Middle Street
Middle Street is a downtown street in Portland, Maine, United States. Dating to 1724, it runs for around, from an intersection with Union Street, Spring Street and Temple Street in the southwest, to Hancock Street, at the foot of Munjoy Hill, in the northeast. It formerly originated at what was then known as Market Square, but 20th-century redevelopment saw the section between Monument Square and Free Street pedestrianized, and the remaining section—around The Maine Lobsterman monument on Temple Street—erased.
Near its midsection, Middle Street crosses Franklin Street. In 1756, when Franklin Street was laid out between Middle Street and Back Street, it was known as Fiddle Street.
In the early 1950s, the newly created Slum Clearance and Redevelopment Authority Vine-Deer-Chatham project demolished Portland's Little Italy, which was bounded by Franklin Street to the east, Fore Street to the south, Pearl Street to the west and Middle Street to the north. The head of Deer Street was opposite the Thompson Block at 117–125 Middle Street.
Middle Street, which is named for its position between Congress Street and Fore Street, passes through Portland's Old Port district. A creek once flowed up from Clay Cove, the original commercial center of Portland, to Turkey Lane. It was large enough that ships used to sail up it past Middle Street, where an arch was built over the creek.
Notable addresses
From northeast to southwest:- Abraham S. Levy Building, 78–88 Middle Street
- Portland Police Headquarters, 109 Middle Street
- Thompson Block, 117–125 Middle Street
- Rackleff Building, 129–131 Middle Street
- Woodman Building, 133–141 Middle Street
- Post Office Park, Middle Street between Market Street and Exchange Street
- Tommy's Park, Middle Street and Exchange Street
- Canal Bank Building, 188 Middle Street
- The Maine Lobsterman statue, Middle Street and Temple Street
Demolished buildings
The Samuel Freeman House, built in the late 18th century, formerly stood on Middle Street.The Second Parish Congregational Church stood at the corner of Middle Street and Deer Street. Deer Street, now a parking lot, was opposite the Thompson Block, just northeast of Pearl Street.
The 240-room, six-story Falmouth Hotel stood at 212 Middle Street between 1868 and 1963, when it was torn down for being a fire hazard. It was replaced by today's Canal Bank Plaza in 1971.
Sanitary Meat Market formerly occupied the southern corner of the Middle Street and India Street intersection. It is now a parking lot.