PORTLAND, Maine — If you've ever taken a walk or drive around Portland, surely, you've noticed that Maine's largest city is rich with fascinating architecture.
There are thousands of historic homes that have dotted the landscape for centuries.
Homes that all have a story.
Darren McLellan of Cape Elizabeth likes to tell those stories. It's his passion.
He's fascinated by not only all the different styles of historic homes in Portland, but also the people who designed and built them and the people who once called these houses...home.
"It started out as architecture, then it really became about the people, the stories about the people that were there," said McLellan.
They are stories McLellan wanted to share with others. So for the past five years he has been highlighting them on his website, Portland House Stories.
McLellan's research is extensive. His biggest resources are tax records and old city directories.
"It's like a snapshot of time in the city at that moment."
McLellan says the first city directories in Portland date back to the 1820's.
"They were the phone books of their day. Typically they listed everybody in the city where they lived and what they did for work."
One of the houses McLellan highlighted was the West Mansion on Portland's Western Prom, which was designed by Frederick Tompson, a Portland native and well known architect.
"The whole portico or entrance is overscaled, it was meant to be" said McLellan pointing to the front of the mansion.
The 24 thousand square foot Georgian Revival was built in 1910 for George West, a prominent businessman in Portland.
"Those are terra cotta (roof) tiles and that is really is very uncommon thing for Maine."
McLellan also likes to bring attention to the lesser known architects that were in Portland and anything else he can dig up that will bring the story to life.
"I'm always looking for old photographs of buildings, the people, if they worked in a business, can I find like an old invoice or bill head, something like that."
They are pieces of Portland's history that McLellan weaves together to take readers on an adventure back in time.
McLellan has highlighted more than 150 homes in Portland. He takes requests as well.