While digging around through the Portland Press Herald archives, I found lots of photos of Monument Square. Here’s a bunch of neat ones:

The first note on this photo says, "Portland — Market square, Old Town. Hall used to stand in space now accompanied by Solider's and Sailor's Monuments, in what is now Monument Square." The first date stamp says 1948 (the photo could be from anytime before then). From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

1914. From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

The back of this photo says "1800's-1950's" and lists people from left to right as: [unreadbale first name] Summer Fogg; Sydney Symon; Lt. John C. Gaking; Henri A. Benoit; Battery I, 240th Coast Artillery. From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

This one is actually a postcard. Can someone tell me why that cabin is there? (Leave it in the comments, please).

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.



From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

The stamp on the back of the photo says it is from 1981 or earlier. From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

A stamp on the back indicates this came rom 1939 or earlier. From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From 1982. From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

From the Portland Press Herald's archives.

The Black Dahlia lived on Munjoy Hill



It’s a Los Angeles Police case, and let me set the scene: It was 1947. Beth Short was 22, pretty with dyed black hair, green eyes and a mole on her face. She had lived with her family, but her parents were aggravated because she spent too many nights out on the town. Sick of this, and dreaming of fame, Beth moved to Hollywood and prove to her mother that she could make it on her own as an actress. Beth took on lots of part-time gigs — as a waitress, a movie extra, a nude model — but hadn’t reached her dream by January 1947, when somebody tied her up, tortured her, expertly butchered her into pieces and neatly placed pieces of her washed body on an empty lot in Los Angeles. (Anyone else think this sounds eerily familiar to the Ice Truck Killer in Dexter?)

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5 (true) legends every Mainers should know



Remember that time when the steam ship sank with all the wax statues? No? And you call yourself a Mainer? Also: One missing corpse, a missing red purse, a dead elephant and a few Portland brothels. Let’s start with Andre: Andre was born in Rockland in 1961, but was promptly abandoned by his mom. Lucky for him, Rockport harbor master Harry Goodridge found him and took in the two-day-old pup. Andre grew up splashing in Rockport harbor, where Harry taught him tricks. The harbor seal took to it and performed for the summer crowds. Harry built him a large cage in the harbor, where he’d spend summer nights.

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If you love this local history stuff, you must know about Portland Press Herald’s Flashback, comparing the city then and now.