Last updated on June 13th, 2024
Maine is the 42nd most populous and the 39th most extensive of the 50 states of the United States. It lies in the New England region of the north-eastern United States. Maine is the 12th smallest state by area. The state attained statehood on March 15, 1820, becoming the 23rd state to join the union. It shares its border with only one state – New Hampshire. Maine (nicknamed: Pine Tree State, Vacation land) has 16 counties. The state’s capital is Augusta. The postal abbreviation for Maine is ME. With these facts about Maine, let us learn more about its history, geography, people, economy, culture, wildlife and much more.
Facts about Maine
1. One syllable
Maine is the only state in the United States whose name has one syllable.
2. Oldest state constitution
Maine has one of the oldest state constitutions in the country, effective since 1819.
3. Native American Tribes
Before Europeans came, Maine was already inhabited by Native American tribes from the Wabanaki Confederacy. Among them were the Abenaki, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Passamaquoddy peoples. Wabanaki means “People of the Dawn”.
4. European Colonialists Arrive
In 1525, Spanish sailors found Maine and explored the coast. However, it was the French who created the first settlements in 1604, followed by the British and the Dutch, resulting in a power struggle. Led by the French explorer Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons, the first Europeans arrived in Maine in 1604 in Saint Croix Island.
5. Vikings in Maine
Maine historians found a Viking coin from the reign of Olaf the Peaceful (1065-1093), but they aren’t sure how it got there. The prevailing theory is that it was left by a party led by Norse explorer Leif Erikson, also known as Leif the Lucky.
6. Admission into the Union
Maine used to be a district of Massachusetts, but the state couldn’t protect it from foreign invaders. Residents pushed for statehood so they could protect themselves instead. Maine’s statehood resolution in 1819 was controversial. It was passed by a single vote, leading to Maine’s separation from Massachusetts and eventual statehood on March 15, 1820. In 1820, Maine was admitted as the 23rd state. Missouri followed the year after.
7. Was a district!
Maine was a district of the state of Massachusetts until 1820.
8. Portland was the capital
Maine’s original state capital was Portland until it was moved to Augusta in 1832.
9. American Revolution
Patriotism was high in Maine. In 1775, the first naval battle of the revolution happened here in Machias. The British ship HMS Margaretta came to get wood so they could build barracks in Boston, but locals refused and seized the ship using homemade weapons.
10. Swedish Immigrants
In the late 19th century, a significant number of Swedish immigrants settled in Maine, particularly in the Aroostook County region, contributing to the state’s cultural diversity.
Geography
Maine on the map
11. Bordered by Canada
It is the only state bordered on three sides by Canada.
12. Strange access!
The island of Campobello, located near Lubec, Maine, is part of Canada but can only be accessed by land through Maine. It covers an area of approximately 27 square miles (70 square kilometers) and is situated at the entrance of Passamaquoddy Bay.
13. Densely forested
Maine has the most forest cover of any U.S. state (about 90% of Maine is forested). It is nicknamed the “Pine Tree State.” New Hampshire holds the second spot on the list.
14. Easternmost point
West Quoddy Head, in Lubec, Maine is the easternmost point of land in the 48 contiguous states.
15. Easternmost city
The easternmost city in the US is aptly called “Eastport” in Maine, located near the border with Canada. It is the first area in the country to see the sun each day. Eastport is also known for whale sightings, as the surrounding water is great for feeding and raising their young.
16. Plenty of lakes and rivers
Maine has over 2500 lakes and 5000 rivers and streams. Maine has a wide river system that stretches for over 32,000 miles. The longest of these is the 418-mile Saint John River that effectively separates Maine from Canada. The native Maliseet call it the “Wolastoq” which means “bountiful and good”.
17. The highest mountain
Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine. The name means “The Greatest Mountain.” At 5,268 feet above sea level, it is well-known in the hiking and mountaineering community as the northern end of the Appalachian Trail — a welcome sight at the end of the 2,180-mile journey.
18. Miles long coastline
If we include the inlets and islands, then Maine has 3,478 miles of coastline. That’s the fourth highest total in the US, behind Florida, Louisiana, and Alaska. All the naval fleets in the world could fit into Maine’s deep harbors.
19. Islands
Maine has over 4,000 islands, although most of these small at under an acre. Only 15 of them have permanent residents, while the rest get occasional visitors.
20. The first national park in the east of the Mississippi River
Acadia National Park, was the first national park established east of the Mississippi River. It became a national park in 1919 and is renowned for its stunning coastal scenery and diverse wildlife.
21. A popular National Park
Acadia National Park in Maine has now become one of the top ten most visited parks in the U.S. In 2018, more than 3.5 million people visited the park. Cadillac Mountains in the Acadia National Park is the first place to view sunrise in the United States from October 7 through March 6. The mountain was named after the French explorer and adventurer, Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac in 1918. The car company, Cadillac, is named after the legendary explorer. It covers 49,075 acres including Cadillac Mountain, forests, lakes, and cobble beaches. A carriage road system financed by the Rockefellers makes it easy to go around.
22. Desert of Maine
Near Freeport, Maine, there’s a natural phenomenon known as the Desert of Maine. Despite its name, it’s not a natural desert but rather a large area of glacial silt surrounded by a pine forest. The Desert of Maine covers an area of about 40 acres (16 hectares).
23. The state has the lowest population of any state east of the Mississippi River.
24. Rural
Maine is also the most rural state in the union.
25. People with deep roots in the state are called “Mainers”. Some residents also embrace the informal term “Mainiac”, while others despise it. Marketing-savvy organizations have begun using the word to get more attention for their events.
