CHAPTER XI

PORTLAND, MAINE EASTERN SHORE LINE

The largest city in Maine offers the modern treasure seeker good hunting grounds, especially the eastern side of town. This area is called the east-end bathing beach. The shore line here was the scene of Indian attacks and burning of houses back in the year 1775 when Portland was known as Falmouth Neck. The British Admiral, Mowatt, attacked and destroyed by shell fire the area from the Eastern Promenade to Monument Square, and included the waterfront in this destruction.

If you think about this attack you will come to the conclusion that many historical artifacts were lost in the ruins of the fire. Some of them are probably still in the area, buried under three or four feet of dirt, or maybe deeper. Of course the shoreline is built up now, but you still have a good chance of finding something along the beach, the banking near the railroad tracks, and some of the surrounding area. As I have mentioned continually throughout this book, don't under any circumstances dig without securing the property owner's permission.

Portland was founded by George Cleeves in 1633, so you see that any article found that dates back to this era would be a real find. The Portland area as a whole is steeped in history, the first settlers arriving only thirteen years after the Pilgrims themselves.

A particularly nice spot for the detector to do its work is the foot of Fort Allen Park along the railroad tracks and shoreline at the base of the hill.

Many of the old windjammers used to anchor in the channel just off this point. Therefore, the longboats or small boats from the mother ship would land on the beach, while their occupants went ashore to complete business dealings with the shopkeepers concerning cargoes, etc.