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| − | {{pp-semi-vandalism|small=yes}} | + | {{USState |
| − | {{Otheruses1|the U.S. State}}
| + | |name=Maine |
| − | {{US state
| + | |flag=Maine_State_Flag.gif |
| − | | Name = Maine
| + | |motto="Dirigo" (I lead) |
| − | | Fullname = State of Maine | + | |nick=The Pine Tree State |
| − | | Flag = Flag of Maine.svg
| + | |capital=Augusta |
| − | | Flaglink = [[Flag of Maine]] | + | |language=None |
| − | | Seal = Seal of Maine.svg
| + | |governor=John Baldacci |
| − | | Map = Map of USA ME.svg
| + | |gparty=Democrat |
| − | | Nickname = The Pine Tree State
| + | |senator1=Olympia Snowe |
| − | | Demonym = Mainer
| + | |s1party=Republican |
| − | | Motto = "[[Dirigo]]" ("I lead")
| + | |senator2=Susan Collins |
| − | | State number = 23rd state | + | |s2party=Republican |
| − | | Capital = [[Augusta, Maine|Augusta]] | + | |population= |
| − | | LargestCity = [[Portland, Maine|Portland]] | + | |date=March 15, 1820 (23rd) |
| − | | LargestMetro = [[Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area|Portland-South Portland-Biddeford]] | + | |
| − | | Governor = [[John Baldacci]] (D)
| + | |
| − | | Lieutenant Governor = None<ref>In the event of a vacancy in the office of Governor, the President of the [[Maine Senate|State Senate]] is first in line for succession.</ref> | + | |
| − | | Senate President = [[Beth Edmonds]] | + | |
| − | | Senators = [[Olympia Snowe]] (R)<br />[[Susan Collins]] (R)
| + | |
| − | | Representatives = [[Tom Allen]] (D)<br />[[Michael Michaud]] (D) | + | |
| − | | PostalAbbreviation = ME | + | |
| − | | OfficialLang = None<br>(English de facto) | + | |
| − | | AreaRank = 39<sup>th</sup> | + | |
| − | | TotalAreaUS = 33,414 | + | |
| − | | TotalArea = 86,542
| + | |
| − | | LandAreaUS = 30,890
| + | |
| − | | LandArea = 80,005
| + | |
| − | | WaterAreaUS = 4,527
| + | |
| − | | WaterArea = 11,724
| + | |
| − | | PCWater = 13.5
| + | |
| − | | PopRank = 40<sup>th</sup>
| + | |
| − | | 2000Pop (old) = 1,274,923
| + | |
| − | | 2000Pop = 1,317,207 (2007 est.)<ref>http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html 2007 Population Estimates</ref>
| + | |
| − | | DensityRank = 38<sup>th</sup>
| + | |
| − | | 2000DensityUS = 41.3
| + | |
| − | | 2000Density = 15.95
| + | |
| − | | AdmittanceOrder = 23<sup>rd</sup>
| + | |
| − | | AdmittanceDate = March 15, 1820
| + | |
| − | | TimeZone = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]: [[UTC]]-5/[[Daylight saving time|-4]]
| + | |
| − | | Longitude = 66° 57′ W to 71° 5′ W
| + | |
| − | | Latitude = 42° 58′ N to 47° 28′ N
| + | |
| − | | WidthUS = 210
| + | |
| − | | Width = 338
| + | |
| − | | LengthUS = 320
| + | |
| − | | Length = 515
| + | |
| − | | HighestPoint = [[Mount Katahdin]]<ref name="usgs">{{cite web| date =29 April 2005 | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = November 6 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>
| + | |
| − | | HighestElevUS = 5,268
| + | |
| − | | HighestElev = 1,606
| + | |
| − | | MeanElevUS = 591
| + | |
| − | | MeanElev = 180
| + | |
| − | | LowestPoint = Atlantic Ocean<ref name="usgs"/>
| + | |
| − | | LowestElevUS = 0
| + | |
| − | | LowestElev = 0
| + | |
| − | | ISOCode = US-ME
| + | |
| − | | Website = www.maine.gov
| + | |
| | }} | | }} |
| − | The '''State of Maine''' ({{Audio-IPA|en-us-Maine.ogg|/ˈmeɪn/}}) is a [[U.S. state|state]] in the [[New England]] region of the [[Northeastern United States|northeastern]] United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, [[New Hampshire]] to the southwest, the Canadian provinces of [[Quebec]] to the northwest and [[New Brunswick]] to the northeast. Maine is the northernmost portion of New England and is the easternmost state in the [[Continental U.S.|contiguous United States]]. It is known for its scenery—its jagged, mostly rocky coastline; its low, rolling mountains; and its heavily forested interior — as well as for its seafood cuisine, especially [[American lobster|lobsters]] and [[clam]]s.
| + | '''Maine''' was the twenty-third state to enter into the union. Its capital is Augusta. |
| | | | |
| − | The original inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were [[Algonquian]]-speaking peoples. The first European settlement in Maine was in 1604 by a French party. The first English settlement in Maine, the short-lived [[Popham Colony]], was established by the [[Plymouth Company]] in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate, deprivations, and Indian attacks wiped out many of them over the years. As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen settlements still survived. American and British forces contended for Maine's territory during the [[American Revolution]] and the [[War of 1812]]. Maine was an [[exclave]] of Massachusetts until 1820 as a result of a growing in population, becoming the 23rd state on March 15, as per the [[Missouri Compromise]]. | + | The rocks of Maine are one of the oldest parts of the US, dating from the Devonian period.<ref>http://www.statefossils.com/me/me.html</ref> The last [[glaciers]] of the ice age shaped the coastline into the many [[peninsula|peninsulas]] we see today and formed Maine's 2,000 [[island|islands]]. |
| | | | |
| − | ==Origin of the name== | + | ==The earliest Mainers== |
| − | There is no definitive answer for the origin of the name Maine. The state legislature in 2001 adopted a resolution establishing Franco-American Day, which stated that the state was named after the ancient French [[Maine (province)|province of Maine]].<ref>
| + | |
| − | {{cite web
| + | |
| − | | url = http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate/Records/2nd120th/03-06-02R2.doc
| + | |
| − | | format = doc
| + | |
| − | | accessdate = 2007-09-20
| + | |
| − | | title = Journal of the Senate
| + | |
| − | | publisher = State of Maine
| + | |
| − | | date = 2002-03-06
| + | |
| − | | quote = "WHEREAS, the State of Maine is named after the Province of [[Maine]] in France..."
| + | |
| − | }}</ref> Other theories mention earlier places with similar names, or claim it is a nautical reference to the mainland.<ref>
| + | |
| − | {{cite web
| + | |
| − | | first = Emily A.
| + | |
| − | | last = Schroeder
| + | |
| − | | url = http://www.maine.gov/msl/services/reference/meorigin.htm
| + | |
| − | | accessdate = 2007-09-20
| + | |
| − | | title = Origin of Maine's Name
| + | |
| − | | publisher = Maine State Library
| + | |
| − | }}</ref> Whatever the origin, the name was fixed in 1665 when the King's Commissioners ordered that the "Province of Maine" be entered from then on in official records.<ref>
| + | |
| − | {{cite book
| + | |
| − | | last = Stuart
| + | |
| − | | first = George R.
| + | |
| − | | title = Names on the Land
| + | |
| − | | publisher = Houghton Mifflin
| + | |
| − | | year = 1958
| + | |
| − | | isbn = 978-0938530022
| + | |
| − | }}</ref>
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ==Geography==
| + | Descendants of Ice Age hunters, the earliest Mainers were nicknamed Red Paint People, because they lined the graves of their dead with red clay. These graves are thought to date back five thousand years. There are also large heaps of oyster shells on the coast that are thought to date back to the Red Paint People. |
| − | {{see also|List of counties in Maine|List of Maine rivers}}
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | To the south and east is the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and northeast is [[New Brunswick]], a province of Canada. The Canadian province of [[Quebec]] is to the northwest. Maine is both the northernmost state in [[New England]] and the largest, accounting for nearly half the region's entire land area. Maine also has the distinction of being the only state to border just one other state ([[New Hampshire]] to the west). The municipalities of [[Eastport, Maine|Eastport]] and [[Lubec, Maine|Lubec]] are, respectively, the easternmost city and town in the United States. [[Estcourt Station, Maine|Estcourt Station]] is Maine's northernmost point and also the northernmost point in the New England region of the United States. (For more information see [[extreme points of the United States]]).
| + | The two earliest Native American tribes of Maine were the Micmacs in eastern Maine and the Abanakis, who are also sometimes called Wabanakis. The former were warlike, but the latter were mainly peaceful farmers and fishers. The only remaining Native Americans today, of the many tribes who once inhabited Maine, are 1500 Passamaquoddies, who live on two reservations, and 1200 Penobscots, who live on Indian Island in the Penobscot River. <ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/history.html</ref> |
| | | | |
| − | [[Image:National-atlas-maine.png|thumb|320px|left|Maine]]
| + | ==Vikings in Maine== |
| − | Maine's [[Moosehead Lake]] is the largest lake wholly in New England ([[Lake Champlain]] being located between [[Vermont]] and New York). A number of other Maine lakes, such as [[South Twin Lake (Maine)|South Twin Lake]], are described by [[Thoreau]]. [[Mount Katahdin]] is both the northern terminus of the [[Appalachian Trail]], which extends to [[Springer Mountain]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and the southern terminus of the new [[International Appalachian Trail]] which, when complete, will run to [[Belle Isle (Newfoundland and Labrador)|Belle Isle]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador]].
