Due to South Portland's close proximity to air, marine, rail, and highway transportation options, the city has become a center for retail and industry in the region.

On March 15, 1895, it was incorporated as a town after it broke away from Cape Elizabeth, based on a disagreement on a future source of public drinking water.

In December 1844, Portland resident Ellen G. White, who became a founder of the Seventh-day Adventist church, is said to have experienced her first vision during a prayer meeting at the home of Mrs. Haines at 60 Ocean Street, which later became the Griffin Club.

[8] In 1940, the Todd-Bath Iron Shipbuilding Corp (later called the "East Yard") was established to build cargo ships for Britain.

At its peak, the shipyard employed some 30,000 people, including thousands of women, who took over the jobs vacated by men going into the service.

The park is also home to Portland Breakwater Lighthouse, commonly referred to as "Bug Light".

On July 11, 1944, at 4:45 p.m.,[9] U.S. Army Lt. Phillip "Phee" Russell was attempting to land his Douglas A-26 Invader at the Portland-Westbrook Municipal Airport.

For reasons that were never fully determined, Russell lost control of the plane and crashed into a trailer park in South Portland's Brick Hill neighborhood.

[10][11] A Long Creek Air Tragedy Memorial was eventually erected to commemorate the crash and honor the victims, but not until 66 years later.

Mill Creek has changed and grown significantly since, but the original layout still forms the core of the stores.

The area in Mill Creek known as the Waterfront Market sits at the base of the Casco Bay Bridge and attracts shoppers from Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth and Portland.

The need for a large mall in Maine emerged in the 1960s, as Portland's downtown district could not accommodate the growing retail market.

Beginning construction of the Maine Mall in the late 1960s marked the start of a major transition in the western part of South Portland: from a rural, agrarian landscape to the large retail center that exists today.

The landscape and the makeup of residents in Ferry Village were forever changed upon the close of the WWII shipyards.

After decades of neglect, the westernmost neighborhoods of South Portland, including Redbank and Brick Hill, experienced new growth and revitalization in 2006 with the redevelopment of land formerly belonging to Long Creek Youth Development Center as a mixed-use neighborhood featuring affordable housing, market rate housing, professional offices and outdoor recreational spaces.

[13] The redevelopment of the Brick Hill site spurred additional private development nearby in the form of market rate housing, retail and light industry.

[19] Soule's proposal was panned by the congressional delegation and by Governor Baldacci, whose spokesman called it "silly" and "counterproductive.

Soule nominated himself for reelection as mayor in November 2008, but was defeated by Thomas Blake in a 6–1 vote.

The South Portland Sentry offers a free newspaper that covers the city's events and news.

Regional newspapers such as The Current and The Forecaster cover South Portland issues and events, while also serving the communities of Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough.

While the city is considered suburban, it also has a diverse economy, as evidenced by its working waterfront and large retail center.

Tank farm emissions such as benzene and Naphthalene have been a concern, and sea level rise projections show a 27% chance that the South Portland Terminal will flood by 2050.

The city-owned South Portland Bus Service provides public transportation throughout the city.

One of the main features of South Portland is the historic Greenbelt walkway, which is a three-mile (5 km) paved trail that crosses through several neighborhoods and provides views of the harbor.

[citation needed] Other attractions: As of the census[47] of 2010, there were 25,002 people, 10,877 households, and 6,197 families residing in the city.