Inspired! 2021 Is Not the First Big 4th of July Comeback for Portland, Maine
July 4th, 1886, was supposed to be a huge celebration in Portland. This would be the first Independence Day since the troops had returned home from fighting in the Civil War. A huge parade, fireworks, and a circus featuring a real hippopotamus were just some of the activities planned for the day. Instead, it ended up being a day of tragedy. Portland had the worst fire ever seen to that point by an American city.