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | Maine also has several unique geographical features. [[Machias Seal Island]] and [[North Rock]], off its easternmost point, are claimed by both the U.S. and Canada and are within one of [[List of areas disputed by Canada and the United States|four areas between the two countries whose sovereignty is still in dispute]], but is the only one of the disputed areas containing land. Also in this easternmost area is the [[Old Sow]], the largest [[tidal]] [[whirlpool]] in the [[Western Hemisphere]].
| + | Five hundred years earlier than [[Columbus]], the Viking raider Leif Ericson with a crew of 30 sailors are thought to have explored the Maine coast and possibly tried to establish a settlement here. The only piece of real evidence for this is the finding of an 11th century Norse coin in Brooklin, Maine along with other artifacts when a former Native American trading center was excavated. This is not conclusive though, as the coin may have been used in trade from Newfoundland or may have been brought very much later by the English or Portuguese.<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/leif-ericson</ref> |
| | | | |
| − | Maine is the most sparsely populated state east of the [[Mississippi River]]. It is called the [[List of U.S. state nicknames|Pine Tree State]]; ninety percent of its land is forested. In the forested areas of the interior lies much uninhabited land, some of which does not have formal political organization into local units (a rarity in New England). The [[Northwest Aroostook, Maine]] [[unorganized territory]] in the northern part of the state, for example, has an area of 2,668 square miles (6,910 km²) and a population of 27, or one person for every 100 square miles (255 km²).
| + | ==Colonization== |
| | | | |
| − | Maine is equally well known for its ocean scenery, with almost {{convert|3500|mi|km|-2}} of shoreline[http://apollo.ogis.state.me.us/faq/faq.asp?fn=194#q194]. [[West Quoddy Head]] is the easternmost piece of land in the contiguous 48 United States. Along the famous rock-bound coast of Maine are lighthouses, beaches, fishing villages, and thousands of offshore islands, including the [[Isles of Shoals]], which straddle the New Hampshire border. Jagged rocks and cliffs and thousands of bays and inlets add to the rugged beauty of Maine's coast. Just inland, by contrast, are lakes, rivers, forests, and mountains. This visual contrast of forested slopes sweeping down to the sea has been aptly summed up by American poet [[Edna St. Vincent Millay]] of [[Rockland, Maine|Rockland]] and [[Camden, Maine|Camden]], Maine in "Renascence":
| + | In 1498 John Cabot, who was employed by King Henry VII of England, may have explored the Maine coast, although there is no concrete evidence of his visit. A hundred years later, some European ships came ashore to repair the ships and gather fresh supplies. |
| − | [[Image:mainecoast.jpg|thumbnail|right|225px|The rocky coast around [[Kennebunk River]].]]
| + | |
| − | :"All I could see from where I stood
| + | |
| − | :was three long mountains and a wood
| + | |
| − | :I turned and looked the other way
| + | |
| − | :and saw three islands in a bay"
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | More prosaic geologists describe this type of landscape as a ''drowned coast,'' where a rising sea level has invaded former land features, creating bays out of valleys and islands out of mountain tops.<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/drowned-coast?cat=technology drowned coast: Definition and Much More from Answers.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A rise in the elevation of the land due to the melting of heavy glacier ice caused a slight rebounding effect of underlying rock; this land rise, however, was not strong enough to eliminate all the effect of the rising sea level and its invasion of former land features.
| + | The [[Plymouth Company]] established the first settlement at Popham in 1607, the same year that the Jamestown, VA, settlement was established. However, the severe Maine winter defeated the Popham colony so Jamestown is considered the first permanent settlement in America. The rigors of climate, difficulties of agriculture and attacks by Indians also wiped out many later English settlements that were established in the 1620s. |
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| − | The noted American ecologist [[Rachel Carson]] did much of her research at one of the Maine seacoast's most characteristic features, a [[tide pool]] for her classic "The Edge of the Sea." The spot where she conducted observations is now preserved as the Rachel Carson Salt Pond Reserve at Pemaquid Point.
| + | By 1700 there were only six surviving settlements. Massachusetts had acquired most of the land claims in Maine by that time, and this arrangement continued until Maine acquired its own statehood in 1820. <ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/timeline.html</ref> |
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| − | [[George Lorenzo Noyes]], known as the thoreauvian of Maine is a noted state [[natural history|naturalist]], [[mineralogist]], [[development criticism|development critic]], writer and landscape artist. He lived a devout wilderness lifestyle in the mountains of Norway, Maine, expressing in his paintings his spiritual reverence for nature and writing of the values of a simple life of [[sustainable living]]. Harvard Quarry at the summit of [[Noyes Mountain]], named in his honor, in [[Greenwood, Maine|Greenwood]], provides an excellent panoramic view and is a popular destination for rock and mineral collectors.
| + | ==Disputes over ownership== |
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| − | Much of Maine's geography was created by heavy glacial activity at the end of the last [[ice age]]. Prominent glacial features include Somes Sound and Bubble Rock. Carved by glaciers, [[Somes Sound]] is considered to be the only fjord on the eastern seaboard and reaches depths of {{convert|175|ft|m}}. The extreme depth and steep drop-off allow large ships to navigate almost the entire length of the sound. These features also have made it attractive for boat builders, such as the prestigious Hinkley Yachts. Bubble Rock is what is known as a "glacial erratic" and is a large boulder perched on the edge of Bubble Mountain in Acadia National Park. By analyzing the type of granite, geologists were able to discover that glaciers carried Bubble Rock to its present location from the town of Lucerne, Maine--30 miles away.
| + | England and France disputed the ownership of Maine during the early eighteenth century. The French actively supported Indian raids on white settlements, thinking this would drive English settlers out. |
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| − | [[Image:52402a.jpg|thumb|right|225px||Boothbay Harbor]]
| + | William Pepperell of Kittery led Maine forces in the capture of the French fort at Louisburg, NS, in 1745. In 1763 the French surrendered all claims to the territory in the 1763 Treaty of Paris. |
| − | [[Acadia National Park]] is the only national park in New England.
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| − | Areas under the protection and management of the [[National Park Service]] include:<ref>{{cite web | title = Maine | publisher = National Park Service | accessdate = 2008-07-16 | url = http://www.nps.gov/state/me}}</ref>
| + | Massachusetts offered free 100-acre lots to prospective settlers once the Indian threat subsided and the French had withdrawn, and the population of Maine doubled to 24,000 by 1763, and to over 150,000 by 1800. <ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/history.html</ref> |
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| − | *[[Acadia National Park]] near [[Bar Harbor (town), Maine|Bar Harbor]]
| + | ==Maine during the Revolutionary War== |
| − | *[[Appalachian National Scenic Trail]]
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| − | *Maine Acadian Culture in St. John Valley
| + | |
| − | *[[Roosevelt Campobello International Park]] near Lubec
| + | |
| − | *[[Saint Croix Island International Historic Site]] at [[Calais, Maine|Calais]]
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| − | ===Climate===
| + | Mainers resisted the oppressive British taxes ten years before the Revolutionary War, seizing tax stamps at what was then called Falmouth but is now [[Portland]]. Customs agents were frequently attacked. A version of the [[Boston Tea Party]] happened in York, Maine in 1774 when a tea shipment was burned in York. |
| − | Maine experiences a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Dfb''), with warm (although generally not hot), humid summers. Winters are cold and snowy throughout the state, and are especially severe in the northern parts of Maine. Coastal areas are moderated somewhat by the Atlantic Ocean. Daytime highs are generally in the 75-80 °F (24-27 °C) range throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the high 50s°F (around 15 °C). January temperatures range from highs near 32 °F (0 °C) on the southern coast to overnight lows below 0 °F (-18 °C) in the far north.
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| − | Maine is generally safe from [[hurricane]]s and tropical storms. By the time they reach the state, many have become [[extratropical]] and few hurricanes have made landfall in Maine. Maine has fewer days of thunderstorms than any other state east of the [[Rockies]], with most of the state averaging less than 20 days of [[thunderstorm]]s a year. [[Tornado]]es are rare in Maine with the state averaging fewer than two per year, mostly occurring in the southern part of the state.<ref name="Annual average number of tornadoes"> [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif] NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved on October 24, 2006. </ref>
| + | Hundreds of Mainers joined the struggle for independence. About 1,000 men died, sea trade was almost destroyed, and the British bombarded Falmouth (Portland). Maine's share of the Revolutionary War debt was higher than that later incurred by Maine's debt from the Civil War. |
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| − | {| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|
| + | In 1775 the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War occurred off the coast of Machias and [[Benedict Arnold]] marched a band of revolutionaries through Maine in a valiant but doomed attempt at capturing [[Québec City]] and [[Montreal]]. <ref>http://www.mainehistory.info/timeline.html</ref> |
| − | | colspan = "13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;" | Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures ([[°F]]) For Various Maine Cities
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| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City
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| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec
| + | |
| − | |-
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Caribou
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 19/0
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 23/3
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 34/15
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 47/29
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/41
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/50
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 76/55
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 74/53
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/44
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 51/34
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 37/24
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 25/8
| + | |
| − | |-
| + | |
| − | ! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Portland
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 31/12
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 34/16
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 42/25
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 53/35
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 63/44
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 73/53
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 79/59
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/57
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 69/48
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 58/37
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 47/30
| + | |
| − | | style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 36/19
| + | |
| − | |-
| + | |
| − | | colspan = "13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"|''[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-maine/]''
| + | |
| − | |}
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| − | ==History== | + | ==Becoming a State== |
| − | {{main|History of Maine}}
| + | |
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| − | [[Image:Maine state capitol.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Maine State House, designed by [[Charles Bulfinch]], built 1829–1832]]
| + | After the [[Revolutionary War]], settlers on what was then a frontier area resented being ruled from 'away' in Boston and campaigned for separation from Massachusetts. |
| − | The original inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking [[Wabanaki]] peoples including the [[Abenaki]], [[Passamaquoddy]], and [[Penobscot]]s. The first European settlement in Maine was in 1604 by a French party that included [[Samuel de Champlain]], the noted explorer. The French named the entire area, including the portion that later became the State of Maine, [[Acadia]]. The first English settlement in Maine was established by the [[Plymouth Company]] at Popham in 1607, the same year as the settlement at [[Jamestown, Virginia]]. Both colonies were predated by the [[Roanoke Colony]] by 22 years. Because the [[Popham Colony]] did not survive the harsh Maine winters and the Roanoke Colony was lost, Jamestown enjoys the distinction of being regarded as America's first permanent English-speaking settlement. The coastal areas of western Maine first became the [[Province of Maine]] in a 1622 land patent. Eastern Maine north of the [[Kennebec River]] was more sparsely settled and was known in the 17th century as the [[Territory of Sagadahock]].
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| − | The province within its current boundaries became part of [[Massachusetts Bay Colony]] in 1652. Maine was much fought over by the French and English during the 17th and early 18th centuries. After the defeat of the French in the 1740s, the territory from the [[Penobscot River]] east fell under the nominal authority of the Province of [[Nova Scotia]], and together with present day New Brunswick formed the [[Nova Scotia]] county of [[Sunbury County, Nova Scotia|Sunbury]], with its court of general sessions at Campobello. American and British forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. The treaty concluding revolution was ambiguous about Maine's boundary with [[British North America]]. The territory of Maine was confirmed as part of Massachusetts when the United States was formed, although the final border with British territory was not established until the [[Webster-Ashburton Treaty]] of 1842. (Indeed, in 1839 Governor Fairfield declared war on Britain over a boundary dispute between New Brunswick and northern Maine{{Fact|date=October 2007}}. Known as the [[Aroostook War]], this is the only time a state has declared war on a foreign power{{Fact|date=October 2007}}. The dispute was settled, however, before any blood was shed.
| + | Politically powerful merchants resisted the separation movement until after the [[War of 1812]], when [[Massachusetts]] proved unable or unwilling to protect Mainers against the British. |
| | | | |
| − | Because it was physically separated from the rest of Massachusetts and was growing in population at a rapid rate, Maine became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820 through the Missouri Compromise. This compromise allowed admitting both Maine and Missouri (in 1821) into the union while keeping a balance between [[slave state|slave]] and free states.<ref>{{cite web| year = | url =http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate/statehouse/history/hstry5.htm | title =Maine History (Statehood)| publisher =www.maine.gov| accessdate = April 13| accessyear = 2008}}</ref> Maine's original [[Capital (political)|capital]] was Portland, the largest city in Maine, until it was moved to Augusta in 1832 to make it more central within the state.
