Historical Timeline for Portland Trails

1976

• Forest City Land Trust formed by Portland native and lawyer Tom Jewell

1989

• Portland City Hall convenes a workshop to develop the Shoreway Access Plan. During a stretch-break in the hallway, attendees Tom Jewell, Nathan Smith, Dick Spencer, and Cathy Stivers form the Portland Shoreway Access Coalition

1990

• Nathan Smith becomes the first President of the infant Portland Trails, organized out of the Portland Shoreway Access Coalition to advocate for a connected trail system
• Portland Trails creates a “Vision Map” to share the trail network idea.

1991 – 3.6 miles

• Donna Larson becomes PT's first (part-time) Executive Director
• Back Cove's 3.6 miles grandfathered into the Portland Trails system

1992 – 3.6 miles

• Alix Hopkins hired as full-time Executive Director
• Capisic Pond Trail begun
• Permitting for the Fore River Trail begun

1993 – 4.1 miles

• Capisic Pond Trail completed
• Jewell Falls donated by the Jewell family
• Portland Trails helps the City of Portland get federal funding to acquire 30-acre parcel along Eastern Prom
• Bridge over Jewell Falls funded

1994 – 4.75 miles

• Bridge across Fore River in Maine Audubon's Fore River Sanctuary funded
• Stroudwater Trail – eight acres along river donated
• Portland Trails voted the “Most Effective Citizens Group” by readers of Casco Bay Weekly newspaper

1995 – 6.75 miles

• Fore River Bridge installed in the Fore River Sanctuary
• Plans for Eastern Prom Trail sent to City Council
• Portland Trails voted the “Most Effective Citizens Group” by readers of Casco Bay Weekly newspaper for the second year in a row

1996 – 7.85 miles

• Eastern Prom Trail groundbreaking
• Julie N oil tanker accident spills 200,000 gallons of oil into Portland Harbor ; Portland Trails awarded funds to restore Fore River shoreline and build Fore River Trail

1997 – 10.75 miles

• UNUM grants easement for Stroudwater Trail
• Stroudwater Trail begun
• Eastern Prom Trail Phase 1 completed; Phase 2 begun
• www.trails.org goes live

1998 – 11.35 miles

• Eastern Prom Trail completed

1999 – 13.85 miles

• Lyseth School Trail built
• Fore River Trail begun
• Riverton Trolley Park Trail begun
• Alix Hopkins resigns as Executive Director
• Nan Cumming hired as Executive Director

2000 – 16.15 miles

• Connector between Eastern Prom and Back Cove Trails built
• Stroudwater Trail extended
• Fore River Trail, phase 1, begun and finished
• Armillary Sphere sculpture installed at the head of the Eastern Prom Trail
• 1 st annual Portland Trails 10K race

2001 – 21.35 miles

• Portland Trails 10th Anniversary!
• Portland Trails launches first major capital campaign to help City of Portland acquire 48 acres along the Presumpscot River, creating the Presumpscot River Preserve
• PT's co-founder Tom Jewell inaugurates his annual 10-mile guided Walk Across the Forest City, offered free of charge to the public
• Planning for Bayside Trails and open spaces begun

2002 – 21.35 miles

• Capital campaign to fund purchase of 9.5 more acres of Presumpscot River land for the Preserve
• Hall Elementary School Trail begun
• Lyseth School Trail extended
• Collaboration with Stroudwater Village Association to preserve “Corner” parcel of open space
• Portland Trails inaugurates the Senior Strolls, a series of guided educational trail walks
• First edition Portland Trails Map and Trail Guide published

2003 – 24.45 miles

• Trails within the Presumpscot River Preserve begun
• I-295 Connector Trail begun
• Capisic and Fore River Trails connected by Frost Street
• Planning for Thompson's Point Trail

2004 – 26.5 miles

• Presumpscot River Preserve expanded to 57.5 acres; trails extended north and south along the river
• Corporate Adopt-a-Trail sponsorship program initiated

2005 – 28.8 miles

• Jaime Parker hired as full-time Trail Manager
• Thompson's Point Trail planned
• Jewell Falls access trail rebuilt
• Outside Magazine and Vegetarian Times each credit Portland Trails with making Portland a great place to live and play
• Portland Trails Map and Trail Guide, second edition, published
• Alix Hopkins, former Executive Director, writes “Groundswell: Saving Places, Finding Community” (published by the Trust for Public Land )
• First land acquisition in Westbrook, 4 acre parcel on Presumpscot River

2006 – 29 miles

• Brickyard Point acquired; trail roughed out
• Capisic Pond Park expanded
• Trails begun on Presumpscot River , Westbrook
• Planning for Bayside Trail renews with City aquisition of rail right of way
• Starbird Lane Trail built
• Boat Launch built on Presumscot River , Rte 302
• Thompson's Point Trail connected to the Portland Transportation Center
• Weekly summer 5K run around Back Cove inaugurated in partnership with Maine Running Company
• Popular Senior Strolls series expanded and renamed as the Discovery Treks

2007 – 30.95 miles

• Fore River Sanctuary (85 contiguous acres) acquired from Maine Audubon
• Thompson's Point Trail landscaped and lengthened
• Brickyard Point Trail begun; plans made for its connection to the Tidewater Trail
• Jack Path on Munjoy Hill formalized into an official trail.