Portland Freedom Trail — Tour Review | Condé Nast Traveler
"Tell me: What’s this place all about? A free and self-guided tour (no tickets required), the Portland Freedom Trail winds past 13 key sites celebrating 19th-century Black Mainers who fought to end slavery. It spotlights places along the local Underground Railroad used to secretly help move formerly enslaved people into Maine, and through several hidden routes that stretch north across the border to Canada. Included along the trail are other important historic abolitionist monuments—ranging in location from the wharf, where many enslaved people stowed away on vessels to Maine, to churches-turned-meeting houses and private homes (with hidden passageways), to private businesses that cleverly included anti-slavery pamphlets in their products to inspire a rebellion among people who were enslaved. What’s it like being there? The tour is at once somber and awe-inspiring. The former because it reminds us in no uncertain terms that human slavery—and all of the heinous suffering that it engendered—not only existed, but was in fact a legal institution in our nation for centuries. The Trail’s cumulative effect lays bare the bravery, tireless work, brilliance, and spirit of the leaders who fought to end it. Even in its celebration of abolitionists, however, the Trail keeps a focus on those who didn’t get the opportunity to openly join the abolitionist movement. It is dedicated “to the countless thousands of men and women who fled the bonds of slavery but were recaptured or died at the hands of their pursuers before they reached the safe embrace of the Underground Railroad. They are not forgotten.” Who comes here? Since the Portland Freedom Trail is self-guided, spread out across the city, and runs on no particular schedule, you won’t overlap much with other visitors. But the Maine Historical Society anecdotally reports that it attracts many families as well as individual visitors—including those from the broader New England region and from across the country. Did it meet expectations? Many visitors—and even locals—may be under the impression that because Maine has never been a racially diverse state (demographically, it is more than 94% white), it has little Black history to offer. Quite the contrary—and the Portland Freedom Trail is definitive proof. The small but passionate and effective group of African American residents in Maine in the 19th century were dedicated and extremely clever in creating an anti-slavery network and organization. For decades before the Civil War, Portland was a nexus of abolitionism, and included white local allies such as Civil War general Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. In all of these, the Trail more than lives up to the hype—it eclipses it. You’ll leave surprised and fascinated by details about the lives of Mainers who went to extreme and creative lengths to free the enslaved. So then what, or who, do you think it’s best for? History buffs, and even just those who love a good story, will be captivated. Folks who do best with an interactive human as a tour guide may not appreciate the D.I.Y. format. But with that in mind, since the Trail is free and self-guided, you can always part from the route and find something else to do nearby any point." - Alexandra Hall