| + | Maine eventually became the 23rd State under the [[Missouri Compromise]] of 1820. Maine's position as a free state balanced Missouri's entry as a slave state the following year. The state constitution was |
| | + | rooted in political independence, religious freedom and popular control of government. |
| | | | |
| − | ==Demographics==
| + | William King, who served as president of the Constitutional Convention, was a shipbuilder and merchant from Bath. He subsequently became Maine's first governor. |
| − | {{USCensusPop
| + | |
| − | | 1790 = 96540
| + | |
| − | | 1800 = 151719
| + | |
| − | | 1810 = 228705
| + | |
| − | | 1820 = 298335
| + | |
| − | | 1830 = 399455
| + | |
| − | | 1840 = 501793
| + | |
| − | | 1850 = 583169
| + | |
| − | | 1860 = 628279
| + | |
| − | | 1870 = 626915
| + | |
| − | | 1880 = 648936
| + | |
| − | | 1890 = 661086
| + | |
| − | | 1900 = 694466
| + | |
| − | | 1910 = 742371
| + | |
| − | | 1920 = 768014
| + | |
| − | | 1930 = 797423
| + | |
| − | | 1940 = 847226
| + | |
| − | | 1950 = 913774
| + | |
| − | | 1960 = 969265
| + | |
| − | | 1970 = 992048
| + | |
| − | | 1980 = 1124660
| + | |
| − | | 1990 = 1227928
| + | |
| − | | 2000 = 1274923
| + | |
| − | | estyear = 2006
| + | |
| − | | estimate = 1321574
| + | |
| − | }}
| + | |
| − | As of 2008, Maine has an estimated population of 1,321,504, which is an increase of 6,520, or 0.5%, from the prior year and an increase of 46,582, or 3.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 6,413 people (that is 71,276 births minus 64,863 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 41,808 people into the state. [[Immigration to the United States|Immigration]] from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 5,004 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 36,804 people. The population density of the state is 41.3 people per square mile.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | [[Image:Maine population map.png|thumb|left|200px|Maine Population Density Map]] | + | At first Portland was the state capital, but in 1832 the capital was moved to [[Augusta]] because of its more central location. <ref>http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/</ref> |
| − | Maine is a very popular tourist destination, but it also experiences harsh winters, and consequently, the great temporary influx of visitors occurs during the warmer months. Many of these visitors establish an alternate secondary residence in Maine during the warm months and then depart for their primary residence in the off-season. These are the ''summer people'' of Maine lore. Official census figures normally count a person as a resident only once, at the place of the primary home. Therefore, there are some situations in which official census figures could be misleading for Maine.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} For example, some communities may have a much larger seasonal retail sector than their official, small population figure would imply.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | The mean population center of Maine is located in [[Kennebec County, Maine|Kennebec County]], in or near the town of [[Mount Vernon, Maine|Mount Vernon]].<ref name="mean population center">{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt|title=Population and Population Centers by State: 2000 (US Census Bureau)|accessdate=2007-05-01}}</ref> The Greater Portland metropolitan area is the most densely populated with nearly 20% of Maine's population.<ref name="Portland city">{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.portland.me.us|title=City of Portland|accessdate=2007-05-01}}</ref>
| + | ==Maine and the Abolitionist movement== |
| − | As explained in detail under "Geography", there are large tracts of uninhabited land in some remote parts of the interior.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ===Race, ancestry, and language===
| + | Maine was admitted to the Union as a free state, but some Mainers were involved in activities related to [[slavery]], such as the [[Triangle Trade]]. |
| − | {{US Demographics}}
| + | |
| − | The largest ancestries in the state are: [[English American]] (21.5%), [[Irish American|Irish]] (15.1%), [[French American|French or French Canadian]] (14.2%), [[American ancestry|American]] (9.4%), and [[German American|German]] (6.7%).
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | Maine is second only to New Hampshire in the percentage of French Americans among U.S. states. It also has the largest percentage of non-Hispanic [[White American|whites]] of any state and the highest percentage of current French-speakers who come from Quebec. Franco-Mainers tended to settle in rural northern Maine (particularly Aroostook County) and the industrial cities of inland Maine (especially Lewiston), whereas much of the midcoast and downeast sections remain mostly of British heritage. Smaller numbers of various other groups, including [[Italian American|Italian]] and [[Polish American|Polish]] have settled throughout the state since the early 20th c. immigration waves.
| + | However, the famous abolitionist speaker and writer [[William Lloyd Garrison]] made a speaking tour of Maine in 1832 arousing discussion and dispute. By 1834 there were branches of the American Antislavery Society in Maine and state and local organizations were taking part in antislavery activities and the dissemination of information. |
| | | | |
| − | The 2000 Census reported 92.25% of Maine residents age 5 and older speak English at home. Census figures show Maine has a greater proportion of people speaking French at home than any other state in the nation, a result of Maine's large French-Canadian community, who migrated from adjacent [[Quebec]] and [[New Brunswick]]. 5.28% of Maine households are French-speaking, compared with 4.68% in [[Louisiana]]. Spanish is the third most spoken language at 0.79%, followed by German at 0.33% and Italian at 0.12% [http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=23&mode=state_tops].
| + | Some Mainers, especially those who depended on southern trade, felt that the issue was best left alone, as a dispute might endanger the union, and felt that the South would abolish slavery in its own time if the North left it alone. |
| | | | |
| − | ===Religion===
| + | In 1836 the mayor of [[Portland]] refused permission for the Antislavery Society to meet in City Hall, but the meeting was held at the [[Quaker]] meetinghouse instead, despite being the target anti-abolition mobs. Similar disputes broke out in other towns, but public opinion began to be swayed by the information put out by antislavery societies. |
| − | The religious affiliations of the people of Maine are shown below:
| + | |
| − | *[[Christianity|Christian]] – 82%
| + | |
| − | **[[Protestantism|Protestant]] – 45%
| + | |
| − | ***[[Baptist]] (mostly [[American Baptist Churches USA|American Baptist]]) – 16%
| + | |
| − | ***[[Methodism|Methodist]] (mostly [[United Methodist Church]] with 31.689 members)<ref>http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/23_2000.asp</ref> – 9%
| + | |
| − | ***[[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal]]ian – 8%
| + | |
| − | ***[[United Church of Christ]] (29,122 members)<ref>http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/23_2000.asp</ref> / Congregational – 8%
| + | |
| − | ***[[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] – 6%
| + | |
| − | ***[[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] – 3%
| + | |
| − | ***Other Protestant or general Protestant – 10%
| + | |
| − | **[[Roman Catholicism in the United States|Roman Catholic]] (283.024 members)<ref>http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/23_2000.asp</ref> – 37%
| + | |
| − | **Other Christian – 1%
| + | |
| − | *Other Religions – 1%
| + | |
| − | *Non-Religious – 17%
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ==Economy==
| + | In the spring of 1837, Maine and Georgia nearly came to blows over abolitionism after a group of Maine seamen took a runaway slave named Atticus home with them. Atticus was eventually betrayed back to his owner, but many Mainers played a subsequent part as stops on the the [[Underground Railway]] that saw many slaves safely away from captivity.<ref>http://imaginemaine.com/mainestories/Atticus.html</ref> |
| − | [[Image:Maine quarter, reverse side, 2003.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Maine [[50 State Quarters|State Quarter]]]]
| + | |
| − | [[Image:Craft Breweries Per Capita (US).png|thumb|left|150px|Maine is ranked 2nd nationally in craft breweries per capita.<ref>[http://www.beertown.org/craftbrewing/statistics.html Craft Brewing Industry Statistics<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>]]
| + | |
| − | The [[Bureau of Economic Analysis]] estimates that Maine's total gross state product for 2003 was US$41 billion. Its per capita personal income for 2003 was US$29,164, 29th in the nation.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | Maine's [[agriculture|agricultural]] outputs include poultry, eggs, dairy products, cattle, wild blueberries (the state produces 25% of all blueberries in North America, making it the largest [[blueberry]] producer in the world), apples, [[maple syrup]] and [[maple sugar]]. [[Aroostook County, Maine|Aroostook County]] is known for its [[potato]] crops. [[Commercial fishing]], once a mainstay of the state's economy, maintains a presence, particularly lobstering and groundfishing. Western Maine aquifers and springs are a major source of bottled water. Maine's industrial outputs consist chiefly of paper, lumber and wood products, electronic equipment, leather products, food products, textiles, and bio-technology. Naval shipbuilding and construction remain key as well, with [[Bath Iron Works]] in Bath and [[Portsmouth Naval Shipyard]] in Kittery. [[Naval Air Station Brunswick]] is also in Maine, and serves as a large support base for the U.S. Navy. However, the [[Base Realignment and Closure|BRAC]] campaign recommended Brunswick's closing, despite a recent government-funded effort to upgrade its facilities.
| + | Hannibal Hamlin was a Democratic Senator. However, he left the party in 1854 over the slavery issue and was a leading force in the formation of the Republican Party in Maine. He served as the state's first Republican governor and became the nation's first Republican vice president after the election of [[Abraham Lincoln]]. |
| | | | |
| − | Tourism and outdoor recreation play a major and increasingly important role in Maine's economy. The state is a popular destination for sport [[hunting]] (particularly deer, moose and bear), [[sport fishing]], [[snowmobile|snowmobiling]], [[skiing]], boating, [[camping]] and [[hiking]], among other activities. Maine's unemployment rate is 4.8%
| + | ==Maine and Prohibition== |
| | | | |
| − | Maine ports play a key role in national transportation. Beginning around 1880, Portland's rail link and [[ice-free port]] made it Canada's principal winter port, until the aggressive development of [[Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia|Halifax]], Nova Scotia, in the mid-1900s. In 2001, Maine's largest city of Portland surpassed [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] as New England's busiest port (by tonnage), due to its ability to handle large tankers. Maine's [[Portland International Jetport]] was recently expanded, providing the state with increased air traffic from carriers such as [[JetBlue]].
| + | The world's first Total Abstinence Society was founded in Portland in 1815 and other temperance societies over the next two decades. Eventually, a state law prohibiting the sale of alcohol except for "medicinal and mechanical purposes" was passed. By 1851 a law banning the manufacture and sale of liquor was passed in 1851 and not repealed until 1934, along with the repeal of Prohibition in the rest of the United States. |
| | | | |
| − | Maine has very few large companies that maintain headquarters in the state, and fewer than before due to consolidations and mergers, particularly in the pulp and paper industry. Some of the larger companies that do maintain headquarters in Maine include [[Fairchild Semiconductor]] in South Portland; [[IDEXX Laboratories]], in Westbrook; [[Unum]], in Portland; [[TD Banknorth]], in Portland; [[L.L. Bean]] in Freeport; [[Cole Haan]] and [[Delorme]], both located in Yarmouth. Maine is also the home of [[Jackson Laboratory|The Jackson Laboratory]], the world's largest non-profit mammalian genetic research facility and the world's largest supplier of genetically purebred mice. | + | ==Maine and the Civil War== |
| | | | |
| − | Maine has an [[income tax]] structure containing 4 brackets, which range from 2% to 8.5% of personal income. Maine's general [[sales tax]] rate is 5%. The state also levies charges of 7% on lodging and prepared food and 10% on short-term auto rentals. Commercial sellers of blueberries, a Maine staple, must keep records of their transactions and pay the state 1.5 cents per pound ($1.50 per 100 pounds) of the fruit sold each season. All [[Real property|real]] and tangible [[personal property]] located in the state of Maine is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. The administration of property taxes is handled by the local assessor in incorporated cities and towns, while property taxes in the unorganized territories are handled by the State Tax Assessor.
| + | Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at Brunswick, where her husband was a professor at Bowdoin College. The popular book aroused anti-slavery feelings throughout the northern states in the 1850s. |
| | | | |
| − | ===Shipbuilding===
| + | Around 73,000 Mainers served with the Union army, and about one in ten died during the Civil War. |
| − | Maine has a longstanding tradition of being home to many shipbuilding companies. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Maine was home to many shipyards that produced wooden sailing ships. The main function of these ships was to transport either cargoes or passengers overseas. One of these yards was located in [[Pennellville Historic District]] in what is now Brunswick, Maine. This yard, owned by the Pennell family, was typical of the many family-owned shipbuilding companies of the time period. Other such examples of shipbuilding families were the Skofields and the Morses. During the 18th and 19th ceunturies, wooden shipbuilding of this sort made up a sizable portion of the economy.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ==Transportation==
| + | Two great generals, Oliver Otis Howard and Joshua L Chamberlain. Howard distinguished himself at Gettysburg and Bull Run, and Chamberlain is remembered for his heroism at Little Round Top and for commanding the Union troops to whom Lee surrendered at Appomattox. After the war, Chamberlain became governor of Maine. |
| − | ===Airports===
| + | |
| − | Maine receives [[Jet airliner|passenger jet]] service at its two largest airports, the [[Portland International Jetport]] in Portland, and the [[Bangor International Airport]] in Bangor. Both are served daily by many major [[airline]]s to destinations such as New York, [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]], and [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]]. [[Essential Air Service]] also subsidizes service to a number of smaller airports in Maine, bringing small [[turboprop]] aircraft to regional airports such as the [[Augusta State Airport]], [[Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport]], [[Knox County Regional Airport]], and the [[Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle]]. These airports are served by [[US Airways Express]] with small 19 to 30 seat planes. Many smaller airports are scattered throughout Maine, only serving [[general aviation]] traffic.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ===Highways===
| + | Howard was one of the main founders of Howard University and was its first president. Chamberlain later became president of Bowdoin College. |
| − | [[Image:PenobscotNarrowsBridgeBucksport.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Penobscot Narrows Bridge]], carrying [[U.S. Route 1]] and [[Maine State Route 3]] over the [[Penobscot River]].]]
| + | |
| − | [[Image:Amtrak downeaster ocean park 2005.jpg|200px|thumb|right|A southbound ''Downeaster'' passenger train at [[Ocean Park, Maine]], as viewed from the cab of a northbound train.]]
| + | ==Maine Politics== |
| − | [[Interstate 95 in Maine|Interstate 95]] runs through Maine, as well as its easterly branch [[Interstate 295 (Maine)|I-295]]. In addition, [[U.S. Route 1]] starts in [[Fort Kent, Maine|Fort Kent]] and runs to [[Florida]]. The eastern terminus of the eastern section of [[U.S. Route 2]] starts in Houlton, near the New Brunswick, Canada border to [[Rouses Point, New York|Rouses Point]], New York, at [[U.S. Route 11|US 11]] . There is also another US 2A connecting Old Town and Orono, Maine, primarily serving the [[University of Maine]] campus. U.S. Route 2, [[Maine State Route 6|Route 6]] and [[Maine State Route 9|Route 9]] are often used by truckers and other motorists of the [[Maritime Provinces]] ''en route'' to other destinations in the United States or as a short cut to [[Central Canada]].
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ===Rail===
| + | Maine politics was dominated by the Republican Party from 1854 until the Democrat [[Edmund S. Muskie ]] became governor in 1954. He and others broadened the Democratic base. |
| − | ====Passenger====
| + | |
| − | The [[Downeaster]] passenger train, operated by [[Amtrak]], provides passenger service between Portland and Boston's [[North Station]], with stops in Old Orchard Beach, Saco, and Wells. The Downeaster makes five southbound trips and five northbound trips every day.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | Seasonal passenger excursions between Brunswick and Rockland are operated by the Maine Eastern Railroad, which leases the state-owned Rockland Branch rail corridor.
| + | Muskie became one of Maine's Senators in 1958. He was prominent in the environmental movement and also considered expert in urban legislation and budget control. He was Hubert Humphrey's Vice Presidential nominee in 1968, and in 1972 was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. President [[Jimmy Carter]] appointed Senator Muskie Secretary of State in 1979. |
| | | | |
| − | ====Freight====
| + | Senator George Mitchell of Waterville succeeded Senator Muskie, and becane Senate majority leader from 1988 until he retired in 1994. After his retirement, he was much respected for his attempts to work with both sides of the dispute to bring peace to Northern Ireland. |
| − | Freight service throughout the state is provided by a handful of regional and shortline carriers: [[Pan Am Railways]] (formerly known as Guilford Rail System), which operates the former [[Boston and Maine Railroad|Boston & Maine]] and [[Maine Central Railroad|Maine Central]] railroads; [[St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad]]; Maine Eastern Railroad; [[Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway]]; and [[New Brunswick Southern Railway]].
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ''See also: [[List of Maine railroads]]''
| + | [[Margaret Chase Smith]] of Skowhegan was the first American woman elected to both houses of Congress. She was in the House of Representatives for nearly ten years, and then a Senator. A Republican, she was notably honest, independent and courageous. She is remembered for her famous [[Declaration of Conscience]] in the 1950 in which she said: |
| | | | |
| − | ==Law and government==
| + | {{Cquote|The American people are sick and tired of being afraid to speak their minds lest they be politically smeared as “Communists” or “Fascists” by their opponents. |
| − | {{see also|List of Governors of Maine|U.S. Senators from Maine|List of Maine State Senators|As Maine goes, so goes the nation}} | + | |
| − | The [[Maine Constitution]] structures Maine's state government, composed of three co-equal branches - the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The state of Maine also has three Constitutional Officers (the Secretary of State, the State Treasurer, and the State Attorney General) and one Statutory Officer (the State Auditor). | + | |
| | | | |
| − | The [[legislative branch]] is the [[Maine Legislature]], a bicameral body composed of the [[Maine House of Representatives]], with 151 members, and the [[Maine Senate]], with 35 members. The Legislature is charged with introducing and passing laws. | + | The American people are sick and tired of seeing innocent people smeared and guilty people whitewashed. But there have been enough proved cases, such as the ''[[Amerasia]]'' case, the [[Hiss]] case, the [[Coplon]] case, the [[Harry Gold|Gold]] case, to cause the nationwide distrust and strong suspicion that there may be something to the [[McCarthyism|unproved, sensational accusations]]. |
| | | | |
| − | The [[executive branch]] is responsible for the execution of the laws created by the Legislature and is headed by the [[Governor of Maine]] (currently John Baldacci, a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]). The Governor is elected every four years; no individual may serve more than two consecutive terms in this office. The current [[attorney general]] of Maine is [[G. Steven Rowe]]. As with other [[State legislature (United States)|state legislature]]s, the Maine Legislature can by a two-thirds majority vote from both the House and Senate override a gubernatorial veto. | + | The Democratic Administration has greatly lost the confidence of the American people by its complacency to the threat of communism here at home and the leak of [[manhattan project|vital secrets]] to Russia [[Venona|through key officials of the Democratic administration]]. There are enough proved cases to make this point without diluting our criticism with unproved charges. |
| | | | |
| − | The [[judicial branch]] is responsible for interpreting state laws. The highest court of the state is the [[Maine Supreme Judicial Court]]. The lower courts are the District Court, [[Maine Superior Court|Superior Court]] and Probate Court. All judges except for probate judges serve full-time; are nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature for terms of seven years. Probate judges serve part-time and are elected by the voters of each county for four-year terms.
| + | Surely these are sufficient reasons to make it clear to the American people that it is time for a change and that a Republican victory is necessary to the security of this country. Surely it is clear that this nation will continue to suffer as long as it is governed by the present ineffective Democratic Administration |
| | | | |
| − | ===State and local politics===
| + | Yet to displace it with a Republican regime embracing a philosophy that lacks political integrity or intellectual honesty would prove equally disastrous to this nation. The nation sorely needs a Republican victory. But I don’t want to see the Republican Party ride to political victory on the Four Horsemen of Calumny—Fear, Ignorance, Bigotry, and Smear. |
| − | In state [[general elections]], Maine voters tend to accept [[Independent (politician)|independent]] and third-party candidates more frequently than most states. Maine has had two independent governors recently ([[James B. Longley]], 1975–1979 and [[Angus King]], 1995–2003). The [[United States Green Party|Green Party]] candidate won nine percent of the vote in the 2002 gubernatorial election, more than in any election for a statewide office for that party until the 2006 Illinois gubernatorial election. The locally organized [[Maine Green Independent Party]] also elected [[John Eder]] to the office of State Representative in the Maine House of Representatives, the highest elected Green official nationwide. [[Pat LaMarche]], 2004 Green Party [[United States presidential election, 2004|vice-presidential candidate]], resides in the southern coastal town of [[Yarmouth, ME|Yarmouth]]. Maine state politicians, Republicans and Democrats alike, are noted for having more moderate views than many in the national wings of their respective parties.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | Maine is an [[Alcoholic beverage control state]].
