Editing South Portland, Maine (section)

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2024}}[[File:Liberty ship Portland.jpg|thumb|left|Liberty ships being built along the waterfront (August 1942)]]

South Portland was first colonized in 1630, and it grew to become a small residential community with many farms. The village was raided by natives in [[Father Rale's War]] (1724). In 1858, the City of Portland purchased land near the [[Fore River (Maine)|Fore River]] for the [[Forest City Cemetery]]. On March 15, 1895, it was incorporated as a town after it broke away from [[Cape Elizabeth]], based on a disagreement on a future source of public drinking water.  Three years later South Portland became a city, destined to receive its drinking water, like Portland, from [[Sebago Lake]], while Cape Elizabeth used wells or other local sources.

On South Portland's waterfront is [[Fort Preble]], which is a military fort established in 1808 to protect Portland Harbor. It was in operation during several American conflicts, including the [[United States Civil War]], [[World War I]], and [[World War II]]. Near Fort Preble is [[Spring Point Ledge Light]], which was constructed by the federal government in 1897 to mark a dangerous rock ledge.

In December 1844, Portland resident [[Ellen G. White]], who became a founder of the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]] church, is said to have experienced her first vision during a prayer meeting at the home of Mrs. Haines at 60 Ocean Street, which later became the Griffin Club. The building was torn down in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laaka |first=Juliette |date=2018-04-17 |title='Spirits' remain as South Portland's former Griffin Club disappears |url=https://www.pressherald.com/2018/04/17/spirits-remain-as-south-portlands-former-griffin-club-disappears/ |access-date=2020-07-02 |website=Press Herald}}</ref>

In 1940, the Todd-Bath Iron Shipbuilding Corp (later called the "East Yard") was established to build cargo ships for Britain. When the United States became involved with World War II, the shipyard expanded to include the South Portland Shipbuilding Corp. (aka the "West Yard"), that later combined with the Todd-Bath yard to become the [[New England Shipbuilding Corporation]]. These shipyards built 236 of the 440 foot (134 m) long [[Liberty ship]]s, more than 10 percent of all the Liberty ships constructed during the war years. At its peak, the shipyard employed some 30,000 people, including thousands of women, who took over the jobs vacated by men going into the service. The shipyard gradually ceased operations after the war ended in 1945.  Remnants of the shipyards are visible, and there is a memorial to the shipyard and the workers at Bug Light Park. The park is also home to [[Portland Breakwater Lighthouse]], commonly referred to as "Bug Light".

[[File:Long Creek Air Tragedy Memorial.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Long Creek Air Tragedy Memorial.]]

On July 11, 1944, at 4:45&nbsp;p.m.,<ref>{{cite news|last=Billings|first=Randy|title=Fundraising for South Portland air crash memorial faces June deadline|url=http://www.theforecaster.net/content/s-splongcreekmemorial-1|access-date=12 July 2010|newspaper=The Forecaster|date=1 April 2010|quote=It happened at 4:45 p.m. on July 11, 1944.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719004203/http://www.theforecaster.net/content/s-splongcreekmemorial-1|archive-date=19 July 2011}}</ref> [[United States Army Air Forces|U.S. Army]] Lt. Phillip "Phee" Russell was attempting to land his [[Douglas A-26 Invader]] at the [[Portland International Jetport|Portland-Westbrook Municipal Airport]]. For reasons that were never fully determined, Russell lost control of the plane and crashed into a [[trailer park]] in South Portland's Brick Hill neighborhood. Nineteen people were killed and 20 people were injured—mostly the families of South Portland shipyard workers—making it the worst aviation accident in Maine history.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cornish|first=Caroline|title=Long Creek Air Tragedy Memorial is dedicated|url=http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=120288|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121210063205/http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=120288|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 December 2012|access-date=12 July 2010|newspaper=WCSH|date=11 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Billings|first=Randy|title=South Portland air crash memorial takes shape, dedication planned for July 11|url=http://www.theforecaster.net/content/s-splongcreekmemorial-3|access-date=12 July 2010|newspaper=The Forecaster|date=1 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719004225/http://www.theforecaster.net/content/s-splongcreekmemorial-3|archive-date=19 July 2011}}</ref> A [[Long Creek Air Tragedy Memorial]] was eventually erected to commemorate the crash and honor the victims, but not until 66 years later.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hudson|first=Diane|title=South Portland honors Long Creek air crash victims|url=http://www.theforecaster.net/content/s-splongcreekmemorial-071610|access-date=21 July 2010|newspaper=The Forecaster|date=16 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100720004118/http://www.theforecaster.net/content/s-splongcreekmemorial-071610|archive-date=20 July 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Maine Mall 2023.jpg|right|thumb|The Maine Mall circa 2023.]]

