The Great Fire of 1866: A Walking Tour
One hundred sixty years ago this summer, Portland burned. On July 4, 1866, a firecracker tossed into a boatyard on Commercial Street set off a blaze that tore through the city for fifteen hours, destroying over 1,500 buildings and leaving roughly 10,000 people homeless. Join us for a walking tour that retraces the path of destruction and rebirth, from the spark on the waterfront to a public park that rose from the ashes.
Along the way you'll stand where the old U.S. Custom House once stood gutted and unstable, see the Old Mariner's Church, one of the only commercial buildings to survive the flames, and walk Exchange Street, and new buildings built from salvaged fire brick. You'll pass the Woodman Building, the city's defiant answer in cast iron and stone, and stop in Monument Square, where families once piled their most treasured belongings inside a City Hall they believed was fireproof.
The tour closes at Lincoln Park, the city's first public green space, created as a direct result of the fire. Historical photographs from the Soule collection will be shared at several stops along the route, showing the city in ruins just as it looked in 1866.
Event Details:
Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026, 6:00 PM - Friday, July 10, 2026, 6:00 PM - Saturday, July 11, 2026, 10:00 AM
Start Location: Benches on the brick-paved area at 350 Commercial Street
Fee: $10.00 per person
Details: This is an in-person event. Street and garage parking nearby
The tour covers about 1.5 miles and runs approximately one hour. It begins at the benches on the brick-paved area at 350 Commercial Street and ends at Lincoln Park, at the intersection of Congress and Pearl Street. This is a one-way walk, not a loop, but you're welcome to stroll back along Fore Street or Commercial Street and grab a bite at one of the many restaurants along the way. Ample public parking is available along Commercial Street and in nearby public lots.
One-Third of the City Burned!
Over 10,000 Left homeless!
City Hall, Every Bank, Every Newspaper, Every Law Office, Almost Every Church Totally Destroyed!
Only Wartime Atlanta had Seen Such a Swath Cut to the Sea!
Portland's GREAT FIRE of 1866 was a landmark of the 19th century, the biggest city blaze in the history of the United States up to that time. The loss was staggering—and the relief effort international. From such ashes, could the city's symbolic PHOENIX ever rise again?
Cities are always evolving, and one catalyst for change is natural disasters such as Portland's July 4th, 1866 fire. They leave a lasting impression on the landscape, culture, and memory. Join Greater Portland Landmarks and Herb Adams for an illustrated remembrance with slides, maps, new information and a reflection on what it took for such people and spirit to restore Longfellow's "City that is seated by the Sea."
About our speaker:
A long time state legislator from Portland, Herb Adams is an Adjunct Professor at Southern Maine Community College and a graduate of the Kennedy School of Government Executive Program. He is now at work on a biography of Maine Gov. Percival Baxter. Herb regularly appears on Maine Public Radio and many YouTube channels discussing the nooks and crannies of New England history.
Collections of Maine Historical Society, Maine Memory Network Item #22697
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Time: 5:00-6:00 PM
Location: Rines Auditorium, Portland Public Library- Downtown Branch, 5 Monument Square, Portland
Fee: $5.00 suggested donation which helps Greater Portland Landmarks continue to offer low-cost programming.
Details: This is an in-person event. Street and garage parking nearby.
Please email Aimée Keithan or call 207.774.5561 with questions!