| + | I doubt if the Republican Party could—simply because I don’t believe the American people will uphold any political party that puts political exploitation above national interest. Surely we Republicans aren’t that desperate for victory.</blockquote> |
| | | | |
| − | {{see also|Maine gubernatorial election, 2006}}
| + | I don’t want to see the Republican Party win that way. While it might be a fleeting victory for the Republican Party, it would be a more lasting defeat for the American people. Surely it would ultimately be suicide for the Republican Party and the two-party system that has protected our American liberties from the dictatorship of a one party system.<ref>http://americanrhetoric.com/speeches/margaretchasesmithconscience.html</ref> |
| | + | }} |
| | | | |
| − | ===Federal politics===
| + | Maine is a hotbed of independent voters, who outnumber both enrolled Democrats and Republicans and determine the outcome of most elections today. Two political independents have been governors of Maine: James B Longley of Lewiston in 1974, and Angus S King of Brunswick in 1994. |
| − | Maine's federal politics are notable and are dramatic for several reasons. In the 1930s, it was one of very few states which remained dominated by the [[United States Republican Party|Republican Party]]. In the [[U.S. presidential election, 1936|1936 Presidential election]], [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] received the [[U.S. Electoral College|electoral votes]] of every state other than Maine and [[Vermont]]. In the 1960s, Maine began to lean toward the [[United States Democratic Party|Democrats]], especially in [[President of the United States|Presidential]] elections. In [[U.S. presidential election, 1968|1968]], [[Hubert Humphrey]] became just the second Democrat in half a century to carry Maine thanks to the presence of his running mate, Maine Senator [[Edmund Muskie]], although the state voted Republican in every Presidential election in the 1970s and 1980s. Maine has since become a left-leaning [[swing state]] and has voted Democratic in five successive Presidential elections, casting its votes for [[Bill Clinton]] twice, [[Al Gore]] in [[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000]], [[John Kerry]] (with 53.6% of the vote) in [[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004]], and [[Barack Obama]] in [[U.S. presidential election, 2008|2008]]. Republican strength is greatest in Washington and Piscataquis counties. Though Democrats have carried the state in presidential elections in recent years, Republicans have largely maintained their control of the state's [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] seats, with [[Edmund S. Muskie|Ed Muskie]], [[William Hathaway]] and [[George Mitchell]] being the only Maine Democrats serving in the U.S. Senate in the past fifty years. | + | |
| | | | |
| − | [[Ross Perot]] achieved a great deal of success in Maine in the presidential elections of [[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992]] and [[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996]]. In 1992 as an [[Independent_(politician)|independent candidate]], Perot came in second to Bill Clinton, despite the longtime presence of the Bush family summer home in [[Kennebunkport, Maine|Kennebunkport]]. In 1996, as the nominee of the [[United States Reform Party|Reform Party]], Maine was again Perot's best state.
| + | Maine's current Senators, [[Olympia J. Snowe]] and [[Susan Collins]], are both Republicans. The current Representatives, [[Mike Michaud]] and [[Tom Allen]], are both Democrats.<ref>http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/</ref> |
| | | | |
| − | Since 1969, two of Maine's four electoral votes are awarded based on the winner of the statewide election. The other two go to the highest vote-winner in each of the state's two congressional districts. 2004's presidential race saw reports that the campaign of President George W. Bush had made the calculation to devote attention to one of Maine's two Congressional Districts with the possibility of carrying the district's vote for an Electoral Vote in a close national race. | + | Since 2004, Maine has offered [[domestic partnership]]s, which are similar to [[same sex marriage]]<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-partnership-in-the-united-states Answers.com]</ref> |
| | | | |
| − | Famous politicians from Maine include [[Percival Baxter]], [[James Blaine]], [[Owen Brewster]], [[William Cohen]], [[Susan Collins]], [[Hannibal Hamlin]], [[George J. Mitchell]], [[Edmund Muskie]], [[Thomas Brackett Reed]], [[Margaret Chase Smith]], [[Olympia Snowe]], and [[Wallace H. White, Jr.]].
| + | == Elected Officials == |
| | + | === Statewide officials === |
| | + | * Governor John E. Baldacci (D) |
| | | | |
| − | Maine's [[U.S. Senate|U.S. senators]] are Republicans [[Olympia Snowe]] and [[Susan Collins]]. The state's two members of the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] are Democrats [[Tom Allen]] and [[Mike Michaud]].
| + | === Congressional Officials === |
| | + | * Sen. [[Susan Collins]] (R) |
| | + | * Sen. [[Olympia J. Snowe]] (R) |
| | + | * Rep. [[Tom Allen]] (D) |
| | + | * Rep. [[Mike Michaud]] (D) |
| | | | |
| − | ==Municipalities== | + | ==Notable people from Maine== |
| − | ===Organized municipalities===
| + | |
| − | An organized municipality has a form of elected local government which administers and provides local services, keeps records, collects licensing fees, and can pass locally binding ordinances among other responsibilities of self-government. The governmental format of most organized towns and [[Plantation (Maine)|plantations]] is the Town Meeting while the format of most cities is the Council-Manager form. As of 2007 the organized municipalities of Maine consists of 22 [[List of cities in Maine|''cities,'']] 432 [[List of towns in Maine|''towns,'']] and 34 [[List of plantations in Maine|''plantations''.]] Collectively these 488 organized municipalities cover less than half of the state's territory. Maine also has 3 Reservations: [[Penobscot Indian Island Reservation|Indian Island]], Indian Township Reservation, and Pleasant Point Indian Reservation.<ref>[http://www.maine.gov/local/ Maine City and Town Index]</ref>
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | *The largest municipality in Maine, by population, is the ''city'' of [[Portland, Maine|Portland]] (pop. 64,249).
| + | [[Joshua Chamberlain]], a Union officer during the Civil War who quite possibly saved the Union in the Battle of Gettysburg with his "swinging gate maneuver", was born in Brewer and served as Maine's governor. |
| − | *The smallest ''city'' by population is [[Eastport, Maine|Eastport]] (pop. 1,640).
| + | |
| − | *The largest ''town'' by population is [[Brunswick, Maine|Brunswick]] (pop. 21,172).
| + | |
| − | *The smallest ''town'' by population is [[Frye Island, Maine|Frye Island]], a resort town which reported zero year-round population in the 2000 Census; one ''plantation'', [[Glenwood Plantation, Maine]], also reported a permanent population of zero.
| + | |
| − | *In the 2000 Census, the smallest ''town'' aside from Frye Island was [[Centerville, Maine|Centerville]] with a population of 26, but since that Census, Centerville voted to disincorporate and therefore is no longer a ''town''. The next smallest ''town'' with a population listed in that Census is Beddington, (pop. 29).
| + | |
| − | *The largest municipality by land area is the ''town'' of [[Allagash, Maine|Allagash]] (128 square miles).
| + | |
| − | *The smallest municipality by land area is the ''plantation'' of [[Monhegan, Maine|Monhegan Island]] (0.86 square miles).
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ===Unorganized territory===
| + | [[James G. Blaine]] dominated state and national Republican politics from the mid-1860s to the end of the century. He was speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Maine's senator, and served three Republican presidents as secretary of state. He was the presidential candidate for the Republican Party in 1884, but lost by a narrow margin to [[Grover Cleveland]]. |
| − | Unorganized territory has no local government. Administration, services, licensing, and ordinances are handled by the State Government. The Unorganized Territory of Maine consists of over 400 townships (towns are incorporated, townships are unincorporated), plus many coastal islands that do not lie within any municipal bounds. The UT land area is slightly over one half the entire area of the State of Maine. Year round residents in the UT number approximately 9,000, about 1.3% of the state's total population, with many more people residing only seasonally within the UT. Only four of [[List of counties in Maine|Maine's sixteen counties]] are entirely incorporated, although a few others are nearly so, and most of the unincorporated area is in the vast and sparsely populated [[Maine North Woods|Great North Woods of Maine]].<ref>[http://www.maine.gov/revenue/propertytax/unorganizedterritory/unorganized.htm Maine Township Listing (Unorganized Territories)]</ref>
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | === Most populous cities and towns ===
| + | [[Thomas B. Reed]] was Speaker of the House for three terms. He campaigned for reforms in House rules and wrote Reed's Rules of Order, which are still used in the Maine Legislature. |
| − | [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US2360545&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US23%7C16000US2360545&_street=&_county=portland&_cityTown=portland&_state=04000US23&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=040| Fact Finder US Census Maine Portland]: | + | |
| − | {| class="wikitable"
| + | |
| − | |+ The 49 most populous cities and towns as of the year 2000 US Census [2006 Estimate in brackets]
| + | |
| − | |- align="center"
| + | |
| − | | width = "125pt"| [[Portland, Maine|Portland]]<br> (64,249)<br> [63,011]
| + | |
| − | | width = "125pt"| [[Lewiston, Maine|Lewiston]]<br> (35,690)<br> [35,734]
| + | |
| − | | width = "125pt"| [[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]]<br> (31,473) <br> [31,008]
| + | |
| − | | width = "125pt"| [[South Portland, Maine|South Portland]]<br> (23,324)<br> [23,784]
| + | |
| − | | width = "125pt"| [[Auburn, Maine|Auburn]]<br> (23,203) <br> [23,156]
| + | |
| − | | width = "125pt"| [[Biddeford, Maine|Biddeford]]<br> (20,942)<br>[22,092]
| + | |
| − | | width = "125pt"| [[Brunswick (town), Maine|Brunswick]]<br> (21,172)<br> [21,915]
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | |- align="center"
| + | [[Margaret Chase Smith]] of Skowhegan was the first American woman elected to both houses of Congress. |
| − | | [[Sanford, Maine|Sanford]]<br> (20,806) <br> [21,534]
| + | |
| − | | [[Augusta, Maine|Augusta]]<br> (18,560)<br> [18,560]
| + | |
| − | | [[Scarborough (town), Maine|Scarborough]]<br> (16,970) <br> [18,880]
| + | |
| − | | [[Saco, Maine|Saco]]<br> (16,822)<br> [18,289]
| + | |
| − | | [[Westbrook, Maine|Westbrook]]<br> (16,142) <br> [16,201]
| + | |
| − | | [[Waterville, Maine|Waterville]]<br> (15,605) <br> [15,639]
| + | |
| − | | [[Windham, Maine|Windham]]<br> (14,904)<br> [16,546]
| + | |
| − | |- align="center"
| + | |
| − | | [[Gorham, Maine|Gorham]]<br> (14,141) <br> [15,402]
| + | |
| − | | [[York, Maine|York]]<br> (12,854) <br> [13,302]
| + | |
| − | | [[Kennebunk, Maine|Kennebunk]]<br> (10,476) <br> [11,505]
| + | |
| − | | [[Falmouth, Maine|Falmouth]]<br> (10,310)<br> [10,557]
| + | |
| − | | [[Kittery, Maine|Kittery]]<br> (9,543) <br> [10,495]
| + | |
| − | | [[Presque Isle, Maine|Presque Isle]]<br> (9,511)<br> [9,253]
| + | |
| − | | [[Wells, Maine|Wells]]<br> (9,400)<br> [10,038]
| + | |
| − | |- align="center"
| + | |
| − | | [[Standish, Maine|Standish]]<br> (9,285)<br> [9,832]
| + | |
| − | | [[Bath, Maine|Bath]]<br> (9,266)<br> [9,184]
| + | |
| − | | [[Orono, Maine|Orono]]<br> (9,112)<br> [9,712]
| + | |
| − | | [[Topsham, Maine|Topsham]]<br> (9,100) <br> [9,940]
| + | |
| − | | [[Lisbon, Maine|Lisbon]]<br> (9,077) <br> [9,419]
| + | |
| − | | [[Cape Elizabeth, Maine|Cape Elizabeth]]<br> (9,068) <br> [8,826]
| + | |
| − | | [[Brewer, Maine|Brewer]]<br> (8,987) <br> [9,079]
| + | |
| − | |- align="center"
| + | |
| − | | [[Old Orchard Beach, Maine|Old Orchard Beach]]<br> (8,856) <br> [9,349]
| + | |
| − | | [[Skowhegan, Maine|Skowhegan]]<br> (8,824)<br> [8,876]
| + | |
| − | | [[Yarmouth, Maine|Yarmouth]]<br> (8,360) <br> [8,132]
| + | |
| − | | [[Caribou, Maine|Caribou]]<br> (8,312) <br> [8,283]
| + | |
| − | | [[Old Town, Maine|Old Town]]<br> (8,130) <br> [7,723]
| + | |
| − | | [[Freeport, Maine|Freeport]]<br> (7,800) <br> [8,151]
| + | |
| − | | [[Winslow, Maine|Winslow]]<br> (7,743) <br> [7,944]
| + | |
| − | |- align="center"
| + | |
| − | | [[Rockland, Maine|Rockland]]<br> (7,609) <br> [7,578]
| + | |
| − | | [[Buxton, Maine|Buxton]]<br> (7,452) <br> [8,171]
| + | |
| − | | [[Farmington, Maine|Farmington]]<br> (7,410) <br> [7,580]
| + | |
| − | | [[Cumberland, Maine|Cumberland]]<br> (7,159) <br> [7,653]