26. One of the least affordable states
With the aid of the data gathered from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics on income and expenses, a study conducted by theseniorlist.com, has found that Maine is one of the least affordable states in the U.S. The expenses in Maine take up 91% of the total income. However, the national average is 81%.
27. Lighthouses are in plenty
Maine has more than 60 lighthouses. The Portland Head Light is the oldest lighthouse in the state and was the first lighthouse completed after independence from the British. It was completed in 1791 and was automated in 1989.
28. Lubec, Maine, is home to America’s only candy cane-striped lighthouse. West Quoddy Head Light stands on the easternmost point of land in the U.S. The first light house was built on this place in 1808.
Inventions, Innovations and Productions
29. Birth place of Earmuffs
In 1873, Chester Greenwood, a 15 year old resident of Farmington, Maine invented earmuffs when he was looking for a solution to chilly ears. He patented the first design of his earmuffs in 1877 and later went on to make improvements. He eventually ended up setting a factory for the production of his invention and employed people for the next 60 years.
30. Flat-bottomed paper bags
Did you know that the machine used to produce flat-bottomed paper bags that we use today for shopping and various other purposes was invented by Margaret Knight born in York, Maine?
31. Lewis’ Arabian Hair Oil
Robert Benjamin Lewis from Gardiner, Maine, was one of the few African-Americans in the nineteenth century to patent their inventions or improvements to the existing manufacturing processes. He developed and marketed a concoction he called “Lewis’ Arabian Hair Oil.” He contested that the use of his oil can make the hair grow long, make it healthy and extend its life while giving it a lively experience. In total he held three United States patents.
32. Transatlantic communication
The first transatlantic radio transmission originating in the United States was sent from South Harpswell, Maine, by the American inventor Guglielmo Marconi in 1901.
33. Television
WCSH, Maine’s first television station, started broadcasting in 1953. It has a unique claim to fame as one of the few stations with the letter “H” in its call sign.
34. First textile mill
The first textile mill in the United States was established in 1790 in Biddeford, Maine. The town played a significant role in the early industrialization of America.
35. Mass production of toothpick
The toothpick was first mass-produced in Maine by Charles Forster in the late 19th century. He created a machine capable of producing millions of toothpicks per day.
36. Ranked-Choice Voting
In 2016, Maine became the first state to enact ranked-choice voting for state-wide elections for governor, state legislature, and Congress.
37. Moxie – carbonated beverage
Moxie is a carbonated beverage that originated in Maine in 1876. It’s one of the first mass-produced soft drinks in the United States and has a unique, distinct flavor.
38. The famous outdoor retailer L.Bean was founded in Maine in 1912. The flagship store in Freeport is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and has a giant boot sculpture outside.
39. Vinalhaven, an island in Maine, operates on a unique wind power system. The island’s wind turbines supply power to the local community and contribute excess energy back to the mainland.
40. Yankee Magazine, one of the oldest and most respected publications in the U.S., has been based in Dublin, New Hampshire, since it’s founding in 1935. However, the magazine covers the entire New England region, including Maine.
41. The University of Maine is the oldest, largest and only research university in the state.
42. Maine is home of the Jackson Laboratory, the world’s largest supplier of genetically purebred mice and the world’s largest non-profit mammalian genetic research facility.
43. The Roe River in Montana is often cited as the shortest river in the world, measuring approximately 201 feet (61 meters) long. However, the D River in Lincoln City, Oregon, has also claimed this title with varying measurements.
44. Sebago Lake, located in southern Maine, is the deepest lake in New England. It covers an area of about 45 square miles and reaches depths of over 300 feet.
45. Bath Iron Works, located in Bath, Maine, is one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States. It has been building ships since 1884 and is known for constructing naval ships for the U.S. Navy.
46. The Portland Farmers’ Market in Maine is one of the oldest continuously operating farmers’ markets in the United States. It has provided fresh, locally grown produce to the community since 1768.
47. Outside of Alaska, Maine has the largest population of Moose in the United States.
48. The Old Sow, located near Eastport, Maine, is the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere—the powerful tidal currents in the waters of Passamaquoddy Bay cause this remarkable natural phenomenon.
49. The tallest building in Maine is the Franklin Towers in Portland, standing at 175 feet tall. While not exceptionally tall by global standards, it holds the record in the state.
50. Rockland, Maine, is home to the world’s largest lobster sculpture, 62 feet tall and 347 feet long. It serves as a symbol of Maine’s lobster industry.
51. In Strong, Maine, you can find the “World’s Largest Toothpick,” a 16-foot-tall wooden toothpick sculpture located outside the Strong Hardware store.
52. Recently, a two-toned rare lobster was found in the icy waters off Stonington, Maine. According to the scientists, it is a one-in-50 million find. From head to toe, the lobster is split into halves of black and orange.
53. Did you know that the largest lobster that was caught in Maine in 1926 is considered to be more than a 100 years old? The lobster weighs more than 50 pounds and because its age was not calculated at the time when it was captured, we can just estimate its age.
54. Eartha – the world’s largest rotating and revolving globe is in the town of Yarmouth, Maine. The globe has a diameter of over 41 feet and weighs nearly 5600 pounds. It took two years to build the giant globe. And it surpasses the 33-foot-wide rotating globe in Italy.
55. The Seashore Trolley Museum located in Kennebunkport, Maine is the world’s largest and oldest museum of mass transit in the world.
56. Maine is recognized as one of the most bike-friendly states in the U.S., with scenic cycling routes such as the Acadia National Park Carriage Roads and the East Coast Greenway.
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