Historic Walking Tours
Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 am, June through October. No need to register. Meet in front of the cemetery office at 672 Stevens Avenue, Portland.
$5.00 - 18 and under free
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What stories the stones tell. The tours are worthwhile and enriching. Thank you for doing this. – Evergreen community member
Tours are listed in alphabetical order. If you have an idea for a tour of Evergreen Cemetery, contact us at friendsofevergreen@gmail.com.
Artists of Evergreen: Parts 1-4. Portland had a thriving arts community in the mid to late Victorian era and beyond. Meet the creative individuals; architects, sculptors, painters, patrons, and craftsmen that designed and furnished Portland’s finest homes and built the institutions and societies we depend on.
The Brushians: a group of friends who enjoyed each other's company and met year round to paint landscapes. Their canvases are not only objects of beauty but also document the Portland area’s natural landscape between the 1860s and the early 20th century.
The Civil War: With over 1,000 Civil War veterans, Evergreen’s Historic Section is perhaps Portland’s best, yet little known Civil War site. These men and women along with family and friends tell the story of Maine in the war era from the battlefield to efforts at home.
The Deering Neighborhood People and Places: The tour covers the history of the immediate Steven Plains and Deering Center neighborhood, from Woodfords Corner to Morrill’s Corner, as reflected by former residents who are interred at Evergreen. It features the numerous businesses in the area, and the people who ran them.
Eastern Avenue: Enjoy an easy, flat walk as the docent interprets symbols and points out the variety of materials and designs, from humble to grandiose, you are passing. Learn the stories behind the stones of both families and individuals. Wheelchair Accessible.
The Elk Tour: Explore early 20th C. Portland through the lives of this diverse group of men and women. From naval intelligence to orphanages, to retail and the YWCA, what links them all is their commitment to public service and their contributions to the growth of Portland. This geographically compact tour covers an expanse of Portland history.
Evergreen’s Unfamiliar First Names: A walk in any of Evergreen’s older sections reveals numerous first names such as Sophronia and Apphia that were once common names but are now unfamiliar. As the tour meanders through the cemetery, the docent will point out the names, explain where they originated, and give information about the person who had the name.
The Founders' Tour: Explores the early history of Evergreen Cemetery, from the city's purchase of the land, through the design process, to the first recorded burial, while also introducing some of the early Cemetery superintendents. Included is a brief discussion of the history of the adjacent University of New England.
The Great Portland Fire: The docent follows a July 14, 1866 Portland Transcript article where you’ll learn about some of the devastating personal and professional losses suffered by Portlanders, heroic acts of others and efforts made to assist the residents affected. You may even leave with a copy of the article!
Highlights of Evergreen: Meet a political powerhouse, a suffragette, a famous architect, a self-made millionaire, the father of prohibition, a Civil War hero, a seafaring family, and more as we highlight the stories of some of the more interesting residents of early Portland. There is something for everyone in this casual walk through the center of Evergreen Cemetery.
Malaga Island: The events of 1911-1912 on Malaga Island are a blemish on Maine’s history. Learn about the Portlanders who toured Malaga prior to the eviction of its residents and which Portlanders worked ardently to keep the residents on the island
Mausoleums: Parts 1&2. There are more than thirty above ground crypts and tombs in Evergreen. They include the magnificent Chisholm Roman temple to the simplicity of the Low family crypt built into the side of a hill.
Notable Women of Evergreen: Parts 1&2. Portland was home to many exceptional women whose contributions helped shape our community and our country. The tour includes remarkable women who as abolitionists, business leaders, lawyers, doctors, nurses, artists and authors and suffragists made important contributions to our history.
“Thank you. I make up stories about the people/families I encounter, but its much better to know the reality.” – Evergreen community member
People I Wish I’d Known: To create this tour, our docent has selected people from her various different tours that she would enjoy sitting down with to learn more about their intriguing lives.
People of the Sea: Parts 1&2. 19th C Portland was a bustling port. Coasters, merchant and passenger ships connected it to nearby ports and to others hundreds or thousands of miles away. This tour is a look at a cross section of people in the maritime industry, most of whom went to sea and others who provided the supporting services along Commercial Street.
