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Set on Big Rideau Lake, Portland has been a boating community for hundreds of years. Very welcoming to boaters, you will find waterfront dining, cafes, a pizzeria, an art gallery and shops including grocery, spirits, post office and a bank within walking distance of the harbour and marinas.
The Portland branch of the Rideau Lakes Public library offers public washrooms and free wifi. Outdoors, enjoy beautiful Hanna Park, a children’s playground, swimming at Portland Community Beach or venture to the Cataraqui Trail offering 104 kms for cycling or nature walks just east of the village. The Emmanuel Heritage Centre (formerly Emmanuel Anglican Church 1861) built of fine local sandstone at the crest of Portland Hill, stands as the landmark of the village.
For more detailed information about visiting Portland, see the article: Boat into Portland
The History of Portland
Several fine buildings mark Portland’s evolution as a community of faith, home and business. The Gallagher Bank Building, erected in 1903 is a classic example of bank architecture of that era. The Polk Store, built in 1891 and the Toffey House, built in 1892 manifest the prosperity of the village at the turn of the 20th century. But the landmark of Portland is Emmanuel Anglican Church building. Erected in 1861 of fine local sandstone, the community now seeks new purpose for this stately building at the crest of Portland Hill.
Albert Gallagher House
14 Water Street, Portland
The property at 14 Water Street is the former site of the Albert Gallagher House.
Albert Gallagher, at one time, held title to approximately 15 homes in the village of Portland. At the turn of the century, Gallagher built several of the buildings in Portland around this corner of town, including a store across the street at 19 Water Street, a warehouse at the foot of Main Street at 19A Water Street, the Albert Gallagher Bank Building (1903) at 11 Water Street, a few buildings on Main Street, and a historic steamboat wharf on the Big Rideau.
Gallagher was arguably responsible for Portland’s heyday as a thriving tourist destination for the Rideau waterway steamboat cruises at the turn of the century and could be considered the founder of Portland’s water-based tourism.
On the same lot is the site of the demolished Peter Bresee house. This former home is associated with an earlier, pre-confederation era of Portland’s history that developed in the wake of building the Rideau Canal. It is historically linked to the hamlet’s oldest documented extant building from that era; the circa 1830’s former Bresee store, across the street at 17 Water Street.
Still existing on the property is a ‘carriage house’; a cast concrete block structure (c. 1920s).
