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Coordinates: 43°40′20″N 70°16′06″W / 43.6723309°N 70.268200°W / 43.6723309; -70.268200
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{{Infobox settlement
{{coord|43.672|N|70.267|W|display=title}}
| official_name = Back Cove
⚫
[[Image:ISS007-E-17772 lrg.jpg|thumb|right|Back Cove (top) as seen in NASA astronaut photograph.]]
| settlement_type = Cove
'''Back Cove''' is an [[estuary|estuary basin]] on the northern side of the City of [[Portland, Maine]]'s downtown district. It is nearly circular and about one mile in diameter. A popular loop trail runs around the circumference of the cove.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trails.org/map_files/back_cove_page_description.html|title=Back Cove Trail|work=Portland Trails|accessdate=2009-04-24}}</ref> Being tidal, Back Cove dries out to mud flats at low tide and is not commercially navigable. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as ''Back Bay''.
| nickname =
[[Image:BaxterBoulevard.JPG|right|thumb|200px|A distance marker on the western side of Baxter Boulevard.]]
| motto = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline = Back Cove 2023.jpg
| imagesize = 300
| image_caption = Looking south across the cove to the skyline of downtown Portland
| image_flag =
| image_seal = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map =
| mapsize =
| map_caption = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Maine]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Maine|County]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Cumberland County, Maine|Cumberland]]
| subdivision_type3 = Towns
| subdivision_name3 = [[Portland, Maine|Portland]]
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| established_title =
| established_date = <!-- General information -->
| timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset = -5
| timezone_DST = EDT
| utc_offset_DST = -4
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| coordinates = {{coord|43.6723309|-70.268200|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| other_name =
}}
'''Back Cove''' is an [[estuary|estuary basin]] on the northern side of the downtown district of [[Portland, Maine]]. It is almost circular in form and about {{Convert|1|mi|km}} in diameter.


[[Back Cove Trail]], a popular loop trail, runs around the circumference of the cove for {{Convert|3.6|mi|km}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trails.org/map_files/back_cove_page_description.html |title=Back Cove Trail |work=Portland Trails |access-date=2009-04-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531084849/http://www.trails.org/map_files/back_cove_page_description.html |archive-date=2009-05-31 |df= }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Back Cove Trail » Portland Trails |url=https://trails.org/our-trails/back-cove-trail/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Portland Trails |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Baxter Boulevard==
'''Baxter Boulevard''' is a road and parkway that wraps around the west side of Back Cove. The roadway served as the means to head north from downtown Portland before [[Tukey's Bridge]], now on [[I-295 (ME)|I-295]], was built. The road was part of [[US Route 1]] until May 2007.


Being tidal, Back Cove dries out to mud flats at low tide and is not commercially navigable. Its mouth is crossed by [[Interstate 295 (Maine)|Interstate 295]] and [[Tukey's Bridge]], which the trail rises up to meet.<ref name=":0" />
The parkway and roadway began as an initiative of Mayor [[James Phinney Baxter]], for whom it is named. It was envisioned as one of four parks in the city (along with [[Deering Oaks]], [[Western Promenade]] and [[Eastern Promenade]]) which would encircle the city. The parkway was designed by the noted landscape design firm [[Olmsted, Olmsted and Eliot]] in 1895.<ref name=NRHP>{{cite web|url=http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/89001706.pdf|title=NRHP nomination for Back Cove|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=2015-10-29}}</ref> Property owners donated the land next to the cove and the walking and biking path were filled in. Originally called the '''Back Cove Boulevard''', the parkway opened in 1917. It covers {{convert|30|acre|ha}} and the pathway is {{convert|2.25|mi|km}} in length.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=YNTkhcR2AEAC&pg=PA291&dq=%22Baxter+Boulevard%22&hl=en&ei=boKuTOXkOIzunge03bX4BQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Baxter%20Boulevard%22&f=false Portland City Guide] Page 291</ref>


<gallery>
Tree planting began on the Boulevard in 1921 as a memorial to [[World War I]] victims.<ref>[http://www.maineolmsted.com/journal/articles/gard/backcove.html Bold Vision, the Development of the Parks of Portland, Maine] reprinted by Greater Portland Landmarks</ref>
⚫
Image:ISS007-E-17772 lrg.jpg|Back Cove (top) as seen in [[NASA]] photograph.
</gallery>


== See also ==
Baxter Boulevard was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as a historic landscape district in October 1989.<ref>{{NRISref|2010a}}</ref>


* [[Back Cove South Storage Facility]]
A {{convert|3.6|mi|km}} recreation path encircles Back Cove. An offshoot in the stretch that runs parallel to I-295 leads to East End Beach.


* [[2024 Portland flood]]
[[File:Backcove Portland ME 2012 panorama.jpg|800px|thumb|center|Panorama of the cove]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{Portland, Maine}}
[[Category:Geography of Portland, Maine]]
{{National Register of Historic Places}}
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Portland, Maine]]

[[Category:Neighborhoods in Portland, Maine]]
[[Category:Parks in Portland, Maine]]
[[Category:Roads in Maine]]
[[Category:Transportation in Portland, Maine]]
[[Category:Transportation in Portland, Maine]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Maine]]

Revision as of 20:37, 23 February 2024

Back Cove
Cove
Looking south across the cove to the skyline of downtown Portland
Looking south across the cove to the skyline of downtown Portland
Map
Coordinates: 43°40′20″N 70°16′06″W / 43.6723309°N 70.268200°W / 43.6723309; -70.268200
CountryUnited States
StateMaine
CountyCumberland
TownsPortland
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)

Back Cove is an estuary basin on the northern side of the downtown district of Portland, Maine. It is almost circular in form and about 1 mile (1.6 km) in diameter.

Back Cove Trail, a popular loop trail, runs around the circumference of the cove for 3.6 miles (5.8 km).[1][2]

Being tidal, Back Cove dries out to mud flats at low tide and is not commercially navigable. Its mouth is crossed by Interstate 295 and Tukey's Bridge, which the trail rises up to meet.[2]

  • Back Cove (top) as seen in NASA photograph.
    Back Cove (top) as seen in NASA photograph.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Back Cove Trail". Portland Trails. Archived from the original on 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
  2. ^ a b "Back Cove Trail » Portland Trails". Portland Trails. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
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