Over the last few decades, South Portland has become the retail capital of Maine. The Mill Creek shopping center, built in the 1950s, was the first such "strip mall" built in Maine: a line of stores under one long roof and a covered walkway.  Mill Creek has changed and grown significantly since, but the original layout still forms the core of the stores. The area in Mill Creek known as the Waterfront Market sits at the base of the [[Casco Bay Bridge]] and attracts shoppers from Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth and Portland.

The need for a large mall in Maine emerged in the 1960s, as Portland's downtown district could not accommodate the growing retail market. A former pig farm in South Portland was chosen as the site for the project because it was close to I-95 and convenient from Portland. Beginning construction of the [[Maine Mall]] in the late 1960s marked the start of a major transition in the western part of South Portland: from a rural, agrarian landscape to the large retail center that exists today.

The oldest neighborhood in South Portland, and its former "retail corridor", is Ferry Village. Prior to the Casco Bay Bridge (or the one it replaced, the [[Million Dollar Bridge (Maine)|Million Dollar Bridge]]), ferries transported people and goods back and forth across the harbor to Portland. The landscape and the makeup of residents in Ferry Village were forever changed upon the close of the WWII shipyards. The Village has slowly bounced back and is now one of the more popular places in the city to live.

Ferry Village also has one of the most active and involved neighborhood associations in Southern Maine. The Ferry Village Neighborhood Conservation Association (FVNCA) was formed in August 1985 to address the development boom in the 1980s which was quickly altering the character of the waterfront and many Greater Portland neighborhoods. FVNCA was instrumental in the formation of the [https://web.archive.org/web/20080515220847/http://www.splandtrust.org/ South Portland Land Trust] as well as the City-managed Land Bank which provides seed money for the acquisition of available open space.

After decades of neglect, the westernmost neighborhoods of South Portland, including Redbank and Brick Hill, experienced new growth and revitalization in 2006 with the redevelopment of land formerly belonging to [[Long Creek Youth Development Center]] as a mixed-use neighborhood featuring affordable housing, market rate housing, professional offices and outdoor recreational spaces.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brick Hill |url=http://www.portlandlandmarks.org/brick-hill |website=Greater Portland Landmarks |access-date=19 May 2020}}</ref>  The redevelopment of the Brick Hill site spurred additional private development nearby in the form of market rate housing, retail and light industry. The city's 2017 West End Master Plan aims to further encourage such development in that area of the city.<ref>{{cite web |title=West End Master Plan |url=https://www.southportland.org/files/7015/0291/5682/Draft_West_End_Neighborhood_Master_Plan_8-16-17.pdf |website=City of South Portland |access-date=19 May 2020}}</ref>

South Portland was voted one of the best places to live in Maine in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |last1=O'Brien |first1=Cameron |title=South Portland Tops the Charts as "Best Place to Live in Maine" in 2018 |url=https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/life/south-portland-tops-the-charts-as-best-place-to-live-in-maine-in-2018/97-eb38f49f-f3a0-4398-b29c-90351a8ec2b5 |website=News Center Maine |date=December 26, 2018 |access-date=19 May 2020}}</ref>