Portland, Maine: Hidden Histories Guided Walking Tour

Duration2h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Group sizeUp to 15 travelers

Overview

Meet Portland and the people—of all backgrounds and identities—whose wit and grit have made Maine's largest city what it is today. Your locally-raised guide will captivate you with extraordinary, exciting, and surprising stories largely left out of the history books. Get ready to broaden your sense of what Portland and Maine have been and could be.

Brick sidewalks beneath your feet and beautiful Victorian-era buildings nestled around you, we'll casually stroll Portland’s lush, historic Old Port toward the sparkling waters of Casco Bay. We’ll see where Indigenous Wabanaki leaders made their earliest relationships with European colonizers and walk together through the centuries.

Enjoy an inclusive, empowering, and surprising constellation of tales that offers a welcome contrast to the more obvious themes you’re likely to experience on other tours. You'll enjoy 2 hours of narration over a 1.5-mile route with owner and guide, Dugan Murphy. He is Portland's top-rated guide on TripAdvisor!

What's included

10% off water tours with Portland Paddle (instructions at confirmation)
Two hour fully narrated guided tour.
Donation toward restoring the Abyssinian Meeting House, America's third-oldest standing Black church

A tip for your guide!

What to expect

45m

You and your guide Dugan will walk the downtown district, visiting major landmarks and a few hidden gems. Your guide Dugan will highlight unsung heroes and folks too often left out of the history books.
Pass by

Meet the woman who, a century ago, lived as her true self and improved the lives of Mainers around her, against all odds.
Portland City Hall
Pass by

Appreciate the architecture and hear the stories not captured in plaques and statues.
The First Parish Portland Unitarian Universalist
Pass by

Marvel at the resilience of Indigenous nations who survived colonialism and are skillfully navigating diplomatic relationships in the modern day.
Our Lady of Victories (The Portland Soldiers and Sailors Monument)
Pass by

Hidden stories are revealed about the folks not recognized by Portland's largest monument.
The Wadsworth-Longfellow House
Pass by

See the oldest building in downtown Portland and hear a surprising story about its world-famous inhabitant.
45m

Follow Dugan through Portland's Old Port, uncovering hidden histories of the city and her people. You'll learn about people from all backgrounds and identities whose grit and ingenuity made the city what it is today.
John Ford Statue
Pass by

Learn the complicated history of one of Portland's most famous sons.
Pass by

See beautiful Victorian buildings and learn about the largely forgotten history-makers who once inhabited them.
Pass by

Discover the often complicated relationship between stevedores, captains, shipowners, and common sailors in 19th-century Portland.
Commercial Street
30m

You and Dugan will stroll through the waterfront district along Commercial Street, discovering the people and economic forces that forged it. Get ready for an inclusive, empowering, and surprising constellation of tales that offers a welcome contrast to the more obvious themes you’re likely to experience on other tours.
Pass by

Learn what the other tours aren't telling you about the global implications of Portland's industrial and maritime histories.
Custom House Wharf
Pass by

See the picturesque working waterfront and discover the female figures who got left out of the history books.
United States Custom House
Pass by

Hear how changing federal policies have impacted life in this port city over the centuries.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Meet at the corner of Middle and Exchange Streets by the small boulders in the park. Your guide will be holding a sign that says "Portland by the Foot." Check-in time is 10 minutes prior to the scheduled tour time. The park is one half mile from the cruise ship terminal.

End point

Bell Buoy Park is on Commercial Street at the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal. If you need to head back to where we started, it's only 0.3 miles (6-minute walk) away. It's also next door to the cruise ship terminal. Or sit a while to enjoy the ocean views!

Additional information

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Pets are not allowed on tours unless medically required.
Portland is a hilly city. Participants will walk uphill sometimes, along some cobblestones, up a staircase of 6 steps, and down two staircases (24 steps total).

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

5.0 (670)

From

$54.00 per person

Check availability & book

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
Instant confirmation
You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.

Operated by Portland by the Foot · Booked through Viator

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