| + | |
| − | | [[Gray, Maine|Gray]]<br> (6,820) <br> [7,420]
| + | |
| − | | [[South Berwick, Maine|South Berwick]]<br> (6,671) <br> [7,252]
| + | |
| − | | [[Fairfield, Maine|Fairfield]]<br> (6,573) <br> [6,787]
| + | |
| − | |- align="center"
| + | |
| − | | [[Houlton, Maine|Houlton]]<br> (6,476)<br> [6,283]
| + | |
| − | | [[Rumford, Maine|Rumford]]<br> (6,472)<br> [6,409]
| + | |
| − | | [[Ellsworth, Maine|Ellsworth]]<br> (6,456) <br> [7,075]
| + | |
| − | | [[Belfast, Maine|Belfast]]<br> (6,381)<br> [6,803]
| + | |
| − | | [[Berwick, Maine|Berwick]]<br> (6,353)<br> [7,403]
| + | |
| − | | [[Hampden, Maine|Hampden]]<br> (6,327)<br> [6,771]
| + | |
| − | | [[Winthrop, Maine|Winthrop]]<br> (6,232)<br> [6,475]
| + | |
| − | |}
| + | |
| − | <center><gallery>
| + | |
| − | Image:Augusta, Maine 2.jpg|[[Augusta, Maine|Augusta]]
| + | |
| − | Image:BangorSkyline.jpg|[[Bangor, Maine|Bangor]]
| + | |
| − | Image:DSCN4043 bathcityhall e.jpg|[[Bath, Maine|Bath]]
| + | |
| − | Image:City Hall Biddeford, ME 2005.JPG|[[Biddeford, Maine|Biddeford]]
| + | |
| − | Image:Lew2maine.jpg|[[Lewiston, Maine|Lewiston]]
| + | |
| − | Image:Oldtown1.jpg|[[Old Town, Maine|Old Town]]
| + | |
| − | Image:DowntownPortlandMe1.jpg|[[Portland, Maine|Portland]]
| + | |
| − | Image:Saco_Maine_Street.jpg|[[Saco, Maine|Saco]]
| + | |
| − | </gallery></center>
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | Throughout Maine, many municipalities, although each separate governmental entities, nevertheless form portions of a much larger population base. There are many such population clusters throughout Maine, but some examples from the municipalities appearing in the above listing are:
| + | [[George Mitchell]], a well-respected former senator. Instrumental in the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. |
| | | | |
| − | *Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Scarborough, and Falmouth</li>
| + | [[Stephen King]], a wildly popular horror novelist, is a lifelong resident of Maine and sets many of his novels in the state. |
| − | *Lewiston and Auburn</li>
| + | |
| − | *Bangor, Orono, Brewer, Old Town, and Hampden</li>
| + | |
| − | *Biddeford and Saco</li>
| + | |
| − | *Brunswick and Topsham</li>
| + | |
| − | *Waterville and Winslow</li><ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=16000US2360545&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US23%7C16000US2360545&_street=&_county=portland&_cityTown=portland&_state=04000US23&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=040| Fact Finder US Census Maine Portland]</ref>
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ==Education==
| + | [[E.B. White]], a writer best known for his children's books ''Stuart Little'' and ''Charlotte's Web'', lived in North Brooklin. |
| − | {{Unreferencedsection|date=January 2008}}
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | ===Public schools=== | + | ==References== |
| − | {{see also|List of school districts in Maine}}
| + | <references/> |
| − | Maine has four types of school departments: the first is a local school, one which serves only one municipality, and is headed by a superintendent. Usually, it serves kindergarten through grade 12, although some only go to grade 8. Usually, independent school districts which do not have a high school are not totally independent; they are part of a school union, the second type of school district.
| + | |
| | | | |
| − | A school union is two or more school departments that share a superintendent but nothing else; each town has an independent school board. Usually, only one of the schools in the school union has a high school, but unlike MSADs (discussed below), students in the whole school union are not compelled to attend that school. School union students are given a choice of neighboring school districts, and the school union pays for the student's tuition.
| + | {{USstates}} |
| − | | + | |
| − | The third type is a MSAD (Maine School Administrative District). This is a regional school district that incorporates two or more towns into one school department with one high school and middle school. These towns do not have independent school boards, but instead have one central board governing the entire district. Students are obligated to attend the central high school. Usually, a MSAD comprises one larger town and one or more smaller towns. The larger town is equipped with a high school and middle school, while the surrounding towns have elementary schools as well, but no secondary schools. The elementary schools usually cut off after grade 5 or grade 6. Sometimes, towns in a MSAD do not have an elementary school but possess a high school and/or middle school, whereas the surrounding towns have the elementary schools.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | The last type of school district is a CSD (Community School District, sometimes called a Consolidated School District). This usually (but not always) exists in school districts with such a small student population between several towns that the school district cannot justify an elementary school outside the largest town in the district. In rare cases a CSD refers to only a high school of a school union. Sometimes, in towns geographically isolated (such as island towns) the entire student population attends one school grades PK-12.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | Students can choose to attend a school in another district if the parents agree to pay the school tuition. Vocational centers are usually regional, so one school department will administer a technical center but other school districts will transport their students there to take classes.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Private schools===
| + | |
| − | Private schools are less common than public schools. A large number of private elementary schools with under 20 students exist, but most private high schools in Maine are actually semi-private high schools. This means that while it costs money to send children there, towns will make a contract with a school to take children from a town or MSAD at a slightly reduced rate. Often this is done when it is deemed cheaper to subsidize private tuition than build a whole new school when a private one already exists.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Magnet schools===
| + | |
| − | Maine has one major magnet school: The [[Maine School of Science and Mathematics]] in Limestone. Another specialty public school exists in Portland: the Maine School of Performing Arts.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Colleges and universities===
| + | |
| − | {{col-begin}} | + | |
| − | {{col-break}}
| + | |
| − | *[[Bangor Theological Seminary]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Bates College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Beal College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Bowdoin College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Colby College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[College of the Atlantic]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Husson College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Maine College of Art]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Maine Community College System]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Central Maine Community College]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Kennebec Valley Community College]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Eastern Maine Community College]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Northern Maine Community College]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Southern Maine Community College]]
| + | |
| − | **Boat School at Eastport (a branch of Husson College)
| + | |
| − | **[[Washington County Community College]]
| + | |
| − | **[[York County Community College]]
| + | |
| − | {{col-break}}
| + | |
| − | *[[Maine Maritime Academy]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Saint Joseph's College of Maine|St. Joseph's College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Thomas College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Unity College (Maine)|Unity College]]
| + | |
| − | *[[University of Maine System]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine at Augusta]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine at Farmington]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine at Fort Kent]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine at Machias]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine|University of Maine at Orono]], the flagship campus
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine at Rockland]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine at Presque Isle]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Maine School of Law]]
| + | |
| − | **[[University of Southern Maine]]
| + | |
| − | *[[University of New England, Maine|University of New England]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Brigton Academy]]
| + | |
| − | {{col-end}}
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==Professional sports teams==
| + | |
| − | *[[Portland Sea Dogs]], [[minor league baseball]], [[Eastern League (U.S. baseball)]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Portland Pirates]], [[minor league hockey]], [[American Hockey League]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Lewiston MAINEiacs]], [[junior hockey]], [[Quebec Major Junior Hockey League]]
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==Miscellany==
| + | |
| − | *Four [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] ships have been named [[USS Maine|USS ''Maine'']] in honor of the state.
| + | |
| − | *Maine is the only U.S. state to have a name one [[syllable]] long; all other 49 states have at least two syllables. It also is the only state within the 48 contiguous states to border only one other state.
| + | |
| − | *Maine is the number one exporter of [[blueberry|blueberries]] and [[toothpick]]s. The largest toothpick manufacturing plant in the United States is located in [[Strong, Maine]]. The Strong Wood Products Incorporated plant produces twenty million toothpicks a day.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/ME3145/ | title=Toothpick Capital of the World | publisher=The Center For Land Use Interpretation | accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref>
| + | |
| − | *[[Cadillac Mountain]] in Bar Harbor, [[Mt. Katahdin]] in [[Baxter State Park]], and [[Mars Hill Mountain]] in the town of [[Mars Hill, Maine|Mars Hill]] each battle to be the first site in the contiguous United States to see the morning's sunlight. [http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/first_sunrise.html#US]Maine's first light depends on the time of year, as the sunrise moves from South to North. From October 7 to March 6, Cadillac Mountain is first. From March 7 to March 24, [[West Quoddy Head]] is first in the country. Warmer months, March 25 to September 18, Mars Hill sees first light. Then, when the sun starts getting lower in the sky, The country's day begins between September 19 to October 6 back at West Quoddy Head.
| + | |
| − | *Maine has 62 [[lighthouses]], of which more than 50 are still in use.
| + | |
| − | *Maine has traditionally been a source for [[Maine Salmon]], however economic considerations and environmental activism have caused some of the industry to move to Canada.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===State symbols===
| + | |
| − | *[[List of U.S. state fruit|State berry]]: Wild [[Blueberry]]
| + | |
| − | *[[List of U.S. state birds|State bird]]: [[Black-capped Chickadee]]
| + | |
| − | *[[List of U.S. state cats|State cat]]: [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Maine_Coon Maine Coon]
| + | |
| − | *[[State fish]]: [[Land-locked salmon]]
| + | |
| − | *[[List of U.S. state flowers|State flower]]: [[Eastern White Pine|White Pinecone and Tassel]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State fossil]]: ''[[Pertica Quadrifaria]]''
| + | |
| − | *[[State gemstone]]: [[Tourmaline]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State herb]]: [[Pyrolaceae|Wintergreen]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State insect]]: [[Western honey bee|European honey bee]]
| + | |
| − | *[[List of U.S. state mammals|State mammal]]: [[Moose]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State animal]]: [[Moose]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State beverage]]: [[Moxie]]
| + | |
| − | *[[Soils|State soil]]: [[Chesuncook soil series]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State song]]: [[State of Maine Song]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State tree]]: [[Eastern white pine|Eastern White Pine]]
| + | |
| − | *[[State vessel]]: Arctic exploration schooner ''Bowdoin''
| + | |
| − | *[[State motto]]: Dirigo ("I lead" or "I direct")
| + | |
| − | (See also: [http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/facts.html#symbols www.maine.gov portal].)
