Cumberland County largely consists of a coastal region, facing Casco Bay to the southeast, that includes many islands, although the terrain rises to the northwest. The principal waterways include the Fore, Presumpscot, and Royal Rivers. The center of the county is dominated by Sebago Lake. The Songo Lock, constructed in 1830 and rebuilt in 1911, connects Sebago Lake with Long Lake to the northwest.
Parklands include Sebago Lake, Bradbury Mountain, Crescent Beach, Wolf Neck Woods, Two Lights, and Scarborough Beach state parks.
Cumberland County was established in 1760 and named for William Augustus, duke of Cumberland. The county seat is Portland, the largest city in the state and a former state capital (1820-32). Settled by the French and English, it became a major seaport by the mid-19th century, attracting immigrants from Scandinavia, Ireland, Italy, and Great Britain.
 Cumberland County include the larger cities of Portland, South Portland and Westbrook and the towns of Freeport, Scarborough, and Gorham that help make Cumberland County the most populous county in the state.
Cape Elizabeth contains two historic lighthouses: Portland Head Light (erected 1791) and Two Lights (erected 1828; replaced 1874). From 1884 until his death in 1910, artist Winslow Homer perfected his sketches of the rugged coastal landscape in his Scarborough studio in Prouts Neck |
