Mudroom

Power Ranking

Portland vs. Portlands

By Camille Grigsby-Rocca June 15, 2012 Published in the July 2012 issue of Portland Monthly

IN 1845, the legendary coin toss on the Willamette’s bank launched a long feud with our staid Maine cousin for ownership of the sacred Portland name. These days, we think we’ve secured bragging rights. But is our dominance assured? What about the other other Portlands? Which could seize the mantel of true Portlandiness?

RANK: #1

PORTLAND, NORTH DAKOTA

TRENDING: UP
POPULATION: 606
Among the main attractions listed on this city’s website: a “short drive to Fargo.” Irony? Post-irony? Either way, pretty damn hipster. A hot little number to watch.

RANK: #2

PORTLAND, INDIANA

TRENDING: UP
POPULATION: 6,223
Home to the World’s Largest Antique Gas Engine & Tractor Show. A few gallons of biodiesel, a couple of fields of organic asparagus, and our locavore credentials could be in trouble.

RANK: #3

PORTLAND CREEK, NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA

TRENDING: DOWN
POPULATION: Anglers from this Portland invented a fly-fishing knot called the “Portland Hitch,” a reminder of our need to register more Portland web domain names.

RANK: #4

PORTLAND, CONNECTICUT

TRENDING: UP
POPULATION: 9,500
In the 19th century, this Portland’s brownstone quarries helped erect some of the most beautiful buildings from New York City to Chicago. An assault on our green-building credentials surely can’t be far off.

RANK: #5

PORTLAND, MICHIGAN

TRENDING: DOWN
POPULATION: 3,883
The aptly named “City of Two Rivers” has four metal truss bridges dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Four, huh? Sorry, Michigan, we’ve got the bridge thing covered—better luck next time.

RANK: #6

PORTLAND, TEXAS

TRENDING: DOWN
POPULATION: 15,099
The “Gem City of the Gulf Coast” hosts an annual dachshund race. Cue the weiner jokes!

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