Custom Car, Motorcycle, Watercraft Appraisals in Lewiston, ME

Portland is the largest city in Maine, with a population of more than 68,400 people. It's also the capital city of the state, and serves as the seat of Cumberland County. The Greater Portland metropolitan area currently is home to more than 500,000 residents.

Since its founding in 1632 and its incorporation in 1786, Portland has experienced four devastating fires. This inspired the adoption of a city seal featuring a phoenix rising from the ashes, representing how the city has recovered each time and gone on to thrive. 

In the past, Portland's economy relied heavily on fishing, canneries, and manufacturing. Today, the city has a diversified economy that allows it to continue growing. The service sector and tourism now play major roles in the local economy. 

Different areas of the city offer residents and visitors plenty to do. The Old Port is known as a hotspot for nightlife, while also providing some of the best examples of 19th-century architecture to be found anywhere in the state. Fishing and commercial shipping continue to be major industries, with the Port of Portland serving as the second-largest tonnage seaport in New England.

Serving Lewiston, ME

Facts about Lewiston, ME

Officially known as the City of Lewiston, the city is acknowledged as the second-largest in the entire state. Found halfway between Augusta and Portland, it's also the most central location in Androscoggin County. Currently, the population of Lewiston is more than 37,000. 

The city's history traces back to a land grant issued in 1768. Jonathan Bagley and Moses Little received the grant, which came with a proviso that a minimum of 50 families would need to establish residence no later than June 1, 1774. Originally called Lewistown, the first permanent citizen arrived in 1770. Official incorporation followed in 1795. 

Farming served as the focal point for the town, but that would change by the middle of the 19th century, As the process of harnessing water to create energy developed, Lewiston's location along the Androscoggin River made it a perfect spot for the establishment of a number of industries. Textiles were an important component of the emerging industrial growth, aided by railroad construction that made shipping finished goods as well as receiving raw materials easier. 

Beginning in the 1970s, the city's growth slowed and then began to decline. This was in part due to a changing economy that saw a number of textile and other industrial concerns pull out of the city. Beginning with the new century, Lewiston began an aggressive urban renewal effort that has stabilized the city, and been praised as a model for other cities to follow.