No one knows exactly where the “love lock” thing began but it has spread around to areas as diverse as Brooklyn, Tokyo and Paris as well as other cities and towns around the world. Lovers throughout declaring their love for one another by writing their names on a padlock and securing it on a waterfront fence then tossing the key into the water.
The photograph you see here I took last year in Portland, Maine where the “love lock” tradition began sometime in early 2013. It was on Commercial Street which runs along Portland’s waterfront. The area is a big tourist spot and the locks have become a sight for visitors to look out for.
Surprisingly, there have been few, if any, complaints from residents, shop owners and the local government. What is unknown is what will happen if and when the locks become rusted overtime or become so abundant they become an eyesore for many.
John Greco Author/Photographer 