When people in Portland, Maine, say they are going for a "walk around town," they are speaking of true circumnavigation. The strollers, striders and runners can choose from 23 Portland Trails, a system of bike and hike paths --some paved and some not-- that follow the coves, shores and parklands of this city by the sea.

Passing runners may be training for the August 10k "Beach to Beacon" inspired by the success of champion Joan Benoit Samuelson, Olympic Gold Medalist, two-times winner of the Boston Marathoner and a native Mainer. Most, however, will be residents and visitors out for the views and sea air.

Trails can be as short as quarter of a mile (footpath along the shore to Martin's Point Heath Center, paved and with picnic tables) or as long as 5.2 miles (Harborwalk has paved trails and sidewalks around the harbor and across the Casco Bay Bridge). Land and sea experiences can be combined with the 4-mile loop walk on Peaks Island since getting there begins with a 20-minute ferry ride that passes three lighthouses. A free map and trail guide indicates points of interest as well as walks suitable for baby strollers and the handicapped. Dogs are allowed; mechanized vehicles and horses are not.

With a population of only 65,000, Portland is an urban realization of E.F. Schumacher's "Small is Beautiful" and not just because of its exemplary waterfront trails. Historic sites are preserved and maintained; art and cultural attractions are high; the architecture spans three centuries. Islands and offshore ledges can be reached by ferry (Portland has the nationıs oldest) or mail boat as well as commercial water tours and private craft. Sailboats skim across the bay like dragonflies nearly year round.

The Trail system began when the Portland Shoreway Access Plan was set in motion by the Portland City Council in the 1980s, and Portland Trails, a nonprofit urban land trust, was founded in 1991 to implement the plan. But it didn't stop there. The organization is also a public advocate for "protection of and access to natural places within the region" and works with schools, neighborhoods and businesses to press for the stewardship of the trail and land around it. It is supported by donations from individuals, businesses and foundations.

The green ring around the city coincided with the revitalization of the depressed downtown. In the kind of domino effect city planners dream about, there was a surge of interest in saving and restoring historic structures such as the 1860 Victoria Mansion (once slated to be torn down to make way for a gas station), and an identifiable Arts District emerged.

The awakening began when Elizabeth Noyce (1930-1996) put her multi-million dollar divorce settlement to work boosting the economy of her adopted city in creative ways. She built the Portland Public Market in order to provide farmers with a year-round place to sell their goods. The Market, which resembles the great covered markets of Europe, is an attraction that goes far beyond the lobsters, fresh produce and gourmet takeouts. The Market is a tourist attraction itself.

Noyce also gave her art collection and support to the Portland Museum of Art, helping it become one of the finest small art museums in the country. She assisted struggling small businesses and, in 1989, established the Libra Foundation to give grants to nonprofit cultural and educational organizations.

Portland was founded in 1632 and named for Portland, England. It has faced fires, Indian attacks and shelling by British warships. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow grew up here in a house (now museum) built by his grandfather in 1795. George Washington commissioned Portland Head Light, and for more than 100 years this was the winter port for Montreal.

In the nineteenth century, tall ships crowded the harbor. Portland Observatory, built as a commercial venture in 1807 by Capt. Lemuel Moody, is the last remaining maritime signal tower in North America. In 1937 Moody's great-grandson gave the observatory to the city, and, in 1939, it was restored by the Works Projects Administration (WPA). The $1.2 million restoration of 2000 was paid for mostly by private money including $5000 raised by Portland schoolchildren. Now visitors take a guided history tour as they climb 103 steps to one of New Englandıs finest views. It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Portland to its 2003 list of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations. The Trust cited not only the collection of historic buildings and parks, but noted Portland's "outstanding physical setting on the coast of Maine, and its wealth of big-city amenities balanced with the ease and friendliness of a small town." In addition to the redeveloped Arts District, working waterfront, shops and restaurants, it praised the cityıs comprehensive trail system and parks.

"It is encouraging to see communities so committed to the preservation of their historic landmarks, the revitalization of their downtown areas, and the protection of their unique heritage," said National Trust President Richard Moe. "Portland represents a truly distinctive slice of America. That makes it an exciting alternative to the homogenization of many other vacation spots. It is my hope that more American cities and towns will follow Portland's lead in preserving their own spirit of place."

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