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Maine in fiction===
| + | |
| − | *[http://www.waterborolibrary.org/maineaut/index.htm List of Maine writers] each with a short biography and list of works.
| + | |
| − | *[http://www.waterborolibrary.org/maineaut/mystery.htm List of Maine mystery writers] with short biography and works.
| + | |
| − | *[http://www.waterborolibrary.org/maineaut/setinmaine.htm List of books set in Maine.]
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ====Literature====
| + | |
| − | *[[Charlotte Agell]] lives in Maine and has several books set in Maine.
| + | |
| − | *''[[The Cider House Rules]]'', a novel by [[John Irving]] (and later a [[The Cider House Rules (film)|motion picture]]) is set in several fictional Maine towns.
| + | |
| − | *[[Robert P. T. Coffin]] (1892–1955) — Iconic Maine writer.
| + | |
| − | *[http://www.waterborolibrary.org/maineaut/km.htm#kellogg Elijah Kellogg Jr] (1813–1901) — Popular author of [[Horatio Alger, Jr.]]-style boy's books. Many of these out-of-copyright books are available online at [http://books.google.com/books?as_q=&num=50&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_libcat=0&as_brr=0&lr=&as_vt=&as_auth=Elijah+Kellogg&as_pub=&as_sub=&as_drrb=c&as_miny=&as_maxy=&as_isbn= books.google.com].
| + | |
| − | *[[Stephen King]] bases much of his fiction in Maine.
| + | |
| − | *[[H. P. Lovecraft]], who set almost all of his stories in New England, occasionally mentions Maine.
| + | |
| − | *[[Robert McCloskey]] (1914–2003 ) — Beloved children's author.
| + | |
| − | *''[[The Moosepath League]]'' series of books by [[Van Reid]] are humorous adventures set in 19th century Maine.
| + | |
| − | *''[[Night Chills]]'', a horror/suspense novel by [[Dean Koontz]] takes place in the fictional town of Black River, Maine.
| + | |
| − | *Maine is mentioned in a chapter of Henry David Thoreau's [[Walden]], who visited the Maine woods during his stay at [[Walden Pond]].
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ====Film====
| + | |
| − | *''[[Casper]]'', a 1996 children's film set in the town of Friendship, Maine.
| + | |
| − | *''[[Darkness Falls]]'', a 2003 horror film, is set in the fictional Maine town of Darkness Falls but was filmed mostly in Australia.
| + | |
| − | *''[[Empire Falls (miniseries)|Empire Falls]]'', a motion picture based on the [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning [[Empire Falls|novel of the same name]], was filmed almost entirely in Waterville and Skowhegan.
| + | |
| − | *''[[In the Bedroom]]'', a 2001 Academy Award-nominated film, takes place in Camden, Maine.
| + | |
| − | *''[[The Iron Giant]]'', based on the novel ''[[The Iron Man (novel)|The Iron Man]]'' by [[Ted Hughes]], is an award-winning animated film that takes place in the fictional town of Rockwell, Maine in the 1950s.
| + | |
| − | *''[[The Man Without a Face]]'', a 1993 film starring Mel Gibson, shot throughout midcoast Maine.
| + | |
| − | *''[[The Shawshank Redemption]]'', an award-winning 1993 movie set in Maine.
| + | |
| − | *''[[Storm of the Century]]'', a miniseries based on the Stephen King novel, takes place in Maine along with many other adaptations of his books.
| + | |
| − | *''[[Welcome to Mooseport]]'', a 2004 movie set in the fictional city of Mooseport, Maine.
| + | |
| − | *"[[The Mist]]", a Stephen King movie set in Maine.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ====Television====
| + | |
| − | *''[[Dark Shadows]]'' is set in the fictional coastal town of Collinsport, Maine.
| + | |
| − | *Hawkeye Pierce, a central character of the television sitcom ''[[M*A*S*H]]'', is a resident of the fictional town of Crabapple Cove, Maine. The role of Pierce was played by [[Alan Alda]]. The series was based upon the writings of [[H. Richard Hornberger|Dr. H. Richard Hornberger]], who following the war resided in [[Pittsfield, Maine|Pittsfield]].
| + | |
| − | *''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'', a television series starring [[Angela Lansbury]], is set in the fictional Maine village of [[Cabot Cove]].
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ===Famous Mainers===
| + | |
| − | A citizen of Maine is known as a "Mainer," though the term "Downeaster" may be applied to residents of the northeast coast of the state.
| + | |
| − | {{col-begin}}
| + | |
| − | {{col-break}}
| + | |
| − | *'''Business'''
| + | |
| − | **[[L. L. Bean|Leon Leonwood (L.L.) Bean]], clothing maker and retailer
| + | |
| − | **[[Milton Bradley]], board game inventor
| + | |
| − | **[[Reuben Colburn]], shipbuilder from Pittston, and guide for [[Benedict Arnold]]'s March to Quebec, part of the [[Invasion of Canada (1775)]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Francis Edgar Stanley]] and [[Freelan O. Stanley]], inventors, [[Stanley Steamer]]
| + | |
| − | *''' Entertainment and media'''
| + | |
| − | **[[Christopher Daniel Barnes]], actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Corey Beaulieu]], Band member/songwriter of Trivium
| + | |
| − | **[[Anna Belknap]], actress
| + | |
| − | **[[Gordon Bok]], folksinger/songwriter
| + | |
| − | **[[John Cariani]], actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Ernie Coombs]], actor ([[Mr. Dressup]])
| + | |
| − | **[[Howie Day]], singer/songwriter
| + | |
| − | **[[Patrick Dempsey]], actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Richard Dysart]], actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Kevin Eastman]], co-creator of the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]
| + | |
| − | **[[James Flavin]], actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Jonathan Frakes]], actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Dan Fogelberg]], singer/songwriter
| + | |
| − | **[[John Ford]], director, actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Frank Fixaris]], sports broadcaster
| + | |
| − | **[[Patty Griffin]], singer/songwriter
| + | |
| − | **[[Juliana Hatfield]], musician
| + | |
| − | **[[David E. Kelley]], producer
| + | |
| − | **[[Ray Lamontagne]], singer/songwriter
| + | |
| − | **[[Linda Lavin]], actress
| + | |
| − | **[[David Mallett]], singer/songwriter
| + | |
| − | **[[Bob Marley (comedian)|Bob Marley]], comedian
| + | |
| − | **[[Andrea Martin]], actress, comedienne
| + | |
| − | **[[Judd Nelson]], actor (member of the [[Brat Pack (movies)|Brat Pack]])
| + | |
| − | **[[Rachel Nichols (actress)|Rachel Nichols]], actress
| + | |
| − | **[[Shirley Povich]], [[Washington Post]] sports columnist
| + | |
| − | **[[Victoria Rowell]], actress
| + | |
| − | **[[Tim Sample]], humorist
| + | |
| − | **[[Andrew St. John]], actor
| + | |
| − | **[[Noel Paul Stookey]], singer/songwriter
| + | |
| − | **[[Phyllis Thaxter]], actress
| + | |
| − | **[[Gary Thorne]], sports broadcaster
| + | |
| − | **[[Liv Tyler]], actress (daughter of singer Steven Tyler)
| + | |
| − | **[[Steven Zirnkilton]], voiceover actor, best known for the opening narration of the [[NBC]] television drama series ''[[Law & Order]]''.
| + | |
| − | **[[Bob Ludwig]], Owner and founder of Gateway Mastering and DVD, a resident of Maine.
| + | |
| − | *'''Literature and the Arts'''
| + | |
| − | **[[Artemus Ward]], writer
| + | |
| − | **[[Walter Van Tilburg Clark]], writer
| + | |
| − | **[[Thomas A. Desjardin]], writer
| + | |
| − | **[[Nancy A. Henry]], poet
| + | |
| − | **[[Winslow Homer]], artist (27 year resident)
| + | |
| − | **[[Sarah Orne Jewett]], writer
| + | |
| − | **[[Stephen King]], writer
| + | |
| − | **[[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]], poet
| + | |
| − | **[[Robert McCloskey]] writer
| + | |
| − | **[[Edna St. Vincent Millay]], poet
| + | |
| − | **[[Ruth Moore]], writer
| + | |
| − | **[[George Lorenzo Noyes]], writer and artist
| + | |
| − | **[[Lincoln Peirce]], cartoonist
| + | |
| − | **[[Walter Piston]], composer
| + | |
| − | **[[Van Reid]], novelist
| + | |
| − | **[[Phineas Quimby]], 19th century philosopher, writer
| + | |
| − | **[[Kenneth Roberts]], historical novelist
| + | |
| − | **[[Edwin Arlington Robinson]], poet
| + | |
| − | **[[Harriet Beecher Stowe]], novelist & abolitionist
| + | |
| − | **[[E.B. White]], writer (28 year resident)
| + | |
| − | **[[Andrew Wyeth]], artist
| + | |
| − | **[[Marguerite Yourcenar]], writer and first female chosen for the [[French Academy]] (Resident in [[Mount Desert Island]], from 1950 to 1987)
| + | |
| − | {{col-break}}
| + | |
| − | *'''Government and Politics'''
| + | |
| − | **[[Myron Avery]], creator of the [[Appalachian trail]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Percival P. Baxter]], governor, creator of Baxter State Park
| + | |
| − | **[[James G. Blaine]], politician, presidential candidate
| + | |
| − | **[[Owen Brewster]], politician
| + | |
| − | **[[William S. Cohen]], politician (former [[United States Senator]] and [[Secretary of Defense]])
| + | |
| − | **[[Dorothea Dix]], civil rights reformer
| + | |
| − | **[[Hannibal Hamlin]], politician ([[Abraham Lincoln]]'s first Vice President)
| + | |
| − | **[[George J. Mitchell]], politician (former [[United States Senate Majority Leader|U.S. Senate Majority Leader]])
| + | |
| − | **[[Edmund Muskie]], politician, US Senator, and Secretary of State to [[Jimmy Carter]], 1980
| + | |
| − | **[[Thomas Brackett Reed]], politician
| + | |
| − | **[[Margaret Chase Smith]], politician, first woman elected to both houses of the [[United States Congress]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Samantha Smith]], "America's Youngest Ambassador"
| + | |
| − | **[[Olympia Snowe]], Senior Republican Senator from Maine
| + | |
| − | **[[Sam Webb]], politician, Communist Party USA Leader
| + | |
| − | **[[John H. Reed]], governor, former Chairman of the National Governor's Assiocation
| + | |
| − | *'''Military'''
| + | |
| − | **[[Joshua Chamberlain]], governor, [[American Civil War|Civil War]] General and hero, [[Medal of Honor]] recipient
| + | |
| − | **[[Ronald Speirs]], famous from the HBO series Band of Brothers, [[World War II|WW2]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Gary Gordon]], Medal of Honor recipient (3 October 1993, [[Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Mogadishu]], Somalia)
| + | |
| − | **[[Oliver Otis Howard]], Civil War General, founder of [[Howard University]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Henry Knox]], first U.S. [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]]
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | *'''Sports'''
| + | |
| − | **[[Cindy Blodgett]], former [[WNBA]] [[basketball]] player and current head women's basketball coach at the [[University of Maine]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Mike Brown]], a [[mixed martial arts]], [[WEC]] , [[UFC]] fighter and featherweight belt contender.
