SUMMARY: Gorham's Corner is a memorial to the Irish immigrants who came to Maine as a result of the Great Famine in 1847. It is a plaza at the intersection of five streets in downtown Portland, ME.
MORE INFORMATION: History: The 10-foot bronze sculpture of film director John Ford (who was born John Feeney) is a memorial to the man who spent his formative years in Portland and never tired of telling people how growing up here had influenced his life. Created by New York sculptor George Kelly, it was dedicated in 1998. The granite and aluminum table has rotating sections that carry the names, dates, and history of 24 people from 1850-1910 who are significant to this neighborhood. When lined up correctly, they tell individual histories, but when mixed and matched, it is pure fiction. The artwork was created by Bradley McCallum in 1998.
Highlights: The intersection has a lot of traffic; foot, bike, and vehicle. It can be dangerous, so among the things that were done in 2023 to help was painting murals on the asphalt, courtesy of local artist Jill Perry of Pamplemousse Studio. This is in addition to the sculpture of John Ford and the granite table telling the story of the Irish immigrants who once lived here.
