The Portland Railroad Company operated the horse-drawn trolleys in Portland. This is car #85, an open-bench car, in front of Union Station. Horse trolleys first came into use in Portland in 1862 and were used until 1895 when they were phased out in favor of the more efficient and cheaper electric trolley lines. Collections of Maine Historical Society. Order a copy at vintagemaineimages.com, item #12925.

In commemoration of Maine’s bicentennial this year, The Forecaster is featuring historical highlights and artifacts from our communities’ past 200 years. This feature can be found in print and online every other week.

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