Congress Street is the commercial hub of the Portland Peninsula. Congress Street is Portland’s “Main Street,” the peninsula’s primary east-west commercial and transportation axis. The richness and diversity of its architecture and public spaces, particularly along the section extending from Franklin Arterial to Bramhall Square, constitutes a unique record of Portland’s residential and commercial development history. If there is one word that characterizes the history and development of Congress Street, it is change. From the street’s beginnings as an access road for farmers bringing their goods to market, to its development first into a prestigious residential neighborhood and then into Portland’s commercial and cultural center, the character and role of Congress Street have changed repeatedly.