Street in Portland, Maine, US
Congress Street is the main street in Portland, Maine. Around long, it stretches from County Road, Portland's southwestern border with Westbrook, through a number of neighborhoods, before ending overlooking the Eastern Promenade on Munjoy Hill. In March 2009, the Portland City Council designated much of the inner portion of Congress Street a historic district. The western section of the street includes the city's Arts District.
The street was formerly known as both Country Road and Back Street. West of downtown Portland, the street is known colloquially as Outer Congress Street.
Portland City Hall stands at 389 Congress Street, at the head of Exchange Street.
History.
When what is now Portland was founded by British colonists in the early 18th century, the population settled primarily on the waterfront near today's India Street. Congress was laid out and originally known as Back Street and later Queen Street. The first prominent structures on the street were the First Parish Meeting House, built in 1740 and replaced to the present structure in the 1820s as well as the hay scales in Market Square, later known as Monument Square. From the early settlement of Portland until the American Revolutionary War period, Back Street was considered the far edge of the town. It took the name of Congress Street beginning in 1823. 
In 1921, the Etz Chaim Synagogue was built on the eastern end of Congress Street approaching Munjoy Hill. As of 2011, it was the only immigrant-era synagogue still functioning in Maine.
A study in 2011 sought to change a number of features on the street, including decreasing the number of stoplights and ending left hand turns off of the street. Greater Portland planners also called the street the most congested artery in the region.
Notable addresses.
The Second Parish Payson Memorial Church formerly stood to the right of City Hall, at Pearl Street, where the Top of the Hill parking lot is today.
Public transportation.
Greater Portland Metro's route 1 (Congress Street), 5 (The Maine Mall), 7 (Falmouth Flyer), 8 (Peninsula Loop), 9A (North Deering via Stevens Avenue), 9B (North Deering via Washington Avenue) and the BREEZ, and Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit's route 60 serve Congress Street.
References.
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