Myles Smith
Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 5:00pm
Rines Auditorium, Portland Public Library
FREE but donations greatly appreciated
Registration required.
Join us for the next program in Greater Portland Landmarks' transportation-themed winter/spring talks. In this two-part program, Phil Morse of the Seashore Trolley Museum traces the rise and fall of Maine's second-largest electric railway system, from the state's first horsecar line in 1863 through the final trolley run in May 1941 — when the last trolley car rolled through the streets of Portland, marking the end of more than three-quarters of a century of local public transit by rail. From the Pine Tree State's first horsecar line forming the nucleus of the Portland Railroad Company, to the essential services the line provided, Forest Avenue's role is featured throughout.
Myles Smith, co-founder of Mainers for Smarter Transportation, then picks up where the rails left off. With the arrival of the automobile, Forest Avenue quickly became Portland's first auto mile, as asphalt, car dealerships, gas stations, and strip malls replaced the horse stables, iron rails, power stations, and overhead electrical lines that had moved Portlanders for decades. After World War II, traffic engineers used borrowed money and unproven theories to prioritize the speed of drivers over the residents they sped past. Today's Forest Avenue is one of the state's most dangerous for all users, especially pedestrians — its design completely wrong for an area where thousands of residents, dozens of businesses, and hundreds of jobs exist side by side, where people live, work, study, shop, and play. Finally, though, residents and city leaders are looking to change its course, and make it the center of a place, a neighborhood, and a community.
For more information and to register: https://www.portlandlandmarks.org/the-modern-mile
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
Portland Public Library, Downtown Library - 5 Monument Square,Portland, Maine, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