| + | |
| − | **[[Amanda Buckner]], [[Mixed martial arts|MMA]] fighter in [[Mixed Fighting Championship]] 7 and was a contestant on MMA reality show [[Bodogfight]] TV.
| + | |
| − | **[[Ricky Craven]], NASCAR driver
| + | |
| − | **[[Ian Crocker]], Olympic swimmer
| + | |
| − | **[[Marcus Davis]], MMA fighter in the [[UFC]] and was a contestant on the [[Ultimate Fighter 2]] on [[Spike TV]].
| + | |
| − | **[[Scotty 2 Hotty|Scott Garland]], professional wrestler formerly employed by [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] under the ring name of 'Scotty 2 Hotty.'
| + | |
| − | **[[James "Chico" Hernandez]], featured on a box of [[Wheaties]] and is a [[FIAS]] World [[Sombo]] [[Wrestling]] Champion
| + | |
| − | **[[Paul Kariya]], NHL Hockey Player
| + | |
| − | **[[Matt Kinney]], MLB Baseball Player | SF Giants (minor leagues)
| + | |
| − | **[[Dick MacPherson]], former head coach of the [[New England Patriots]] and [[Syracuse University]] Orangemen
| + | |
| − | **[[Stump Merrill]], baseball coach and former manager of the [[New York Yankees]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Les Otten]], [[Boston Red Sox]] owner
| + | |
| − | **[[Joan Benoit|Joan Benoit Samuelson]], [[marathon (sport)|marathon]] runner
| + | |
| − | **[[Louis Sockalexis]], first American Indian ([[Penobscot]]) MLB baseball player
| + | |
| − | **[[Matt Stairs]], MLB Baseball Player | [[Toronto Blue Jays]]
| + | |
| − | **[[Tim Sylvia]], former [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]] Heavyweight Champion
| + | |
| − | **[[Seth Wescott]], 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist - Snowboard Cross
| + | |
| − | **[[Mike Bordick]], Baseball Player for the [[Baltimore Orioles]]. Attended Highschool and college in Maine.
| + | |
| − | **[[Roger Levesque]], Professional Soccer Player, Seattle Sounders. Played in MLS for San Jose Earthquakes. Led Sounders in scoring.
| + | |
| − | **[[Eric Weinrich]] Former NHL Player
| + | |
| − | {{col-end}}
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==Gallery==
| + | |
| − | <center><gallery>
| + | |
| − | Image:Portland_Headlight_2000_3.jpg|Portland Head Light
| + | |
| − | Image:Maine_shack_winter.jpg|Maine winter
| + | |
| − | Image:Maine_snowplows.jpg|Snowplows for sale
| + | |
| − | Image:Maine_snow_3.jpg|Maine winter
| + | |
| − | </gallery></center>
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==See also==
| + | |
| − | *[[List of Maine-related topics]]
| + | |
| − | <!-- {{portal|Maine|Flag of Maine.svg|left=yes}} -->
| + | |
| − | {{clear}}
| + | |
| − | <!-- Please place links to all topics directly related to the State of Maine in the [[List of Maine-related topics]] -->
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==Notes==
| + | |
| − | {{reflist|2}}
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | ==External links==
| + | |
| − | {{sisterlinks|Maine}}
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | *Official state web-sites
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.maine.gov Maine government]
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.visitmaine.com Maine Office of Tourism] Search for tourism-related businesses
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.getrealmaine.com/visit Visit Maine (agriculture)] Maine fairs, festivals, etc. - Agricultural Dept.
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | *Other governmental web-sites:
| + | |
| − | *[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=ME Energy Profile for Maine- Economic, environmental, and energy data]
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=ME U.S. Geological Survey] Real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Maine
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.ers.usda.gov/StateFacts/ME.htm U.S. Dept. of Agriculture] Maine State Facts - agricultural
| + | |
| − | **[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/23000.html U.S. Census Bureau] Quick facts on Maine
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | *History web-sites
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.usastatesdates.com/maine.htm] History topics timeline of Maine
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | *Non-profit web-sites
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.mainehistory.org Maine Historical Society]
| + | |
| − | **[http://docs.unh.edu/towns/MaineTownList.htm Old USGS maps of Maine.]
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.portlandstage.com Portland Stage Company]
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | *Maine Media Websites
| + | |
| − | **[http://www.maine.info/media.php Comprehensive compilation of media sources in Maine.]
| + | |
| − | {{-}}
| + | |
| − | {{Maine|expand}}
| + | |
| − | {{New England}}
| + | |
| − | {{US Northeast}}
| + | |
| − | {{United States}}
| + | |
| − | | + | |
| − | {{succession
| + | |
| − | | preceded = [[Alabama]]
| + | |
| − | | office = [[List of U.S. states by date of statehood]]
| + | |
| − | | years = Admitted on March 15, 1820 (23rd)
| + | |
| − | | succeeded = [[Missouri]]
| + | |
| − | }}
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| − | | + | |
| − | {{coord|display=title|45.5|N|69|W|region:US-ME_type:adm1st_scale:3000000}}
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| − | [[Category:Maine|*]]
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| − | [[Category:1820 establishments]]
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The rocks of Maine are one of the oldest parts of the US, dating from the Devonian period.[1] The last glaciers of the ice age shaped the coastline into the many peninsulas we see today and formed Maine's 2,000 islands.
Descendants of Ice Age hunters, the earliest Mainers were nicknamed Red Paint People, because they lined the graves of their dead with red clay. These graves are thought to date back five thousand years. There are also large heaps of oyster shells on the coast that are thought to date back to the Red Paint People.
The two earliest Native American tribes of Maine were the Micmacs in eastern Maine and the Abanakis, who are also sometimes called Wabanakis. The former were warlike, but the latter were mainly peaceful farmers and fishers. The only remaining Native Americans today, of the many tribes who once inhabited Maine, are 1500 Passamaquoddies, who live on two reservations, and 1200 Penobscots, who live on Indian Island in the Penobscot River. [2]
In 1498 John Cabot, who was employed by King Henry VII of England, may have explored the Maine coast, although there is no concrete evidence of his visit. A hundred years later, some European ships came ashore to repair the ships and gather fresh supplies.
By 1700 there were only six surviving settlements. Massachusetts had acquired most of the land claims in Maine by that time, and this arrangement continued until Maine acquired its own statehood in 1820. [4]
England and France disputed the ownership of Maine during the early eighteenth century. The French actively supported Indian raids on white settlements, thinking this would drive English settlers out.
William Pepperell of Kittery led Maine forces in the capture of the French fort at Louisburg, NS, in 1745. In 1763 the French surrendered all claims to the territory in the 1763 Treaty of Paris.
Massachusetts offered free 100-acre lots to prospective settlers once the Indian threat subsided and the French had withdrawn, and the population of Maine doubled to 24,000 by 1763, and to over 150,000 by 1800. [5]
Mainers resisted the oppressive British taxes ten years before the Revolutionary War, seizing tax stamps at what was then called Falmouth but is now Portland. Customs agents were frequently attacked. A version of the Boston Tea Party happened in York, Maine in 1774 when a tea shipment was burned in York.
Hundreds of Mainers joined the struggle for independence. About 1,000 men died, sea trade was almost destroyed, and the British bombarded Falmouth (Portland). Maine's share of the Revolutionary War debt was higher than that later incurred by Maine's debt from the Civil War.
In 1775 the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War occurred off the coast of Machias and Benedict Arnold marched a band of revolutionaries through Maine in a valiant but doomed attempt at capturing Québec City and Montreal. [6]
William King, who served as president of the Constitutional Convention, was a shipbuilder and merchant from Bath. He subsequently became Maine's first governor.
Maine was admitted to the Union as a free state, but some Mainers were involved in activities related to slavery, such as the Triangle Trade.
Some Mainers, especially those who depended on southern trade, felt that the issue was best left alone, as a dispute might endanger the union, and felt that the South would abolish slavery in its own time if the North left it alone.
In the spring of 1837, Maine and Georgia nearly came to blows over abolitionism after a group of Maine seamen took a runaway slave named Atticus home with them. Atticus was eventually betrayed back to his owner, but many Mainers played a subsequent part as stops on the the Underground Railway that saw many slaves safely away from captivity.[8]
Hannibal Hamlin was a Democratic Senator. However, he left the party in 1854 over the slavery issue and was a leading force in the formation of the Republican Party in Maine. He served as the state's first Republican governor and became the nation's first Republican vice president after the election of Abraham Lincoln.
The world's first Total Abstinence Society was founded in Portland in 1815 and other temperance societies over the next two decades. Eventually, a state law prohibiting the sale of alcohol except for "medicinal and mechanical purposes" was passed. By 1851 a law banning the manufacture and sale of liquor was passed in 1851 and not repealed until 1934, along with the repeal of Prohibition in the rest of the United States.
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" at Brunswick, where her husband was a professor at Bowdoin College. The popular book aroused anti-slavery feelings throughout the northern states in the 1850s.
Around 73,000 Mainers served with the Union army, and about one in ten died during the Civil War.
Two great generals, Oliver Otis Howard and Joshua L Chamberlain. Howard distinguished himself at Gettysburg and Bull Run, and Chamberlain is remembered for his heroism at Little Round Top and for commanding the Union troops to whom Lee surrendered at Appomattox. After the war, Chamberlain became governor of Maine.
Howard was one of the main founders of Howard University and was its first president. Chamberlain later became president of Bowdoin College.
Maine politics was dominated by the Republican Party from 1854 until the Democrat Edmund S. Muskie became governor in 1954. He and others broadened the Democratic base.
Muskie became one of Maine's Senators in 1958. He was prominent in the environmental movement and also considered expert in urban legislation and budget control. He was Hubert Humphrey's Vice Presidential nominee in 1968, and in 1972 was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. President Jimmy Carter appointed Senator Muskie Secretary of State in 1979.
Senator George Mitchell of Waterville succeeded Senator Muskie, and becane Senate majority leader from 1988 until he retired in 1994. After his retirement, he was much respected for his attempts to work with both sides of the dispute to bring peace to Northern Ireland.
Maine is a hotbed of independent voters, who outnumber both enrolled Democrats and Republicans and determine the outcome of most elections today. Two political independents have been governors of Maine: James B Longley of Lewiston in 1974, and Angus S King of Brunswick in 1994.
