The neighborhood in South Portland called Ligonia is located in the area along Lincoln Street, the Forest City Cemetery and down into where the Sprague terminal is found today.

Those of us who are more familiar with local history might be aware that Ligonia once extended down to Cash Corner, before the intersection of Broadway and Main Street was named for the Cash family that operated stores there. In the 1850s, the border of Ligonia extended even farther south, down Main Street as far as Westbrook Street.

Brown’s Hill is also considered part of Ligonia. The hill, which has Ridgeland Avenue (formerly called High Street) running most of its length, was named for the Brown family that once farmed on it.

According to a family history, John Brown, and his son John, Jr., were among the early European settlers who obtained land grants in South Portland (known then as Purpooduck) in the 1600s. The family evacuated the area during the French and Indian Wars, but returned in the early 1700s to continue farming on Brown’s Hill.

Let’s take a look at Henry Bodge, who acquired a good portion of the Brown homestead in the 1800s and made a life for himself in Ligonia.

Henry Bodge was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1805. He moved to Portland in 1832, then purchased the homestead farm and a large tract of land in the Ligonia area of South Portland (then known as Cape Elizabeth) from William Tuck in 1833.

In addition to selling Bodge all of his land and buildings in Ligonia (which he had acquired in the 1824 division of the Jacob Brown estate), Tuck also sold him his livestock, including two cows and four steers, as well as his farming equipment such as a plow, carts, sleds, and a harrow.

Henry married Lucinda Hay in 1836 and they had three daughters – Ellen, Sarah, and Tinnie “Tiny.”

In April, 1847, Henry Bodge purchased an interest in 255 acres of land and a former summer boarding house in the southern section of Cape Elizabeth. His plan was to reestablish a summer hotel there (the small building had formerly been known as “The Bower”).

Henry began running advertisements in the newspaper that June: “The subscriber takes this opportunity to inform his friends and the public, that he has fitted up in good style ‘The Bowery House,’ in Cape Elizabeth, which is now open for the reception of company. Parties of pleasure, picnic companies, etc., will receive every attention for their comfort and accommodation. Boats are provided for such as desire to make excursions on the water; and the subscriber trusts by taking personal charge of the House, and paying attention to his guests to make this Establishment one of the most agreeable and pleasant summer resorts in this vicinity. Good care will be taken of Horses. Henry Bodge.”

Bodge sold his interest in the property in April, 1848.

In Ligonia, Henry Bodge maintained his farm operation with animals such as a horse, a pig, and two milking cows. He also cultivated land for growing crops such as peas, beans, potatoes, rye, barley, and hay. He sold milk, but was also known for his butter. Bodge would participate in the annual Cumberland County Cattle Show and Fair where, in 1951, he won first prize for his butter.

Since he was only farming on about 18 acres, and as he started scaling back his farming operation, Bodge sold off pieces of his property to many different people over the years. One of these was a two-acre lot that he sold in 1859 on the southeast corner of Main and Lincoln streets. The lot was an open field, but soon the Portland Kerosene Company began constructing its large refinery and factory buildings on the site.

It was the beginning of Ligonia turning into a major industrial area.

In 1866, Henry Bodge bought a lot of land on Main Street where he began construction of a large building (this was in the area now home to South Portland Wine Company at 95 Main St.). An opening announcement appeared in the Daily Eastern Argus in February, 1867: “New Hall at Ligonia Village, Cape Elizabeth – Mr. Henry Bodge has erected a Hall building very much to the satisfaction of the citizens of the village, and for which he deserves their thanks. The building is on Main street, near Lincoln St., has two stores on the first floor and a commodious hall over them, finished in good style. It is what the public has long needed. On Thursday evening it was publicly dedicated by the Ligonia Lodge of Good Templars. They had a good time of it; the hall was well filled; members of other Lodges were present; they had an address, speeches and singing on the occasion. The Ligonia Lodge of Good Templars was installed less than one year ago and it now contains over 145 live members. They are to occupy the hall once a week and it will be for public uses the rest of the time. The hall will be called Ligonia Hall.”

Ligonia Hall, also sometimes called Bodge’s Hall, was active for many years, hosting fraternal groups, political meetings, and other community events.

On this Main Street property, Bodge opened his own store – a boot and shoe shop. He kept this shop until the early 1880s. In 1884, he suffered a “paralytic shock” and moved in with his daughter Ellen and her husband John Higgins in their home at 80 Pleasant St. in Portland.

Henry Bodge died in 1888 and his widow Lucinda died in 1895. Henry, Lucinda, and their daughters are all buried in a family plot at the Forest City Cemetery on Lincoln Street.

Sunday at the museum: Author Ron Romano

On Sunday, Dec. 10, author Ron Romano will be at the historical society’s museum at Bug Light Park. A native of Portland, Ron is a cemetery historian and tour guide, who serves on two nonprofit volunteer boards: the National Association for Gravestone Studies and the local friends of Portland’s historic Eastern Cemetery known as Spirits Alive.

He’s a frequent lecturer on early gravestones, cemetery landscapes, and Maine’s gravestone makers. He has published a series of papers and four books on those subjects and has led countless visitors through many of Maine’s historic cemeteries.

Ron will be available at the museum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to sign books and talk about anything related to cemeteries. All of his books are available for purchase in the museum gift shop, with net proceeds supporting the historical society and its museum.

Society ornaments available at Drillen Hardware, Broadway Variety

The South Portland Historical Society’s fundraiser ornament for 2023, featuring the Mahoney school building, is available. All 10 of the Society’s landmark-series ornaments can be purchased at the museum at Bug Light Park, open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A limited supply of ornaments is also available for sale daily at our two retail partners – Drillen Hardware and Broadway Variety. The stores generously sell the ornaments and collect the proceeds for us. The ornaments are $20 each and can be purchased with either cash or check at those locations. If you want to use a credit card, or if you want to purchase four or more of any one ornament, we recommend that you plan to purchase them at the museum.

For more information, call the historical society at 207-767-7299 or email sphistory04106@gmail.com.

Kathryn Onos DiPhilippo is executive director of the South Portland Historical Society. She can be reached at sphistory04106@gmail.com.

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