Poets of the 19th Century: Take a leisurely walk to a scenic part of Evergreen Cemetery to listen to the history of six early Portland poets and hear examples of their poetry.
“As a docent I hope to connect with visitors to Evergreen about my passionate interest in research and attempts to suggest a life well-lived, productive, special! Anecdotes, photos, timelines, documents help provide context for the deceased. What makes each individual or family different? What quirky tidbits stand out?” – David Little
Portland Businessmen of the 19th C.: In 1815 Portland’s manufacturers and mechanics – architects, masons, furniture makers, bakers, tailors, and shipbuilders formed an organization for their mutual benefit called The Charitable Mechanics. The tour will focus on these business and trade leaders who worked together via the Association to strengthen Portland’s economy.
The Portland Rum Riot: In the spring of 1855 rumors spread throughout Portland that Neal Dow had illegally purchased and then stored a large quantity of alcohol at City Hall. A protesting crowd became a mob that attacked City Hall, with one of the protesters dying in the attack.
Resourceful People: This tour involves a casual stroll through Evergreen Cemetery to discuss some of the people who made good use of Maine's natural resources to build their reputations and fortunes. Inventors and entrepreneurs who worked with timber, stone, fish, gum and more will be introduced.
The Rines Era: For over 100 years Rines men and women were innovators in Portland’s downtown economy. In addition to opening the first department store on Congress Street, the four brothers and their descendants developed hotels, apartment buildings, and a broadcasting network.
The S.S. Portland Disaster: On November 27, 1898, an immense storm swept up the Atlantic coast sinking the luxurious S.S. Portland as it headed from Boston to Portland. Sunday morning Portland families learned that the ship had sunk off Cape Cod. There were no survivors. Hear about passengers, crew and officers who are either memorialized or buried in Evergreen.
The Spanish American War: In 1898 the U.S. and Spain engaged in a ten week war during which more soldiers died from yellow fever and typhoid than died from battle wounds. The tour visits the graves of some of these men. Visitors will also learn about the ironclad Montauk and its crew whose responsibility was to protect Portland Harbor from May1898 to March 1899.
The Spiritualists: The Spiritualist Movement took great hold in the late 1800s in Portland. Lecture halls overflowed with those wanting to believe communication with the dead was possible. Visitors will hear the life stories of several 19th century Portlanders who were among the early members of the spiritualism movement,
The Suffragists: An introduction to Portland area women and men who were engaged in the decades-long effort to obtain women the right to vote. Maine women wrote, spoke and petitioned from the movement’s earliest days in the 1860s and added marching and protests in the early 20th century, all of which resulted in passage of the 19th amendment.
Symbolism: As burial customs changed from the stark and often neglected graveyards to the tranquility and beauty of rural cemeteries, a new language of symbols such as flowers, urns, and obelisks emerged. Join us as we unlock the hidden language and meaning of the art and symbols on the Victorian era grave markers in Evergreen Cemetery.
A Walk down Western: The tour is an easy walk along Evergreen’s most northern street. Included in the tour are the burial places of everyday people plus that of historian William Willis, surgeon Abner Shaw of the 20th Maine, an early governor, a writer, and an artist.
The Wilde/Baxter Tour: The tour, one of the smallest area-wise, includes magnificent monuments such as the chapel, the Chisholm mausoleum, female Memory figures, a large Celtic cross, and the Baxter family lot.
The Wreck of the Otraska: On a warm morning in October 1861 seven young men sailed forth from Portland for a day of fishing aboard the Otraska. A sudden squall surprised them and led to the sinking of the vessel and the deaths of all but one. Stroll through Evergreen as we weave the tale of the Otraska, her crew, their lives and demise.
Zinc Monuments: Scattered throughout Evergreen’s burial lots are blue-gray metal monuments which were marketed as white bronze between the 1870s and 1910s. They were a less expensive alternative to the traditional stones. The tour provides information on how and where the monuments were made and the stories of the families who purchased them.