Originally Posted by
lo2e
Haha, too many Portlands I guess.
The two founders of Portland, Oregon, Francis Pettygrove and Asa Lovejoy, both wanted to name it after their home towns. Pettygrove was from Portland, Maine. Lovejoy was from Boston. They flipped a coin. Pettygrove won.
Had the coin landed the other way this thread would be simpler, but a few others might be more confused.